5 Tips for Traveling Truckers to Make the Trip Easier

Traveling as a trucker can be a very unique, exciting, and lucrative endeavor. You get to drive all over the country, deliver loads to interesting places, and see the open road with a perspective that very few people get to experience in their lifetime. You literally travel for your profession when you’re a trucker, and this can be extremely rewarding. With that being said, it can also be fraught with stress, frustration, and challenges. Not every trucker is going to have the same experience. That’s why we composed this ultimate set of tips for truckers.

In fact, Hotel Engine may have said it best:

“Whether the truck is used for construction work, supply delivery, or something in between, it’s a tough job that not everyone can do.”

Different routes will require different things—and you may need to figure out how to maximize the benefits of your particular job while also minimizing any potential downsides or inefficiencies. And this is why we’ve decided to put together a list of 5 tips for traveling truckers that will help them to make their trips just a little bit easier, less frustrating, and less stressful. These tips will apply to the vast majority of trucker routes—so even if your routes tend to be very ‘unusual,’ you’ll still find some useful nuggets here. Let’s dive into it and unravel some of these useful (but often underutilized) tips.

1. Go Over Your Trip Plan Every Day

When you’re traveling as a trucker, you’re probably going to be making trip plans to help you arrive at your destination. With that being said, going over this plan on a day-to-day basis before setting out for the day can be a great idea. This can help you to familiarize yourself with the route, get a better perspective on the directions, and plan your stops more appropriately to your particular context and setting. Every trip is going to be a little bit different. Consulting your plan every day will help you to get a better handle on it and maximize your potential for success.

2. Plan Out Your Breaks

As you go over this plan, you should plan out in advance when your breaks are going to be.

• When are you stopping for lunch?
• Where are you stopping to stretch your legs?
• When will you pause for dinner?

These are all important decisions to make—and deciding them in advance can really help you to line out your day to plan them in a manner that’ll work best for the route.

3. Check The Weather Forecast

As a trucker, weather can play havoc with your work, especially if it involves inclement weather conditions like snow, rain, sleet, etc. Always check the weather forecast to see if it might impede your plans or cause you to have to make changes to your route schedule. Remember, inclement weather can sometimes set you back. You’ll want to reflect this in your plans as you move forward with the day.

4. Get Some Exercise

Sometimes, truckers sacrifice their levels of physical activity and exercise to drive a more efficient route and get to their destination faster. With that being said, it’s still important to prioritize your physical fitness and health. So make sure you do what you can to put in some time for physical activity at every stop.

5. Learn About Your Route

Studying your route before you leave can help you to understand the best course of action whenever you have to make a choice about which route you’re going to take in specific parts of your trip. This is really what truckers do best. They understand the routes, they understand their vehicle, they understand the requirements of their particular load—and they understand how to make the trip as efficient as possible. So utilize your knowledge and double down on this to help give yourself your greatest odds for success.

Conclusion

There you have it. 5 tips for traveling truckers, to help make their trips more enjoyable and less stressful. As a trucker, after you get your truck license, you have an extremely important job. So try to make the most of it by honing in on these tips so that you can make every single trip as successful, safe, and lucrative as possible. You can do this. You’ve got what it takes. Now, get out there and make the magic happen!