Exercises Truck Drivers Can Do on the Road

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As a truck driver, you spend most of your time on the road, making it a challenge to stay fit.  Your time is limited and access to equipment is a problem.  Here are 5 quick exercises you can easily perform on the road without any equipment:

Hand Stretch

Hand stretches can help relieve some of the stiffness or pain related to steering all day.  When you stop to refuel or take a break, rotate your wrist left and right or in a circle. Stretch your wrist by placing the fingertips of one hand on top of the steering wheel. Gently press your weight into your hand and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other hand.

Abdominal Crunch

Strengthen your abs while you’re on the road. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and hold it for the entire length of your favorite song, podcast or news report. If you are unable to squeeze your abdominal muscles for that long, then aim to squeeze them for at least one to two minutes. Repeat at every red light or for every favorite song that comes on the radio.

Planks

Plank exercises help strengthen your back, arm and leg muscles, as well as your core. Find a spot where there is room to stretch out, start off the exercise by getting on your hands and knees. Place your forearms and hands onto the ground with your palms facing downward. Kick back your legs so that you are placing your weight on your toes. Your entire body should maintain a straight line. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Shoulder Shrugs

Help relieve the stress and tension from your shoulder area with shoulder shrugs. Try this exercise while stopped at a red light, waiting on a shipper or taking a break.  Lift your shoulders up to your ears as if you’re saying “I don’t know.” Hold the position for a few seconds then release. Perform 10 to 15 reps throughout the day whenever you are feeling tensed or stressed.

Push-Ups

Strengthen your arms and chest with some push-ups.  You can do regular push-ups keeping your legs extended behind you and your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.  Mix things up with a diamond push-up where your hands are placed in a diamond shape directly under your chest.  Or, increase the degree of difficulty by propping your feet up on the bumper of your truck.

Photo courtesy of Men’s Health.

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Man becomes ‘best friends’ with trucker after rescuing him from burning rig

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livetrucking.com

A man who ran towards a fire to save a trucker stuck in his burning rig last month says God put him there to rescue the driver. The wreck happened last month in Albany, Oregon, but the two still visit each other frequently as the truck driver continues to recover.

According to Statesman Journal, truck driver Terence Jay Shaw was driving on northbound Interstate 5 on the morning of September 1st when he lost control and crashed into an overpass. The force of the impact set his rig on fire and the truck erupted into flames.

As the truck burned with Shaw still inside, Chuck Zeitler came upon the wreck from the southbound side of I-5. Zeitler saw the flames and heard someone screaming for help, so he laid down his motorcycle and rushed to the scene of the fire, pushing through a crowd of people videoing the incident on their phones.

Zeitler ran up to the truck and pulled Shaw out of the burning wreckage and away from the fire. The truck then exploded.

A Lasting Friendship is Formed

Since then, Shaw has been recovering in the burn unit at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, where Zeitler visits him frequently.

Image from livetrucking.com.

“We’re best friends now, only because my relief was stuck in traffic, so I had to wait for him to arrive.  If I’d have left at the regular time, I never would have happened upon the wreck.”

– Zeitler humbly explains how circumstances led him to rescue the trucker and gain a best friend.

 

Despite the praises from the Shaw family, Zeitler shared God put him in the right place at the right time. He simply acted on his instincts after 24 years as a Navy boiler operator.

Zeitler is an elder member of Fusion Faith Center in Albany and recently became a pastor.  He plans on opening a church for bikers soon, as he believes it is his “calling.”

Shaw is still recovering from the wreck. He has had multiple skin grafts on his right arm and side and currently has 23 stitches.

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Avoid Fines This Week During Operation Safe Driver Week

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safe driver week

Truck drivers should prepare for an increased presence by law enforcement this week. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance embark upon its annual Operation Safe Driver Week. It combats unsafe driving behaviors by truckers and passenger car drivers.

The annual enforcement blitz is scheduled for the week of October 15-21. Officers look for speeding, distracted driving, texting and driving, and seat belt usage. In addition, they monitor following too closely, improper lane changes, failure to obey traffic safety devices, and more.

Here are 8 Tips to Help Avoid Fines:

1. Put down the phone.

Law enforcement agencies refer to distracted driving as “the DUI of today.”  Texting while driving is egregious, taking the driver’s attention off the road. But, you also don’t have to be on the road long to spot someone talking on a handset. Both are prohibited by state laws in many cases, but they’re also expressly restricted for commercial motor vehicle drivers.

2. Keep your eyes on the road.

Smartphones aren’t the only culprit. There are plenty of other things in vehicles today that can take a driver’s attention away from the task at hand — i.e., piloting those several tons (or many more) of steel missile on wheels safely.

3. Don’t speed.

Who hasn’t laid into the gas pedal now and then when driving along?  But, watch your speed particularly during Safe Driver Week.  It’s a time of year when road construction is very prevalent, and officers are found paying particular attention to speeders, distracted drivers and so on in construction zones.

4. Buckle up.

Aside from staring at a smartphone, the next-quickest tip-off for enforcement officers to pull drivers over will be failure to wear a seat belt. Some believe seat belts lack comfort. However, for many decades, wearing a seat belt saves lives in crashes.

5. Give way.

Many states have “move over” laws that require drivers to pull away from the closest lane to a stationary police vehicle with flashing lights. Usually tied to the stipulation “if it’s safe to do so.” but if it isn’t safe to switch lanes, these laws may require the driver passing by to slow down considerably.

6. Don’t tailgate.

Do your best to give the driver ahead some room. Truck drivers face particular challenges with this since they’re often cut off by passenger vehicles, sometimes by those entering or exiting the highway or maybe a driver who’s just not paying attention.

7. Straighten up and fly right.

Signal your lane changes properly, don’t blow traffic lights and stop signs and obey the rest of the traffic signs and devices out there. Officers will be watching for those things during Safe Driver Week.

8. Get the rest of your ducks in a row, too.

If an offer cites you or pulls you over, they also check for other violations.  Bradley Penneau, a safety program consultant for Telogis, A Verizon Company, commented in a recent Fleet Owner webinar. He stated that a majority of the top commercial vehicle violations are “BLTs.” Meaning, brakes, lights, and tires.

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How Truck Drivers Can Spend Less on the Road

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truck driver spendingA lot of articles about how to save money overlook the unique needs of spending needs of truck drivers.

Here’s a list built for you.

1. Food

TruckerMike of Trucking Truth says, “It is very easy to rack up $30 or more in a single day eating food on the road. That comes out to over $200 per week, and over $10,000 per year! WOW!”

To save money, buy a portable fridge and a crock pot. The Healthy Trucker recommends the “ARB 10800472 Fridge Freezer- 50 Quart” and shares a few tips and recipes for slow cookers here. If you stock up at a grocery store before hitting the road, it becomes cheaper and more convenient to eat the healthy. The fridge and slow cooker will pay for themselves in less than a year.

2. Budget

“Base your Budget on low mile weeks,” advises Derek McClain of The Healthy Trucker. Most companies pay by the mile, and your miles will change from week to week. It’s better to budget for the low weeks and have a little more than you planned for on good week than to plan for the good weeks and not have enough during the bad weeks.

3. Emergencies

You can’t schedule emergencies, but you can soften the blow by being ready for them. The Healthy Trucker says, “When in doubt if an emergency fund should be used for a purchase, just refer back to the ‘emergency’ part of the name … If there’s a question whether or not it’s an emergency … it’s probably not.”

4. Loans

A cash advance or a payday loan may be tempting but use caution. Many of these institutions tack on ridiculous interest rates and fees (as high as $15 to $30 for every $100 loaned). These fees will eat up your paycheck for months or worse, leave you taking out new loans to pay back your old loans. Always turn to your emergency fund, friends, family or even your company before resorting to a high-interest, short-term loan.

5. Free WiFi

Don’t forget to enable your device’s WiFi at stops rather than relying on your data plan. The free WiFI will cut down your data usage (and your phone bill) every month.

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4 Ways to Relieve Stress on the Road

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truck driver stress

Stress management can be a considerable challenge for many truck drivers. Many factors contribute to truck driver stress. You have to maintain constant focus on the road while spending significant time away from friends and family.

Combine this with several other demanding merchandise transport responsibilities and your job can easily become overwhelming if you don’t find effective ways to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Here are some beneficial tips for staying stress-free on the road.

1. Eat healthy

A healthy body directly contributes to a healthy mind. Maintaining a healthy diet can help reduce irritability and depression, as well as help you feel more awake when driving and get a better overall sleep.

Many people assume eating healthy food requires sacrificing tastiness and simply munching celery sticks for the foreseeable future (not that there’s anything wrong with celery sticks). This is not the case, however, as there are many healthier choices you can make without resorting to boring, bland snacking.

2. Sleep well to avoid fatigue

Lack of sleep can spell disaster when driving long distances. However, sometimes it’s difficult getting the necessary 6-8 hours our bodies need to stay alert and avoid becoming fatigued.

If you’re having trouble getting the right amount of sleep, here are some helpful suggestions:

  • Limit your caffeine intake and avoid it a couple hours before sleeping
  • Restrict your exposure to light before bed (phones, tablets, etc.)
  • As mentioned above, maintain a healthy diet
  • Find a truck stop and take a short nap if you start to feel overly fatigued
3. Be social

One of the main causes of stress on the road is being away from friends and family. This lack of social connection can be a factor in depression.

Be sure to check in with friends and family back home on a regular basis. Also, don’t hesitate to start a chat with fellow truckers at different truck stops.

Another great way to combat loneliness is to bring a pet with you. If your employer allows it, that is.

4. Maintain fitness

Maintaining a daily fitness routine, combined with healthy eating, is a sure-fire way to beat stress on the road. It can, however, be difficult to find the time and resources to exercise when traveling.

Regardless, you should aim to get about 15 to 30 minutes of exercise per day to relieve stress. Start with some easy exercises and modify them as you progress.

Bonus: listen to your favorite podcast or music playlist

Making a playlist full of your favorite tunes can be a great stress reliever when driving long distances. Have a favorite podcast? Listen to a couple episodes per day to keep your mind interested and engaged instead of letting it wander.

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Fueling Our Daily Lives

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national truck driver appreciation weekEveryday, professional truck drivers keep us all operating by delivering many of the basic necessities. We often take these for granted, such as water, food, clothing and fuel. We celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It reminds us just how vital truckers are in our daily lives.

Drive My Way is committed to building a community that celebrates and supports all professional truck drivers for your sacrifice and hard work tackling one of the most demanding and vital jobs in our economy. Unlike many other careers, truck driving is a career in which your job and lifestyle are tightly woven together. With great sacrifice and commitment, truck drivers help keep us going every day, as we’ve seen with the delivery of critical supplies before, during and after hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Today, we celebrate our partnership with Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America, committed to fueling life’s journeys for all drivers. This mission would not be possible without the thousands of Pilot Flying J drivers that transport Fuel, DEF, Crude Oil and Clean Fuel to all the travel centers, distribution points and oil fields.

Pilot Flying J is celebrating all professional truck drivers for the entire month of September. If you don’t already have the Pilot Flying J mobile app download it and become eligible for various free food and drink offers this month. Additionally, you can earn entries in their 100,000,000 Points Giveaway Sweepstakes by simply fueling up and swiping your MyRewards card.  65,000 people will win. Therefore, more than 1600 daily winners divided into 5 prize levels ($10, $25, $50, $100 and $500). Points automatically load into each winner’s loyalty account.

Help all of us celebrate each of you. Snap a pic when you win and post it on Facebook. Tag Pilot Travel Centers and DriveMyWay and include the following in your post: @PilotFlyingJ and @DriveMyWay

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Trucker Gives ‘Dead’ Cat New Lease on Life (2 Times)

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truck driver catA 3-year-old cat named BB-8 has 45-year-old truck driver Dennis McDonald to thank for his life today.

Zainab Akande of The Dodo, a website dedicated to the love of animals, tells the story. A road in hurricane-like conditions is not the friendliest place to bring your truck to a stop, but McDonald found himself doing that one morning. After his passenger pointed out a “dead” cat by the side of the road,

 

“McDonald’s intuition and sheer empathy for an animal — one he wasn’t even certain was alive — were what led to the 3-year-old cat’s chance at survival… McDonald saw that the cat was in rough shape, possibly with a broken neck or back — but regardless, he was still alive. (Another) motorist offered McDonald a box to transport him.”

And that’s just the beginning of the story. BB-8 required extensive surgery that was donated. His owner was found but couldn’t take the cat back and he was lost by his newly adopted family. Then BB-8 came back to his truck driver hero for a forever home on the road.

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4 Healthy Convenience Store Choices for Truck Drivers

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You’ve been on the road for a while, and no food is to be found in your cab. The only place to grab a snack is a gas station. What do you pick? Pizza? Maybe some chips? Ice cream? Not so fast – just because it’s quick and easy doesn’t mean it has to be greasy and fatty. U.S. News’ Anna Medaris Miller offers some healthier available selections in this slide show. Here’s a quick synopsis:

  1. Nuts are a fantastic and easy option that provide a good amount of protein to fill you up. Opt for unsalted kinds and pick almonds if you can.
  2. Greek yogurt is available in many convenience stores at gas stations now, and it’s a fantastic way to get plenty of protein without all of the sugar of normal yogurt.
  3. Beef? Yes, beef. Beef jerky in moderate amounts can be a great source of lean protein. Even all-beef hot dogs aren’t that bad compared to other picks. Just be careful because processed meat often has high amounts of sodium.
  4. Consider just grabbing a protein bar. Clif Bars and similar can high a good amount of fiber, high protein and moderate amounts of sugar, giving you a quick fix in a convenient package.
  5. And last, but certainly not least, fruit. It’d be hard to find a gas station that doesn’t have at least a few pieces of fruit. Rather than grabbing fruit juice, grab a whole fruit for an easy pick-me-up with some fiber.

Here’s to healthy eating on the road!

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The Ultimate Guide for Truck Drivers to Maintain 3 Healthy Habits Over the Road

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Pain in the Neck? 4 Simple Exercises to Help Truck Drivers

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As a truck driver, your body experiences strain as a result of having to sit so long. Often, your neck can be the most affected by these long rides with no movement. It hurts to swivel your head to monitor traffic. It gives you painful headaches.

Matt D’Aquino, The Healthy Trucker, writes of the neck-pain challenge and offers a few exercises to bring some relief.

Some simple stretches can quickly help lessen pain, especially if you do them on a regular basis (even you’re your neck isn’t hurting). Regular stretching helps prevent tightness from happening in the first place.

These following exercises, which target all directions, can be done for a few minutes every day outside of the cab for a much looser, more mobile neck.

  1. Turn your head left and stick your hand out at a 90 degree angle. Switch directions, and complete again.
  2. Pull your head down, hold for up to 30 seconds. Push your head up, again holding up to 30 seconds. Do so gently .
  3. Move your head slowly side to side and in circles.
  4. Place your hand on one side of your head, placing pressure, while also pushing your muscles in the opposite direction.

We hope these neck stretches will help make driving a bit more pain free. Have some useful stretches to share? Connect with us here and tell us!

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The Ultimate Guide for Truck Drivers to Maintain 3 Healthy Habits Over the Road

Download the complete guide for tips to easily maintain healthy habits over the road.

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Duty vs. Daddy: One Trucker’s Story of Finding Work-Life Balance

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With long stretches on the road and only short, intense bursts of time at home, maintaining work-life balance comes as a challenge. Veteran trucker Trent McCain took the extra time to connect with his daughter in the cutest way possible.

Shaun Cronin of Irish Examiner tells the story of How McCain’s 9 year old daughter, Joselyn, struggled to find a babysitter for her doll, Abbie, so she called on “Grandpa Trent” for help.

McCain reported on Facebook that “he didn’t want his daughter thinking he’d neglected the doll all day.”

McCain certainly made sure we wouldn’t forget about him or Abbie. According to the Irish examiner, to assure Joselyn that Abbie was in good hands, he posted pictures of his trip throughout the day. Read more here.

McCain isn’t alone in his efforts to balance work and family time. Countless drivers invest in both their jobs and families. Roadmaster Trucking School offers a few fun ideas for CDL truckers working on building and maintaining strong family connections.

  1. Postcards and letters: Handwritten notes are rare. So, taking the time to write a short, meaningful note brighten your child’s day.
  2. Social Media: McCain used Facebook to share pictures and moments from his daily life, with family and friends. Social media is particularly useful if you’re crossing time zones because you don’t need to coordinate meeting times.
  3. Home Time: When you are at home, use the time to do something memorable. In addition, avoid missing important moments in your children’s lives. Helping yourself and your kids savor the moments together make the moments apart easier.

A work-life balance is an important part of being a CDL driver.  Let us help you find yours. Drive My Way lets you select lifestyle preferences to find the best jobs that fit your needs. Register here to get started!