Transport is the backbone of the economy, and the people behind the wheels of the trucks that navigate the roads of the nation and the world are undeniably essential.
The life of a trucker can be tough, but thanks to a combination of modern technology and clever thinking, there are many ways to make it easier. Let’s look at a few pieces of tech and also techniques which give truckers an improved experience on their long distance jaunts.
GPS Systems
Most typical motorists will be accustomed to either using their car’s integrated navigation capabilities, or relying on their smartphone to get from A to B.
For truckers, a lot more is riding on the efficiency and effectiveness of the routes they take, and so in many cases they still rely on standalone GPS devices, which can be synced with central control systems, to get them where they need to go in a timely fashion.
Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS)
It’s estimated that around 6.5% of all accidents are caused by truck drivers, with 60% of fatalities occurring from front-end collisions. Despite the fact that truck drivers are professionals and have a lot of gadgets in their cab, they are still human and prone to mistakes.
Driving while fatigued is a major concern for long-haul truckers – in fact, the NHTSA estimates that driver fatigue contributes to 40% of all trucker accidents, and in a survey, 18% of those truckers fell asleep at the wheel.
If you’ve been involved in an accident with a truck driver that occurred due to their negligence, you should contact a law firm that specializes in truck accident cases, such as Finkelstein & Partners.
For truck drivers to avoid collisions, they need to be aware, alert, and utilize technology like Collision Avoidance Systems. These safety systems are designed to utilize AI vision technology for identifying objects that are within collision range, and taking preventative measures such as alerting the driver, and automatically applying the brakes if the driver fails to react.
As an alternative to CAS, a dash cam is beneficial not only because of its functionality, but because it can easily be swapped out and upgraded as necessary. This both means that drivers with older model trucks aren’t held back, and that truckers aren’t reliant on the limits of whatever integrated tech is available in their vehicle.
Food & Drink Gadgets
The number of different gadgets which are designed specifically for truckers so that they can stay well fed and watered while out on the open road is impressive.
From the Oxx Coffeeboxx, which is a portable coffee maker that is small and rugged enough for on-the-go use, to the dual zone fridge-freezer range from Dometic, whether you want a hot drink or a frozen snack, the world is your oyster.
As you’d expect, these devices tend to draw power from the truck’s integrated battery, but there are examples which have built-in solar panels so that they can even work when the vehicle is parked up, without tapping into its power reserves.
Timing Considerations
From a pure life hack perspective, there are a lot of things truck drivers do that can actually be useful for everyday motorists as well.
The most interesting of these is the timing of drives, specifically in relation to the position of the sun. You won’t see many truck drivers on the move during the early hours of the dawn or the final hours of the day at dusk, the reason being is that the low position of the sun in the sky makes these the most dangerous periods of the day on the roads.
If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve seen trucks parked up for the night well before the sun has set, this is almost certainly why.
Exercise Options
Trucking is a sedentary profession, and if you don’t know where you’re going to be each day, there’s no chance to make use of a gym membership.
That’s why truckers who want to stay in shape focus on cardio exercises that don’t need much space. These are essentially the same moves you can use at home, without requiring additional gear to get your pulse racing.