It’s all about ME - Networking

I have a workshop coming up at the Expedite Expo and the topic is networking. The more I think of this subject the more circles I draw all intersecting the nucleus which is me. When I came up with this topic for the workshop I thought wow how simple we network every day without even trying. I listen to different trucking shows on the trucking channel 171 on XM such as Kevin Rutherford show which keeps me in the loop of upcoming industry changes. We belong to various professional trucking groups such as the 20 Group http://www.cdlofit20group.org//portal.php which is a group to share ideas on different arenas of trucking. I talk to other drivers within our company, often discussing rates, good and bad parts of the country for freight and upcoming freight trends for the months ahead. I talk with our contacts within the company we are leased to, to stay abreast of upcoming changes with policies and to stay informed of current events such as the upcoming equipment on board recorder (EOBR). I talk to other expediters on ways to make life on the road more interesting, ideas to manage our possessions in the sleeper such as using expandable curtain rods in our freezer to hold food in place, easier ways to cook and eat healthy on the road, and ways to make each day even better then the last. We talk to drivers from other areas of trucking on how the economy is affecting them and how they are staying ahead of the game. One idea that has really made me stop and think was our personal appearance and how we portray ourselves to our customer and even other drivers. We attend truck shows to get the chance to see new and innovative products and also to interact with other drivers. We have learned better and safer ways to secure our freight which in the Expedite world is a huge concern. At one show a neighbor had a telescoping ladder that was awesome as it took up so little room for storage and this new item was soon added to our supplies. I am also involved with various trucking sites sometimes as a lurker, sometimes as a poster, and in others as a moderator. Expediters Online http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/ started us in the Expedite world and is one site I spend a part of each day reading. We have found in some networks we are the student trying to learn everything discussed and in other networks we are the teacher sharing what we have learned. In all instances we are still the benefactor of each network we are a member of.