Sep 10, 2018 • Community

Celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week with loads of savings and giveaways

Celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week with loads of savings and giveaways

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) is this week! This year, the trucking industry will come together from September 9-15 to honor professional drivers nationwide. We want to thank you for all your hard work and commitment to your careers. Without you and your integral role as a truck driver, life would get tough fast for the rest of us. Many of the things we take for granted, including access to medical supplies, fuel, food and clean water, would all be gone in a matter of weeks without trucks and truck drivers. What you do matters, and we are so grateful for you.

As a professional driver, there are several rewards and freebies you can take advantage of as part of NTDAW. These include:

Denny’s – Participating Denny’s travel center locations will offer professional drivers scratch-off cards with various diner discounts and prizes through September 30. Drivers will also receive a 10 percent discount key tag that can be used until December 31, 2019. (https://www.truckersnews.com/dennys-to-show-appreciation-to-drivers-in-september/)
Pilot/Flying J – Throughout the month of September, Pilot Flying J stores will have money-saving offers and daily giveaways via the myPilot® app. Pilot Flying J Truck Care is also offering free mid-trip inspections, valued at $50, to help professional drivers and trucking companies prepare for Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week. The company is also handing out a combined 100 million myRewards® loyalty points to more than 60,000 drivers, including 2,000 daily winners. To enter, professional drivers can simply swipe their myRewards® loyalty card when purchasing diesel fuel at participating travel centers in the United States. Additional details can be found here: https://www.pilotflyingj.com/driver-appreciation/
Love’s Travel Centers – Love’s is celebrating NTDAW all month long with many food, drink, and merchandise deals as well as the opportunity to win 10,000 My Love Reward points. One driver will win 1 million points. Use the following link for more details: https://www.truckersnews.com/loves-appreciates-trucker-drivers-throughout-september/
AmBest Truck Stops – Specific AmBest members are hosting driver appreciation events. Check out the full list here to find one near you: https://am-best.com/News-Events/Driver-Appreciation-Days
Southern Recipe – Vote for your favorite truck driver chef recipe for a chance to with $2,000 here: http://southernrecipe.com/truckdriverappreciation/

Many carriers around the country are also hosting their own driver appreciation events this week. Be sure to check out their social media pages to find out the details. Know about a NTDAW event happening that you want to share with other drivers? Leave the details in a comment below.

Here’s to a great National Truck Driver Appreciation Week!

Tagsdrivers ATA truck drivers Trucker Path Trucking Industry Owner Operators ntdaw national truck driver appreciation week

Trucker Spotlight - Vicki Simons <em>The Trucker Spotlight series explores the lives of truckers and their journey to make a difference in their industry. We interview different people in the trucking industry to understand some life lessons that make them who they are today. We also learn more about their motivations, and the problems that they encounter on the job. We also tackle how Trucker Path's solutions helped them with what they do. The information that they provide helps inform other people who are looking to delve into the trucking world.</em> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> Today we are putting the spotlight on <strong>Vicki</strong>. <h2></h2> <strong>Introduction</strong> <h2></h2> My name is Vicki Simons. <h2></h2> While living in our first company-issued truck full-time in the early 1990s, my husband Mike and I learned quickly that some of the products that are marketed and sold to truckers are what we concluded to be cheaply made but expensive to buy trucker junk. <h2></h2> In those days, technology was not as advanced as it is now, so the only options open to us -- to cook food in our truck -- were 12-volt appliances. <h2></h2> One appliance that we felt would serve us well was a 12-volt "hot pot." <h2></h2> Because these units were constructed with no temperature control, the units were either "all on" or "all off." <h2></h2> So, they burned out quickly. <h2></h2> The warranty -- if there was one at all -- was usually either 30 or 90 days. <h2></h2> Because there were no other cooking solutions that we knew of at the time, we ended up going through eight -- yes, eight! -- of those units. <h2></h2> I was very upset and I kept thinking, "You know, someone ought to do something about this." <h2></h2> Oh, sure, there were occasional articles in trucking magazines that were geared toward helping truckers save money, but after searching for a long time, I found no resources that focused on this topic. <h2></h2> I kept feeling the Lord directing me toward being a "trucker consumer advocate" to help keep truckers from being stung financially. <h2></h2> So with Mike's consent, I spearheaded a website that we envisioned being a clearinghouse of how professional truck drivers from around the world save money -- in order to help each other save money. <h2></h2> That website is: <a href="https://www.Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com/">Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com.</a> <h2></h2> I have been a professional truck driver and Mike's home support team member, both in-truck as a passenger and at home while he's been on the road as a solo trucker. <h2></h2> With nearly 20 years of professional truck driving experience between us -- and my insatiable appetite to research and write in such a way that helps others -- our website has grown to well over a thousand pages. <h2></h2> Every week since 2010, I have written multiple tips and inquiries in order to help truckers save money. <h2></h2> And every week since 2017, I have written a weekly trucking commentary entitled TDMST Weekly Round-Up. <h2></h2> <h3></h3> <h3><strong>Tell us a short story about you. Any trivia? </strong></h3> <h2></h2> My husband Mike and I had both earned college degrees before we became a professional truck driving team. <h2></h2> After graduating from truck driver training school, we began orientation at a large trucking company. <h2></h2> On the very first day of orientation, there were 5 prospective truck drivers in the class. <h2></h2> We were told by the "Orientation Director" that in 45 days, 3 of the 5 of us would not be with the company! <h2></h2> Ouch! <h2></h2> I determined that with all of the time and money we had spent to get to that point, Mike and I were going to be the two who would succeed! <h2></h2> And we did! <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>In the years that you have been driving, what are the significant changes that you've noticed in the trucking industry?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> The most significant changes I've noticed in the trucking industry since the 1990s have been: <h2></h2> <li>increasing regulations;</li> <li>more advanced technology; </li> <li>a desire among some cheapskates to want to replace human truckers with machines (so that they don't have to pay people to move freight); and</li> <li>some truckers relying too much upon GPS units not geared for commercial motor vehicles -- and as a result, being involved in many completely preventable accidents, including: <h2></h2> <ul> <li>hitting low clearances,</li> <li>collapsing bridges on non-truck routes, and</li> <li>getting stuck in places where big trucks are not supposed to travel.</li> </li> </ul> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What made you decide to be a trucker before?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> Originally, we thought that Mike would be the only trucker in our family. <h2></h2> When we visited with a truck driver training school recruiter, he asked Mike if I was going to drive, too. <h2></h2> The thought of me driving a big rig surprised me greatly, but the option was made available. <h2></h2> With a great deal of prayer and consideration, it made sense to us that if we were going to be together on the road, both of us should know how to drive a truck. <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Tell us a story about you and your husband and how you tackle the trucking industry?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> The way that I have tackled the trucking industry is by publishing -- so that others can learn from -- the true accounts that: <h2></h2> <li>we have had on the road and </li> <li>which we have learned from others (including Mike's co-workers).</li> <h2></h2> I ask a lot of questions, including on our website and through my TDMST Weekly Round-Up trucking commentaries. <h2></h2> From my unique perspective, I've also written numerous comments to the FMCSA about various types of proposed trucking regulations <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are your trucking pet peeves?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> I have a number of trucking "pet peeves," including: <h2></h2> <li>people who make decisions affecting truckers who have never spent a day in their lives as truckers;</li> <li>regulations that treat people like robots; </li> <li>the push toward self-driving, driverless, and autonomous trucks; </li> <li>truckers who haul illegal drugs and smuggle illegal aliens;</li> <li>truckers who set themselves up for failure, such as by engaging in distracted driving and/or not maintaining proper following distance; and</li> <li>truckers who blindly follow GPS units -- especially those that are not designed for commercial motor vehicles -- and end up in completely preventable accidents.</li> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What made you go into blogging?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> I began <a href="https://www.Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com/">Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com</a> as a rant against cheaply made but expensive to buy trucker junk, the first of which was a series of 12-volt "hot pots." <h2></h2> Because these units were constructed with no temperature control, the units were either "all on" or "all off." <h2></h2> So, they burned out quickly. <h2></h2> The warranty -- if there was one at all -- was usually either 30 or 90 days. <h2></h2> Because there were no other cooking solutions that we knew of when we started in trucking in the early 1990s, we ended up going through eight -- yes, eight! -- of those units. <h2></h2> Since we started our website, we have grown it to well over a thousand pages, including: <h2></h2> <li>a huge number of pages filled with information and truck drivers money saving tips, </li> <li>lots of reviews, and </li> <li>contributions from our readers. </li> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Do you have a favorite truck model/brand?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> The only brand of truck I've ever driven professionally has been Freightliner. <h2></h2> Therefore, I have no other brand with which to compare the Freightliners I have driven or lived in. <h2></h2> In general terms, I believe that trucks driven by regional or long-haul truckers should be equipped with enough space and conveniences so that each trucker can work, sleep, and live comfortably on the road. <h2></h2> Concerning tractors with sleeper berths, I consider the following options to be critical for trucker well-being: <h2></h2> <li>a minimum of 1500 watts AC (alternating current) interior power (to let truckers operate cooking appliances and use other electronic devices);</li> <li>reliable, non-battery-dependent climate control for both cooling and heating (to let truckers rest and sleep comfortably); and</li> <li>an in-truck toilet (whether portable or not).</li> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Could you identify the current pain points in the trucking industry? And maybe some suggestions on how to fix them?</strong></h3> <h2></h2> As of late 2020, these are the current pain points I see in the trucking industry: <h2></h2> <li>Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs);</li> <li>the Hours of Service regulations; </li> <li>problems with broker transparency; and</li> <li>the fact that the U.S. federal agencies that are supposedly devoted to motor carrier "safety" and the "transportation" of goods in our country do not seem to be standing up for truckers as they face problems on the road.</li> <h2></h2> Because the FMCSA is influenced by many people who have never spent a day in their lives as truckers, I believe a lot would change for the better if every agency employee was required -- every year -- to spend a minimum of one week with an experienced trucker, so that they can understand life from a trucker's perspective. <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What keeps you busy nowadays? </strong></h3> <h2></h2> As of late 2020, I have in the works two books: <li>one for aspiring truck drivers and</li> <li>one for those who are already professional truckers.</li> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Did it ever cross your mind to be a CDL instructor?</strong></h3> Yes, and to a certain extent, I consider that I am a CDL instructor because of the information that I provide on our website. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Do you have a favorite truck stop? Also truck stop meal?</strong></h3> Based on changes at both the corporate and management levels over the years, I will not name a specific truck stop as my favorite. <h2></h2> Whether at a truck stop or other restaurant, Mike and I always enjoy a perfectly flavored and cooked steak, together with all of the side dishes. <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are some tips that you would like to share for aspiring truckers? Also some tips and things to look out for based on your recent experiences.</strong></h3> <h2></h2> I will go into a lot more detail about tips for aspiring truckers in one of my upcoming books. <h2></h2> However, the one big overview tip that I will give to prospective truckers -- because trucking is different from every other kind of job out there -- is to make absolutely sure you're cut out for the trucking lifestyle before you start down that path. <h2></h2> For example, regional and long haul truckers are required to sleep away from home, usually in the truck they drive, wherever they park, during their sleeper berth break. <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h4>Vicki Simons</h4> <a href="https://www.Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com/">http://Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com</a> <h3></h3> <h3></h3>

Nov 19, 2020 • Community

Trucker Spotlight - Chris Lee <em>The Trucker Spotlight series explores the lives of truckers and their journey to make a difference in their industry. We interview different truck drivers to understand some life lessons that make them who they are today. We also learn more about their motivations, and the problems that they encounter on the job. We also tackle how Trucker Path's solutions helped them with what they do. The information that they provide helps inform other people who are looking to delve into the trucking world.</em> <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/10/ts-chris_lee-blog-1.jpg" alt=""] <h2></h2> Today we are putting the spotlight on <strong>Chris Lee</strong>, who's been driving for around 3 years now. He's originally from Michigan, but has been in Texas for so long that he considers himself a Texan already. He's been married for two years and has a 10 year-old son. He decided to live his life on a vegan/plant-based diet due to trucking. Let's get to more about Chris and how trucking changed his life. <h2></h2> <h3></h3> <h3><strong>What made you decide to be a trucker?</strong></h3> I became a trucker because it had been something I had wanted to do years before I took the leap. I had been deterred and so I started a moving company. After doing that for a couple of years my wife then girlfriend at the time brought it up and I couldn't say no to the opportunity a second time. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>In the years that you have been driving, what are the significant changes that you've noticed in the trucking industry?</strong></h3> In the short amount of time that I have been in the trucking industry, I've seen electronic logs come and paper logs go, I have also seen two major changes to the hours of service. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/10/ts-chris_lee-blog-2.jpg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What made you decide to put up your Youtube channel?</strong></h3> I had also wanted to make Youtube videos for a while. I would make content about moving and I just wasn't confident enough nor did I understand how to upload videos onto the internet. When I got into trucking I wanted to put out information that I didn't have that I thought would help others looking to get into the industry. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Any times when you get lonely while driving? How do you deal with it?</strong></h3> When I drove OTR, it definitely got lonely so having people to talk to back at home really helped out a lot. Being able to have a support group via Youtube also keeps me from feeling like I'm out here by myself. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/10/ts-chris_lee-blog-3.jpg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h3><strong>As a trucker, what are the current struggles in this COVID19 pandemic?</strong></h3> The pandemic hasn't really affected my day to day operations. Shippers now require a covid form to be filled out for drivers entering their facility and may also take out temperature but that is about it. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are your usual routes? Favorite scenic truck route?</strong></h3> I'm currently on a flatbed dedicated route so my sights are pretty routine, but when I was OTR my favorite places to drive were Nevada and Utah. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/10/ts-chris_lee-blog-5.jpg" alt=""] <h3><strong>What was your weirdest or most unusual haul?</strong></h3> Once I was hauling a load of livers and was asked at the receiver if I ate them. I told her no and she then asked why would I have them in my truck then. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>How often do you use rest stops / truck stops? What are the things that you look for in a truck stop? Favorite truck stop meal?</strong></h3> I use rest stops and truck stops 99 percent of the time unless I can stay at a shipper or receiver overnight. When looking for a truck stop, I often check how many spots they may have, if they have showers, and the type of food they serve. I normally bring my own food from home to eat in the truck, but if I had to choose, I would say Indian food. I've been to a couple truck stops that serve that type of food while driving OTR. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are the common troubles or problems you encounter while trucking?</strong></h3> The most common troubles or problems I encounter out on the road are other drivers, mostly the smaller vehicles cutting in front of big trucks. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are your pet peeves while driving/trucking?</strong></h3> My biggest pet peeve about trucking is not having a shower or restroom in the truck. That would save me lots of time. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/10/ts-chris_lee-blog-4.jpg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h3><strong>We're glad that you use the Trucker Path app on your day to day trucking. What features do you enjoy the most?</strong></h3> My favorite features to use on <a href="http://www.truckerpath.com">Trucker Path</a> are the fuel price feature, knowing how far each rest stop/truck stop are from my location, knowing if weigh stations are open or closed, being able to route my trip in the app. Honestly there are so many things to like about the app because it's catered to truckers and I definitely appreciate that. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are some tips that you would like to share for aspiring truckers?</strong></h3> Always do your pre-trip before getting on the road is tip number one! Another tip I would share is to learn how to save and invest your money so that your future self can appreciate your hard work. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Where can people watch your videos on Youtube?</strong></h3> They can view my videos on my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTuG9to9JYyvOc789furUKw">Youtube Channel, ChrisLeeTV</a>. <h2></h2> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sgi5-ZiBpB8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> <h2></h2> Hope you guys enjoy! <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h4>By Aldous Aldwin</h4> <h3></h3> <h3></h3>

Oct 07, 2020 • Carriers

Trucker Path Releases 2018 Truck Parking Report <em>[p]Informative white paper provides an in-depth look at the most pressing problems and viable solutions for the widespread issue of truck parking</em> [p]Trucker Path, the most popular app for truckers in the U.S., released the 2018 Truck Parking Report today, an annual white paper that explores the issue of truck parking in the U.S. and possible solutions. Failure to find truck parking is a significant problem with serious social and economic consequences. This comprehensive and detailed report equips trucking companies and industry leaders with the information they need to navigate the challenges of truck parking, optimize their business, and work towards a stronger, more efficient trucking industry overall. [p]“We realized that we have a vast amount of truck parking data in our app as well access to a large trucker community, so we explored the problem in depth. By surveying over 5,500 drivers and analyzing millions of data points, we have come to some useful conclusions that we wanted to share with the industry,” says Chris Oliver, Chief Business Officer for Trucker Path. [p]The white paper was crafted drawing on existing data and research, as well as internal Trucker Path survey data. Between May 8-15, 2018, over 5,500 truck drivers participated in a survey about the truck parking issue in the U.S. The questionnaire consisted of 26 questions and was distributed via Trucker Path apps. The report includes an in-depth look at: <strong>[p]Social, safety and economic implications</strong> [p]Failure to find a spot within the hours of service (HOS) limit puts many drivers at risk of parking in unauthorized areas, thus making the job more stressful with 85% of drivers citing parking as the number one cause of stress at work. Due to failure to find a spot, 70% of truckers have had to violate HOS, and 96% have parked in areas not designated for trucks. In addition, 48% of drivers spend an hour or more to find safe truck parking, which is essentially driving time that does not translate into fleet revenues. The annual loss per driver is estimated at $6,000. [p]While Trucker Path parking data suggests that average truck parking availability improved in almost every U.S. state between 2016 and 2017, there are still areas in the Eastern United States, especially around urban centers, that have a severe lack of capacity. [p]<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4488 aligncenter" src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2018/09/truck-parking.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="288" /> <strong>[p]Solutions</strong> [p]Today, the largest impact could be achieved via spreading out the need for capacity throughout the day as the vast majority of drivers park at the same time. FMCSA is already making positive changes by revising personal conveyance rules allowing truckers extra time after the HOS limit to find parking. If that doesn’t work, capacity could be expanded by utilizing weigh stations and shipper facilities as truck parking locations. Our survey shows that truck drivers find shipper facilities almost as safe as truck stops. Building new capacity is expensive, but may be needed in some areas, as shown in our truck parking heatmap. [p]<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4489 aligncenter" src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2018/09/truck-parking-2.jpg" alt="" width="376" height="232" /> [p]The issue of truck parking is widely recognized, and considerable effort has been applied to resolve it. This white paper contributes to that conversation with insights into where the industry is now and where it needs to go. To read the full report, visit: <a href="http://files.truckerpath.com/web/trucker-path-parking-white-paper-2018.pdf">http://files.truckerpath.com/web/trucker-path-parking-white-paper-2018.pdf</a> <strong>[p]About Trucker Path </strong> [p]Trucker Path is America's largest trucking community with over 750,000 individual truck drivers as monthly active users, equating to roughly 35 percent of all long-haul truckers. The exponential growth of the Trucker Path app led to the release of Truckloads, an online marketplace connecting freight brokers with hundreds of thousands of members truckers via the web and mobile devices. In early 2018 the company was acquired by Renren, Inc. (NYSE: <u><a href="http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/prnews?Page=Quote&Ticker=RENN">RENN</a></u>) followed closely by the launch of the Trucker Path ELD solution in March of 2018. The Trucker Path team strives to bring efficiencies to the freight transportation industry while making life on the road easier, more enjoyable, and more profitable for truck drivers.

Sep 28, 2018