Driving a truck can provide you with an enjoyable and fulfilling career path. You can make good money as a trucker and see a lot of the US while on your journeys. You will have incredible experiences that are unique to the trucking industry, such as spending the night in your cabin on the side of the road in the middle of the Arizona desert with only the stars lighting the sky. Read on for some truck driving tips to ensure that you get the most out of your career.
Sign up to a trucking load board
As with most industries, you will experience some quieter times. While you might look upon these as an opportunity to spend time at home with family to relax and unwind, you will also probably not appreciate the drop in income, especially when you have bills to pay. Sign up for a trucking load board for a bit of extra work. This will enable you to use your extra capacity to pick up extra truck loads that fill your vehicle, meaning that you will make more drop-offs to bring in extra income.
Maintain your physical health
With long hours spent behind the wheel every day, driving a truck is a very sedentary job. Furthermore, you may not have regular access to cooking equipment while on the road, meaning that your diet might mainly consist of junk food and grease-laden diner meals. These two combined can have a hugely negative impact on your physical health, so it is important that you try to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible when on the road. Try to factor in some physical exercise every day, perhaps jogging around the truck stop or keeping a few dumbbells in your cabin for an impromptu workout. Also, try to make healthy food choices of simple, nutritious meals consisting of lean meats and fresh fruit and vegetables, such as a turkey salad wrap.
Avoid distractions
Distractions are the major contributing factor to a vast majority of road traffic accidents every year, so it is important that you reduce your risk by removing distractions and staying entirely focused on the road ahead. Cell phones are a big risk factor for distractions, and as such, you should never use your phone when driving. You should also look to pre-program your radio and GPS before setting off, as fiddling to adjust channels and routes takes your attention away from the road.
Get enough rest
Truckers in the US are restricted by law in how much they can drive and when they need to stop and take a break. For instance, drivers must take a mandatory 30-minute break by their eighth hour of driving. This is to ensure that you are refreshed and alert to avoid accidents due to fatigue. Though they might be tempting to skip when you are behind schedule, make sure that you adhere to these mandatory breaks and get enough rest to prevent fatigue and ensure that you continue to drive fully alert and safely.
