Back pain, bad food, lack of exercise, and loneliness are all potential hazards of long-haul trucking. Minimize these inconveniences by learning how to make driving more comfortable

Think of Your Truck as a Second Home

It’s not a vacation home, but your truck is still your home for up to 60 hours a week. Make a list of the comforts of home you prioritize when you’re able to be back with your family on a 34-hour break, or when you’ve decided to pass up a job or two to spend time with your spouse and kids.

Things you love about home might include your favorite chair, your favorite home-cooked meal, or binge-watching your favorite TV series. With careful planning, you can have truck-compatible versions of these things with you on the road.

Mattress

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to your safety as a long-haul driver. Get yourself a new mattress specifically sized for truck cab bunks. Order a few sheet sets made to fit your bunk and alternate them weekly. While you launder one set at a truck stop laundromat, remake your bunk with the other fresh, clean set of sheets. Add a pillow just like the one you have at home, and make sure you have a warm, soft blanket.

Pay attention to sources of light that come into your cab at night that can disturb your sleep. Buy a vehicle window shade or curtains, or use a sleeping mask to screen out light. If it’s noisy outside with trucks arriving and departing or nearby highway sounds, try some comfortable earplugs to help you get your solid 8 hours of sleep.

Fridge

Seven solid days of fast-food or diner meals can take their toll on your health and your digestion. Get a mini-fridge that is made for truck cabs so you can bring fresh foods with you on the road. Include fruits and vegetables, as well as salad fixings and nitrate-free deli meats. If your truck includes a microwave, you can bring meals prepped at home to reheat.

Entertainment

While you’re driving, you can listen to podcasts made especially for truckers, or stream your favorite playlist from the music streaming service of your choice. When you’re stopped for the night, you can mount a small smart TV to stream your favorite TV shows using available Wi-Fi. If internet connectivity is spotty where you’re headed, download a few movies you’ve always wanted to see and watch while you’re on a break.

Driver’s Seat

Perhaps no piece of equipment is more important than your driver’s seat. Don’t put up with a saggy, unsupportive seat. This can cause posture problems, back and neck pain, and overall discomfort that distracts you from the road and impacts your safety. Prolonged sitting impacts your health, so if you must sit for hours on end, at least use a seat that is supportive.

Explore your options for semi-truck air seats for sale online, and replace your old truck seat with a new and better one before your next long haul. Seats now come with internal heating and cooling systems, air suspension, premium cushioning, adjustable armrests, and fore-and-aft adjustments that minimize the impact of multiple stops and starts.

Communication

Set a regular time of day for a video call with your loved ones back home. They worry about you, and you miss them, so a daily check-in eases stress for everyone. Whether you use FaceTime on an iPad, Skype on a laptop, or the video call capability on your phone, keeping in touch with your loved ones will keep you connected with the goings-on at home. That way, when you do get back, your can spend your time enjoying each other’s company, rather than catching up on everything that’s happened since you left.

Exercise

Even the most comfortable driver’s seat can’t compensate for lack of exercise. Keep some dumbbells or a resistance band in your cab to use when you’re stopped. There are resistance bands made especially for truckers with clips that attach to your seat or to the exterior of your truck, making it possible for you to complete a workout in a parking lot.

When you layover for the night, choose a truck stop that offers gym facilities, or one that’s adjacent to a preserve with walking trails. Taking a morning walk before you hop back in the truck gets your blood flowing and boosts your energy for the day to come.

Personal Care

Don’t neglect your personal hygiene while on the road. Keep a kit containing personal care items handy. Bring deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving gear (for your face or your armpits and legs, depending on your needs), and some cleaning wipes to keep your face clean.

Many truck stops offer showers, so you’ll also want to bring a supply of soap and shampoo. Don’t forget your shower sandals or flip-flops: even the cleanest truck stop gets heavy use, and it only takes one fungus-footed truck to spread contagion before the next cleaning. Protect yourself with shower footwear.

Clean clothes, including fresh underwear and socks, make you feel better, more alert, and lift your mood. Make sure you have enough changes of clothes for the duration of your trip.

Storage

Without organization, truck cabs can rapidly become a trash heap of fast-food wrappers, empty water bottles, and dirty clothing waiting for the next laundry stop. Invest in some storage bins or boxes to keep the mess corralled. A milk crate for water bottles and a line to hang clothing can help keep things tidy. Keep a handheld vacuum in your cab to clean up crumbs, and store a small supply of widow cleaner and sanitizing wipes to keep your cab looking clean and clear of accumulating germs.

Personalization

You can give your truck some personality without going overboard with string lights and lurid colors. Try posting family photos, pictures of your favorite places to visit, or understated seasonal decorations to make your truck feel homier and more comfortable on long haul drives.

These are just a few ways to make long haul trucking more comfortable. Treat yourself and your truck well, and the miles will go by faster. You won’t feel as far away from home as you are, and you’ll feel more alert, healthier, and happier in a truck that you’ve personalized with some of the comforts of home.