OTR Drivers...how do you stay up?

I listen to the turbo whine.

 

There is no substitute for sleep. That said a steady flow of caffeinated products, loud music, windows down and the occasional hard smack to the face serves me well during highway hypnosis. I installed a shortwave radio in the truck so I can spin the knob all night listening to international broadcasts. Having conversations with myself helps too though I fear I might be going insane when I do that.

 

I carefully craft big profane words and string em together designed to get the dispatchers goat. Then dispatcher starts yelling and bawling me out. By the time he gets through chewing my ###, Im properly scared to death and are very aware of everything around me for hours.

EH?

I am already entertained by the prospect of showing up a dispatcher on the phone over some two bit numbnut issue that cannot be fixed for love or money holding up the entire trip and it threatens the appointment time at the blessed church of the walmart reedemer at the gaurd shack.... /sarcasm.

Frankly I don't know how to answer that question. It's Coffee, Smoking, Pills and roaring at the stupid cars interfering with my ability to do my governed 63 mph parade float ### while everyone trash talks my pos tractor that has to downshift two gears trying to keep up a hour from Cincy.

And the shippers and recievers abuse me over a scratch on their oh so precious butter stick that has been melting on small wood in a overhot dock for 3 hours while they assess the damage for insurance purposes? HA.

And that food. What is that slop? Is it so bad on purpose as to enrage me with a butter knife that lost it's edge in 1950 while cherising homicidal impulses towards the poor ####### who has to cook for 50 angry drivers in a very large room barely corralled by 60 year old waitresses long past their prime? Ugh.

And that parking gong show in the back of the truckstop. What is that? Huh? SO much effort, display of supreme skill barely missing everyone and everything wheeling a multi million dollar pig with 30 axles among the lesser giants while small cars get into the way everywhere they don't belong trying to sell us dream weavers and trinkets to raise money for their precious disability workshop. Imagine the sign language I use to them telling them to go away thank you, Im busy. You cannot imagine how they have a hard time processing that a deaf man like me get to earn a living trying to fob off other deaf people selling crap on my fuel tank.

And you wonder why I have such emotional issues that now needs steam to be blown off in some activity that involves a risk and danger of death or dismemberment. Never mind that DOT medicine form or the beers sitting on the pax set. We will get to that in proper amount of hours as trained by our blessed safety suits intent on making sure we don't drive 18 wheelers drunk.

Maybe we do need a shot of this or that just to get by the insanity imposed upon us all by people who make promises we must now keep.

Oh ya staying awake, that's easy. Anyone can do that.

The real trick is being able to fall asleep at a moment's notice anywhere for however long or short as necessary until they are ready for you. It's not all about you anymore. In fact you are in someone's way and they will be pounding on your door. HEY DRIVER MOVE THAT BIG PIG YOU BLOCKING MY CAH.... (Car...) SAheesh mister shut up I'll move it right quick quit your whining.

Then we will have a go around until we settle that little problem with a bit of fighting and a touch of workplace violence.

That's motivating.

Should I go on?

 

Put a bungee around the steering wheel, tie it off, and prop a dow pin aganist the go pedal, then climb in sleeper and go sleep. I am jk of course.

In all seriousness, I ran 3rds and would stop and take a nap in the middle of my run. Also, caffine and the radio.

 

Bighorn in Wyoming. 14A. Should have taken the extra 60 miles around it.

 

You don't think of it as a 700 mile night. Think of it as many small trips.
If you try to drive 700 miles, you'll conk out. You can drive 60 or 70, then set a new goal. You don't stop.. just set a new goal.
Find a good ball game, or talk show that you like , and that can kill 3+ hrs.
If you got really sleepy...

PULL OVER.

 

I just drive at the times that are best for me.
Night driving is not something I enjoy or do very often, although sometimes it happens. But I get too sleepy in those early morning hours and I don't want to put anyone (myself included) at risk.
Some people prefer it, and I might have 30 years ago. But not anymore.

Since I try to average my hours of service so I can run recap hours for as long as possible I seldom have more than 9 hours per day on duty. That could stretch into 12-13 hours if I have live loads/unloads.

And because I limit my driving time I have time to watch a few shows or play a few games when I'm off.

A cup of coffee in the morning, then breaks spaced at about 150 miles and that is all I need.

An advantage of how I do things is that I really don't get stressed about anything.

 

If we are going a thousand miles and taint stopping until then, I break it up to small tasks. First Cabbage, One foot of snow on the ground 30 yards vis and roaring wind down grade.

Until I get to the bottom of Cabbage, I don't care at all about the end of the trail. That is not a issue. Once at the bottom I am listening to information that I will need before Ogden for Wyoming... small steps. Stages and keeping the mind occupied with the current battle problem as it were. A thousand miles is easy. The second thousand not so easy. The third thousand is a set of new problems. But you eat a elephant one bite at a time.

Stamina, endurance and very basic do not quit or get weak makes the long trip worthwhile.

In my time we did not sleep much. We worry about that next week while the laundry is finishing up it will be a while. I have had waitresses put a jacket on me in the dinner booth and kept the food warm a while under the infra red lights, but not too long. Wake up time to eat. Whoops. That usually means a night in the bunk, dispatch be ######.

And you wonder why I cross swords with dispatchers....

 

@x1Heavy ... I think we've both been at this too long.
We learned the same way, a long time ago.
Good skills that aren't taught much any longer.

SALUTE, sir !

 

Coffee
Conference calls with friends
Comedy radio
Talk radio



And on those reaaaallllyyyy long nights ....... crack cocaine! Aha just kidding?