What do people in truck driving do?

Answer 1

This is an extremely broad question, and to cover the duties of every type of truck in operation... you could practically write a book on it. So, some of the basics..

First and foremost, drivers are responsible for the safe operation of their vehicle. That's the obvious one.

Over-the-road drivers are also responsible for maintaining a log book which displays how many hours they've worked, and how many of those hours were spent driving, as the number of hours you can legally work is regulated by the federal government.

These drivers will also have to report to their dispatchers how many hours they've worked, how many they anticipate having when they drop their current load off, etc., so that dispatchers may plan their next load and trip.

Some drivers will also be responsible for loading and unloading their trailers. Most flatbed freight is done in what's known as a "live load", where the driver will be present as the load is being put onto the trailer. Additionally, the driver will be the one to secure that load to the trailer, and tarp it, if necessary.

Drivers must ensure that their vehicles are within legal weight limitations. This is determined through the use of scales, and some trucks have means of adjusting the distribution of weight over the axles, such as a sliding fifth wheel, sliding trailer tandems, adjustable air pressure valves, etc.

Each driver is responsible for performing a pre-trip and post-trip inspection on their vehicle and load, to ensure both that the vehicle is safe to operate, and that the load remains secure.

There are many other tasks specific to different types of trucks and what loads they carry. Tanker truck drivers will often have to ensure their tanker trailers are steam cleaned after unloading, and prior to picking up their next load. Tipper/dump truck drivers will be responsible for cleaning out their truck beds, to ensure loads such as asphalt don't stick to them, and also for inspecting the truck tailgates, to ensure that no gaps have formed between the gate and the bed which can allow material to come out of the truck bed. A driver hauling hazardous materials must be sure to notify ChemTrak after they've picked up their load.