CR England Girl

As a driver, trucking is more of a lifestyle than a job for many.  Finding ways to stay entertained is part of the mix that makes driving more enjoyable.  Today’s “gadgets” have changed how truckers live their lives on the roads.

Overdrive Trucking Radio says that 66% of the truck drivers on the road listen to four or more hours of radio a day?  Wow!  Satellite radio gives us more options today than our predecessors and there are now stations on satellite radio specific to our field. For many drivers out on the road, the radio keeps the music going and keeps drivers up to date with current events.

…And don’t forget the videos!

Flat panels TV’s are great for taking less space.  And watching a DVD in the evening to relax is a part of many of our lives. They even say it’s a stress reliever. I bet we are not far off from seeing truck driving jobs ads in the paper that highlight the size of the plasma screen.

With today’s technology, removing the dish out of satellite TV for trucks allows truckers to watch their favorite show in the privacy of there own cab.  And it only gets better.  Just like the Internet, dish-less satellite TV gives drivers weather forecasts.  Also, for teams and couples on the road, one driver can drive while the other relaxes watching their favorite shows.  Yes, it’s true.  People can watch live TV, even when the truck is moving.  Think about it.  The passenger is much more relaxed than if just sitting and watching the road.  Then when it’s the other driver’s turn, the new driver is fresher for a safer drive.

More common gadgets that are familiar to drivers our digital music toys as well as smart phones.  We listen to our favorite music without the storage space needed for physical CD’s.  Our favorite songs stored in an aluminum box smaller than our set of keys.  Amazing!  Facebook and Twitter give us a social outlet and what’s next?

Only imagination can come up with our next generation of truck cab entertainment.  It will be interesting to watch in the next few years.  What seems impossible now may be what we buy tomorrow.

A lot of drivers look already think about the equipment when deciding on truck driving jobs. Maybe in the future truck drivers will have to look at the in cab entertainment possibilities too. Till next time, CREnglandgirl-

The movie “Trucker” is out on DVD.

Its on the list of DVD’s that came out Tuesday 12/30/2009

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (Sony) An inventor creates a device that makes food from water; when it rains, his hometown is inundated with groceries. Engaging computer-animated version of the popular children’s book, with voices by Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Neil Patrick Harris and Mr. T. Released in theaters in 3-D. (PG; brief mild language). ***

THE FINAL DESTINATION (Warner) When a group of teens escape an event that should have killed them, death begins to take them one by one. Fourth film in series; released in theaters in 3-D. (R; violence, gruesome incidents, language, sexuality) Not reviewed.

LORNA’S SILENCE (Sony) A woman rebels against her underworld employers, with not-so-great results. Ambiguous and ambivalent Belgian film by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne won the screenwriting award at the Cannes Film Festival. In French and Albanian with English subtitles. (R; language, sexuality, nudity). **

TRUCKER (Monterey) A truck-driving loner is confronted by her past and her failure to commit to relationships when her long-estranged teenage son is sent to stay with her when his father is hospitalized. In the title role, Michelle Monagan has drawn strong reviews and awards-season buzz. With Nathan Fillion, Benjamin Bratt. (R; some sexuality, language, brief drug use, brief violence) Not reviewed.

Found this article from Driver Women by Lee Tuveson and thought some people would get a kick out of the things on the list.

Here is her back ground first. She is a former corporate trainer and teacher and has been around the industry since 1995. She has come up her 2009 Top Ten Dumbest Questions From Truck Drivers. We listed just the good ones and then one of our own:

1. “Should I drive when I’m asleep?”
2. “When a driver’s asleep, shouldn’t they know to pull over?”
3. “How can you tell you about to fall asleep?”
4. “I hit a deer, can i keep it?”
5. “What does CDL stand for?”
6. “If a tire catches fire should I blow it out?”
7. “Golden girl, if you were a woman I’d ask you to be my co-driver”
8. “What is my tax exempt code, Truckers don’t pay taxes right?”

Here is probably my all time favorite line that I’ve heard from a trucking professional-

“Can you call them and tell them their phone isn’t working?”

A new chain of instant health care clinics is catering to the large population of over-the-road truckers.  The Las Vegas-based Roadside Medical Clinic + Lab plans to open two new locations next Spring in Dallas and Forth Worth with an additional four the company plans to build in Texas in the near future.  Overall, Roadside plans to open and offer franchising opportunities at roughly 80 locations throughout the United States over the next few years in order to meet the health needs of the millions of long-haul truckers on the road (click here to find open and soon-to-be open locations throughout the country).

So what can you expect when you visit a Roadside Medical Clinic + Lab?  Truckers can get medical attention for small health problems such as the flu, colds, sore throat, stitches, and other minor ailments.  The company also plans to offer its very own line of nutritional and pharmaceutical supplements and products in addition to nutritious to-go meals that offer truckers a healthy food alternative.  Another important service the clinics offer is DOT Testing; you can easily and quickly complete the DOT physical and screening.  The best part?  The easy access and expedited care means truckers can get the medical attention and help they need without losing valuable time on the road!

Here’s an interesting way to catch aggressive drivers: state troopers in Indiana are riding along with truck drivers in hopes of preventing accidents involving tractor-trailers and cars.  Indiana State Police report that 56% of all wrecks involving a big rig and a passenger car or truck are the fault of the driver of the car.

Most truckers argue that cars on freeways are reckless when it comes to driving around big rigs, continuously cutting them off, riding in their blind spots, and squeezing in front and behind them.  Most drivers don’t realize that it can take the entire length of a football field for a fully-loaded tractor-trailer to come to a complete spot.

So how does it work?  When the trooper in the tractor-trailer sees a driver violating the law, they will radio to another trooper up ahead who will pull over the violator.  Troopers say they will also be on the lookout for truckers driving recklessly.  Ingenious!