Making the decision to become a truck driver is incredibly exciting. Being a trucker allows you to drive and see places all over the country and meet new people all the time. With the comprehensive training and driving safety instruction from 160 Driving Academy, becoming a truck driver is also a great way to make money and advance your career.
However, with so many different loading and unloading times, deadlines, customer appointments and other hectic aspects of driving, sleep can often fall by the wayside. You have a delivery at noon today and another at 2:00am? No problem. Waiting four hours for customers to load or unload the truck once you arrive? You’ll make it work.
With all that hustling and bustling, sleep—and driving safety!—still need to be priorities in order to stay as alert, focused, and productive as possible. When you do get a chance to rest, take it! “Bedtimes” and schedule breaks will likely change from day to day, so take advantage of them whenever you can.
Pulling over at designated truck stops is a no-brainer, but they can get crowded. Using “downtime” to pull over at rest areas or at the shipping/receiving stations are other great places to catch some ‘Zzzzzs.’ Avoid pulling over on the side of highways or undesignated truck areas, as these are not suitable for extended rest periods and could pose a safety hazard for you and the surrounding drivers.
Once you do find a suitable stop to rest, using accessories such as dark, light-blocking curtains for your cab and sleeper can help you drift off more easily. Adding a sun shade to your windshield, covering electronic lights within the truck and even wearing an eye mask and/or ear plugs are all great ways to create a sense of nighttime—anytime!
There are a number of different ways to stay safe and alert while driving, and getting sleep is the key. Find out the best environments and tools to make sleeping easier for you and enjoy the road!
For even more tips and tricks for getting rest on the road, call 160 Driving Academy today. You can also get more information about our comprehensive classes, career opportunities and other valuable resources. Call us today or fill out our quick form to get started today!
