Challenges in the life of truck drivers

Challenges in the life of truck drivers that are faced daily along with some small Turing tips to help out.

Challenges in the life of truck drivers that are faced daily along with some small Turing tips to help out. Have a read below and let us know if it resonates.

Lack of Home Time

A challenge that is very much related to the first one on this list, lack of regular home time can also be a struggle for many truck drivers. This can be difficult if you have a family that you would like to spend more time with, but also if you are single and simply have other obligations at home — or even just have the desire to sleep in your own bed!

Turing Solution: We have positions that suit every driver. Design drivers’ routes to make sure that you will be home at least once a week. If you would like to maximize your home time, you can apply for a local job rather than a longer regional route.

Irregular Pay

Most trucking companies will pay their drivers by the mile; and with irregular routes, it can be difficult to know exactly what your take-home pay will be for each pay period. It also means that when you are stuck waiting for things like traffic or loading and unloading, you aren’t getting paid.

Turing Solution: Pay all drivers by the hour, for every hour worked. This not only means that you are properly compensated for all of the time that you spend working, but it also means that you have a much better idea of how much you will take home each period.

Regulations

There is a lot of red tape associated with being a truck driver. Some drivers can become frustrated with certain regulations placed upon them for things such as how many hours they can drive at a time. And though these regulations are necessary, it can be tough if you want to maximize your time on the road in order to earn more or get home sooner. 

Turing Solution: Make a special effort to ensure that all of our routes are compliant with all federal regulations, so that you don’t even have to spend time worrying about them. If you are looking to drive longer routes without the extra time needed for rest stops, you can apply for one of our team routes, where you can share the work but will also be paid for every hour that you are not driving.

Life as a truck driver is not without its challenges, but most of them can be tackled with the help of the right employer.

Health

The long hours spent sitting in one place, the irregular hours, and the need to eat wherever and whenever you can are issues that can cause health problems for many truck drivers. It can also be difficult to find a position where you will have access to a health plan.

Turing Solution: Health benefit options are available to all of our full-time drivers. Additionally, all loads are no-touch. This is much safer for drivers because it minimizes the risk of accidents, injury, or strain from loading and unloading.

Irregular Schedules

One of the toughest challenges that a truck driver can face is not knowing what their schedule is from one week to the next.  Jobs can often vary in both distance and time spent on the road. This can be a challenge for a number of reasons. For example, you do not know when exactly you will be home, your sleep schedule can become irregular and affect your health, or you can have trouble planning appointments. 

Turing Solution: Drivers are on set schedules. This means that you always know when you will be at work and when you will be at home. Also have set routes, which means you don’t have to worry about planning out your route each week.

Sourced originally: “MathesonInc“