How Professional Truckers Can Take Vacations

Many people—including professional truck drivers—experience stress in their jobs. In addition to a trucker's long days of both driving and on-duty time, there are other stressful aspects of trucking, including:

1. Saying goodbye to family and loved ones
2. Missing family gatherings and important events
3. Traffic congestion, bottlenecks, and rude drivers
4. Mechanical issues with commercial vehicles
5. Working with dispatchers, brokers, shippers, and receivers who may not fully understand what the driver's job entails for a particular load
6. Inclement weather
7. Road construction
8. Adhering to DOT regulations and making every effort to operate safely

When you are feeling stressed, taking some time off can be a great way to relax, wind down, and reset. Some folks wonder why a trucker would want to travel on vacation when they are routinely gone "seeing the country" as part of their job. Well the answer is clear—the commercial vehicle is simply not an RV. And when trucks are out running, there is barely enough time in a day to complete regularly dispatched loads, much less make time for scenic detours and vacations. In addition, sightseeing is not the same when your family or friends are not with you.

Studies have shown that truck drivers need to be away from their truck and job for at least 5 days to start unwinding and relaxing. If you are worried that you can’t financially afford that extra downtime, plan ahead by saving a little money out of each pay settlement for your vacation. 

As I have gotten older, I realize it will be my loved ones who are there for me in my old age—not my truck and business. So, I try to make quality time for them whenever possible. After all, they are a large part of what I am working to move ahead for. 

Now, what are some ideas for where a truck driver can go with family or friends on vacation? Well, if you are like me, you will want to take into consideration the interests of the people you plan to travel with. What will put a smile on their faces and make them feel special, important, and listened to? Then mix in your own interests as you can.  

Here are some vacations my trucker family has taken:

1. A short, inexpensive mini vacation, traveling 70 miles to a museum, swimming that night at a hotel, then onto a campground where waterfalls, hiking, canoeing, campfires, and s'mores were enjoyed, along with good conversation, cards, and laughter.  
2. Another inexpensive mini vacation idea is bicycling, kayaking, boating, or four-wheeling. A good winter sport can be snowmobiling if you are in a northern climate. Short-term rentals are available in many areas.
3. A longer trip my family did was to drive to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. After touring the caves, we stopped at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, then we drove parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Tennessee and North Carolina. We ended at the NASA facility near Cape Canaveral, Florida.  
4. Another longer trip was driving to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Death Valley, and the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping to see the redwood and sequoia trees along the way. Then, we visited Yosemite and Yellowstone before heading home again.  

Of course, COVID-19 has changed how we interact with others and take time off. But in the end, remember why you work so hard—try to share your time with your loved ones and create memories they will cherish for the rest of their lives. The truck will be there when you are ready to roll again.

Sources:

https://www.smart-trucking.com/truckers-need-vacations/