![]() Most truck drivers connect with their families when they are on a break for lunch or at the end of the evening. Truck drivers spend the majority of their day alone, without other human interaction. Due to the fact that most truck drivers are paid for the time, they are actually driving, there is constant pressure to get back on the road when you do take a break.Ī day in the life of a truck driver is also a largely solitary day. Throughout their day, truck drivers must maintain a constant state of awareness. Their workday consists of tight schedules that must be met, with an ever-present risk of delay due to a variety of events. In the middle, they are on the road most of the time, up to a maximum of 11 hours a day. Truck drivers typically have a long workday that starts early and ends late. ![]() Taken together, a day in the life of a truck driver can be challenging. Come morning, they’ll start the cycle again. Typically, a truck driver will get some food, call home, and go to sleep for the evening. Otherwise, they will need to have access to facilities where they can rest. If their truck is equipped with a sleeper they’ll spend the night in the truck. By evening the trucker will be looking for a place to pull off and rest. Once evening is approaching, a truck driver has already spent a substantial amount of time on the road. Many trucking companies give preferential rates to long-haul drivers, but the lifestyle can be difficult for new drivers, especially when you can’t see your family members. Long haul or over the road (OTR) drivers are on the road for a lot of time, especially in their first year. Keep in mind that truck drivers earn money only when they are driving, so taking more breaks than necessary can not only lengthen your day but cut into your profitability. You may end up taking one or more breaks during the day for food or rest at a truck stop, which can lengthen your workday. If you have roughly nine hours of actual driving time per day, your actual time spent on the road can be quite a bit more. This means that truck drivers may work up to 11 hours per day, but any driving completed over that limit will incur substantial penalties. Legally, the Department of Transportation allows OTR drivers to drive up to a maximum of 11 hours per day, all of which must be completed within a 14-hour window. The actual length of the workday can vary depending on the route and availability of rest areas and food, upon the destination, weather, traffic, or other road hazards. Truck drivers typically work fairly long days. This places further pressure on the truck driver to complete their route in a limited window. Federal regulations limit the amount of time a driver can be on the road to 11 hours. Carriers aren’t the only ones with an interest in how long truck drivers spend on the road. Still, there is an expectation that the delivery will be made according to schedule, so truck drivers must make every effort to get their shipments to their destination on time. Some things, such as dangerous weather and equipment failure, are outside of the driver’s control. This means that truck drivers must stay constantly alert for potential delays, such as slow vehicles or accidents. Once on the road, truck drivers are often held to a tight schedule. ![]() An inspection of the truck and completion of any required logs will also be done prior to getting on the road. and 5 a.m., although the actual time will depend on the specific driver and the requirements of the job.ĭrivers will check the weather and route conditions before getting on the road. You can expect to get up and get on the road anywhere between 3 a.m. If you follow along with a truck driver, you’ll quickly learn that most of them like to get an early start. While the open road may appeal to you, trucking does have challenges that include long hours of service, time away from home, and difficulty accessing healthy food. In this article, we’ll explore a day in the life of a truck driver. Although the profession itself is critical to our modern society by facilitating the efficient movement of goods, very few people take the time to think about what the job is like. ![]() If you are considering becoming a truck driver, or are simply curious about the profession, you are probably wondering what life as a truck driver on the road is like.
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