How Truckers Can Cope With Holiday Traffic

Trucking can be a highly-rewarding and stressful job. That is even more true for long-haul drivers, and truer still, for trucking during the holiday season. The key to surviving the holidays as a long-haul driver is no easy task. That is the bad news. The good is there are tips to help manage the stress and deal with holiday traffic.

The burdens on long-haul drivers also extend beyond the actual driving aspect of the job. That alone, especially during the stop-and-go, wall-to-wall holiday traffic, is no simple feat. In addition to those stressful aspects of trucking, drivers can also be away from family and friends during the holiday season.

Sometimes, long-haul drivers can be on the road and away from home for weeks. Often, truck drivers are busier during the holiday season too, equating to being away from home more often. 

It isn’t that truck driving and long-haul trucking aren’t good vocations. There are many perks, including the potential to make a good income and get paid to see the country, among others. Like any job, however, there are reasons it is called a j.o.b.

Here are a few tips, reminders, and ideas to make surviving the holidays as a long-haul driver and trucker easier and to help you keep the jolly in your holiday. 

Patience 

It has been said that patience is a virtue, and for truck drivers trying to survive the holiday season, that couldn’t be more true. Mentally preparing for the yearly holiday issues like slower shippers and receivers, heavier traffic, and more frequent stops or schedule changes, for example, will help you to stay relaxed and less stressed during the holiday season.

Be Weather Aware

Being on the road, particularly for days or weeks at a time, means a considerable amount of time in the cab and bunk. The holiday season can also introduce the craziest and worst of weather conditions. From driving plans to dressing appropriately, eliminating the worry and stress of being unprepared for the weather will be one more step toward surviving the holidays.

Stay in Touch

Today, with smartphones, iPads, laptops, and the internet, it is easier than ever for all of us to stay in touch. While it is never the same as being there, hearing and seeing those you love and care about is good for the soul and will make those days and weeks away more bearable.

Eat and Sleep

The other often-forgotten tip for dealing with holiday headaches is to eat well and get enough rest. That will help to keep your mind and body sharp, and when you are hauling 40,000 pounds of payload, being rested and alert matters.

Welcome to Complete Truck Service, Inc., a family-owned and operated and serving truckers and trucking companies since 1983. We are the premier truck and trailer repair shop in Wytheville, Virginia. Contact us for more information or to make an appointment today.

Categorised in: Trucking Tips

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