Do/Can you listen to music while driving a truck?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by hopeful eyes, Jul 4, 2020.

  1. LoboSolo

    LoboSolo Heavy Load Member

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    If you're just starting out as a truck driver, do yourself, your boss, and anyone around you on the highway a favor. Skip the music. Skip the talk radio. Skip the distractions. For the first year. Just drive and listen to the truck.

    Pay attention to what you're doing, which is getting paid to safely drive a truck from point A to point B.

    But Lobo, I can do a bunch of things at once. I do it in my car every day. I DO pay attention (most of the time).

    BULL HOCKEY! You're now driving an 80,000 # death machine at 62 mph. You can kill someone in an instant. Do you really want to live with something bad, because you felt deprived of something, youngblood?

    Please, just learn how to manage and drive a truck safely. Good luck.

    And, stops are good. Take a short walk, stretch, and refocus.
     
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  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Do some brisk walking at rest areas or truck stops.
    Get a folding bicycle and keep it inside the truck; there's room for it inside the truck.
    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Cattleman84

    Cattleman84 Road Train Member

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    Can you stop often?


    Yeah you can... But you wont always have the time to do so. Its not uncommon for me to drive 7 hours straight, partly because I dont want to stop... Partly because I dont have the time to stop.
     
  5. okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

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    It's a lot easier to get in a truck than to get out. The old hands know. Lol
     
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  6. Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

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    I'm going to agree about the music, but not about all of it. I don't think drivers should be listening to music that is so loud they can't hear their truck. Over time you can tell by the sounds if something is wrong. Nothing wrong with passing the time listening to the radio, I just don't like it when a driver has the volume up so loud the music drowns out the sounds of the truck!
     
  7. SoulScream84

    SoulScream84 Road Train Member

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    Yup. Personally I start the day in the quiet, and I'll periodically turn off sound to listen better. I never turn it up to the point of drowning things out, and I also turn it off when getting into areas where I'm performing more maneuvers.
     
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  8. Kirbs

    Kirbs Light Load Member

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    I like listening to podcasts or radio talk hosts. Keeps me awake in the morning and I get to learn things while driving. Also keeps me updated on current trends.
     
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  9. hopeful eyes

    hopeful eyes Medium Load Member

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    Thank you for the tough and great words. I will remember each and every word of you while trucking.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2020
  10. TravR1

    TravR1 Road Train Member

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    Of course you can. You can usually Bluetooth your phone to your semi stereo system and you can listen to music being played on your phone over your stereo system that's on your truck.

    I have about 6 of my favorite Pandora stations that I shuffle through in a 10 hour shift. But occasionally I will branch out and try some different genres of music.

    The rule I set for myself is that if my music is too loud for me to hear emergency sirens, then it's too loud. I also really like driving with my windows down so that helps me to keep in tune with whats going on around me, since my one and only working ear is on my left side, it works for me.
     
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  11. VA CDL Holder

    VA CDL Holder Medium Load Member

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    I listen to podcasts exclusively when I drive. I just jack it in from my smartphone to the trucks radio. I download them before I start my driving, set up a playlist and I don't have to put my hands on the phone when I'm behind the wheel. I do see drivers with ear buds in while driving and I've often wondered if it's legal or not? Probably not.

    As for stopping, when I get rolling I don't like to stop until after at least 6 hours. Take my 30 minute break, start driving again until it's park time.
     
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