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6 Easy Microwavable Recipes for Truck Drivers

Health, Just for Fun, My Life February 11, 2019/by Kerry Marinchick

Truckers are faced with the daily dilemma of stopping at a rest stop or fast food chain for a quick bite to eat or preparing a meal themselves. Oftentimes truckers don’t have a full kitchen or much time to prepare extensive meals so cooking can be challenging. To help, we put together a list of 6 easy microwavable recipes for truck drivers to quickly prepare on a break.

Image courteous of Dashing Dish

1. Omelet

This mug omelet is perfect for truckers looking for a filling breakfast that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Add vegetables, cheese, and meat and enjoy the omelet straight from the mug or throw it into a tortilla for a breakfast burrito. Get the recipe →

Image courteous of The Bitten Word

2. Sweet Potato Chips

These are a great, healthy alternative to regular potato chips and actually taste just as good.

Add salt and rosemary to the sliced potatoes, pop them in the microwave, and enjoy a delicious sweet and salty snack. Get the recipe →

Image courtesy of The Gingham Apron

3. Blueberry Muffin

Craving something sweet? This is perfect for meeting the craving with a healthier alternative that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Not in the mood for a blueberry muffin? Swap out the blueberries for chocolate chips, raisins, or another fruit. Get the recipe →

Image courtesy of The Food Network

4. Mushroom Risotto

Ever made risotto on the stove and stirred the pot for 30 minutes? Get the same delicious taste with half the work.

Stir together the ingredients in a microwave-safe dish and get ready for the perfect side dish. Get the recipe →

Image courtesy of Bigger Bolder Baking

5. Potato Soup

This soup is loaded with cheese, bacon, potato, and scallions and only takes a few minutes to prepare.

Top the soup off with a spoonful of sour cream and enjoy on a cold, winter day. Get the recipe →

Image courtesy of Joyful Healthy Eats

6. Parmesan Herb Spaghetti Squash

This quick dish trumps Easy Mac any day. Not only is this a healthier alternative to microwave pasta, but it’s also filling and delicious.

Prepare the recipe in 5 minutes, throw in the microwave for 15 minutes, and enjoy. Top with grilled chicken for extra protein. Get the recipe →

These easy microwavable recipes for truck drivers should save time and money spent stopping at a drive-through and also provide truckers with quick, delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

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Lucky Truck Driver Wins Powerball Lottery

Just for Fun January 27, 2019/by

truck-driver-wins-powerball-lottery

Christmas came a few days late for David Johnson, a 56-year-old truck driver from Brooklyn, New York. After spending $5 on lottery tickets, including a $2 Powerball ticket, David Johnson is New York’s newest multi-millionaire after he wins the Powerball lottery!

Image via New York Post

Johnson, won the almost $300 million dollar jackpot on Wednesday, December 26^th. Because he wasn’t feeling well, he didn’t even check his ticket until a few days later. In a spirited interview, Mr. Johnson happily recounts the story from buying the tickets to realizing he was the big winner.

“A friend of mine, the next driver for the company called me and said, ‘Dave somebody won the Powerball at the gas station,’” he said. “I told him no bro that’s not me man. That’s not my luck.”

“I looked at the board and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, Jesus, oh my God’” he said. “I jumped up and down in the store…. got back in my car, turned the music up and zoomed on home.”

He collected a check for $114,000,000 earlier this month, after stashing the ticket in the pocket of an old jacket for a week. Mr. Johnson has since retired, and has plans to invest most of the money for the future. But he will certainly treat himself to a few things: a new house and a brand new red Porsche – something he’s always wanted to own.

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Stop to See the World’s Largest Objects Across the Country

Just for Fun, My Life September 18, 2017/by

world Across the United States, you can find a cure for on-the-road boredom as you come upon an eclectic assortment of some of the most hilarious and interesting roadside attractions – some of the world’s largest objects of random items.

Huffington Post created this awesome slideshow to highlight the “world’s largest” attractions.

One of them is right in Drive My Way’s hometown. Near the famous Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you’ll find the world’s largest rubber stamp. Created in the ’80s, the stamp has the word “free” on the front of it.

In Cuba, Mo., a rocking chair for giants rests. Though not the world’s largest, the rocker is so incredibly tall that your semi couldn’t reach the seat.

If you’re feeling patriotic in New York, taking a trip to Lake George to see the world’s largest Uncle Sam.

Though it’s not the title character from “James and the Giant Peach ,” the “peachoid water tank” in Gaffney, S.C., owns claims to the world’s largest peach. Painted to match the state fruit, the construction required 10 million pounds of concrete.

Other favorites include the tallest filing cabinet in Burlington, Vermont, the largest Rubik’s Cube in Knoxville, Tenn., and the largest frying pan in Brandon, Iowa.

Now, go get some cool photos or video of your own by these interesting landmarks and share with us!

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

My Job, My Life September 12, 2017/by

truck driver cat A 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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Furry Friend Helps One Driver Hear on the Road

My Life July 21, 2017/by

Truck driver Pete Kleckner and Snickers are practically inseparable both on and off the road. Source: Overdrive Online

Pete Kleckner and his dog Snickers have a relationship that is extra special, even for pet owners. The truck driver depends on Snickers for more than just cuddles. The highly trained service dog is his ears on and off the road.

According to a feature in Overdrive Online,

“The independent contractor from Crookston, Minn., never leaves home without his good buddy. The dog has been trained to respond to five sounds: an alarm clock, intruders, fire alarms (and strobes) door knocks, door bells and back in the day, a landline phone. When they arrive at the truck stop and she hears anything outside she doesn’t like, she will bark or put a paw on him. If someone is outside the truck trying to talk to him, Snickers will alert him.”

Snickers accompanies Kleckner, who is deaf, almost everywhere he goes on his route. She joins him at rest stops and restaurants. One of the few exceptions? Shipping docks. As Kleckner says, those are “too cold.”

While not all human-animal trucking teams include a service animals like Snickers, Kleckner and his dog are part of a growing number of drivers who are bringing their furry friends on the road – a perk allowed by some trucking companies and appreciated by independent owner-operators.

Like their humans, pets can’t do a long drive without breaks to stretch their legs. Apex Capital Corp. notes that “most TA and Petro Shopping Centers offer dedicated areas for pets that need some exercise or a rest break … Waste bags and trash receptacles are also available for easy cleanup.”

What else do you need to know about pet friendly rest stops from Apex Capital Corp. before you hit the road? “Iowa 80 (Walcott, Iowa) does not currently allow pets inside the main buildings, however it does offer a Dogomat Pet Wash, which is self-served and open 24 hours.”

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6 Off-Terrain Vehicles That CDL Truck Drivers Will Love

Just for Fun January 27, 2017/by

Not all vehicles need to take flight to “travel off the grid,” writes engadget.com in a story highlighting high-tech vehicles that do some pretty amazing things. The ability for a vehicle to travel off-road is vital in rural areas or disaster zones where roads are impassable due to natural disasters, engadget.com explains. The website arranged a list of six off-terrain vehicles that CDL truck drivers love to read about—and even drive.

1. Road-carrying truck

B-Y-O-Road? Welsh company Faun Trackway dreamed up (and built) a truck that can travel where there are no roads — because it carries its own. Mounted on the back of an otherwise pretty standard-looking truck, a roll of thin aluminum extrusions can be unfurled to create a 50-meter roadway.

The resulting temporary surface is capable of supporting vehicles weighing up to 70 metric tons, so the road-laying truck is a great companion for delivery and rescue vehicles carrying heavy supplies into otherwise hard-to-reach areas. Once the convoy has traversed the aluminum roadway, Faun Trackway’s creation rolls the road back up and hustles along to its next challenging destination.

2. Electric “spider” car

The Swincar is a bizarre but useful car that can drive just about anywhere. Each of the vehicle’s independently driven wheels is attached to a spider-like leg for extra ground clearance, and powered by its own electric motor.

This setup translates to a lot of power and control, so uneven terrain barely even slows the Swincar down, let alone stops it in its tracks. Because it’s an all-electric vehicle with no emissions, the Swincar one-ups traditional ATVs in the sustainability department as well.

3. Tunnel zipper truck

This truck can not only drive where there is no road, but it can build a 14-mile tunnel out of Lego-like bricks in just 24 hours. The zipper truck is equipped with rollers held in place by a tapered metal core, and the wider front of the truck allows the tailored lock-blocks to be placed just so, creating a perfect archway.

Much like the historic arch’s Roman predecessors, the arched tunnels zipped together by this truck need no mortar or adhesive. Even better, the blocks can be removed once the tunnel is no longer needed and then be reused many times over.

4. Slope-worthy VW party bus

While some off-road vehicles are designed with serious functions in mind, others are just looking for a good party. This modified 1966 VW Bus Bulli T1 was created with slope-side jams in mind. In addition, rubber snowmobile tracks replaced its wheels.

The hip party van travels across the snow at a good clip. In addition, it comes equipped with a 1,000-watt subwoofer and two 300-watt speakers. Just add snow and your own DJ.

5. Automatic brick road machine

Designed to make charming brick roads even easier to lay down. This Dutch machine completes the work of a crew of human laborers in a fraction of the time. Dubbed Tiger-Stone, the automatic paver-laying machine lays up to 400 square meters of gorgeous brick road in a day.

Adjustable to widths up to six meters, the machine is fed by human workers who stack bricks into an angled hopper in the desired pattern. The, the machine leverages gravity to lower the bricks onto the pre-leveled ground. Tiger-Stone eliminates the back-breaking aspects of bricklayers’ jobs, while cutting both time and cost. In addition, it leaves behind a beautiful brick road.

6. All-terrain adaptive tricycle

This hybrid tricycle helps adventurers with disabilities go places. Created by designer Jesse Lee, the Horizon traverse a wide variety of surfaces that wheelchairs and other adaptive vehicles. For example, these include gravel, hills, grass or dirt.

Powered by electricity and pedal power (controlled either by hand or foot), it combines in one of three different “driving modes.” This depends on the amount of power needed. The Horizon goes up to 25 miles per hour. In addition, its 48-volt lithium-ion battery offers a 30-mile range on a full charge.

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With Cherie’s Boutique, A Truck Driver’s Talent Looks Built to Last

My Life December 12, 2016/by

Cherie and Taylor Barker

Cherie Barker always dreamed of having a store where she could refinish furniture. She just never dreamed that her husband, a truck driver, would be the one to make it reality.

But when Cherie set her sights on buying a kitchen island for $2,200, destiny intervened.

“I told her I could build one cheaper than that,” her husband, Taylor Barker, recalls. “She said, ‘Build it then.’ I did build it, and I never stopped.”

Taylor not only built the island, he soon built end tables and a coffee table to match.

“I was surprised he could do it so well,” Cherie says. “But he wasn’t surprised. We saw it as an opportunity.”

Bench refinished by Cherie and Taylor

Taylor’s talent for furniture making flourished so much so fast that four years ago the Barkers established a furniture business in Tennessee. They recently gave it a new name, Cherie’s Boutique, and moved to a new, coveted space on bustling Broad Street in the heart of Kingsport, Tenn. Now Cherie’s longtime dream is becoming reality.

Taylor, an OTR owner operator leased to Heniff Transportation, spends about 3 weeks on the road at a time.

He gets only seven to 10 days of home time a month and spends nearly all of it crafting and repurposing masterpieces in his wood shop.

“Man cave” coolers

While the Barkers repurpose everything from doors and windows to beds and benches, customers love Taylor’s window-style coffee tables and “man cave” coolers most of all. His coolers have taken off in a big way, thanks to their following among famous country singers such as Daryle Singletary and Joe Diffie. Cherie’s Boutique also sells used furniture and other unique items.

Painting and re-purposing are Cherie’s passions.

The idea of giving new life to old items excites her. “I love recreating something new out of old things, saving something,” she says. “Grandma’s dresser doesn’t go to the trash heap and you make it beautiful again. It’s art with function.”

Taylor, meanwhile, may have begun building as a hobby, but by now he knows building is in his blood. His father was a contractor, and Taylor himself has an innate gift for working angles and numbers. It’s only natural that he took up woodworking. “I like to think of something and create it,” he says.

Generous Spirit

taylor-window-tables But for the Barkers, it’s not enough simply to create. “I believe that to be successful you have to give back,” Taylor says.

And boy do the Barkers give back. They do a lot for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and for military veterans, using their business to support those causes whenever they can.

“I’m a veteran myself. I spent 10 years in the military, so I understand what veterans go through,” Taylor says. “I don’t care if my name is mentioned in any benefit I do to help veterans or kids. I just do it to help. If you can’t help your fellow man when they need help, then you’re really useless.”

Taylor’s band (he’s also a talented musician) performed in 100 benefits and opened for The Band Perry.

“At the end of the day, we’re all people, trying to accomplish the same dream of life,” Taylor reasons.

taylor-after-2 The Barkers are living their own dream right now. Taylor loves seeing the smiles on his clients’ faces when they see their heirlooms transformed. And while he’s had a CDL trucking job for 20 years, he hopes his furniture business thrives and he can retire from trucking. Until then, he’ll continue to balance both careers.

Cherie, for her part, embraces the opportunity to re-purpose furniture and at long last live out her dream.

“It’s surreal,” she says. “It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here. Working toward a goal is one thing. To look up one day and know you’re there is a whole other thing. It’s like arriving at Disney Land.”

For creative gift ideas anytime of year, check out Cherie’s Boutique on Facebook and follow Taylor on Instagram. Got a similar story of your own? Connect with Drive My Way on social media here and share your story with us.

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Celebrating Pakistan’s First Female Truck Driver

Just for Fun October 14, 2016/by

Shamim Akhtar is acclaimed as Pakistan’s first female truck driver. Her journey to CDL truck driving, a job largely relegated to Pakistani men, has not been easy. But, it inspires others, as one publication, Pro Pakistani, writes.

It represents overcoming the various cultural and societal barriers in Pakistan. Shamin Akhtar’s journey proves that some glass ceilings are really meant to be broken.

“Nothing is too difficult if you have the will,” Akhtar says. “However, if women make themselves believe that they can’t do certain tasks, then nothing works.”

.propakistani.pk

Akhtar , a 53-year-old single mother, married at 17 and quickly found that she had to fend for herself and her children.

In the face of considerable financial hardship, she relied on her own intelligence and strength to take care of her children and marry off her eldest daughters. Her husband was never around, and left her for another woman. To earn a decent and respectable livelihood, Akhtar started working.

Akhtar landed a job as an insurance salesperson and eventually moved on to sewing and embroidery. She became a sewing teacher at a local school, but she craved a job that would provide for her family.

She credits the Islamabad Traffic Police training course for showing her the possibilities.

It led her to eventually driving a truck, a task that requires excellent road sense and training. She worked hard and passed the driving tests. She received a public service vehicle license, making her the first Pakistani woman licensed to drive trailers, tractors and trucks.

Her work is grueling. Her journeys involve her transporting 7,000 bricks from a factory in Rawalpindi to AJK, a distance of 200 km between the two destinations. Akhtar also operates a driving school. Her students consider her a a role model and mother. As Akhtar ’s admirers would tell you, she never gives up until she achieves her goal.

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In Nigeria, Women Are in the Driver’s Seat (Seriously)

Just for Fun July 29, 2016/by Kerry Marinchick

While women constitute about 5 percent of truck drivers here in the United States, the numbers are even fewer in foreign countries. That’s why this story out of Nigeria is so unusual, and it’s why it attracted our attention.

According to a feature in thenationonlineng.net The Nation, Nigerian women are making inroads into all sorts of male-dominated industries, from truck driving to welding. In the story, writer Dorcas Egede highlighted several women who are thriving in Nigerian trucking jobs.

One after the other, motorists moved away from their cars to see the cause of the traffic ahead. On getting close to the cause of the traffic and discovering that it was a truck belonging to the Dangote Group, most of them made to turn back in indignation, cursing under their breath. But they soon stopped in their tracks. A woman behind the wheels of a truck? Surely this was no common sight in this part of the world. In no time, there was a pool of humans, particularly males, all struggling to take a shot of the wonder woman.

Hajiya Gambo Mohammed, a senior driver with the Dangote Group, was a spectacle on this particular day. The sight of her masterfully manning the wheels of a heavy-duty truck wasn’t a common one. In a clime where some men still dread driving cars and small buses on long distance, the sight of Hajia Muhammed was no doubt a spectacle.

Mohammed is just one of many women in Nigeria who has a job considered to be exclusive to men. But that’s starting to change. “Over the years, more females who have become skilled in certain manly jobs have emerged,” the article states. “Among them are female mechanics, painters, commercial bus drivers, conductors and welders.”

Another female driver, who goes by the pseudonym Geraldeen Agbonifo, is a widowed mother of three.

She said she veered into transportation business early this year, exactly two years after her husband’s demise.

Like it is with many widows, Agbonifo revealed that she would do everything within her power to raise her children to the highest level possible. “I’m not thinking remarriage. I just want to train my children to the highest level I can,” she said.

Agbonifo got a trucking job after her textile, shoe and bag business folded.

Asked if she indeed faces the challenge of battling the many wild men in the transport business world every day, Agbonifo smiled and asked, “What do you expect? You saw how that driver tried to bully me at Obalende while we were hustling for passengers. I get a daily dose of that, but it doesn’t bother me.

Before you decide to come and do this kind of work, you must have prepared yourself to tussle with bullies like that.”

Interestingly, there’s also the challenge of certain passengers, particularly males, who would refuse to board her bus once they notice its driver is female. But again she says this does not bother her. “I get a lot of admiring stares. In fact, some people purposely get on my bus when they see who the driver is, so it doesn’t bother me when I see those who despise me.”

Read the rest of the story here.

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How This Trucker Clocked 5 Decades of Safe Driving

Just for Fun July 22, 2016/by

sj-r.com

One truck driver from Springfield has assembled decades of safe driving, spanning an amazing 51 years.

Bob Wyatt, who has held a CDL trucking job at Schneider out of Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the past 43 years, received an award from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance for his incredible safety record.

Wyatt clocked nearly 6 million miles without a single preventable accident.

The award recognizes commercial vehicle drivers who distinguish themselves through safe operation for an extended period of time. The Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register wrote that Wyatt was “surprised and humbled, to say the least,” by the award.

“You just take it one mile at a time,” Wyatt said of how he stayed safe on the road.

But even with all his success, Wyatt told the newspaper that CDL trucking jobs aren’t easy.

“A million people, they all want to be at the same place at the same time, they don’t want anybody to get in their way,” Wyatt said. “And the fact that they are texting and talking on the phone makes it even worse. I’ve been out here 50 years of my life, and you can’t even imagine what I’ve seen.”

CVSA president Maj. Jay Thompson praised Wyatt and his stellar safety record.

Overall, he serves as the most decorated driver in Schneider history, according to the State Journal-Register.

“We remain so impressed by Bob Wyatt’s spotless record of 51 years of safe driving, his unwavering, long-term commitment to public safety, his proactive approach to growth and learning, and his willingness to engage with leadership to be a catalyst for industry improvement,” he said.

In addition, Wyatt has been married to his wife, Linda, for nearly as long as he’s gone without an accident (49 years).

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Posts

1. Omelet

2. Sweet Potato Chips

3. Blueberry Muffin

4. Mushroom Risotto

5. Potato Soup

6. Parmesan Herb Spaghetti Squash

Want to find a job you love?

Want to find a job you love?

Want to find a job you love?

Want to find a job you love?

Want to find a job you love?

1. Road-carrying truck

2. Electric “spider” car

3. Tunnel zipper truck

4. Slope-worthy VW party bus

5. Automatic brick road machine

6. All-terrain adaptive tricycle

Want to find a job you love?

Taylor not only built the island, he soon built end tables and a coffee table to match.

Taylor, an OTR owner operator leased to Heniff Transportation, spends about 3 weeks on the road at a time.

Painting and re-purposing are Cherie’s passions.

Generous Spirit

Taylor’s band (he’s also a talented musician) performed in 100 benefits and opened for The Band Perry.

Cherie, for her part, embraces the opportunity to re-purpose furniture and at long last live out her dream.

Want to find a job you love?

Akhtar , a 53-year-old single mother, married at 17 and quickly found that she had to fend for herself and her children.

She credits the Islamabad Traffic Police training course for showing her the possibilities.

Want to find a job you love?

Another female driver, who goes by the pseudonym Geraldeen Agbonifo, is a widowed mother of three.

Agbonifo got a trucking job after her textile, shoe and bag business folded.

Want to find a job you love?

Wyatt clocked nearly 6 million miles without a single preventable accident.

But even with all his success, Wyatt told the newspaper that CDL trucking jobs aren’t easy.

CVSA president Maj. Jay Thompson praised Wyatt and his stellar safety record.

Want to find a job you love?

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