student on the road, what I didn't expect

There is no need to go 6 days without a shower. Ur telling me you guys cant spare 15mins? I run 3000+ a week I find time to shower. And pooping in a trash can??? That's gross no need for that. If he sick that much he has a major problem..

 

Walmart; stock up on food at Walmart.

 

First, regarding baby wipes. They are essential, but there is something much much better. Next time you are in Walmart, instead of going to the diaper and baby wipe aisle, go to the pharmacy section and find the aisle that has all the adult diapers. There you will find "Big Wipes". They are much thicker, stronger, and have more fluid than regular baby wipes. One will do your entire body. They are also good for mopping the cab floor.

Second, regarding the cost of food, if you are eating prepared fast food meals, etc. then you are going to be spending about $200 per week, or more. However, if you shop at Walmart and buy your food you can easily eat more healthily for about $60 per week. Having had previous trucking experience, when I came to orientation and then into training I arrived with a duffle bag full of food and my "food kit". My kit consists of a thermos bottle, thermos mug, tupperware bowl, swiss army knife, spoon, fork, and zip lock bags. My food bag had a lot of dry food like oatmeal, chopped nuts, dates, etc.; bread, peanut butter, etc.; canned tuna and meats; and some produce. Plan on hitting Walmart about once a week to replenish perishables.

One thing about body odor.... you are what you eat. If you eat a lot of meat and fast food, plan on having bad body odor. Since starting back into trucking I've cleaned out my diet, so my BO has becoming noticeably more tolerable.

Now that I'm driving solo I made the single best investment possible, and that is to buy a Koolatron brand cooler (about 31 quart size). It is a perfect size for one person, keeps all my produce fresh for the week or so between each shopping trip, and holds enough perishables to keep me going through the week. The cost was $89... but after you factor in buying ice at $2.50 per bag it pays for itself quickly. The best 12V appliance I ever bought.

 

About fighting the b/ o problem while trucking over -the-road. From my own experience,I recommend using Old Spice deodorant or some high performance athletic deodorants (not dollar store brands).a minimum of two times a day If you are unable to shower daily you might be able to survive with several swipes of your deodarant in the morning before you hit the road. Hint: This will not replace the showers but it will kill some of the odor that starts to kick in 48hrs without any shower.

My 50 cents worth,

 

Ask at a terminal and see if they have a shuttle bus/van to/from walmart.. on occasion they are in walking distance..

sometimes there is also a cheap taxi service at a terminal.. talk to your trainer about saving money

 

Just saying your trainer sounds like a big slob....

 

It seems to me that if he is that serious about time and miles, the money he would save bringing his own food would cover that gap. Or prep on the reset, you aren't doing anything for 34 hours anyway.
I run out 2 to 3 days at a time, 5 max. I have my cooler, food warmer, lots of water and a milk crate of organization. Like the above posters stated, its all about time. If you are stopping for your 10 each day, that's shower time at least every other day with fuel and team shower. Unless of course he has you running team while training.....and even then there is the 30 min every 8 hours. Time management happens in many different ways...

 

A Walmart shopping stop takes a total of 30-40 minutes for me. I never take the big shopping cart, just grab a handbasket. Whatever I can carry in my hands is enough for the week, with a few replenishments like perhaps juice or a few things at truck stops along the way. You now HAVE to take a 30 minute break within the first 8 hours of your shift. This makes it easier and reasonable to commit to stopping at a Walmart during the day. When it is your time behind the wheel you have control of where you stop. Insist on a Walmart stop (or any other convenient store with parking available).

Trainers are supposed to provide adequate shower stops and food stops for their trainees.... period. Don't settle for anything less than good hygiene and good food. If your trainer is the type that only wants to eat fast food, every Walmart has fast food opportunities either inside or close walking distance from truck parking. Let your trainer run off to get his fast food while you shop.