If you were to ask truck drivers where their favorite places to drive are, chances are that most would say on the open road, with empty highways and clear skies. What they wouldn’t say is during rush hour in a congested city. Unfortunately, as a truck driver, you’ll have to drive in all types of places, even the latter.
If you’re a new truck driver worried about city driving, you’re not alone. New truck drivers experience this fear every day. But they also overcome it and drive through crowded city streets with no problem. Here are 5 city truck driving tips for new truck drivers.
1. Try to be early whenever possible
This is easier said than done, but whenever you can control it, try and be early for your drop and hook appointments if you know they’re in a crowded city. By being early, you can scope out where you’ll need to pull in and how you’ll need to maneuver your truck and trailer. Being early also gives you the time needed to deal with any traffic or construction delays you might encounter in the city.
2. Use Your Mirrors
Using your mirrors isn’t just a tip for city driving, it’s important at all times you’re behind the wheel. That being said, mirrors become much more useful in a crowded city. Check them often to look out for pedestrians, bicyclists and cars attempting to merge. They’re especially useful when there’s two lanes of traffic turning at the same time.
3. Keep Extra Distance if You Can
There’s a lot of stop and go traffic in cities. If you’re not giving the proper amount of stopping distance, taking your eyes off the road for even half a second could be enough time for you to rear end somebody.
4. Be Cautious
More cars and pedestrians, with less room to drive means that you should have a general sense of caution when driving in the city. Don’t try to eyeball sharp turns and difficult maneuvers. Always use your mirrors and, if you’re able to, get out of the cab and check what you’re doing if you’re feeling uneasy about something.
There are some drivers who think this makes them look like a newbie or unskilled, but that’s far from the truth. The best drivers are the ones who put safety above all else.
5. Know Your Route
If you’ve never been to a customer’s location before, don’t just rely on Google or Apple maps to get you there. While these apps are usually fine to show you which highway or route to take, they’re a little less reliable when you need them to plan routes in cities. They may not tell you about one-way streets, roads with weight limits, construction, and other road disruptions.
Instead, give the customer a call to get directions. They’ll know the best route to get there and will even give you directions for where and how to park when you get there.
Driving in the city for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience for new truck drivers, but as long as you’re cautious, and keep your wits about you, you’ll be out of those congested streets and back on the highway in no time.
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Though getting a Class A CDL will open the 
With a Class B CDL, a trucker can drive any vehicles endorsed for Class B or Class C. Some of these vehicles are:
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If you’re a truck driver looking to stay close to home, a Class B CDL might be a great option for you, since most CDL B jobs only run locally. This means that if you’re planning on getting your Class B CDL, you should be prepared for jobs as a mover, delivery driver, bus driver, or 
If you’re a truck driver looking for a new haul, you may (or may not have) considered hauling livestock. There’s a lot of notions out there about what working with livestock is and isn’t. That’s why we talked to a livestock hauler who told us what the job is really like and gave some tips for people considering this line of work. So, if you’re curious about hauling livestock, here are 3 things to know.
When many people think of hauling livestock, there’s a good chance that they think of cows or pigs. While those animals do make up the largest part of the livestock transportation industry, livestock haulers can carry anything that is live freight. This can mean chickens, goats, sheep, and even bees. There are even some livestock haulers who carry high-value livestock such as 
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As a truck driver who’s looking for a new job, there are a ton of factors to consider before making your decision. You’re probably thinking about your preferred range, what you 
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Like with any test, the best way to pass the CDL test is to study. 
With the written portion of the CDL test done, it’s time to show off your driving skills. First and foremost, make sure you know the truck. The last thing you want is to try and make a simple air vent adjustment and be fumbling with the buttons. With the evaluator watching, even routine adjustments can feel like they have a lot of pressure. Know the inside of the cab like the back of your hand. 
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Nobody likes detention. Not the carrier, not the shipper, and definitely not the truck driver. But, since detention is such a universally disliked part of the trucking industry, why does it happen so often? Here’s what truck drivers need to know about detention delays and detention pay. 
Truck driving isn’t a one size fits all type of job. Drivers have choices for everything from the kind of freight they haul, how far they drive, and where they drive. But before they decide if they want to haul dry van or hazmat, or run OTR or local, they need to make two decisions first; Whether they want to drive under their own authority and what kind of trucking carrier they want to drive for.
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