Monthly Menu Management

August 12th, 2011

As a truck driver, you burn anywhere between 100-200 calories per hour while driving. The recommended calorie intake for an adult ranges from 1800-2600 per day. Knowing how many calories you need to get through the day is an important factor to healthy living. Knowing how many calories you eat a day is also important. While you may not want to count every single calorie, having a ballpark figure will also help you understand how close you are to eating the way you should. To get an idea of how healthy your eating is, think about what you eat. Sometimes truck driving jobs may make it virtually impossible to eat healthy. Sometimes your only option is fast food.

When the need to eat fast food arises there are plenty of choices to be made on where to go and, once there, what to order. Many drive through restaurants these days offer a range of salads on their menus along with other healthy choices such as apple slices instead of French fries.  Eating fruits and vegetables is always a healthy choice, but the honest truth is that a salad doesn’t always cut it.

When you’ve been driving for hours on end and you feel faint from hunger, you want something solid. You want something you can really sink your teeth into and you want there to be a lot of it. So, when you are looking over the menu, intending to buy the whole shebang of burger, fries and a soda, it is important to be sure you know what you are ordering.

When eating fast food frequently, you should know the many items on a menu and what each of them really will do for you. Which selection on the menu has the most calories? Which one has the least? Which item will keep you full longer and which item will get your stomach rumbling again in a few hours?

To help you as a truck driver better understand what you are eating, we will be doing a number of Monthly Menu Management articles. These articles will provide a breakdown of a different fast food menu each month, including information such as the largest and smallest items on the menu and which items will keep you full longer. This Monthly Menu Management is simply for your information and is neither encouraging nor discouraging the purchase and consumption of fast food.

It’s time you understood what you are eating every day. Truck driving jobs are hard enough without having to count the calories on a fast food menu. Instead, take a break and we’ll do the counting.

Truck Driving Insomnia

July 25th, 2011

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 20% of Americans have trouble sleeping. Whether their issues are with falling asleep or staying asleep, many Americans simply can’t get the rest they need. With a truck driving job, sleep is a must. Driving for hours on end, a trucker needs to be alert and ready for anything.

There are many reasons why sleep may be difficult to come by, including factors such as stress, long hours at work, and drinking too much caffeine or alcohol during the day. The constant go, go go, go of today’ society also makes sleep seem elusive.  “It’s no secret that we live in a 24/7 society,” says Dr. Carl Hunt, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health. “There are many more opportunities to do things other than sleep – 24-hour cable TV, the Internet, email, plus long work shifts.”

As a truck driver, you have to constantly be moving or else you don’t make money, and with the many responsibilities packed into a single day, the job can become stressful. With all the aspects of a truck driving job, when it comes time to pull over and get some rest, many truck drivers find it difficult to shut down.

So what are you supposed to do when the sandman avoids you? One simple tip is to try and have a regular bedtime. As a truck driver, this is not always possible, but getting to bed around the same time each day will eventually train your body to become tired at a certain time. Another tip is to try and relax (easier said than done). There are a few methods, such a deep breathing and simple stretches, which will relax your body and to relax your mind, try visualizing a peaceful place such as a green meadow with a clear blue sky.

If, however, you continue to experience signs of insomnia, try talking to your doctor.  Sleep is as important to your health as diet and exercise and your doctor can help you find a method that would work for you. Going without sleep for a continuous amount of time can eventually lead to health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

Sleep is important, especially when you are driving a large truck all day. When you drive drowsy you are not only risking your life, but the lives of those around you. Don’t risk it. Find your way to sleep and stay asleep.

Becoming A Million Mile Truck Driver

July 18th, 2011

When first starting your trucking job, one million miles can seem like a nerve-racking and even unattainable number. In fact, reaching 1 million miles is the equivalent to circling the earth 40 times! So how do those drivers with their million mark or above do it? Well, it isn’t easy.

Some truck drivers have reached the million milestone with a few dings on their record such as speeding tickets and accidents, but then there are those who have gone to one million and beyond without a single infraction. It’s good to start out shooting for a clean record, but it is also important not to get discouraged. Accidents happen and sometimes you just can’t avoid getting a ticket, but don’t let that stop you.

The million milestone is a big achievement that can be reached by anyone willing to give it their all. Dedication is one of the most important aspects of a truck driving job. You have to be committed to your job and willing to work hard. And when it comes to reaching your millionth mile, you need to remember that it doesn’t happen overnight.
For those who have reached one million miles, truck driving is a career. They make their bread and butter by driving hard and planning ahead. They don’t sweat the small stuff and acknowledge the fact that some things are simply out of their control. By staying on top of maintenance duties, and remembering the little things such as belts and fluid levels, some truck drivers even reach their miles in one truck, using one engine.

Reaching one million miles is not impossible. Every truck driver who has done it started at 0 and moved their way up. Simply keep believing and don’t get discouraged. Being a truck driver is a rewarding experience and, if you are dedicated enough, reaching one million miles can be in your future.

Trucking’s Top Rookie Award

July 5th, 2011

Right now nominations are currently being accepted for Trucking’s Top Rookie Award. As a result of a rise in freight volume, the truck driving industry is growing at a quick pace. The demand for truck drivers is on the rise, and is expected to continue rising. However, with all the demand, career truck drivers are in short supply. When asked why the number of career truck drivers is dwindling, it was found that it was due in large to a lack of positive recognition. Truck drivers are the backbone of this economy, and to help drivers get the recognition they deserve, Reilly Business Media & Information is holding the annual Trucking’s Top Rookie contest. The purpose if this contest is to provide truck drivers with pride in their job and to let them know they are not taken for granted.

In a study done by Wright Management Consultants, it was discovered that most people decide how long they will stay at any particular occupation within their first 72 hours on the job. The study also discovered that 39% of truck drivers leave the industry after a mere 90 days. Without the ability to keep new truck drivers behind the wheel, the industry is diminishing.

The Trucking’s Top Rookie Award is accepting nominations to provide new truck drivers with much needed recognition until Thursday, June 30, 2011. To be nominated, a truck driver needs to hold a CLD, be employed by a trucking company or self-employed for less than one year, and be a graduate from a truck driver training course that is PTDI-certified or truck driver training school that is a CVTA or NAPFTDS member.

The nominations will be broken down to 10 finalists who will be awarded with a cash prize. The final winner of the award will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Dallas, Texas, for the 2011 Great American Trucking Show, where they will be recognized during an award presentation on Friday, August 26.

Nominations for the Trucking’s Top Rookie Award can be submitted online at https://www.truckload.org/index.asp?bid=737.  To learn more about the contest and read about the rules and eligibility requirements, go to http://www.truckload.org/rookie.

Truckers Helping Truckers Stay Healthy

June 21st, 2011

ExcerciseOne of the most important aspects of living a healthy lifestyle is movement. Though for those with a truck driving job, this can be a difficult task. It is true that truck driving provides the opportunity to travel the continent, but there is rarely the chance to get out and explore your surroundings. Realizing this challenging aspect of a truck driving job, three truck drivers found a way to overcome this obstacle and are now helping other truckers stay fit while out on the road.

Scott Grenerth, Jeff Barker and Jeff Clark are all truck drivers who also have a passion for bicycling. The group, who call themselves “trucker cyclers,” have created a website called rideandroll.me that is specifically designed to get truck drivers moving. The website teaches drivers how to carry a bike while on the road and includes a database of interactive maps. The maps are designed to allow truckers to choose their location and find trucker-friendly trails around them.

The maps provide locations that will allow the truck drivers adequate space to park their trucks while exploring the area on their bike, providing a map of actual trails and surrounding points of interest. The map has the ability to zoom in on areas and be manipulated to accommodate any driver interested in getting out and having fun with the world.

A truck driving job takes you all over the continental U.S., it’s a shame not to be able to get out and see the different features each state has to offer. Scott Grenerth, one of the creators of rideandroll.me, stated the main purpose of the site is to encourage drivers to get out of their trucks. “How many people actually get to experience their surroundings when they are cooped up in the cab of a truck driving from warehouse to warehouse?” Grenerth said. “And there are just some things you can’t do at a truckstop.”

Along with the website, there is a Ride and Roll Facebook page where drivers can interact with one another, sharing information on trails and providing new trails for the website. To start your healthy lifestyle as a “trucker cycler,” visit http://rideandroll.yolasite.com/.