Trucker Life Hacks and Tips

Keep moving

Keep your door closed and the tires turning. It’s the only way to make money getting paid by the mile. Stopping at every truck stop costs you money. Let me say that again, stopping at ANY truck stop will cost you money. Keep it down to just the essentials. Fuel, and Coffe.

Get the essencials in your truck

Invest in a mini fridge or one made for a truck. The initial outlay will pay itself off in short order from not spending 10-30 dollars a day at truck stops. In addition Shower flip-flops, Sleeping bag/blanket + pillow, Emergency bathroom container and toilet paper; Hygiene basics — toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap; Gloves, Flashlight, Dash-mounted cell phone holder; Water and nonperishable food and Earplugs.

Get a Citizens band radio

Get a radio and turn it on. You don’t have to talk, just listen in case of a slowdown ahead of you. The CB radio allows individuals, typically on the road, to communicate with one another through a short-distance radio system, usually over 40 channels within the 27 MHz (11 m) band. It remains the best method of communication for truck drivers and long haul road travelers. The reasons that truckers and enthusiasts took to the airwaves are as valid today as they were more than forty years ago when the popularity of CB radios took off.

Your eyes are irreplazable

In a backing situation: GET OUT AND LOOK. County and dirt roads are not highway truck friendly. In winter, if you feel unsafe (snow, ice), get off the road asap. Better to pay a tow bill out of a shopping center parking lot than a ditch or wreck.

Use technology

Use multiple sources for directions to new stops. Atlas, GPS, Google maps using satellite view. Decide on your route, use a black dry erase marker and write basic routing on the far left of your windshield, you cn get a citation for this, so be prepare to erase it when needed.

Talk to people

Talk to the older drivers. They are a wealth of information.