OTR Drivers...how do you stay up?

Medication, quality talk radio or social media.

 

To stay awake, days aren't even a problem, at night, especially late, phone calls. I have a few people I can talk about talking with when driving, and they are the same way.
Strong coffee.
To sleep.......put in a video of a movie you've seen ten thousand times, you'll be out in 10 minutes or less.

 

Standard affair out here in the west where I run. Heck sometimes I run down the Lewiston grade 5 times a week at 105,500. 6 mile long hill that steppens fron 6% to 7% in the middle of it on a switch back. Run down that in 8th in a 10 speed at 35mph and when it steepens I just kick on the fan then ride the brakes about 4 time to bring her back to just under 35 from about 43 when she drifts up to about 2000rpm's. Then our run into Trail BC does the same thing. 9% grade that runs through town and at one point just to 10% around a pretty sharp corner.

 

I stream in TV. I downloaded the WatchESPN app, the WATCHNFLnetwork app, Foxnews app, and youtube which all have streaming live TV. NFL network always has a football game on and espn usually has college games and such. That kills 3 hours. I have the audio bluetooth connected to the brand new stereo they installed in my truck so the sound is better than my own house.

But honestly, sleep. Period. Caffeine will keep you awake, but not alert. I've pulled over on the side of the road because I dozed off and hit the buzz strip. I slept for a full 3 hours and when my dispatcher #####ed at me over the qualcomm as to why I was running late I responded "I slept so you wouldn't find your f9cking truck over the side of the mountain."

I never heard another word from him.

 

Sleep is a ally. Dispatch will do whatever they can to poison the very idea and concept of actual rest and sleep to sacrifice you on the altar of the almighty dollar. Or the twenty five cents per mile.

When you wake up after a normal amount of sleep you are supposed to be rested and raring to go. After a certain amount of up time, toxins and other situations have built up inside your body in a number of locations. We are built to sleep at night normally so that we may purge these toxins, clear the brain of excessive input and repair damage done to your body while you rest.

When in balance you become a awesome trucker. However, if you get abused by dispatch in some way and refuse to sleep... you are fixing to get yourself or someone or many someones killed soon. Don't do it. Driving while tired is worse than driving while intoxicated. Get that sleep.

If a dispatcher abuses you even harder because you dared sleep, then I offer you the idea that this dispatcher is the worst and should not be allowed to continue to dispatch. He will get someone hurt or killed. What a concept.

 

That's true. I do NOT hesitate to tell off dispatch if they push me. I've told them several times I sometimes need MORE than the minimum 10 hours of rest. I like to unwind after driving for 11 hours. Get out, walk my dog, exercise, fix a meal and relax and watch some TV. Those things alone can take 3-4 hours. Plus then having time to fall asleep and sleep for 8 hours undisturbed, you're talking 11-12 hours minimum. They can't grasp that concept that I don't want to run as hard as I legally can all the time. Sometimes I'm perfectly content parked in the back of some no-name truck stop relaxing with a cold one (soda of course) and watching TV with my dog curled up on my chest sleeping. I recently figured out a way to bring my massive gaming computer in the truck with me, use my cell phone for internet, and online game to destress. Pretty neat being out in the middle of nowhere and gaming with the sound blasting through the truck speakers. My poor dog thinks someone is shooting at her! LOL

I noticed this when they finally HAD to stop pushing me when my truck when down for repairs. I actually had a real break, a 34 hour reset. I felt like a new person. Even my family said they could tell over the phone that I was a new person. I surely don't need more than one full 34 hour reset during my 2 week outing in the truck, but keeping my breaks 11-12 hours instead of 10 helps me tenfold in quality of life and safety of driving the truck.

The mighty dollar soon loses its appeal when your earnings for last 6 months have to be paid to the funeral home to put you in the ground after falling asleep at the wheel and killing yourself and hopefully nobody else.

 

I found out a during my time in the Military that my body prefers stiff services to sleep on and also works better with only 6 hrs sleep. It is borderline, well lets just say nights are NOT good for me at all. I can go to sleep at midnight, wake up at 06:00 and work till just before Midnight. Anything outside of that scenario and my body clock gets messed with and I should not be on the road. I start days tomorrow.....

 

Hey guy, I listen to podcasts that spark my interest like fantasy football and news. I asks make sure I get good sleep.

 

One guy I use to wrk with said a 8 ball of meth kept him up for a week. The other said he jerks off when he gets sleepy.

I asked the second guy did he log that as unloading or happy driving.

 

All of the above.

And under extreme circumstances where there ain't even a shoulder to pull off on, swallow your dip, that'll give you another 30 miles.

Or hot sauce, the good stuff habanero extract. Eat it or smear it on the eye you don't need.

You should field test both of these before attempting while moving.