Truck drivers are a unique breed of professionals – people who drive long distances to ship goods and services we use in our everyday lives. Without their hard work and support, companies like Amazon would have never been able to enjoy the market dominance they have now.
The median salary in the US for a truck driver is $18 per hour with total yearly pay reaching around $68,000 per year. To get this sort of pay they have to travel long distances and drive long hours.
So, if you are a truck driver and want to make your journey more enjoyable and easy, here are some really nice, simple tips for you.
1. Own your truck
Though truck drivers are responsible employees, the number one thing which can radically change their experience is the ownership of their truck.
If you own the truck, you are more likely to care for it differently than if it is your employer’s or someone else’s.
A more pertinent question you can ask is whether you should buy a new or used truck? Newer trucks provide greater durability, making your journey more likely to be smooth and trouble-free. If you are driving a used truck, whether you own it or not, you may have to make frequent stops for repair and maintenance.
So if it’s yours, make sure it is properly maintained with any issues sorted out before the start of your journey.
2. Have a great night’s sleep
A trucker’s job is tedious and tiring. Long distance driving is a significant challenge. If you want to drive for long hours, make sure you have a great night’s sleep.
It is not just that you should sleep the night before, as even during the journey if you feel exhausted and worn, your best bet is to stop the vehicle at any given stop points and take a nap. This will increase your commute time but it will ensure that you will reach your destination safely.
3. Limit the use of energy drinks
Red Bull is the darling of truck drivers and you may keep them stocked up. Energy drinks are supposed to provide you with the necessary caffeine boost so that you can remain awake, but excessive use of them will ultimately have adverse effects as research suggests that they could encourage concentration lapses during the drive.
If you truly want to enjoy your long drive, limit the use of energy drinks to 2 at maximum. Drinking it in large quantities will ultimately wear you down.
4. Keep your mind and body healthy
Good sleep and a caffeine boost may be good, but if you truly want to enjoy your 11-hour journey, make sure you stock up some motivational tapes and CDs in your truck too.
To keep your mind healthy and without stress, you can listen to motivational tapes during the drive along with any of your favorite music. If you are a smartphone user, you can subscribe to services like Spotify to listen to music playlists during your journey.
Make sure you exercise regularly to keep your body fit for long hours of sitting in your small truck compartment.
5. Learn to use apps made specifically for truck drivers
Technology is fast becoming important for almost any profession and truck drivers are no exception to this. There are some great apps for truck drivers which can improve their overall driving experience and would also ensure their safety during the drive.
If you feel comfortable using the modern gadgets, you should use some good apps to get some real time data on accidents, route finding, making log entries etc. These apps will reduce your paperwork and will ease some of the job pressure.
Above are some great tips for truck drivers which can improve motivation and enjoyment during long truck journeys. Anyone who is planning to drive for longer hours, should always consider safety to be your first and most important priority.
The post 5 Tips For Truck Drivers To Make Drives More Enjoyable appeared first on Lifehack.
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