It seems like the life of a truck driver consists of the usual workweek and weekends. Nah, it just seems that way – the reality is the other way around. You may think that truckers live a life full of funny adventures, but the fact is that their day consists of long hours of service, absence of work-life balance, unhealthy food choices, lengthy hours on the road, and many more!
Of course, depending on the trucking company, the truck driver’s lifestyle may slightly differ.
AJR Trucking – a USA trucking company – constantly works towards making the life of its truckers a balanced occasion. Because of ongoing work on recruitment and employment processes, the company has knowledge worth a book to share with you – AJR wants you to know what unique life truckers live. So, let’s see what a typical day on the road for a truck driver is like.
The Early Morning
Yes, you read it right – an ordinary day in the life of a trucker starts early in the morning. Although this usually ranges from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. – it primarily depends on the agreement between the truck driver and trucking company. After waking up that early, the trucker checks his phone for any dispatch updates and gets into the daily morning routine that every one of us has – shower, breakfast, etc. Then, a responsible truck driver should check whether everything is okay with the vehicle or not. Imagine how time-consuming it is to check up on such massive vehicles! They first check the engine, clean every mechanical part of the vehicle, ensure the adequate availability of fuel and the condition of the wheels. Then, they start the vehicle and check whether everything works when the vehicle is on. When truckers ensure that everything is perfect, they are good to go.
However, there are a couple of more things to do before hitting the road. The trucker starts packing up must-have items in case something goes wrong. You can never imagine what drivers keep by their side if needed – a hammer!
Turns out, when it comes to truck driving, drivers take a hammer with them literally everywhere. It’s a must-have tool for them. No matter what circumstances arise on the road, a hammer can solve almost all of them. A problem with the tire? A hammer will help. An issue on the road, i.e., ice? A hammer will help. So, truckers always ensure that they have a hammer to bypass unpleasant situations on the road.
Before hitting the road, truckers check the weather and route conditions. They ensure that the route they take won’t create problems on the way of delivery. Plus, truckers need to know the weather conditions to have optional clothes with them and be equipped with the required tools in case something goes wrong on the road. Moreover, if the weather forecast shows winds of 60 miles per hour and beyond, drivers are advised to delay the delivery rather than hit the road. Such weather conditions are life-threatening for long-route deliveries.
On the Road
Usually, truckers don’t make many stops throughout the route. They want to make the delivery as quick as possible without any delays. Besides, it is beyond challenging to track the time when finding a pleasant spot for relaxation. That’s why the usual “on-the-road” part of the day makes up the most prolonged period when truckers do nothing else other than concentrate on the road. Top trucking companies for new drivers always ensure that everything is alright with the truckers by constantly in touch with them. It is the responsibility of the back office to make sure that no issues arise on the road and the truck driver stays on track without any challenging circumstances. Plus, the back office sometimes reminds the drivers to take a 30-minute break from the road, eat a delicious meal and have a little rest to not be overwhelmed from the job. Also, the best trucking company – AJR Trucking – always ensures that if truckers are on the road for over 11 hours, they are properly compensated through bonuses. Let’s not forget that even though a truck driver’s salary is high, it should be worth the disturbed work-life balance that all these people usually face.
Of course, the time spent on the road varies from one delivery to another, but the average period spent on the road takes up to 11 hours. Sometimes, drivers are required to drive at night because of the urgency of the delivery. So, contrary to popular belief, the life of a trucker isn’t always sunshine and rainbows – you don’t get paid for cruising with your favorite jam. It’s all about long working days, sometimes work at nights, restless trips, and full concentration to bypass possible accidents.
The Late Evening
Depending on how the “on-the-road” part of the working day goes, truckers either reach the truck stop late in the evening by driving all day long or early in the morning by driving at night. When truckers work at night, they prefer sleeping in the truck and either getting back home the next day or continuing their workweek. This means that they spend a substantial amount of time being distant from the family. Yes, drivers barely sustain work-life balance. Indeed, there are companies in the trucking industry like AJR Trucking that take the issue of work-life balance seriously. They consider providing additional benefits to truckers pre-arranging the route to help them understand their working schedule prior to hitting the road. One of the truckers of AJR mentions, “Great company to work for new 2020 trucks, the best part is they have set routes. They are contracted with the US Post Office, a steady job throughout the whole year.” Another truck driver, Ray M., notes, “I enjoy working here at AJR because of the people I deal with on a day-to-day basis. I am looking forward to growing with AJR Trucking and working with Management and employees to ensure it remains one of the top mail contractors around.” Seems like AJR is the best trucking company to work for. In other words, search no further! By the way, don’t hesitate to apply as the trucking company has open vacancies.
Final Note
The future of trucking industry seems promising with such strong personalities that work there. However, to ensure the best progression of events in the trucking industry, every individual involved in the sector needs to strongly emphasize providing trucking services in the best way possible. But those services won’t be provided in excellence without truckers. Let’s appreciate the profession of the trucker and strive towards becoming better every day. Let’s not forget that the job of a truck driver is not just driving the vehicle up until reaching a milestone; it’s more than that – sleepless nights, stressful working routine, full concentration, early mornings, long working days and nights, and many more!
