After nearly 30 years as a professional truck driver, Denver FedEx freight driver Brian Walton tied for the national title as champion of the Flatbed class, Straight Truck division, of the American Trucking Association’s annual driving competition.
To qualify, Walton and 78 other pros had to drive accident-free for at least a year, along with winning their regional competitions.
The four-part national trial included an obstacle course, a written test, a complicated driving routine and a pre-trip inspection that often stumps the most proficient drivers.
“For us as drivers, the pre-trip inspection is a federal requirement,” Walton said. “It’s not a bad idea for a regular car driver to do the same thing. You’d be surprised at what you find. Some problems are right in your face.”
Check your tires. If dime falls out instead of staying wedged between the treads, it’s time for new rubber.
Pop the hood and look over the engine. Are the belts frayed? Are the hoses tight? Check the levels on coolant, oil and washer fluid.
Check the headlights, taillights, brake lights and blinker lights to make sure everything’s working.
Is all this foreign territory? At your car’s next oil change, ask the mechanic to show you how to inspect the belts, hoses and fluid levels.
Get in the habit of a daily check. “It takes three, maybe five minutes, tops,” Walton says.
