Save on Wear and Tear

It amazes me how so many people like to step on their brakes. They floor it to a red light, and then they have to step on their brakes. And on the expressways during rush hour, they'll floor it only to have to stop.

The way I drive (and the way this book teaches), I use my brakes about five times while some people around me use their brakes fifty times. That means that my brakes will last me ten times longer.

And I never floor the accelerator. Even on a slow truck. Why push a machine to its limit? Any engine can be pushed to extremes only so many times. Save it for when you really need it.

Clutches too can only be engaged and disengaged so many times. If you don't stop very often, you can make your clutch last ten times longer too. And learn to shift without the clutch if you don't already know how. That will make it last fifty times longer because you will only need it when you stop.

Plus, you will save fuel by not stopping and going so much.


Do The Math

Many people drive as though seconds count. Sometimes seconds do count, like when you're bleeding to death. But, what if you are only going two miles away? Which most people are. How much time will you really save by passing someone who is only doing the speed limit?

Do the math. Figure out how long it will take you if you drive your desired speed, vs. the actual speed limit. More than likely, if you are only going a few miles away, slowing down by five miles per hour or so, will only cost you a few seconds. Most people don't realize this until they do the math.

So, the next time you get behind someone going a few miles per hour slower than you; don't freak out, tailgate and think you have to pass. Do the math first. And keep a safe following distance. And relax. And take notice of traffic signals ahead. You probably have a red light waiting for you anyway, so what's the point?

Let's say you are behind a slow poke going 10 m.p.h. slower than you wish. And you stayed behind him for a whole mile before he finally turned. He was going 50 m.p.h. and you wanted to go 60 m.p.h.

It takes one minute to drive one mile at 60 m.p.h. and it takes one minute and twelve seconds to drive one mile at 50 m.p.h. That's a whopping twelve seconds. Now, can you get anything important done in twelve seconds? Is twelve seconds worth the trouble or the risk? No.

What if you where behind him for only two blocks? What would that cost you?

Three seconds out of your life.

Now, don't the people who pass and then turn look stupid? They couldn't have made it one more block? One and a half seconds out of their life?

There is a certain amount of risk in any move you make. The more moves you make, the more risks you take. And the more likely you will be the one to have an accident. But, if you want to be the guy who says "I haven't had an accident in twenty years", then take it easy out there, because seconds really don't count.

The Thirty Second Rule


Nine out of ten traffic lights are red for thirty seconds, and green (along with yellow) for thirty seconds.

Nine out of ten traffic lights in big cities are two blocks apart.

If you drive thirty miles per hour for two blocks, it will take you exactly thirty seconds.

Therefore, when you approach an intersection, take notice of the next traffic light two blocks away. If it just turned red, which most of them are timed to do, you will want to drive just under thirty miles per hour. That way, it will turn green just before you would have had to stop.

Likewise, when you approach an intersection, and you notice the next traffic light two blocks ahead just turned green this time, you will want to go just over thirty miles per hour and you should make that light. Thirty-five miles per hour is more than enough to make a light that just turned green two blocks away.

Of course there are exceptions, but not that many.

Even in the suburbs, it doesn't matter where you are, anytime you are two blocks away from a traffic light, and it just turned red, go under thirty miles per hour and you wont have to stop because it will turn green just before you get there.

Safety First

Always take your time when driving. When someone tells you to hurry, say "no". You must remember, it's your ticket. Not the persons' who told you to hurry.

Hurry when you are on foot. Driving time can only be altered by a few seconds per mile. You must make up lost time in other ways.

And for all of the supervisors; never tell a driver to hurry. Never. This may upset your driver because most of them know that driving time can only be altered by a few seconds per mile. Teach your drivers to save time in ways other than on the road.

When backing up and someone is guiding you, don't trust them completely. You are the only one responsible if you hit something. Get-out-and-look (goal).

If I told you I would give you one million dollars, if you could drive all over Chicago on a Friday without having an accident, how would you drive?

That's how I want you to drive.



Backing Up

When backing a truck into a dock, always open your windows. This will help you see and hear. Turn off your radio and listen very carefully as you back up. If someone screams for you to stop, you must be able to hear them.
And back up slowly. Never hurry in reverse. Do the math and you will see that hurrying for sixty or a hundred feet only saves you less than one second. And therefore it is a waste of energy to even consider hurrying in reverse.

Drivers who think they're good because they can back up quickly, are out of their mind. A good driver always backs up slowly, listening and checking all mirrors often.

So many drivers back up looking at one mirror all the way. This is a terrible habit that even many experienced drivers have. They feel as though they don't have time to turn their head. Please check all of your mirrors often.

When pulling away from a dock, open your windows and listen very carefully as you pull up six inches and stop. Then, keep listening as you pull out, ready to stop on a dime at any moment.

Gravel Pit Etiquette

If you ever get to see gravel trucks going in and out of a gravel pit, you will see poetry in motion.The same is usually true at truck stops.

Even when there is not enough room, trucks know how to deal with it.
These drivers understand each other. They know just how to give each other enough room and there is never any road rage or traffic jams.

That's because they always let each other go first. Courtesy is cool. They blink their lights at each other to signal "go ahead". And the other one will blink back "thank you". It's sweet.

That's because these are professional drivers and these are the unwritten rules of

Gravel Pit Etiquette;

1) Never stir up dust. Go slow on gravel and dirt. Especially when there are people around. Breathing dust sucks. And nobody knows that better than construction workers.

2) Go slow through construction zones, to encourage others to be careful too.

3) No passing. Pick a lane and stay in it. Take the good with the bad.

4) Keep a safe following distance. Enough room so that a truck could cut in front of you without slowing you down.

5) Nobody ever gets in the way of someone trying to park or exit a dificult spot or blind intersection. If you see someones hood coming out from behind a van, or a truck backing up,and you know that the driver cannot see you, because you can't see him, then you should stop and let him go.

6) When turning onto a side road, and someone is waiting to exit that side road, you should let them go first. You don't have to stop, to let them go. All you have to do is put your signal on early, and slow down enough to make it obvious to the other driver that he has time.

7) Never stay next to another vehicle when there are multiple lanes. This way, anyone can switch lanes at any time. And two lanes can merge into one lane without slowing anyone down.

8) Don't make any sudden moves. Be predictable.

9) Always use you turn signals when changing lanes. Make a habit of it. (Whenever I see someone not use their turn signal, it makes me wonder if they are too lazy to lift a finger, literally).

10) When you switch lanes, do it slow enough to allow the car or truck in front of you a chance to switch lanes too.

The above items are a sign of class. Proper etiquette for todays professional driver. Be one of the true good guys in the world. And my hero.
Performing the opposite of the above is a sign of no class.