Dec 23, 2020 • Community

Christmas for Truckers

Christmas for Truckers

Christmas for Truckers

Trucking is a demanding job that requires round the clock commitment. It is often several months before truck drivers can meet their friends and family, which also means that most truckers spend their time on the road during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other major holidays.

However, there is no need to worry if you are a truck driver out on the field during the holiday season. There are still ways to enjoy the Christmas spirit.

Christmas on the Road

You are not alone during the holidays, especially with all the other truckers who share the same grief. There are always a few feasts going on at truck stops, where you can either eat for free or get massive discounts.

You may also enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner with your family and friends before or after Christmas Day. It is not necessary to match the exact dates since it is the thought that counts.

So, this Thanksgiving, we’d like to give thanks to our hard working truckers out there. Because of you, we enjoy delicious Thanksgiving meals and have goodies to look forward to every Black Friday. If we bought it, truckers brought it.

Trucker Gift Suggestions

Here are some gift suggestions you may give to fellow truckers.

Weighted Blanket – These blankets can help calm a restless body, reduce feelings of anxiety, and improve sleep troubles.

Beanie Hat – Helps warm during winter

Personalized Mud Flaps – Drive in style with these.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas, if you can’t be with family, there are a lot of ways to still enjoy the holiday mood. You can make this Christmas memorable by giving others some gifts, planning a delightful Christmas dinner with your best trucking buddies, or volunteering together at a truck stop to make the rookie drivers feel at home. Christmas is a time to be grateful for all the blessings you have received all year. Counting your blessings and thinking about all the good things that happened to you in the past year can help promote positivity and good vibes.

Lastly, all of us from Trucker Path, would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

How will you spend your Christmas? Share your plans in the comments section below.

By Aldous Aldwin

TagsTruck Driver truck drivers Owner Operator trucking Trucker Path Trucking Industry Owner Operators Trucking Tips christmas

Trucker Spotlight - Carolina Ortega <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/2020/05/65456837_2341965182724336_3750110940285108224_n.png" alt=""] <h2></h2> Working as a truck driver at a logistics company, <strong>Carolina</strong> started a Youtube channel "Loira na Estrada" which means "Blondie on the Road", where she gives us a glimpse of her day to day trucking life. She drives an 18 wheeler (VOLVO VNL 860) across United States. We're honored to have a chance to interview her and get a glimpse of her trucking lifestyle. <h2></h2> <h3></h3> <h3><strong>What made you decide to be a trucker?</strong></h3> The freedom and the lifestyle that this job offers amazes me, plus driving a big machine like that is a honor for me. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>How many years have you been driving? What are the significant changes that you've noticed in the trucking industry?</strong></h3> I've been driving for around 2 years now. With the current crisis we are all experiencing, I felt a decrease on the number of the loads and a decrease of load prices on the market. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/05/b12.jpeg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Are there any times of loneliness while driving? How do you deal with it?</strong></h3> I never feel lonely, because the freedom makes me happy and I have everything I always wanted. It’s peaceful, I love seeing new places, waking up in one place and go to sleep in another. Traveling every day really makes me fulfilled. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>As a trucker, what are the current struggles in this COVID-19 pandemic?</strong></h3> In the beginning of the situation with COVID-19 was hard to find masks and hand sanitizer in the truck stops. But being in the truck actually makes me feel more comfortable because I can keep doing what I am doing and it’s easy to avoid crowds. I'd say quarantine in the truck is the best quarantine you could ever have. <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/05/b14.jpeg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What are your usual routes? Favorite scenic truck route?</strong></h3> Definitely my favorite route is to drive on the historic Route 66, I love to take the original stretch of the Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona. I also love I-80 in Wyoming, I-15 from St George, Utah to Las Vegas is an amazing scenery, I-90 in Montana is mind blowing too, there are so many roads I love to take - mainly the ones in the west side of the country. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Weirdest or most unusual haul?</strong></h3> Definitely live bees was the craziest load I ever took. It was in a flat bed truck when I used to work as a team. It was very crazy, adventurous and kinda funny sometimes. <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 every day either for spend the night, or to put fuel, to eat, to take shower, to use scales, etc. I’m not a fast-food fan so I prefer to find hot meals, more homemade kind food and soups at the truck stops. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>What Trucker Path features do you often use when you drive?</strong></h3> I use <a href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/">Trucker Path</a> for everything I need about trucking during my work day. Like I can see where are the truck stops and accurate distances, I check the parking availability before I stop anywhere and this is very helpful because it is well updated. I can check if the truck stop I’m going has a shower, how many fuel pumps, scale, mechanic shop, facilities. The app also shows the stores phone number, address and reviews. Also i can see where the truck friendly Walmart’s are and the reviews made by other truckers. It’s perfect to find also authorized truck shop, diesel prices, weight stations (if they are closed or open). Well this app is so complete that I don’t see me working efficiency without it. <h2></h2> <h3><strong>Where can people watch your trucking videos on Youtube?</strong></h3> I currently have two Youtube channels: <h2></h2> 1. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/lindacarolvibe/featured">Loira na Estrada</a> - This is my primary channel. I mostly speak Portuguese here. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZcwOZmFboyI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> <h3></h3> 2. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqhudMXrchSUSkn3Tls83mg/featured">Blondie on the Road</a> - A lot of people requested me to do english videos and so here it is. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wchXA3YtS2I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; 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>

May 27, 2020 • Carriers

Trucker Terms [p] If you're going to make it in trucking these are the trucker terms you'll want to remember along with some good ole trucking slang you'll hear on the CB radio. [/p] [h2] Trucker Terms [/h2] [p] Being a trucker is not only a unique way of life, it also comes with a unique way of communicating that only those in the trucking industry probably can decipher and understand. [/p] [p] <strong> 10-4 - </strong> acknowledging something [/p] [p] <strong> 10-6 - </strong> busy right now [/p] [p] <strong> 10-8 - </strong> en route [/p] [p] <strong> 20 -</strong> location [/p] [p] <strong> 4-Wheeler -</strong> automobile [/p] [p] <strong> APU -</strong> authorized pick-up [/p] [p] <strong> Backhaul -</strong> retuning load to home location [/p] [p] <strong> Bear Trap - </strong> speed radar trap [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/freight-contracts/">Bill of Lading</a> - </strong> document that details information regarding the goods being hauled by a carrier from a shipper [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/what-is-a-weigh-station/">Chicken Coop</a> - </strong> Weigh Station [/p] [p] <strong> Chicken Lights - </strong> Added lights on and around a truck [/p] [p] <strong> Chocks -</strong>blocks placed in front and behind wheels to prevent truck from rolling [/p] [p] <strong>Cosignee - </strong>person who receives the goods [/p] [p] <strong>Cosignor - </strong>person who ships the goods [/p] [p] <strong> County Mounty -</strong> - county sheriff [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/what-is-deadhead/">Deadhead -</a></strong> miles driven with no load [/p] [p] <strong> Dry Van -</strong>standard enclosed truck trailer [/p] [p] <strong> ETA -</strong> estimated time of arrival [/p] [p] <strong> Freightshaker -</strong> Freightliner truck [/p] [p] <strong> GCW (Gross Combined Weight) - </strong> combined wieght of tractor/trailer and load [/p] [p] <strong> Gear Jammer -</strong>speeding driver [/p] [p] <strong>Hammer Down -</strong> drive faster [/p] [p] <strong> Hopper -</strong> truck that empties load through bottom that opens [/p] [p] <strong> HOS -</strong>hours of service [/p] [p] <strong> Intermodal -</strong> shipping container freight [/p] [p] <strong>Jack-Knife -</strong>when trailer is pushed to the side of the tractor [/p] [p] <strong> K-whopper - </strong>Kenworth truck [/p] [p] <strong> Kingpin - </strong> pin where the axel wheel pivots [/p] [p] <strong> LTL (Less Than Truckload) -</strong> load less than 10,000 lbs. [/p] [p] <strong> Motor Carrier -</strong> person or company that is responsible for transporting goods via a commercial motor vehicle [/p] [p] <strong>P&D Driver -</strong> pickup and delivery driver locally [/p] [p] <strong>Payload - </strong>weight of the load [/p] [p] <strong>Peddle Run - </strong>route with lots of deliveries [/p] [p] <strong>Pete - </strong> Peterbilt truck [/p] [p] <strong>RC (Rate Confirmation) -</strong> the rate shipper or broker agrees to pay carrier to haul a load [/p] [p] <strong> Reefer -</strong> refridgerated truck trailer [/p] [p] <strong> Shiny Side Up - </strong> top of truck; don't crash or roll over [/p] [p] <strong> Sliding Fifth Wheel - </strong> fifth wheel that can be slid back to redistrubute weight on the axels [/p] [p] <strong>Trucking Authority -</strong>FMCSA approval to haul loads [/p] [p] <strong>Willy Weaver - </strong>drunk driver [/p] [h2] Using Trucker Path Along Your Route [/h2] [p] Now that you know the trucker terms and are talking like a real driver, it's time you use a tool that most truckers rely on to help them save time and money - the <strong>Trucker Path app. </strong> [/p] [p] Trucker Path is free to download and helps drivers: [/p] [ul] [li] Find truck parking with real-time updates [/li] [li] Browse through the list of amenities a location offers [/li] [li] Check to see if a weigh station is open or not [/li] [li] View Walmart locations and know if they allow truck parking [/li] [li] Compare diesel prices to save on fuel[/li] [li] Plan their route to show locations along their trip [/li] [li] Read through fellow drivers reviews of a location [/li] [li] Find restaurants near truck parking locations and much more! [/li] [/ul] [button-green href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=truckerterms "]Try Trucker Path Today![/button-green] [video id="EIs5Rk6xpm4"]

Oct 05, 2017 • Carriers

Dec 31, 2020