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Truck drivers work incredibly hard to keep this country and economy running. Now more than ever, they need a little appreciation and care.
This holiday season, show the truck driver in your life your love and gratitude with a gift picked out specifically with them and their lifestyle in mind.
From the practical to the more luxurious, each of the items below help make the life of a trucker a little easier and a lot more enjoyable. In fact, they may wonder how they ever lived without them.
Later this week, as we pause to give thanks and celebrate Thanksgiving, we welcome in the holiday season, and with it the additional traffic challenges that will test our patience and require more attention behind the wheel.
If you want more driving safety tips, check out our safety content library here.
The holiday season can be great in that it allows us to spend more time with the people we love. It can also be not-so-great by adding more to our already busy schedules. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in shopping for food and gifts, planning gatherings and cleaning before our guests arrive that taking care of ourselves often gets pushed aside.
However, practicing self-care is even more important when faced with the additional stress that holidays often bring. When we look after our health and wellness, it makes it easier to deal with whatever extra tasks are put on our to-do list. It also makes the days seem lighter because we don’t feel quite so weighted down.
Here are seven self-care tips that can help create this type of effect.
In a perfect world, the holidays come and go without any challenges. In reality, plans get changed last minute, guests arrive sooner (or later) than anticipated and the oven malfunctions in the middle of cooking your family’s favorite dessert.
Expecting that you will face some issues along the way can keep you from being surprised when they occur. It also allows you to bounce back more quickly because you knew they were coming.
A lot of people struggle with asking for help. At the same time, they’re also the first ones who are willing to help others—and they do this without a thought. If this sounds like you, remember that giving someone else the opportunity to help you enables them to feel as good as you do when helping others.
Divide your list into tasks that you need to do yourself and tasks you can pass off. Then ask others in your house or social circle to help with the things on the second list. This enables you to conquer more in less time, and you can use this saved time to do more of these tips, enjoy the company of those around you, or simply sit by yourself for a moment.
When you’re tired, it becomes harder to deal with even the tiniest of disruptions or hurdles. Being sleep-deprived can also cause you to snap at family and friends due to your patience being thin. The Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults get 7-9 hours of rest per night.
Aim to get this amount most (if not all) nights of the week. This may require going to bed earlier than you’re used to or shortening your to-do list so your days aren’t so long. But the payoff will be there in how much better you feel.
This self-care tip may seem impossible during the busiest time of the year. Yet, you don’t have to set aside a lot of time to feel benefits to your mental health. Even five minutes doing something that makes you feel good is often enough to lighten your mood. Every morning when you wake up, give yourself five minutes to sit with your coffee quietly and organize your thoughts.
At lunch, spend five minutes doing breathing exercises to energize you for the afternoon. End your day by writing in a gratitude journal for five minutes to remind you of all the things you are thankful for.
Exercise causes your body to release endorphins. These are hormones that help you feel good. But you don’t need an all-out sweat session to enjoy exercise’s mental health benefits. Really, any physical activity will do.
If you don’t like to work out, take the dog for a walk around the block a couple of times each day or head outside and build a snowman with the kids. Household chores also count as physical activity, helping you to feel better while also wiping items off your to-do list.
If you don’t feel good physically, it’s tough to feel good mentally. The brain and the body are so interconnected that when you take care of one, you’re taking care of the other. This means sticking to any doctor’s appointments you may have and also taking time off if you feel ill.
Stay up on your medications and don’t forget to take your vitamins. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated, plan meals and snacks around foods that are high in nutrients and do a few stretches to relax your body at the end of the day.
When you feel the holiday stress start to creep up, take a few minutes to close your eyes and breathe in. Feel the air as it enters your nostrils slowly. Hold the breath in your lungs for a count of four. Then, release the breath out of your mouth, feeling the weight of the world exit your body with it.
Do this a few times and it can help you feel more centered. It also slows your brain and body down enough so that you can enjoy the holiday season a bit too.
Worried about holiday winter driving? Read our tips to stay safe this season here.
The holiday season can be great in that it allows us to spend more time with the people we love. It can also be not-so-great by adding more to our already busy schedules. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in shopping for food and gifts, planning gatherings and cleaning before our guests arrive that taking care of ourselves often gets pushed aside.
However, practicing self-care is even more important when faced with the additional stress that holidays often bring. When we look after our health and wellness, it makes it easier to deal with whatever extra tasks are put on our to-do list. It also makes the days seem lighter because we don’t feel quite so weighted down.
Here are seven self-care tips that can help create this type of effect.
In a perfect world, the holidays come and go without any challenges. In reality, plans get changed last minute, guests arrive sooner (or later) than anticipated and the oven malfunctions in the middle of cooking your family’s favorite dessert.
Expecting that you will face some issues along the way can keep you from being surprised when they occur. It also allows you to bounce back more quickly because you knew they were coming.
A lot of people struggle with asking for help. At the same time, they’re also the first ones who are willing to help others—and they do this without a thought. If this sounds like you, remember that giving someone else the opportunity to help you enables them to feel as good as you do when helping others.
Divide your list into tasks that you need to do yourself and tasks you can pass off. Then ask others in your house or social circle to help with the things on the second list. This enables you to conquer more in less time, and you can use this saved time to do more of these tips, enjoy the company of those around you, or simply sit by yourself for a moment.
When you’re tired, it becomes harder to deal with even the tiniest of disruptions or hurdles. Being sleep-deprived can also cause you to snap at family and friends due to your patience being thin. The Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults get 7-9 hours of rest per night.
Aim to get this amount most (if not all) nights of the week. This may require going to bed earlier than you’re used to or shortening your to-do list so your days aren’t so long. But the payoff will be there in how much better you feel.
This self-care tip may seem impossible during the busiest time of the year. Yet, you don’t have to set aside a lot of time to feel benefits to your mental health. Even five minutes doing something that makes you feel good is often enough to lighten your mood. Every morning when you wake up, give yourself five minutes to sit with your coffee quietly and organize your thoughts.
At lunch, spend five minutes doing breathing exercises to energize you for the afternoon. End your day by writing in a gratitude journal for five minutes to remind you of all the things you are thankful for.
Exercise causes your body to release endorphins. These are hormones that help you feel good. But you don’t need an all-out sweat session to enjoy exercise’s mental health benefits. Really, any physical activity will do.
If you don’t like to work out, take the dog for a walk around the block a couple of times each day or head outside and build a snowman with the kids. Household chores also count as physical activity, helping you to feel better while also wiping items off your to-do list.
If you don’t feel good physically, it’s tough to feel good mentally. The brain and the body are so interconnected that when you take care of one, you’re taking care of the other. This means sticking to any doctor’s appointments you may have and also taking time off if you feel ill.
Stay up on your medications and don’t forget to take your vitamins. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated, plan meals and snacks around foods that are high in nutrients and do a few stretches to relax your body at the end of the day.
When you feel the holiday stress start to creep up, take a few minutes to close your eyes and breathe in. Feel the air as it enters your nostrils slowly. Hold the breath in your lungs for a count of four. Then, release the breath out of your mouth, feeling the weight of the world exit your body with it.
Do this a few times and it can help you feel more centered. It also slows your brain and body down enough so that you can enjoy the holiday season a bit too.
Truck drivers work incredibly hard to keep this country and economy running. Now more than ever, they need a little appreciation and care.
This holiday season, show the truck driver in your life your love and gratitude with a gift picked out specifically with them and their lifestyle in mind.
From the practical to the more luxurious, each of the items below help make the life of a trucker a little easier and a lot more enjoyable. In fact, they may wonder how they ever lived without them.
Mental health is a “major issue” in the driver shortage problem that many nations are now facing, according to a 2020 study in the International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications. Although, past research indicates that this is not a new revelation.
A study conducted a decade ago noted that more than one four of the 316 truck drivers surveyed experienced loneliness and depression. One in five reported chronic sleep disturbances and more than one in 10 had anxiety and other emotional problems.
Some of these mental health issues are related to driving oftentimes being a profession that involves spending a lot of time alone. Others are likely a result of the nature of the job, which can include dealing with traffic issues all day, sleeping away from home (for long-haul drivers) and striving to meet tight delivery deadlines.
Our State of Trucking survey showed similar results—with 3 out of 4 drivers stating they think fatigue is a big problem within the industry.
While some of these issues will exist regardless, they don’t have to harm a driver’s mental health. There are many actions truck drivers can take to feel better emotionally. Here are five to consider:
When you spend your days on the road, it’s not always convenient to seek help. Nowadays, many mental health providers offer virtual visits. This enables you to get the help you need while on your lunch break, for instance, as opposed to trying to get a day off.
Many health insurance carriers even offer discounts for online visits. Your benefits administrator can help find resources covered by your policy. If you don’t have mental health or behavioral health coverage, online counseling services such as BetterHelp and Talkspace may be options to consider.
If you feel like you are going to harm yourself, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is always available simply by dialing 988. It is free of cost and provides confidential access to resources designed to better address how you feel.
Want more lifestyle and mental health content, please visit our content library here.
Nearly one out of five commercial motor vehicles were placed out of service during the International Roadcheck commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement initiative, conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance last May. During the three-day initiative, CVSA-certified inspectors conducted 59,026 inspections and placed 12,456 commercial motor vehicles and 3,714 commercial motor vehicle drivers out of service.
A commercial motor vehicle is placed out of service when an inspector finds critical vehicle inspection out-of-service violations, which are outlined in CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, during a roadside inspection. Being placed out of service means the driver or vehicle is prohibited from operation for a specified period or until the violation is corrected.
The results of the inspection are illuminating because the violations provide a roadmap for drivers to understand what problems they may face during a roadside inspection. Many of these violations could be avoid during a thorough pre-trip inspection.
The carpal tunnel is a small tunnel or passageway found in the wrist that houses the median nerve. If this passageway narrows—such as through repetitive hand use or by keeping the hand and wrist in the same position for a long time, like when truck driving—it can result in carpal tunnel syndrome.
With carpal syndrome, pressure is placed on the median nerve and blood supply is reduced to the hand. The result is pain, weakness, tingling and numbness. How can you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome when you drive truck for a living? Here are four options to consider.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons shares that one of the main causes of carpal tunnel is “extreme flexion or extension of the hand and wrist for a prolonged period of time.” Look at the position of your hands and wrists while driving.
Are they flexed or extended unnecessarily? Modifying how you hold your wrists so they aren’t in extreme positions can help prevent carpal tunnel.
If you find that it’s hard to remember to check your hand and wrist position regularly, or you simply want a bit of reinforcement, a wrist brace can help. Wear the brace while driving to stop your wrist from being in a position that causes more pressure on the carpal tunnel.
The brace can also be worn at other times when your wrist position may be compromised, such as when sleeping or if using the computer for long periods.
The longer your hands and wrists are in the same position, the greater your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Taking frequent breaks gives the carpal tunnel and all the tissues around it time to relax.
Even if you can’t relax both hands at the same time, alternating one and then the other can give each wrist more time to recover, albeit at different times.
Another way to prevent carpal tunnel, according to the National Institutes of Health, is to perform exercises designed to stretch the wrist area. These can help reduce the tension and inflammation that causes this tunnel to narrow. Exercises to try include:
Doing these four things can help prevent carpal tunnel while driving truck. Make them a part of your regular workday to get all the benefits that each provides.
Want more wellness and lifestyle content? Check out our content library here.
There are many types of driving systems to choose from but one of the most common is the Smith System.
It was invented by Harold Smith in 1952 to increase the safety of commercial drivers. The Smith System is based on using five rules when operating a motor vehicle and aims to provide space, visibility and time to reduce the chance of a major accident.
The main benefit of the Smith System of driving is increased safety. This system helps reduce accidents and incidents by optimizing the way you drive and increasing your awareness of what is happening on the road. As you very well know, while driving a truck a couple of seconds can make the difference between avoiding an accident or being in one.
The first principle of the Smith System is to aim high while steering. Our eyes are meant to work for us at walking speed and not the high rates of speed of motor vehicles. In order to improve eye-lead time, you should look ahead to where you’ll be about 15 seconds into the future.
This helps provide advanced warning of oncoming hazards and gives you more time to react. This is especially important when trying to avoid rear-end collisions.
While you are looking 15 seconds ahead, you should also be scanning the sides and rear of your vehicle in order to get the full picture. By consistently updating your information, you will be alert to the most relevant information and make well-informed decisions.
You should check at least one of your mirrors every 5-8 seconds. By having the whole picture, you are doing your part to keep your vehicle safe and avoid major accidents by noticing what other drivers are doing on the road.
Consistent eye movement prevents your body from entering a trance state and allows you to remain alert by stimulating brain activity. When you stare at any object for too long, you reduce your peripheral vision and increase your chances of missing something on the road.
You should be moving our eyes every 2 seconds and scanning all intersections before driving through them.
You should always leave yourself an out while driving. This means you should be surrounding your vehicle with space as much as possible. Do not follow other vehicles too closely and do your best to leave at least the front and one side open.
You do not want other drivers to box you in because it reduces the chance of being able to avoid a hazard.
The final principle of the Smith System is to make sure other drivers see you. You should never assume another driver can see you or that they are concerned with driving safely.
By getting eye contact from those who are seemingly unaware, you can avoid potential accidents. Use your blinker and your horn, if necessary, to alert others of your next move.
When used correctly, the Smith System can reduce preventable accidents by 60 percent. By employing these tips, you can help drive safer every day.
As a professional driver, you know first-hand the dangers of driving too fast for conditions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2019 there were 9,478 fatalities in crashes where at least one driver was speeding, amounting to 26 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year. That same year produced an estimated 326,000 people injured in speeding-related crashes.
If you want more driving safety tips, check out our safety content library here.
Truck driving can be both stressful and lonely. Finding things to pass the time and keep yourself focused on the road can be difficult. Music is one of the best ways to keep yourself entertained, but the radio doesn’t always cut it.
We’ve made Spotify playlists of some of our favorite classic rock driving songs to help keep you occupied and entertained.
If you’re not already a subscriber to Spotify, you can download the app for free on both iPhone and Android.
Enjoy the sounds of this classic rock drive.
In January 2022, almost nine million veterans were looking for full-time work according to Military Times. For those just finishing active duty, this is just one step of many in returning to the life they began to create before enlisting or being deployed. Veteran transition programs can assist with this, providing benefits to military service members and employers alike.
Transitioning from military life to civilian life can be an adjustment. Veteran transition programs assist with this process, helping service members who are leaving active duty as they re-acclimate to home, family, work, and everything else that comes with living outside of a military environment.
One of the most basic ways these programs help veterans is by offering guidance and support. They also educate the veteran about the programs that are available to them as they after returning from active duty.
For instance, if a veteran is struggling with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the program could connect them with mental health resources. If the veteran needs housing, schooling, or job placement assistance, the program could help find resources for these needs as well.
Veteran transition programs aren’t just for the vets either. Many provide information, assistance, and resource connections for the veteran’s family members since having their loved one return from the military is a transition or adjustment for them as well.
When a service member has an easier time returning to civilian life, it shows up in their work. They aren’t as distracted by the struggles of reacclimating to society, enabling them to focus on their job functions.
If a service member has a hard time making the transition, it can also show up in their mental health. They may battle feelings of depression, anxiety, and more. These issues can cause them to call in sick more often and negatively affect their productivity.
Veteran transition program options
Many different agencies offer transition assistance programs, sometimes referred to as TAPs. Among them are:
Companies can help employees who are returning from active duty by making sure they are aware of veteran program options. Giving veterans the contact information for each program (such as a website link or phone number) can make it easier for the vet to make the connection.
It can also be helpful to have a member of your human resources team who is knowledgeable about veteran issues, needs, and programs meet with the new veteran. A one-on-one approach lets the vet know that they are cared for by the company. It also gives them someone to reach out to if they have concerns or need additional help.
Scheduling regular sessions with the veteran to see how they are acclimating to civilian life can further strengthen the employer-employee bond. If the company offers insurance or wellness benefits that include mental health counseling, making them aware of this option also gives them a professional to turn to if they are struggling in certain areas.
At Centerline, we pride ourselves on helping veterans transition to the civilian workforce and finding them trucking jobs. We can help your company find qualified veterans to keep your company moving forward. Learn more and request drivers here.
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