Why is there an acute shortage of drivers in the trucking industry? One major reason is because drivers have to drive long distances without coming home. This life takes a toll on the body and crashes many drivers’ relationships. But somebody has to do it. What many do not know is how drivers can drive such long distances almost every day. We hope to find out in this piece.
So how do truckers drive so long? Truck drivers train themselves to withstand the rigors of the road. At first, the job requires getting used to, but most drivers learn fast. Also, drivers’ accounts show a heavy use of stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, and different strategies to stay alert. OTR drivers have to drive 11 hours per day, and some drivers do more. It takes almost superhuman abilities to achieve this feat, but truckers do it every day.
What keeps most truckers going is a spirit of solitude and adventure. If you don’t enjoy your own company, thriving in the trucking industry is difficult. Many people who thought they could make easy money as a truck driver have left because of the loneliness. It is difficult to maintain personal and social relations when you are on the road for months on end. After a few years on the job, many truckers will gain weight from the long hours of sitting. They get by with:
- Solitude
- A passion to see the country
- Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, cigarette, and others
- Driving as a team
- The drive to make more money is a huge motivating
Solitude
You can’t last long in the trucking industry if you want to be with friends every evening. The demands of the trucking industry limit your socialization to truck stops and rests during shifts. And you spend your driving hours alone even if you are part of a team because one driver is asleep while the other drives. You must be a person who does not break down after long periods of not seeing family.
Now, most drivers can keep in touch with family and friends on phone and social media. It’s the physical connection that is absent.
A Passion to See the Country
Do you want to see the country while you get paid? Then the trucking life is for you. Truckers crisscross the length and breadth of the USA and beyond, giving them an unprecedented experience of the vastness and beauty of this giant country. If you are driven to live the American road trip, trucking might be a fun and fulfilling career for you. And you might even make upwards of $80k per year on these epic adventures.
Stimulants
The dash of a typical trucker is filled with crushed cans of Mountain Dew, coffee, or other caffeinated drinks. Some prefer stronger stuff like alcohol. In honesty, there is a limit to what the body can withstand. To stay sharp on the road despite driving for long hours, most drivers need something to prevent their system from shutting down because of excessive fatigue. Cigarette and cigars are also a favorite stimulant for many truckers, and there are people who prefer drugs.
But sometimes, it all comes crashing down. Industry statistics show fatigue accounts for 31 percent of accidents where the driver was a fatality. Stimulants may work for a short while, but tight schedules and poor planning forces drivers to exceed their HOS, especially if they use paper logs. This situation is creating a crisis in the trucking industry, forcing experienced drivers to leave and resulting in atrocious turnover for young truckers.
Driving As a Team
Team drivers go twice as fast and make more money by the hour. But their routine is as grueling as individual truckers. The difference is driver teams are constantly on the road save for short stops for food, fuel, and shower time.
When one driver is on the wheels, the other is sleeping in the sleeper berth. This way, the team covers more ground on time, allowing them to make more trips and earn more money. However, not every driver wants to work in a team. For some people, the solitude is the best part of trucking, and they don’t want to dilute that experience even for higher pay.
The Drive to Make More Money
Most truckers are paid by the mile, i.e., the more miles you drive, the higher your pay. Considering that money is a significant motivating factor for drivers, most would sacrifice sleep time to cover more ground. And this is logical. The physical, mental and emotional demand of the trucking industry is too much of a sacrifice to not make a decent pay. Therefore, most drivers keep driving nonstop, even if it takes a heavy toll on their body and family life.
How the Long Driving Hours Is Affecting the Trucking Industry
According to the American Trucking Associations, the industry has a deficit of 35,000 drivers. This is because of the demanding nature of the job. For perspective, OTR drivers cover 500-700 miles per day. In a week, they cover 2500 miles or more, driving for long hours nonstop to deliver cargo that keeps the economy working.
Despite their sacrifice, drivers don’t get the respect they deserve. The industry regulators, police, car drivers, pedestrians and trucking companies treat truck drivers like criminals. It’s all coming to a head now as many experienced drivers leave the industry by the droves.
In times past, truckers used paper logs which provided flexibility in their routine. Now, the Department of Transport and trucking companies mandate truckers to use electronic logs that monitor every move of the drivers. Overregulation and poor understanding of heavy articulated vehicles by other road users add to the frustration of truckers. State troopers can charge truckers for the flimsiest reasons and car drivers who have more nimble vehicles don’t understand the requirements of driving these powerful rigs.
The result is a record high scarcity of experienced drivers. Trucking companies now offer huge sign-on bonuses and juicy payment packages to encourage drivers to sign up for them. But unless we do something about the work-life balance of drivers, most people who value their social relationships won’t take trucking as a profession.
How to Stay Healthy As a Trucker
Driving 11 hours straight is hard. It can lead to many healthy problems and break relationships. But there are ways of keeping your health intact even if you spend most of your days in the driver seat. If you want to stay healthy, make more money and enjoy your time on and off the road, these healthy tips are for you.
Eat Healthy
The best way to live healthy is to eat healthy, nutritious meals. This can be difficult to achieve on the road, but you can get as much fresh and whole foods as you like with a little extra effort. Some items to keep in your truck include:
- Prewashed and cut fruit and vegetables like apples, carrot, lettuce, spinach, avocado, and more.
- Whole fruits
- Nuts, including roasted pistachio, peanuts, walnut and others
- Grilled meat
You can get these food items at most grocery stores at affordable prices. Get a portable refrigerator to pack as much nutritious food to last you for the larger part of your trip.
Exercise
It is difficult to exercise when you are constantly on the road. However, you can carry lightweight workout equipment in your truck to break a sweat at truck stops. A folding bicycle, running shoes, resistance bands, jump rope, and weights can all help you exercise during break time.
Mental Stimulation
The mental burden of driving long distances can be greater than the physical demands of trucking. Stimulate your mind to avoid a breakdown. You can talk to your family and friends on the phone and social media. The CB radio can also keep you company. Music, radio, motivational and audiobooks can keep you company as you crisscross the country.
Sleep
Try to get as much sleep as your schedule permits. And make your sleeper berth comfortable. Get a firm but cuddly mattress and cushy bedspreads. It helps if you have a portable fan and heater to keep things cool or warm during extreme weather. While the 10 hour mandatory non-driving hours may not translate to longer sleeping hours, be sure to snooze at every opportunity.
Spend Time with Family
Your family is important. They need your love and presence as much as the money you provide. If you can get home every weekend, come home. If not, stay in touch through the phone and other platforms of socializing. The families of many truck drivers endure long periods without their loved ones. Don’t make it harder for them.
How Long Do Truck Drivers Stay Away from Home?
The time you spend away from home depends on the truck driving you do. As a new OTR truck driver, you may spend a long time away from home at first. This is because you get home time at the same time as your trainer. When you become independent, you can spend up to 4-6 weeks on the road. Local drivers go home every night while regional, line haul and dedicated drivers spend the weakened at home.
If home time is important to you, consider local trucking jobs. However, OTR drivers earn far more money. You have to sacrifice something to get more home time or pay.
Truck Driver Schedule
Truck drivers operate on a tight schedule. On average, OTR truckers complete about 110,000 to 125,000 miles per year. However, they can only drive for 11 hours per day after which they must take a mandatory 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Your day might start at 3 a.m. and end by 11 pm depending on several factors. While you can plan your day, bad weather, accidents, road repairs, police issues and many other things can spoil your arrangements. As a trucker, your schedule is fluid. Make the best of your time to beat deadlines, make money and connect with loves ones.