Truck Driving Tips

If you're a new truck driver, you may have wondered whether semi-trucks come equipped with cruise control. Cruise control is a handy feature found in many vehicles, including semi-trucks, designed to make long-haul journeys more comfortable and efficient. In this article, we'll explore what cruise control is, its benefits for truck drivers, the types of cruise control systems available, and how to use them safely.

Freezing temperatures bring about unique challenges within the truck driving industry. Dangerous road conditions, unexpected weather that causes delays and even frozen freight can all be a result of hauling freight in freezing temperatures. Thankfully, by hauling refrigerated freight trucks, you can negate many of these problems and ensure you get your freight delivered in good condition.

One of the most challenging elements of truck driving is learning to successfully maneuver a trailer and be able to back up without great difficulty. Be patient with yourself if you can relate to this issue, as this can be difficult for both veterans and novice drivers. Thankfully, there are some tried-and-true tips you can keep in mind to at least make the process a bit easier:

Above and beyond what is experienced by regular-sized vehicles, commercial trucks are extremely susceptible to dangerous winter conditions. Even if you are an extremely experienced and highly skilled truck driver, winter driving conditions can present challenges. Wet or icy roads make it difficult for trucks to handle a load and make it difficult for you as a driver of a big rig to slow your rig down enough to stop. 70% of roads in the United States are in snowy areas, which increases the threat of an accident significantly (FHWA). Today, we look at the 10 truck driving tips for winter.

By the amount of technology embraced by today’s truck drivers, life on the open road is anything but old school. Truck drivers are utilizing handy, helpful smartphone apps to aid them in accessing critical information and accomplishing essential tasks on long- haul trips. Here are the nine best apps for truck drivers for today’s modern trucker.

No one wants to pay overweight truck fines, but they are hard to avoid at times. As the driver, you may or may not know the weight, and the shipper may be trying to sneak a little more onboard. Even so, you will be held accountable, and the violation could go on your driving record if you are caught driving an overweight truck.

With all the accidents on the road, drivers need to protect themselves the best they can—and dash cams can help. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has long recommended all trucks be equipped with a camera. These days every trucker needs a dashcam, here's why.

Are you new to truck driving? Of the many questions asked by rookie drivers, one of the most common is how many miles you should be driving. While this is a reasonable question, the better question to ask is how do you manage your time? Truck driver time management is so important because without it you are not only going to be less efficient, you are going to run the risk of burning yourself out or compromising safety.

Truckers work very long hours and spend a lot of time sitting. You do have to pay attention to the road, there may still be hours of nothing but Interstate to see, and not much to pay attention to. While long haul truckers do need to pay attention, they may need distractions to stay awake or to help them focus on the things that matter. It is important to find ways to pass the time on long hauls and deal with the boredom of hours and hours of driving without a stop.

The cab of a truck is more than just the space inside a vehicle for long-haul truckers. Long hours behind the wheel, and days far from your home, means that you may be spending more time in your truck than anywhere else. It is a home in a sense to a lot of truckers, so why not make it feel like home as well. Making it more comfortable and appealing can take some of the monotony out of long road trips, and if you are more comfortable you will be able to rest more efficiently.

When long-haul truckers are paid by the mile, or by time, they may be tempted to drive faster or stay out on the road longer, to earn more money. However, there is a downside to doing so which you may not have considered. That downside comes in the form of truck fuel efficiency and ultimately higher fuel costs.

In trucking, the big costs are fuel, equipment, and maintenance. So, maintenance tips and reminders pay for themselves.