Starting Your Career As A Long-Haul Trucker? 3 Tips To Make Life Easier
It's happened. You finally have your Class A driver's license and your own truck. You're now a long haul trucker. You've passed all the tests and you know how to drive. However, do you know all the little tricks that will make life on the road easier to navigate? Here are four tricks that will help you avoid problems.
Take Time to Rest
You may think that going without sleep will ensure that you cover more ground. Recent studies have found that going without sleep can actually have the opposite effect. In fact, driving while you're tired may be similar to driving while intoxicated. Avoid accidents by getting adequate rest while you're on the road.
Step Outside
When you're a long-haul trucker, you spend the majority of your time inside the cab of your truck. That means you'll be depriving your lungs of fresh air. Unfortunately, that can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Research shows that the build-up of carbon monoxide gases may be linked to lung cancer. Take a few minutes each day to step outside and breathe the fresh air. If you don't have time in your schedule for extra breaks, step away from the truck after you've refueled and take some deep breaths. The deep breaths will allow your lungs to get oxygenated with clean air.
Plan for Parking
When you're trying to stick to a schedule, parking for the night is probably the last thing on your mind. However, more experienced truckers have probably already planned for that night's parking. A good place to stop for the night will have pull-through parking, which will allow you to take off in the morning without waiting for the truck in front of you to leave. It's also a good idea to find parking that has direct lighting - for added security while you're asleep. If you're not sure why you should worry about parking, here are a few reasons it's so important.
- Good parking provides quick access to the road
- No need to waste gas trying to find an empty slot somewhere
- Avoid driving while tired when you can't find a place to park right away
Now that you're a long-haul trucker, you'll spend your time concerned about schedules and traffic. You should also be concerned about your health and safety. The tips provided above will help keep you safe and healthy while you're on the road.
For more help with trucking, contact a company like Arrow Truck Sales.
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