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PHOTOS BY ROBBY RALSTON/THE TRUCKER MEDIA GROUP
When Richard Jones, a driver for NFI
Industries, earned his CDL, he initially
planned for trucking to be a “fallback”
plan for his career — but then he was
bitten by the trucking bug. Earlier this
year, Bobby Ralston (left in above
photo), CEO of The Trucker Media
Group, had a chance to ride along with
Jones for a day.
tractors, Jones says they don’t really bother him.
“Stick shift versus automated” is a hotly debated topic
among truck drivers, especially those who have been around
a while. They prefer standard-shift transmissions every time.
“I do prefer sticks, too,” Jones said. “But I have been getting
used to the automatics, and they are very good.”
Earlier this year, Bobby Ralston, CEO of The Trucker
Media Group, had a chance to ride along with Jones and get to
know the man behind the wheel of the big rig.
“It was a great experience,” Ralston said. “I was impressed
with how hard he worked. He is in great shape. He moved a
pallet jack faster than anyone (else) could, and they had to
stand out of his way.”
Another thing about Jones that Ralston quickly noticed was
that the NFI driver is well-liked and respected.
“Everyone loves him,” Ralston said. “At every stop, everyone
knew him, and they were excited to see him. It seemed to
be the joy of their day when he arrived.”
When asked about some of the the bigger issues facing truck
drivers today, such as a lack of parking for big rigs, Jones
said he has developed different techniques to handle various
situations.
“You try and get all the information you can if you are familiar
with your route,” he said. “That is one thing.
“But if you’re going to new places, you try and do some
homework about those places,” he continued. “With all the
technology now, you can see the place before you go. You
need to figure out how you get in and out. You have to develop
a plan.”
Jones says he has run into many helpful people while out on
the road, and he firmly believes that the brotherhood of trucking
is still strong.
He recalls a time when his truck was stuck in frigid
weather, and he shared, he was in dire need of assistance.
“I was in 25-below weather, and my truck froze up,” he
said. “Someone came up, and they got out of their truck and
took the time to help me. They saved me.”
Another time, Jones says, he was lost in a cornfield in Nebraska
and thought he’d never find a way out — and it was
getting dark. Today, many years later, he laughs as he remembers
the predicament.
“Suddenly this voice came over the CB and said, ‘Honey,
you lost?’ And I told them I was,” he said. “She told me where
to go. It was so dark, and I couldn’t see. I was grateful to hear
that voice out of nowhere.”
When it comes to being successful, whether as a trucker or
simply as a human being, Jones says it’s all about paying it
forward.
“I try to think that way,” he said. “We are a big group — a
big family out here.”
In addition to driving his regular route, Jones says he sometimes
trains new drivers for NFI. He’s always careful to educate
his trainees about the “certain decorum” that the carriers’ drivers
are expected to have — safe, professional and courteous.
When it comes down to the bottom line, he says, it’s all
about following the rules, being considerate and maintaining
the tradition of helping others when you can.
When asked what advice he has for newer drivers, he shared
the following:
“Monitor your surroundings, and as you get more years under
your belt, you will notice more hazards,” he said.
“Just be a professional. You have to carry yourself accordingly.
And you have to keep your mind open as far as learning
things. It makes everything better,” he continued
“Attitude is everything. It makes you a better driver. It
makes your job easier,” he concluded.
WWW.THETRUCKERJOBS.COM THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2022 15