WHAT DOES DBL MEAN IN TRUCKER’S TERMS? (DRIVER BUSINESS LEADER) – KNOW THE TERMS!

For those not in the industry, truck driving can seem like a solitary job. And while it’s usually just one person out on the road, there’s a larger team of support people working with that driver. One term you might come across is a DBL, or driver business leader, so let’s find out more about this important role.

What does DBL mean: The acronym DBL stands for a driver business leader in the trucking industry. You can think of a DBL as a manager for truck drivers who is responsible for scheduling, organizing maintenance, and communicating with other shipping companies.

What is a driver business leader?

The term driver business leader, also known as DBL, can seem a bit ambiguous. If you perform a simple online search, you may end up more confused.

In the trucking industry, a driver business leader is really just a fancy way of saying the person who is in a position of authority over a truck driver. In owner-operator situations, this term is not applicable and instead is more common in larger companies.

Large trucking fleets will have various levels of employees and management. Above the fleet of truckers will be driver business leaders, who act as supervisors and managers but who don’t actually drive any trucks.

What does a driver business leader do?

A driver business leader is in charge of all the behind-the-scenes work. This includes scheduling, talking with other companies, and arranging permits, if necessary.

Scheduled maintenance is also an important aspect of a driver business leader, as is performing or scheduling routine inspections.

Furthermore, a driver business leader may be responsible for informal mentorship roles within the company, as well as hiring and training other employees.

The larger the company, the less a driver business leader will be in charge of as the role will become more specific. So, one driver business leader may be in charge of fleet maintenance while another will be in charge of driver scheduling.

In contrast, smaller trucking firms will have only one individual that takes on all these responsibilities as the fleet of truck drivers will be much smaller.

Finally, an owner-operator will not have a driver business leader. This is because that individual will naturally take on all the responsibilities of a driver business leader as it is normally just the one person (themselves) working and driving the truck.

Is the driver manager the same as the driver business leader or DBL?

Yes, a driver manager is essentially the same as a driver business leader. This can be confusing at first but makes sense once you start to understand business in general.

Every major trucking company will have its own job descriptions and titles. So, while one company may advertise the role of a driver manager, another might advertise the role of a DBL, even though they share similar job duties.

If you are currently a driver business leader who wants to change companies, knowing the different terms is incredibly important. This will allow you to look at a job description rather than a title, as it will be more accurate of how a competing company is organized.

How can you become a driver business leader?

If you are interested in the industry of truck driving, knowing more about the various roles can help you find employment. To become a DBL, there are two main tracks you can follow.

Start as a truck driver

The first, most obvious route is to first be a truck driver. Those that work for smaller companies, or who are owner-operators, may naturally take on the various duties of a driver business leader.

Certainly, any good truck driver will be aware of when their vehicle needs maintenance and when any scheduled inspections are taking place. The more driving you do, the more familiar you will become with scheduling and communicating with other companies.

One aspect that should not be overlooked if you want to take the leap from driver to DBL is the role of mentorship and networking. If you show you are passionate about helping others in your industry and want to volunteer your time to help others out, this will show the positive attributes of management that a company is looking for.

Gain experience in management

Scheduling, communication, and organization are considered soft skills so if you possess these attributes but work in a completely different field than trucking, you may still be able to cross into the role of a driver business leader.

Companies routinely post job opportunities for external candidates as they want to diversify their employee base and get outsider perspectives. Having management skills in a different field shouldn’t hinder your ability to apply for a DBL role.

If you choose this route, be sure to highlight your experience with complicated scheduling, your time management skills, and your interpersonal abilities. If possible, talk to people within the trucking industry first so you can become familiar with basic terminology. This will also show that you are good at taking the initiative.

What are other important trucking terms you should know?

There are many acronyms that pop up in the trucking industry. The more you know, the easier it is to communicate with other people as you can share a common language.

O/O

We’ve used this term a few times in our article which should show you how important it is to the trucking industry. O/O stands for an owner-operator, which is a person who owns the truck and also drives it or leases it to another driver.

Deadhaul

Also known as deadheading, this term refers to driving an empty trailer. This usually happens when you need to drop off a shipment but don’t have anything to replace it with, and thus need to return it to your origin.

Load board

Drivers who are looking to pick up extra jobs can check out a load board. These online forums will post jobs that you can search by distance and truck type.

Conclusion

Among the many terms in the truck driving industry, a driver business leader is one of the more abstract ones. It is specific to certain companies but means the same as a driver manager who is responsible for scheduling and communication for truck drivers.