Time-Saving Strategies for Truck Drivers
Being a trucker can be an extremely time-consuming job. Time, for truckers, is like gold. The trucking life is heavily dependent on managing driving, sleep and everything in between. However, a strict schedule is hard to keep when truckers have to wait for loads. Truckers who are freelance contractors may be moved around on the whims of dispatchers, which can make doing things like maintaining a sleep schedule difficult. Even owner-operators find that trying to manage time is difficult in the trucking life.
But, with the right tools, truckers can definitely manage time and be effective, says Bill Busbice, a former trucking professional and a developer of the trucking app HWY Pro. Here are some strategies truckers could use to save time and be a more efficient driver:
Apps are now a trucker’s best friend. Smartphone apps have made many things possible for modern truckers that were unthinkable just a decade ago. Truckers use smartphone apps to stay awake on the road when sleep becomes elusive. Most trucking tech is intended for fleet operators. But apps are one of the few technologies that reach truck drivers directly. There are now apps directed at truckers, by truckers or other professionals in the industry. HWY Pro, for example, makes organizing loads much more efficient for truckers.
It is not easy to arrange loads and manage driving at the same time. Arranging loads and planning a haul takes hours spent calling shippers and other intermediaries. But an app like HWY Pro can significantly cut down the time waste for truckers. HWY Pro also provides truckers the ability to plan their routes more efficiently, which makes their time spent on the road away from home more profitable. There are also similar GPS apps for planning routes, but HWY Pro is one of the few that is aimed directly at truckers.
Prioritize Driving and Sleep
It’s highly recommended for truckers to prioritize sleep schedules above everything else. It’s the ultimate nightmare of a truck driver to end up falling asleep at the wheel. Truckers can stay awake with the help of coffee and apps that sound off alarms. But these things are not reliable. What’s more responsible is for truckers to schedule everything else around driving and sleep. It will help make managing time for other tasks easier and more convenient.
Create Task Lists
Truckers don’t usually do this, but creating task lists is known to make employees, even drivers, more productive. Truckers can now easily do this using numerous smartphone apps, or even by accessing email on a phone. When tasks are written down and organized it’s easier to check them off a list on time.
Have a Time-Management System in Place
There’s no single time management process that fits everyone. Therefore, truckers are encouraged to have unique systems of their own to suit individual needs. The system doesn’t need to be overly complicated. For example, reducing two hours calling shippers by using an app like HWY Pro can be considered an effective personal time management system.
The trucking life is notoriously difficult. Time management can make life significantly better. Truckers can now use new tech and borrow strategies other professionals use to manage time more efficiently and stay clearheaded for driving.