Say What?

Question: What advice would you give a young driver just starting out?

Milton Smith, 45, Jackson Center, OH 
Professional driving experience: 17 years  
“I’ve been out here 17 years and when I started as a rookie, everyone told me I didn’t know what I was doing. The guys who had been out here 25 years never told me nothing except you’re doing this or you’re doing that wrong. I’m one of the few drivers who will help another driver. Someone who comes fresh out of school after three weeks or three months has no idea what’s going to happen. My advice is get more training—at least one year.”

Rich Forshey, 49,Wheeling, WV 
Professional driving experience: 33 years 
“Think twice and make sure this is what you want to do. You can make money in this business, but it’s not easy, and you have to do it wisely.”

Thomas Meade, 56, Clarksville, IN 
Professional driving experience: 9 years    
“You always have to have a copy of C.W. McCall and a CD of “Smokey and the Bandit” in your truck. That’s to give you something to do when you shut down for the night. And when you pull over to the side of the road to go pee, don’t do it in your headlights.”

Leonard Martin, 41, San Antonio, TX  
Professional driving experience: 20 years 
“The day you think you know it all, please get off the road.” 

Thomas Looper, 59, Indianapolis, IN  
Professional driving experience: 27 years  
“Pay attention during your training. Don’t think you’re going to get your CDL and just go out here and do your own thing. The stuff you learn in training, when you’re with another veteran driver, may save your life or prevent a lot of bad things happening to you. You can be out there driving, and your stress level can go sky high. You have to be aware of those things. More than likely if you’re doing what they told you to do and something bad happens, then it’s on them and not you.”