Seeing the Road Through Your Eyes: SoCal Ride Along with DDM, Antonio

There’s a lot more that goes into your day than most people realize - and we want to understand it better. That’s why our office support team is eager to ride along with you.

Driver Development Manager Antonio Murguia from the SoCal team recently got to experience a day in your seat, and it gave him a whole new perspective on what you handle every day.

Antonio’s day started early - 7:00 a.m. - with an unexpected stop at the shop, a reminder that no two days on the road go exactly as planned. What stood out to him most was the pre-trip inspection. He shared, “The pre-trip experience was in-depth, thorough, and quite enjoyable. Seeing all the different checkpoints on the truck was an eye-opener. A good pre-trip goes a long way in keeping a driver productive.” From tracking down an empty trailer to checking in at the shipper, he got hands-on experience with the steps you take daily - inspecting equipment, sliding tandems, scaling, and securing the load.

After fueling up, the trip continued into Arizona, where they completed a Costco drop-and-hook before wrapping up back at the terminal around 7:40 p.m. By the end of the day, Antonio walked away with a deeper respect for the focus, planning, and dedication it takes to move every load.

Here are a few of Antonio’s takeaways from riding alongside a driver:

• Fueling can be quick and efficient with the right planning

• Driver line wait times can be frustrating and deserve attention

• Finding an empty trailer can still be a challenge in certain areas

• Trip planning plays a huge role in reducing delays and avoiding issues

• Running macros and trip sheets was more straightforward than expected

Experiences like Antonio’s are exactly why our office support team wants to spend more time out on the road with you - so we can better understand your day, your challenges, and how to support you more effectively.

If you’re open to having someone ride along, connect with your terminal. This program is all about seeing the job through your eyes and strengthening the partnership between the road and the office.