You hear of it all the time—truckers dealing with nightmare dispatchers, pushing them to their limits and making the job dangerous.
And from the dispatcher’s desk you’d probably hear a slew of bad trucker stories.
But we’re not here to point fingers!
We’re actually here to discuss communication between the many facets of the trucking industry.
Start from the Top
Truckers take the freight where it needs to go. Everybody knows that!
But business plans, shipment orders, and staffing requirements come from the top half of the industry. Sure, sometimes it’s fun to dog on the suits in the offices, but they do play a vital role in the industry.
With support staff including managers, sales teams, dispatchers, communications professionals, and mechanics, truckers aren’t the only hats in the business.
But they sure are the most important! Much like an assembly line or a rowing team, everyone needs to play their part, but the truckers are your star athletes.
With the right people at the top watching out for drivers, we’ll be in a good spot as an industry.
People Are People
Sometimes it’s easy for both sides of the industry to forget they’re dealing with people.
As a trucker, you KNOW you’re a person, but it’s sometimes hard to get along with someone when your dispatcher sees you just as a number they’re tracking.
You represent a set of statistics, yes, but you’re still a person.
And you know more than anyone that electronic devices shooting out numbers can’t match up to human intuition.
On the flip side, the dispatchers, managers, and clients you deal with are also trying to do a job.
Just like you sometimes have a bad day, they do, too. And they also have to deal with all of their drivers’ bad days, too.
So above all else, make sure both sides use people skills and we can make working together a lot easier for the whole industry.
The Rig vs. The Office
You might know how we feel about offices already.
That job works for some, but it’s a different ballgame altogether. An office is a field where employees need to work together, day to day.
There are lots of spoken and unspoken rules about how coworkers can act and speak to each other.
Yet as a trucker, you are more frank with your thoughts and feedback, like a warrior-poet strapped to 18 wheels of philosophy. You’ll share your thoughts with whoever you please!
This might come as a shock to anyone who is new to the industry, or has minimal contact with truckers on a daily basis.
That’s not your fault, by any means. But with a little understanding, both sides can communicate better.
Let’s Work Together
But when it comes down to it, the best thing you can do as a driver, a dispatcher, or a manager is to keep the people in your industry on your good side.
A positive attitude, some kindness, and mutual respect will go far.
There are always going to be people who grind your gears, but with some honest effort and respect, there can be plenty of personal friendships and professional alliances you rely on in this job.
When it comes to working together, let us work with you on your HVUT 2290s this next truck tax season. If you have questions about filing Form 2290, reach out to our support experts at Support@ExpressTruckTax.com and by phone at 704.234.6005.
How do you think we can improve communication between players in the trucking industry?