The market stinks; we know this. It stinks worse than a musty basement in the middle of a humid summer, worse than the smell when you drive past a cattle trailer, worse than your dog after he jumps in the pond….you get the picture.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: The world is tough right now. We’re living through unprecedented times. It seems like everyone is fighting, the news is horrifying, natural disasters are increasing and the cost of everything is higher than it was just a year or two ago.

Travel agent. Therapist. Punching bag. IT expert. Problem solver. As a driver manager, sometimes we’re all five at once. More than anything, it’s the job of a driver manager to support drivers on the road. Drivers and driver managers act as a team to excel together. It’s hard to succeed on your own without one or the other.

You can’t really keep on truckin’ if your truck is broken down now, can you? Breakdowns suck — we get it. Does it suck a little more when your truck breaks down versus when my car breaks down? Maybe. While we both might have to pay for repairs (depending on whether you’re an independent contractor or a company driver), I’m not the one who will lose money because I can’t do my job.

Give it to me straight — have you ever walked into driver orientation class and immediately known the company wasn’t right for you? These guys have.

While some drivers relish winter driving, most drivers prefer to drive in anything but snow and ice. It can feel like a hazard is around every corner waiting to sneak up on you. Accidents are not only more likely, but they can also be more dangerous.