What is something that can make it easier?

Yep.
When I started driving, I was expected to be out 3 months at a time. And everybody drove cabovers.
And then the 53' trailers come out and part of the states wouldn't let them in.

Oh and lets not forget that pagers with only numbers was the form of commucation. Get a page and have to call from a pay phone.

Now we have internet in the truck and so much more.