Gearing Up for the Truck Driving Championships with Chris Smith
posted
Sarah Carpenter
on
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Part 2 of 3
Last time, we spoke with Tom Roberts, a first-time competitor at the Iowa Motor Truck Association’s Truck Driving Championships. This week, we sat down with his teammate and 25-year veteran truck driver Chris Smith.
GPC: Well, you’ve probably heard from Tom now that we’re doing some interviews around the upcoming TDC event. I promise we’re off the record.
Chris: Ha! No problem, I’m looking forward to the event.
GPC: This is Tom’s first time at the TDC, and he’s getting a few butterflies. Did you go through that as well?
Chris: For sure. I was a nervous wreck. It takes a couple years to get used to the format of the event and study and such. I’m much more comfortable with it now and enjoy it. I remember the first time I was at the event. I was on cloud nine for days afterward. Everything is positive and you’re surrounded by other people who love to do what you do. It’s the best of the best in the state of Iowa. It’s truly about the drivers for two days.
GPC: Do you still feel like you need to train for it?
Chris: Yes. You cannot become complacent there. I still train, and I’m training right now. I’ll practice when I’m driving, backing up, getting fuel—you just try to be more and more precise. Essentially, anything can be training if you treat it that way.
GPC: That makes sense. Do you think about that training when you’re in the competition, or is it just muscle memory?
Chris: I go into the zone. It’s just me and the truck. I’m not thinking about the competition or the people or the other drivers. I’m just trying to concentrate on what I’m doing.
GPC: It sounds athletic with that description. Is it that competitive to you?
Chris: It’s two days filled with fun. We are competing against each other, but the emphasis is more on the fun part. Some of the guys have been at the TDC for years, and it’s fun to see them again and meet new people. The organization treats us like kings and queens for two days—that’s a fun part. It is competition but I don’t consider it one.
GPC: Some people don’t realize that driving is only part of the TDC, what is the rest like?
Chris: I also like the team aspect of it a lot. You work with other drivers in groups and get a task to complete—it’s fun to work together. The first year I was there, we spent time as a group thinking about how to promote the industry—that was a fun challenge, and it’s important. It’s not easy being a new driver with the schedules we keep.
GPC: Yeah, it is important to get drivers thinking about drivers. It helps Green Products collaborate with bigger companies for new ideas and strategies too.
Chris: I agree about the big company factor. I remember a phone call from one of the owners, Rusty, after the event last year congratulating me on my performance. If you think about the fact that we’re up against way, way bigger companies, it’s awesome to see that we’re holding our own out there as a small supplier.
GPC: On that subject, do you have any other thoughts for Green Products regarding the event?
Chris: I think we should get more of our drivers involved in the event. It would be great if we could do training and actually rotate people through each year. That would really raise the profile of the fleet.
GPC: You’ve driven a truck for 25 years now, what’s helped you stick with it so long?
Chris: The fact that I can be my own boss. As long as I get where I’m going, no one is there looking over my shoulder telling me how to do my job. I love talking with other drivers even when I’m off the clock. I also like the way that you can just give your thoughts a break when you’re on the road—you just focus on driving. It’s almost like you’re getting rest from daily life. You do need a supportive family though, because you’re going to be away from home a lot.
GPC: What’s your advice for younger drivers out there?
Chris: Never stop learning. I’ve been doing it for 25 years, and I learn something new every day. You’re constantly talking with other people, and I like to strike up conversations with people I don’t know. I do think the industry has changed over the years and the pressures to perform has crept up. You’ve got to be aware of that. Also, you have to watch out for so many distracted drivers on the road. I feel like the majority of people I see are playing with their phones. It means you have to drive very defensively in the truck.
GPC: Any thoughts for the industry as a whole to wrap things up?
Chris: I like the way that organizations like the IMTA promote safety around trucking as well as doing outreach campaigns to promote the entire industry. I feel like people have preconceived notions about drivers, but the more that the industry can do, the more people will grow to appreciate the industry.
Green Products Company wishes Chris the best of luck for the upcoming IMTA Truck Driving Championships and looks forward to supporting all the drivers at the event.
To learn more about driving for Green Products Company, click here