Using Chains in the Snow

Posted in Trucker Lifestyle by Brian · Leave a Comment 

Winter time could mean snow, ice, and rough driving conditions as you drive your truck across the country. Major highways and interstates may be plowed for safer driving, but that’s no guarantee you’ll be able to reach every destination merely using your normal tires. You may consider using chains in the snowy conditions to help you get better traction and keep you safe.

Depending upon where you live and drive, it may be that chains are required on your tires in able to even drive in some areas. California, Washington, and Oregon have mountain passes that require chains. In some areas you may be fined, as early as September 1, if you don’t have chains available for use because weather conditions can change so rapidly in mountainous areas.

To be on the safe side, unless you drive in areas that never get snowy conditions, it would be a good idea to buy chains that fit, take care of them so they’re ready at any time, and be sure to put your chains on properly before you head off into areas that have snow. You never can tell when the weather will change and having those chains in your truck may be what keeps you from being stranded.

When choosing chains for your truck, be sure to consider the overall cost, not just the initial outlay of funds. Sure, you can get a set of chains for less than $100 but they won’t last anywhere as long as the better quality sets that cost over $250. Remember the old adage, “You get what you pay for.”

Some drivers don’t realize that there are three basic types of chains they can use:

1. Twisted-link chains which provide links across the tire tread.

1. V-bar chains have a welded link in a “cross chain” that runs across the tire tread.

1. Studded chains are suggested for off-road driving, and can damage paved roads if you forget to take them off before returning to the pavement. These would normally be used by loggers or those on an oil field.

Many people suggest using the V-bar chains for all severe weather conditions, even driving over snow-covered mountain passes. Check with each state that you’re traveling through so you know if they have requirements for snow chains.

When you’re looking for chains, consider the size of tires on your truck. Manufacturers can find the best chain for your tires if you will provide them the size of your tires. If possible, have the chains put onto your tires to ensure they fit and ask them to show you how to install them before they are needed.

Hang your chains to keep them from being tangled. Allow them to dry completely and then inspect all links. You can repair broken links by re-closing them with chain pliers. If the cross-chain is broken, replace it. Grease your chains whenever the remainder of the truck is greased and don’t forget to rotate them so they wear evenly.

By using chains in the snow and ice, you can increase your ability to arrive at your destination safely with your load intact. They don’t keep you safe if they’re hanging in your truck instead of on the tires.

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Faith and the Road

Posted in Trucker Lifestyle by Brian · Leave a Comment 

One of the many benefits truck drivers have when they’re at home is that they can attend religious services of their choice.  Whether they attend church, synagogue, or mosque, truck drivers may want an opportunity to grow spiritually or to share their faith and the road.

You may be surprised to find that there are several ministries specifically for truck drivers.  They are available if you have any questions or if you need spiritual guidance or help.  The more well-known ministries that seek to help truck drivers are Christian ministries, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ministries from other religions. 

Depending upon where your load leads you, you may want to do some research before heading out to find out if there are religious services along your route.  Larger cities will have synagogues or mosques, and it seems every small town across the country has at least one church for each denomination.  With a little planning you can find a service that will meet your needs.

If you’re a Christian, you may be interested to know that one ministry had portable chapels that they set up at truck stops.  You can go to their website www.transportforchrist.org to find out where their portable chapels are set up.  Although they began in Canada, this organization is now 35 years old and now has permanent chapels at 30 truck stops.

Besides being available for services on Sundays, many of these ministries have staff members on-site in case a truck driver needs someone to talk to.  They truly are attempting to meet the spiritual needs truck drivers might have while they are away from home.  In many cases, the truck stop and chapels work in conjunction with one another to help out truck drivers who stop.

Maybe you’re not one to attend church services.  That doesn’t mean you can’t have your spiritual needs met while on the road.  There are XM radio stations that have religious programming available, many 24 hours a day. 

You may also find kindred spirits by talking on your CB radio.  While on the CB, you can share your faith, ask questions, and help others think about their own spiritual condition.  Of course, on a radio, you can remain somewhat anonymous.  You don’t want to offend anyone, so you may want to think about and decide if this is a viable way for you to share your faith.

Many truck drivers face the loneliness of being on the road and away from their families.  With the many ministries set up to meet the spiritual needs of truck drivers it is possible to find a safe haven when you need to talk.  There’s no reason that faith and the road can’t work hand-in-hand if you’ll give it a chance.

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Breaking Bad Road Habits

Posted in Trucker Lifestyle by Brian · Leave a Comment 

Drivers of every type of vehicle are guilty of not always paying attention to the road like they should.  Some have bad driving habits that make driving unsafe.  If you find yourself repeating the same things over and over, you may find breaking bad road habits difficult, but the effort is definitely worth it.

Any time a tractor-trailer driver is involved in an accident or drives in a way that seems unsafe, it’s usually in the news.  While there may be many transport vehicles on the road, that doesn’t mean these drivers are any guiltier of bad driving habits than any other driver.

What types of bad road habits are there and how do you go about breaking them? 

Speeding:  The most obvious bad habit most drivers have is to drive too fast.  Speeding is one of the primary reasons that trucks roll over.  Over half of all tractor-trailer accidents are caused by rollovers.  If you want to break this bad road habit, pay attention to the posted speed limits and that includes those for turns and curves.  It’s true that big rigs aren’t the only ones on the road that are going too fast, but it takes longer for a truck to stop than it does smaller vehicles.

Distracted drivers:  The main culprit for being distracted while driving is the cell phone.  While they are a great help in keeping truck drivers connected with their families, drivers who talk while driving cannot devote their attention to driving and talking.  In fact, one recent study claimed that nearly 80 percent of all accidents were caused by distracted drivers.  Of course, many truck drivers use headsets rather than holding the phone, but it still distracts them.  By and large, drivers in four wheeled vehicles use fewer headsets than truck drivers.

Eating and drinking:  As a truck driver, you have to eat and drink, sometimes while you’re driving to be able to get your job done.  Unfortunately, eating and drinking while driving is another bad road habit that would be better broken.  You can’t control a truck as well if you don’t have both hands on the wheel.  If you spill hot coffee in your lap as you’re driving, the results could be hazardous.  Plan to pull off the road and stop for a few minutes while you eat.Not cornering properly:  Many accidents involving tractor-trailers happen at intersections.  If a driver is doing as they were trained to do, keeping an eye on the trailer as they turn, there would be fewer accidents.  Pay attention to where you are and what is around you, and then set up your turn beforehand.

All drivers are guilty of some bad driving habits.  You can do something about them, though.  Breaking bad road habits may not be as easy as you would hope, but it could very well save your life and the lives of those on the road with you.

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It’s All about Heart - How Trucking Can Affect Your Heart

Posted in The Healthy Trucker by Brian · Leave a Comment 

Your mother or grandmother probably told you when you were a child that “you are what you eat.”  If that’s the case, what does that say about most truck drivers?  You may not literally be what you eat, but what you eat can affect your health.  Unless you are very conscientious about what you put into your body, food and trucking can affect your heart’s health.

The heart is the most active muscle in your body.  If the heart isn’t working properly, it’s a good chance you have other health issues as well.  Because muscle requires oxygen, and that includes the heart, it is important to keep oxygen in ample supply to keep it working properly.  Heart disease can be due to a birth defect that wasn’t discovered until later in life.  It could also be due to eating the wrong foods for too long and not getting enough exercise.

More truckers and their spouses are becoming aware of the importance of proper diet and exercise.  You may have been aware of this importance, as well.  In case you’re not convinced of how important it is to eat properly, here are some statistics:

• Nearly half of all deaths from heart disease happen without warning.  There may have been no noticeable symptoms of heart disease and yet this disease causes more deaths every day.
• The remainder of deaths from heart disease occurs as the patient had chest pain in some severity.  The heart attack is caused by a lack of blood circulation to the heart during strenuous activities or a stressful situation.

Pay attention to what your body, especially your heart, is telling you.  If you feel tightness in your chest, fluttering sensation, or a short sharp pain, don’t dismiss these possible early warning signs.  Experiencing any of the three symptoms, or a combination of all of them, is best handled by seeing your doctor as soon as you can.

Stress from driving, lack of sleep and eating poorly can lead to high blood pressure.  It isn’t just stressed out overweight people that develop high blood pressure.  Nearly everyone can develop hypertension but it seems there are a larger number of truck drivers with this condition.

To reduce your chances of developing heart disease you want to take the following actions:

• If you smoke, stop.  Smokers die of heart attacks twice as much as non-smokers.  Quitting will almost immediately reduce your chance of having a heart attack.
• Exercise is important for increasing your good cholesterol.  Take some time while you can’t drive to go for a walk.  It’ll do your heart good.
• Lose weight.  This isn’t an easy task but it will definitely have an effect on how likely you are to have a heart attack.
• Watch what you eat.  Instead of most of the foods you can get on the road, try to add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.  Cut down on the fat-laden foods like most fast or convenience foods.
• Use All Natural Supplements that can provide energy and help you drop

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Heart disease is a condition that no one wants to develop, however it happens every day.  With jobs that are stressful, truck drivers are at risk.  There are things you can do to reduce your chances of developing heart disease.  Stop smoking, get exercise, eat well, and lose weight to reverse the possibility of having a heart attack. 

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Living on Less – Finances for Trucking Families

Posted in Money Saving Tips by Brian · Leave a Comment 

As a  truck driver, you may feel you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.  You’re trying to do a demanding job, may have children at home, and may be married.  You realize that it’s wise to live on less, but it’s not always an easy thing to do.  These tips on finances for trucking families may help you keep more of your hard earned money.

Credit cards, despite the good that they can cause, are killing American families.  The average family owes more than $7,000 in consumer debt and it doesn’t look like that number is going to be reduced any time soon.  This means that every month average families are spending nearly $600 for credit card bills.

Your goal for the coming year may be to reduce your spending and then work toward whittling down your debt.  You can do it but it may take some sacrifice from everyone.

Learn to live within your means.  Spending less than you earn is the key to getting your credit under control.  You may be thinking that spending less is easier said than done, and you’d be right.  It is possible to do if you and your family will put some effort into it.

• Start a budget.  If you’ve never done this before, now’s a great time to give it a try.  Write down everything that your family brings in:  if you and your spouse both work, be sure to add both incomes.  Do you have any other monthly income?  Don’t forget to add that, too. 
• Figure out what your personal (family) expenses are each month.  Learn what your monthly business expenses are.  Subtract your expenses from your income.  This will give you an idea of any money you have left over.
• Pay extra on your lowest balanced credit card while continuing to pay minimums on the remainder.  When you have that credit card paid off, don’t think you can spend that money on anything you like.  Instead, take what you’ve been paying on the one card and add that to what you should be paying on the next lowest balance.  When you’ve finished adding your payment from the card you paid off, you can nearly double your payments to the second card.
• If you have more credit cards, continue to pay off the card with the lowest balance.  Then you can take those payments and add them to the next lowest.  Before long, you’ll be paying off your last credit card; won’t it feel great?
• Start putting the payments you’ve been making for credit cards into a savings account.  You may also want to purchase stocks or bonds, but you’ll want to talk with a financial planner before choosing to buy stocks.
• Take the time to determine if you truly need something.  If there isn’t an actual need, wait to make the purchase.
• Use coupons on groceries and pay attention to the sales at the store.  Make a list of food that you need and stick to the list. 

Living on less than you make is not only possible, it is necessary for your family’s future.  Include everyone in your family when making a budget because it will take everyone’s help to succeed.

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Living With Little or No Health Insurance

Posted in Money Saving Tips by Brian · Leave a Comment 

Now that a new President-elect has been chosen, many people are wondering how that will affect them especially if they’re living with little or no health insurance.  When you’re thinking about changing employers or striking out as an independent driver you may be afraid to lose what insurance you have.  Can you live with reduced insurance and is it something to consider when the employment winds blow?

If you’ve always worked for a large freight company you’ve probably always had your health insurance provided.  If you become an independent driver, whether you’re a man or a woman, you’ll have to pick up the insurance tab on your own.  If you do your research, you can find affordable health insurance when you become self-employed.

You may be tempted to continue working where you are because you’re afraid to lose your insurance, especially if you have a medical condition that would keep you from being insurable under a new, individual plan.  Women truckers in their child-bearing years who don’t have insurance may also find that a pregnancy underwriter is too expensive.  In both cases you may feel your only choice is to stay put no matter how you feel about your current employer.

Perhaps your family history isn’t dotted with serious illnesses like high blood pressure or diabetes.  Everyone in your family has had the normal health problems but nothing that would be considered a pre-existing condition.  Your chances of finding health insurance to meet your needs are greater than if someone in your family has been seriously ill.

Does your spouse work and does their company provide insurance for their employees?  This may be one option to consider if you’re changing jobs.  Your state may also have “guaranteed-issue” health insurance which means you must be offered insurance in those states regardless of your health history or that of your family members.  It is wisest not to drop any health insurance before discussing the consequences with a health insurance professional in your state.

You may have heard about association-endorsed policies.  Be careful before signing up for health insurance.  Because they are not limited by the same rules as an employer might be, they may be able to raise prices more than an employer would.

Luckily, if you have to purchase your own health insurance for you and your family, you can now deduct some of the costs of the insurance premiums on your federal tax return.  You can’t have health insurance premiums greater than your federal taxable income, but you can count health insurance premiums as a legitimate business expense if you are self-employed.

When looking into individual insurance policies, if you’re relatively healthy and can afford routine visits, consider purchasing “catastrophic” insurance which will cover you in case of a serious illness.  Since the premiums are lower, it may be something to consider.  If you can pair this catastrophic insurance with a Medical Savings Plan, you may be far ahead of the insurance game.

Living with little or no health insurance is possible if you have to.  You may be thinking about becoming an independent driver.  These ideas may help you make a more informed decision.

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