Here at Barrington Freight, we understand that the long hours spent in the driver’s seat can be exhausting. Being a freight delivery driver can be straining, but there are plenty of ways to ease the strain so you can enjoy your job again. We’ve collected together some of the best tips and tricks for freight drivers to follow for an easier, more pleasant routine.
Be aware of your trailer 24/7
This may seem like a ridiculous tip or trick, but keeping an eye on your trailer and where it is in relation to the main cabin is important in ensuring that you’re driving safely. If your trailer is out of your lane at any moment or leaves the road completely, then you aren’t driving safely at all. Ultimately, it’s your trailer that proves to be the biggest weapon you have. If it swings or swerves too heavily, then it’s likely that someone will get hurt, or you’ll lose your cargo completely if it tips. Try and drive the trailer, rather than the cabin.
Pay attention
Make sure you pay attention to not only things going on around you, but also signs, especially on service stations. If you’re driving a large truck, you may have to take a different way back onto the highway than a car would, so it’s important to pay attention to the signs and directions laid out to you. Being sure to keep note of small, narrow roads and how to avoid them can also save you and your truck the trouble of trying to manoeuvre through roads that simply aren’t big enough for your cargo.
Learn to love your safety department
If there’s one common complaint among truckers, it’s that the safety departments of your head office can be agitating, and much like a police officer. However, it’s important to remember that they are just looking out for your best interests, and that they aren’t horrible people looking to make your job harder. The safety department have nothing to gain by your failure, and so they have as much passion for helping you succeed as you do for completing your deliveries.
Limit your caffeine and Alcohol intake
While drinking under the influence of Alcohol is illegal in most countries and is an obvious tip to follow, avoiding caffeine isn’t always quite as commonly known. When you’re tired, the first thing you might reach for is a cup of coffee, but this can have a major effect on the body in the long run, that can actually contribute to fatigue. Caffeine goes straight to the brain, blocking out receptors for adenosine – a molecule produced by your body that builds up to create a feeling of tiredness. Blocking the receptors makes you feel wide awake, but the brain will make more receptors, meaning you’ll need more measures of caffeine to feel the same effect.
Re-think your sleep schedule.
The more time you spend on the road, the more you begin to learn that making the most of the wealth of hours during the work day is a necessity. As much as you may want to sleep for eight hours a night, it could be worth experimenting with sleeping for shorter periods of time but more often. Change it around a bit and see what works for you. Naps can actually help restore your alertness, enhance your performance and reduce mistakes and accidents. So spend some of your stop offs sleeping, you never know what wonders it could do.
For more information or advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our experts have a whole range of experience and will do their best to help you with any enquiries.