How to Become Confident Driving a Semi

Gaining confidence is a gradual process; be patient.

A semi truck is a large vehicle used to transport consumer goods and industrial products to any area that is accessible by road. Driving a semi is a complicated endeavor, so you need to make sure that you are confident behind the wheel before you decide to embark on a career in this field. Gaining confidence can be done in a number of different ways, but each depends on acquiring the right knowledge and experience.

Instructions

1. Ask an experienced semi driver if he can ride with you on a few practice drives. While you're with him, ask him to point out anything you can improve and how you can go about doing that. Take notes on what he tells you and refer to these notes often.

2. Enroll in a semi-truck-driving school. While enrolled, you will take in-class and driving lessons with instructors who know how to teach semi driving skills. Acquiring these skills and practicing them with the instructor will increase your confidence.

3. Read books on semi driving. Although driving will increase your confidence the most, acquiring a knowledge base through reading that you can then apply when you're behind the wheel will help you.

4. Watch videos that teach good semi-truck-driving skills. These videos will allow you to visualize what you need to do on the road to become a better and more confident driver. Take notes as you watch the videos and take the skills you learn with you when you're driving.

Tips & Warnings

• There are hundreds of tractor trailer schools across the country; make sure that the one you enroll in is run by experienced drivers who have worked in the business for at least ten years. Look for courses certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute.

• Three semi driving educational books are "The Tractor Trailer Book: Practical Advice For Driving Tractor Trailers" by Jimmy Cox; "Tractor-Trailer Trucker: A Powerful Truck Book" by Joyce Slayton Mitchell; and "Trucking: Tractor-Trailer Driver Handbook/Workbook" by Alice Adams.

• Two video series about learning semi driving are "Trucking Tractor Trailer Video Series" produced by the Professional Truck Driver Institute and "Jim Purcell's Trucking Made Easy."

References

• Driving Truck School; How to Choose the Right Tractor Trailer Driving School for You; Peter Wallander
• Professional Truck Driver Institute: About PTDI
• "Everything You Will Ever Need To Know To Start Driving A Big Truck Or How I Became A Professional Tourist"; Steve Richards; 2006

Resources

• Professional Truck Driver Institute: Schools with PTDI-Certified Courses