Resources for Truck Drivers
When looking for information or services, where do you typically go? Over the years, that answer has become nearly exclusively, “the internet!” With so many sources available at the touch of a finger, we’d like to highlight some types that may be helpful to truck drivers—experienced and rookie alike.
The Great and Wonderful Web
There are some great trucking forums out there. If you have a question that doesn’t necessarily need to be answered by the NTB team, a forum might be a great place to ask. Now, it’s important to note that information received may be biased or just plain wrong, but often enough when several people weigh in on a topic, the masses usually have the correct details you are looking for. Just do a quick search for “truck driving forums” and a few reputable sites will be at the top of your search results. And remember, do a bit of research once you have answers to make sure they are correct.
In addition to our blog here on NTB’s website, there are plenty of blogs written by very experienced truck drivers. You may not even have a particular question, but would just like to gather as much knowledge as you can in regards to your career as a truck driver. Driver blogs are a very useful place to find general information.
If you are looking for very specific instruction on a particular topic, tutorials are a great resource to quickly learn. One thing that is beneficial to gaining understanding by way of tutorials is that you can learn in a way that is best suited to you as an individual. Tutorials can be in the form of checklists for those who learn best by written language, extensive videos for the visual learner, or podcasts for the person who wants to listen to an audio guide.
Phone Apps
Oh, the wonder that is navigation by device application! What did we do without our phones, complete with apps, to tell and show us how to get where we are going? We used maps and road atlases, of course. As much as phones can be a distraction on the road, paper maps required even more attention when travelling in unfamiliar places. One word of caution to those using navigation apps:not all marked detours will be navigable by semi truck. So, do your due diligence to make sure the route you are taking doesn’t have turns or clearances that you cannot make.
When learning a new route, you may not know where all of the gas stations and truck stops are. Gas finding apps are a fantastic resource to use so that you can plan your trip without worrying about where your next stop will be. The same holds true for finding your next place to get some sustenance. Many search and travel apps will help you find good places to grab some grub, and can even keep it healthy and quick.
While it is strictly forbidden to text while driving, staying in touch with friends, family, and work is very important for a person whose career has them away from home. Besides the pre-installed messaging app your phone came with, there are other apps that will allow video chatting in addition to text or audio, making it easy to have human interaction during your breaks.
Summary
What resources have you used? Whether used for studying for the CDL exam or figuring out where to get your next meal, comment below with your go-to apps, blogs, or forums and how they are helpful to you.
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