If you are planning on becoming a truck driver, or if you are curious about the trucking profession, you must probably be wondering what life as a truck driver on the road is like. The profession is critical and necessary for our modern society thereby maintaining an efficient movement of goods, very few people among the common masses take into consideration what exactly it feels like to be a truck driver.
The open roads may seem to be appealing but the profession comes with its own set of challenges which typically include long hours of service, most of the time away from home, and difficulty in accessing healthy food.
If you look at the life of truck drivers, you will observe that the majority of the truck drivers get up and have an early start. If you are starting your profession as a truck driver, you will be expected to get up and get on the road, anywhere between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Therefore, the actuality of time is dependent on the specific driver and requirements of the job.
Every truck driver checks the weather and conditions of the route before they get on the road. The inspection of the truck and the completion of the required logs are also done prior to getting on the road.
As soon as the truck drivers hit the road, they are held for a tighter schedule. It means that truckers are supposed to stay constantly alert for delays or accidents. Many things like dangerous weather or failure of equipment are not in the driver's control. There is an expectation that the deliveries will be made according to the schedule, so the drivers are supposed to make every effort to get their shipments to their destination on time. The carriers are not the only ones with an interest in the length of time spent by truck drivers on the road. The 11 hours is the limited amount of time a driver can be on the road according to federal regulations. The rule puts drivers under more pressure for completing their route in a limited timeframe.
The working days of truck drivers are longer than any other profession. The actual length of workdays depends on the route, availability of food, weather, rest areas, traffic, or other road hazards. The US department of transportation allows OTR drivers to drive a maximum of 11 hours per day, which must be completed within a 14-hour window.
The truck drivers are supposed to work up to 11 hours per day, but if you are driving over the limit will result in notable penalties. If you drive for 9 hours per day, it will indicate that the actual time spent on the road will be quite more.
Therefore, you might be taking one or more breaks during the day for food or rest at the truck stops, which might lengthen your schedule for the work day. Taking more breaks will only stretch and result in more delays in your schedule, which can also cut down your profitability. Long-haul or over-the-road (OTR) drivers are mostly on the road for a lot of time, especially during their initial years. The trucking companies impart privileged rates to the long-haul drivers, but the lifestyle might be a bit different and difficult for new drivers because you cannot see your family for long periods of time.
When evening approaches, the truck drivers have spent most of their considerable amount of time on the road, and the truck driver usually looks for a place to stop and take rest. Usually, the trucks are equipped with a sleeper to spend their night and sleep comfortably in the truck. If there is no sleeper, the truck drivers must access facilities where they can take rest.
A day in the life of a truck driver might be challenging, as they have long work days which start early and end late. It is necessary to be on the road for at least 11 hours a day. The workdays consist of hectic and tight schedules which must be met, with a present risk of delay because of a variety of events. Truck drivers are required to maintain a steady and constant state of awareness. Since truck drivers are paid for the time they have worked and driven, there is constant pressure for getting back on the road after taking a break. The typical day in the life of a truck driver is remote and solitary.
The immense solitary nature of the trucking profession is one of the reasons that the trucking industry is racking for bringing in new CDL drivers for the trucking industry. Another reason is long working hours and a limited amount of spent time at home.
The life of a truck driver can be challenging, but there are many additional benefits which are associated with the profession. Truck driving is one of the highest-paying professions for aspiring and hardworking individuals. Employers are regularly increasing the wages for retaining current employees and drawing new people into the field in the midst of a driver shortage.
The carriers are inscribing the most difficult aspects of the job and industry for keeping it more agreeable for the truck drivers. It involves keeping the drivers in closer proximity to their homes and making the schedules more flexible. The profession of truck driving is no exception as there are pros and cons in every profession.
