The life of a trucker means long hours, hard work, job security, and great satisfaction. Truck drivers typically work up to 70 hours within eight days.
Each day, truckers get an early start and spend time bringing fresh food, construction materials, and other essential items to locations across the U.S.
It is an important, taxing, rewarding job that people don’t know unless they are in it. There is a lot of wage growth and excellent benefits in this industry. This blog will detail what truck driving jobs are like and some of their daily tasks. New or young drivers will better understand life on the road as truck drivers.
Why Become a Truck Driver
Many truck drivers love their careers in the trucking industry. There is a lot of freedom in being able to hit the road at almost any time and go anywhere. One of the first things to consider is if you want to be a truck driver.
You want to make sure the lifestyle is fitting for your personality. There are a lot of pros of truck driving, such as getting paid to explore the country. Truck driving is an excellent occupation for those who like new surroundings.
It also gives an environment that’s perfect for those who don’t like being behind a desk, or being micromanaged, all day and are comfortable working alone.
Flexible Work Schedule
One of the best reasons to become a truck driver is the job’s flexibility. You can choose day or evening routes that suit your lifestyle as a truck driver.
Independence
As an experienced driver, you can be your own boss, see the country, and earn as much as possible. It is a well-paying profession where nobody is there to micromanage you.
You can choose your breaks, what you listen to, and how you occupy your time as long as you make your appointments on time. Time management is essential in this occupation and ensures good time-management skills.
Traveling the Country
Your trucking job can have routes throughout the country, meaning that seeing the country is something you get paid for. You drive through national parks, tourist sites, and scenic roads. Professional truck drivers see what many people have to go on vacation to see.
Rewarding Job
Truck driving isn’t always easy, but once you complete truck driving school and launch your career on the road, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Truck driving remains a vital part of keeping the country running.
The freight you haul may be life-saving equipment because you will be responsible for supplying hospitals, grocery stores, warehouses, and more. Your loads will feed people and allow them to buy fresh food for their families.
This gratifying career makes it, so you are not stuck doing a desk job where you don’t see the fruits of your labor. You can look all around to see who and what you impacted by driving trucks.
Little Schooling
Thinking about becoming a truck driver? It is a perfect choice because you need minimal schooling. Most people can finish their CDL in a few weeks. It is great for someone who wants to start their career quickly.
Truck Driver Daily Schedule
Every day is different in the life of a truck driver. Depending on what kind of driver you are, what type of freight you haul, what route you’re on, etc., will all impact your day in the life as a driver.
You have to be ready to adjust your plans and your schedule to make sure your loads get there on time, avoid bad weather, follow industry regulations, etc. Flexibility is essential as a professional driver.
Morning of a Truck Driver
Many truck drivers start their days in the early morning hours, sometimes before 5 am. When you begin, your day depends on your load and the route you must take to get there.
You must start with a pre-trip inspection and ensure they are in good condition and that their equipment is in tip-top shape. The inspection includes checking the vehicle lights, the coupling system, tires and brakes, engine compartment, fuel tanks, the chassis, and an in-cab inspection.
A truck’s pre-trip inspection is crucial because it sets the tone for how the rest of the day will unfold. It takes only around 15 minutes to complete the inspection.
Wake Up
The basic sleeper cab includes a bed, storage places, a microwave, and a place for a small fridge. Blackout curtains also separate the driver’s cab from the sleeper cab. Truckers leave their engines idling for weather conditions and economic pressures. In cold weather, a truck’s engine and fuel tank must stay warm.
Check the Weather
Dangerous weather for truck drivers can not only result in unsafe driving conditions but also affect the safety of other drivers on the road. Weather forecasting applications are helping fleets and drivers so they can pose safety risks or delay the movement of freight. Heavy rain can decrease visibility and has an increased chance of hydroplaning.
Truck drivers must at least reduce their speed when faced with bad weather conditions. Truck drivers must pull off to the side of the road whenever the situation is dangerous and not continue to travel until the weather improves.
Shower and Get Ready
Truck drivers must park their trucks and use the shower at the rest areas. Most truck stops showers resemble a professional hotel and usually offer free showers if you pay more than $50 in diesel fuel. Most truck stop showers have time limits that are 30 to 45 minutes. This is plenty of time to go to the bathroom, shower, and do anything else you need to get ready.
Coffee and Breakfast
What truck drivers eat on the Road and what they put in their bodies is just as important as the fuel they put in their trucks. It’s important to be fueled on the Road. You can get fast food or food at truck stops or bring food in a fridge. Eating healthy while on the road is extremely important to stay properly fueled.
When you stop at a convenience store, consider grabbing some almonds rather than a candy bar or a salad rather than a hot dog.
Complete Pre-Trip Inspection
A pre-trip truck inspection is a thorough check of the truck and its major systems to maintain safety on the road. Inspections must occur before a driver’s shift starts and at least once every 24 hours while on the road.
Check for Dispatch Updates
Sometimes some updates happen while you are hauling the load. Whether weather, broker updates, appointment times, etc., you need to check in with a dispatch for these updates if/when this happens.
Day on the Road
Truckers work for long days driving without many breaks. The length of a trucker’s workday varies on their route and their load. Professional drivers are held to a tight schedule to ensure their freight gets to the final destination on time. It is essential to pay attention to weather conditions, traffic, etc.
While being an over-the-road driver, you typically work up to 70 hours within eight days. Most professional drivers aren’t allowed to drive more than this. After 70 hours in a truck driver’s workweek, drivers must take 34 hours off. They are on the roads for a maximum of 11 hours a day.
Drive Freight Along Route
Truck routes can vary. Some go cross country, sometimes cross-continent, during a single trip. This leads to a high number of planned stops, including overnight ones and mandatory driving breaks, which is way beyond the planning capacity of a mapping app.
Other routes, such as Regional or Dedicated routes, usually offer shorter routes with regular home time.
Stay Entertained
Drivers spend their time on the Road listening to podcasts, music, and audiobooks to stay entertained. Driving for long hours can make it easy to quickly veer off and get in an accident from being tired. Staying alert will let you know which way the Road is turning and how sharp the turn is.
Timely alerts can also help a driver realize they need to slow down or take a break, and these alerts will also be sent back to fleet managers so they can provide proactive coaching on safer driving behaviors.
Communicate with Dispatch
Most truck drivers carry their cell phones with them 24-7 and have them connected to their trucks on their routes. If you need to notify them of a change, it’s easy to call them and pass on the essential information. Truck dispatchers are also responsible for recording transportation expenses like mileage, fuel use, and repairs. Dispatch keeps track of all shipping and delivery details, and they plan routes that will ultimately save the driver’s time and the company money.
Stops for Breaks and Fuel
Driving while fatigued is prohibited, making off-duty rest breaks a vital option for many drivers. If a driver is drowsy and needs to take a break, even if they have more driving time available under the new rule, a supervisor can not require the driver to continue driving.
Deliver Freight
A drop and hook are when a driver drops off a trailer, hooks up a different, empty trailer, and leaves with that. This is the most cost-effective delivery method for a trucker, but it only works if the warehouse has a trailer arriving every few days.
Companies often engage in trailer drop when trying to avoid delivery appointments, wait time charges from the trucking company, or hiring extra labor.
The bill of lading is a required document to move a freight shipment. A carrier issues the document to a shipper detailing the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried. This document must accompany the shipped goods and be signed by an authorized representative from the carrier, shipper, and receiver.
Your name and address, or the name and address of the motor carrier issuing the bill of lading, are required. Also, the names and addresses of any other motor carriers who will participate in the transportation of the shipment are required.
Pick Up New Load
A drop is when a truck driver drops off the trailer at the warehouse and then leaves. After the trailer has been unloaded, the driver returns to hook up the empty trailer.
A drop and hook are when the truck driver drops off the trailer at the warehouse and then picks up a different, empty trailer before leaving. The driver is always responsible for ensuring cargo is safe, even if he did not load it. The driver is also responsible for loading the truck unless the company offers no-touch freight. In that case, the driver does not load or unload the truck.
Nights for Truckers
The life of a trucker means driving, including late nights. Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or music is a great way to help you stay awake while driving. Listening to something will help you to be more engaged and may help you stay awake and alert.
Find a Place to Park
Finding a parking place may be challenging because the truck stops can be full. If that is the case, you can usually find other truck stops and places to park close by. The location you choose to park is where you will sleep.
Fuel Up
Once you pull into the pump, you will be there for about 10–15 minutes. You can fill the tanks, clean the windshield, maybe check the oil, and whatever minor checking is necessary.
Post Trip Inspection and DVIR
A driver’s vehicle inspection report (DVIR) is a document that a truck driver fills out at the end of the day to inform their company about any unsafe or missing equipment on the vehicle. The company must fix what is wrong before anyone else drives the vehicle. This helps the truck to continue the function safely.
Eat Dinner
Drivers face challenges like finding a way to eat on the road. Truck stops are the most common places that offer the most availability for truck parking. Truckers store food items in a side box or refrigerator in many modern trucks. They can also carry a gas grill or small oven to cook their food easily. Fruits and vegetables are the top choices of foods to eat while driving. Lower-fat dairy products are also good for the driver.
Get Ready for Bed
It is very easy to get ready for bed because you live and sleep in your truck. In the evening, a truck driver makes their way to a rest area.
They look for a parking spot around 7 pm and have dinner. You can either have your food in a fridge or a cooler and cook it in a microwave or eat at a local restaurant. A truck driver then needs to inspect a truck to ensure nothing has been damaged or has come loose. The equipment must be ready to use the next day.
You’ll have PJs and everything you need to have to get ready for bed with you.
Responsibilities of a Truck Driver
A day in a truck driver’s life includes many responsibilities, such as driving long distances, possibly loading or unloading cargo, driving a loaded trailer, an empty trailer, etc. Driving solo means that the responsibility is all on one driver. These things all need to be completed throughout your drive.
Deliver Freight On-Time
Depending on what kind of driver you are, what type of freight you haul, what route you’re on, etc., will all impact your daily schedule as a driver. You have to be ready to adjust your plans and your schedule to make sure your loads get there on time.
Load and Unload Freight
The drivers are not always responsible for loading the freight, but the driver is always responsible for ensuring cargo is safe and loading the truck. There is a 3-hour window that allows you to get to your appointment.
Keep Truck in Good Condition
It is essential to start your morning routine to make sure the truck is in good condition and that its equipment is in tip-top shape. The inspection includes checking the vehicle lights, the coupling system, tires and brakes, engine compartment, fuel tanks, the chassis, and an in-cab inspection.
Report Problems to Dispatch
It is essential to report any problems you have to dispatch. Sometimes, an issue will occur with the shipper or receiver. You need to communicate that with dispatch so they can adequately address it with the appropriate contacts at the facility to get things moving.
Follow Traffic Laws
Having stricter rules that people drive cars, trucks, and SUVs can be difficult. Even though the driving day may be extremely long, it is crucial to ensure you follow all traffic laws.
As a professional driver, you can never exceed the speed limit, never drive while distracted or intoxicated, never fail to use turn signals, and always come to a complete stop at stop signs.
Inspect Your Truck
Inspections help prevent accidents and provide evidence of due diligence for liability protection. Level I inspections are the most common and the most thorough level of DOT inspections. During these checks, the DOT inspector looks at essential documents, such as the vehicle operator’s commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Follow Trucking Regulations
Trucking safety is essential for many reasons, including lowering CSA scores. DOT compliance refers to successfully meeting the requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the federal agency that enforces rules governing the operation of commercial motor vehicles. Failure to be DOT compliant results in a violation of these rules.
Log All Hours
You work up to 70 hours within eight days being an on-the-road driver. You much take a mandatory 34 hours off after a 70-hour workweek. Most professional drivers aren’t allowed to drive more than this. You need to be on the roads for a maximum of 11 hours a day. It is vital to keep track of these hours while driving so you know how long you have driven.
Stay Alert While Driving
You need always to be very alert when driving any vehicle. Here are some solutions that are more likely to prevent you from dozing off in the first place or can help if you’re aware enough to react. You can listen to podcasts, music, and audiobooks to stay entertained on the road. Driving for long hours can make it easy to quickly veer off and get in an accident from being tired.
Staying alert will let you know which way the Road is turning and how sharp the turn is.
What Kind of Equipment do Drivers Use
It’s essential to know some of the equipment you’ll use on the Road, depending on what you drive. Special equipment is used to make sure freight is transported correctly. You will use this daily. Among the types of equipment commonly used that make overland shipping possible are the following:
Dry van trailers
For dry goods such as toilet paper and electronic equipment.
Flatbed trailers
For large items such as building materials and heavy equipment.
Tankers
For liquids such as gasoline.
Refrigerated trailers
For temperature-sensitive items such as food and medical supplies.
LTL (less than truckload)
Bringing smaller shipments to local stores and restaurants.
Hopper and end dump trailers
Moving raw materials such as coal and grain.
Get Ready for Life as a Truck Driver
Consider becoming a truck driver if all of what we have talked about sounds like something you’d like.
ShipEX is now hiring solo OTR drivers with a minimum of 12 consecutive months of verifiable driving experience with a 53ft trailer. At ShipEX, we understand that OTR is a difficult job, so we try to make it as comfortable as possible because we know that happy drivers are safe and productive.
We are dedicated to providing stability in an unstable industry and a pleasant work environment, creating peace of mind. This is reflected in everything we do, from our compensation package to our benefits, equipment, and the overall way we treat our drivers.
Find dream truck driver jobs today!
