Truck Stop History In The United States

Truck stops aren’t a new concept in American history. The history of truck stops dates further back into the 19^th century when stagecoach relay stations presented a resting site for wagon drivers, horses as well as passengers. These passengers not only had the opportunity to stretch and relax, but also fill their stomachs. But with the invention of gas-fuelled vehicles by Henry Ford, this provided an avenue for an average American individual to own a car. As a result, there was a massive boost in the development and establishment of truckstops along the roads and highways.

Initially, service station owners presumed that their customers would be individuals who traveled by car, little did they know that their operations would open the doors to truck drivers and that would be their major source of earnings.

World War I gave a remarkable improvement to the trucking industry. Previously, trucks were too undersized to cart much in a single load and they just weren’t effective. Usually, they broke down and the truckers repaired these trucks by themselves. The war altered that, as trucks were considered necessary abroad, as well as at home to convey supplies to the rail stations.

World War II further heightened the need for truckers as the trucking industry persistently grew. Many trucks were powered with diesel fuel, thus generating the need for truck drivers as well as new merchandise for truck stops to put in the market.

The 1940s and 1950s witnessed the evolution of truck stops from a more ad hoc industry to one that was more cautiously designed specifically with the interest of long haul truckers at heart. In 1948, Fred Bosselman (who was a trucker and farmer) together with his wife, established the Bosselman and Eaton Truck Stop in Grand Island, Nebraska for business. In 1965, the Bosselman Truck Plaza, also known as the "Truck Stop of Tomorrow," opened its doors for business and was located on the new Interstate 80. This gave a foretaste about how the trucking industry would look in the years to come. Till date, the Bosselman truck stops are still open for business across the United States.

In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal Interstate Highway Act which propelled the construction of 41,000 miles of new interstate roads. This led to a boost in the truck stop business.

Independent truck stops were sited along with the first chains, which were owned by the oil companies such as Amoco, Skelly, and Pure. As trucks became bigger, there was need to acquire more land mass in order to accommodate more trucks at the truck stops. This led to the epoch of multi-acre truck stop establishment and ownership.

In 1972, Truckstops of America (now recognized as TravelCenters of America) opened its first six locations. Also, Petro, as well as the Iron Skillet restaurant opened for operations around the same time.

In 1970, truck stops were referred to as travel plazas in order for it to appeal not only to the truckers, but also the general public at large. Today, the creation of travel plazas has not only made it possible to accommodate truckers, but also a mix of travelers. 

Truck-Stop Accommodations

Truckers look forward to locating truck stops to purchase fuel and to get necessary repairs made. Drivers especially look forward to finding available parking spaces at the end of their shift. They know that they can look forward to getting rest or a good night’s sleep. A commercial driver's quality of life on the road often depends upon truck stops and their amenities. Truckers depend upon them for fuel, repairs, food, rest and safety.

Many drivers have pulled into them late at night only to find that there were no available parking spaces. This has forced them to continue driving in search of suitable places to park even though they may have been totally exhausted. Currently, there is a shortage of suitable safe places for drivers to park. Many drivers have been forced to park in unsafe places after being unable to find available parking space at truck stops. As a result some of these drivers have been robbed, injured or even killed.

Truck Stops are vital to the trucking industry and provide a vast array of comforts for commercial drivers. Truckers know they can eat, shower and relax and enjoy other amenities. Drivers often have favorite facilities which they frequent and they often try to get there early enough to get an overnight parking space. Initially, truck stops were small operations which replaced local filling stations on highways. However, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 which established an interstate highway system in the United States. The interstate system has affected every citizen if not directly as motorists, then indirectly because every item we purchase has been on the Interstate System at some point.

Looking for trucker accommodation or truck stops is one of the important things on your to-do list when you set off on a long road trip. While some travelers are content with fast food and retail outlets along the way with the occasional pit stop, trucker's accommodation in the form of a motel is always the more comfortable option. These are open to even those who are not driving a truck.

What you can expect from trucker accommodation:

A trucker accommodation or  truck stop caters to professional truck drivers offering a spacious parking area and comfortable, reasonably priced accommodation and hot food after a tiring stint on the road. Many of them also offer an onsite gas station to make it easy to refuel, entertainment facilities, convenient locations on the highway so that one can easily spend some time in the nearby town and special pricing for guests. Truck stops also offer ATMs, high speed internet facilities, laundry, maintenance in the form of a truck wash and truck scales.

 Affordable facilities:

At most trucker accommodation hotels, the fuel costs less than in the area. The convenience store on site usually has everything that a traveler might look for. One of the things most truckers love about truck stops is the interesting conversation with other truckers who stop there.

Sources of information for trucker accommodation:

One of the best sources for finding trucker accommodation is via the internet, besides the obvious one of asking fellow travelers and other friends who may have traveled the route before for recommendations. Truckers usually receive discounts on various facilities like showers, complimentary breakfasts, free parking and more depending on the hotel. But these truck stops also welcome other travelers to enjoy their hospitality.

Proximity to the highway:

Whether you are looking for trucker accommodation or a truck stop, you will probably prefer the hotel to be close to the highway. The last thing you want to do is navigate a large vehicle through busy city traffic especially after driving all day. Most truckers avoid driving inside the city unless they have goods to deliver. They would rather find a safe place to park their vehicle and find a warm bed and food enabling them get a good night's rest before they set off again the next day.

Almost every major highway has truck shops that are affordable and offer clean trucker accommodation with other facilities that give truckers a welcome break from their eighteen wheelers.

Lifestyle of a Trucker

For some individuals, spending time on the road and seeing new things every day, meeting new people as well as earning cash in the process is what they wish for. This means only one thing, a fulfilled life; which is the ability to do what they love the most. One of the few professions that can make this dream possible is the truck driving. Truckers convey items throughout the United States, and sometimes to place like Mexico and Canada. Truckers play a major role in our daily day-to-day activities in almost every industry, especially the manufacturing or production, retail, automotive, food and dining sector.

Like any other career, trucking is a choice. However, trucking necessitates an individual to adapt to a lifestyle totally around the job. This includes spending so much time on the road for several weeks (usually around 3 weeks or more) and then having a few days to rest at home (this is also called Hometime). A trucker’s schedule is considered as one of the most difficult phase for both a trucker and his family. Just like other careers such as oilfield workers and the military, trucking also requires spending so much time away from family and friends. Sometimes, they may feel lonely as a result of this However, individuals that are single have fewer obligations, find trucking a rewarding lifestyle as limitless freedom to try out new things abound for them.

During the first year, most truckers are assigned to heavy load which are not encouraging. Some freight and trucking companies even allow drivers that have worked with them for a long time choose the route that best suits them when an assignment is given. This makes it difficult for new truckers, as they are faced with the challenge of having to drive to isolated locations and also have undesirable schedule. This action is typical of most trucking companies because they want their first year to prove that they are reliable and responsible. A first year trucker builds positive reputation by keeping to delivery schedule in a timely and reliable manner. It is therefore advisable for most trucker to possess a cellphone as a means of communication to both friends and family. This will assist most first year drivers to fight loneliness and home sickness

A trucker’s dexterity in operating the trucks and trailers is another physical challenge of the trucking job. Training to acquire a commercial driver’s license (CDL) usually takes a few months or even more courses and workshops. One benefit of the CDL training for truckers is that it easier to acquire than other college courses or trade schools.

Another considered lifestyle of a trucker is the total earning made. Usually, truckers are paid per mile but CDL certified truckers have the opportunity to make it either a full time or part-time income. According the a study by the Bureau of Labour Statistics, most heavy and tractor truckers earn about $38,000 on the average or $19 per hour. Trucking is physically demanding and this one major reason why a trucker's wage is twice the federal minimum wage. However, this allows a trucker provide for the family and also live a comfortable lifestyle.

It is imperative to know that trucking is in a league of its own for any woman or man who chooses it as a profession.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Earn

Truck driving can be an excellent career option for many people. It can accommodate many different lifestyles and can offer people very comfortable wages to live on. The one thing you have to be ready for is to work many long hours if you choose to go into trucking. Many people are initially unaware that the ensuing truck driver deficit of modern years is primarily due to a high driver turnover rate. And the primary reason? People initially thought that they would be making more money as promised by the many attractive truck-driving earnings publicized on national TV and radio.

While the dreams of making a $70,000 truck driving salary may seem possible quickly as a result of these ads, the reality is that it can take many years of experience before achieving this kind of income. In fact, making six figures may only occur if you end up owning your own trucking company one day. Nevertheless, truck drivers working for distribution centers and shipping companies can expect to bring in a comfortable salary, while attaining long-term financial security for themselves and their families.

An independent truck driver can make the greatest amount of income as they can negotiate their own rates as well as factor in the costs of any travel accommodations while negotiating with clients. This is particularly true of independent truckers who have to travel more than 700 miles weekly.

Getting Paid Per Mile Vs. Per Trip

One popular way of getting paid as a truck driver is to get paid per mile.

Less experienced or newbie truckers can expect to make as little as 30 cents a mile with seasoned truck drivers making over $3.00/mile. As an example, entry-level workers can generally expect to make a truck driver income of about $35,000 a year with such wages. Experienced truck drivers or those that deliver hazardous materials can make much more.

Being paid per mile makes it easy to monitor your wages and has become the most customary manner in which truck drivers are paid these days. The trick to maximize such truck driving income is to always find alternate routes that can prevent traffic delays in order to get the most mileage. Becoming comfortable with an area and finding roads that allow you to avoid expensive traffic delays can be the key to success.

The disadvantages of being paid per mile basically come down to unavoidable traffic delays that can impede the amount of miles a driver will be able to finish in one day. Also, trucking jobs that required driving primarily on municipal and city roads can lower the number of miles a driver can finish and that is not factoring in weather conditions that make the journey even slower. Yet, with all of these potential drawbacks, the ultimate truck driver salary of drivers that get paid per mile still ends up being more than those that are a flat rate paid per trip.

What You Can Do To Raise The Trucking Public Image

Raise The Trucking Public Image

What comes to mind when you think of the stereotypical trucker that roams your local Interstate day in and day out? If you are like most people, you have probably gathered a certain truck driver image in your head based on Hollywood movies that often promote the typical trucker as an uneducated, redneck who rarely showers. Sure enough, the work is never portrayed as very glamorous but how wrong this image can be when you get to know some real truckers from everyday life!

Worse yet, during the later half of the 20th century the reputation of the trucking industry and trucking public image started to wane as media stories of truckers started to convey them as typical, male chauvinists or even serial killers. It was certainly not helpful to the industry to learn about Robert Ben Rhoades, who held a full-fledged torture chamber in his truck in order to rape runaway teens that no one would have missed anyway.

In reality, most truckers do not fit any kind of stereotypical picture. Most truckers are truly easy going, nice, good hearted people, and are often more educated than many might believe. Yes, there are even doctors, lawyers and police officers who become top-notch truck drivers.

Suggestions for Improving The Typical Trucking Public Image

Sometimes, truckers are their own worst enemy. Little attention paid to personal grooming is among the worst culprits. While no one anticipates a trucker to look like a banker getting prepared for business meeting, there are small things some truckers can do to improve the overall truck driving image problem. Perhaps throwing on a fresh T-shirt and jeans from time to time while paying greater attention to personal hygiene and appearance.

Another thing that truckers can do is to turn off their CB radio! Part of the negative truck driving image stems from what is uttered out of the mouths of some drivers such as excessive swearing, gay bashing and general ignorance. By simply locating that on/off switch, it is possible to clean up those airwaves from picking up such annoyances that people would prefer not to hear.

While the state of a truck stop really falls into the responsibility of the management that occupies it, nevertheless the truckers themselves can do simple steps to avoid the stop from smelling entirely like an outdoor toilet. On the other hand, truck stops should also work harder to remove waste on a normal schedule. It is not fun to walk across a parking lot full of rotting food and other waste material that hasn’t been picked up.

Improving Driving Habits

The overall trucking public image could be greatly improved if truckers also implanted more courteous driving habits. Sometimes truckers are in a rush to get a job done and can put other drivers in very dangerous situations.

Other times, programs should be set in place, as it is the other drivers on the road that put truckers in dangerous situations. For example, truck drivers would prefer that cars pass them or back off with clear intentions of what they want to do rather than driving alongside for too long.

Health Issues of a Truck Driver

When we think about dangerous professions, trucking does not come to our mind instantly. We often think of professions such as various emergency workers, the police and fire fighters. Yet, being a truck driver is fundamentally a dangerous profession. A recent study showed truck driving as one of the ten most dangerous professions in America.

Endless hours of driving on the highways and interstates by these truck drivers create a higher risk associated with serious accident. Nevertheless, these risks are much greater than the obvious . . . an unusual work program, extended periods of sitting, lifting heavy things, unhealthy diets, anxiety, and tiredness  can cause severe health issues.

Due to these long intervals of driving, many truckers fighting apathy often acquire smoking habits. Also, sleeping and living in a truck also poses a threat to the health status of truck drivers.

According to the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) Journal, truck drivers that are long distance haulers (OTR trucking) rank high among professions of people who suffer from significant health issues. Lifestyle as a truck driver includes several factors that make truck driving a high risk profession. Some studies actually suggest that normal life expectancy is reduced by as much as 5 to 10 years. This is truly a significant number.

Various factors such as the workplace conditions affect the health status of truckers, having a negative effect on such trucker. This workplace consists of not only the truck stops on the routes but also other aspects of the transportation environment. These include:

¨     Loading areas

¨     Warehouses

¨     Terminals

Health Issues of a Truck Driver

A truck driver faces a variety of health issues resulting from his workplace environment. They are both physical and psychological in nature. According to a 2009 study in the AAOHN Journal, "male and female drivers both reported common health problems." Among the most common ones are:

·       Obesity

·       High blood pressure

·       Diabetes

·       Sleep apnea

·       Exhaustion

·       Back pain

·       Sinus problems

·       Headaches

·       Arthritis

·       Depression

The stresses involved in being a truck driver result in many of these health-related problems. The actual physical environment creates a breeding ground for others. The job, itself, is responsible for increasing the likelihood of certain health problems.

Truck driving is a dangerous occupation. The problem goes beyond vehicular accidents. There are serious and significant health issues affecting those who are employed as OTR drivers. For men health issues in trucking may extend beyond the physical into the psychological. The same applies for a woman truck driver. With a steadily increasing amount of trucks on the road, we all need to look seriously at improving the health of truckers.

The necessity to improve or enhance the well-being of our nation’s truck drivers is no longer an alternative. It requires urgent attention and will involve changes in the working environment and within our healthcare delivery model. The environment for drivers must be conducive to good health. Truck stops and fleet terminals must begin to offer healthy food products and make fitness equipment gear available and accessible. Drivers also need to have improved access to health education resources and technology such as health kiosks.

Choosing Good Truck Driver Training

Thinking of becoming a professional truck-driver, then you don’t have to worry about finding a job because it is one of the fastest growing fields in the world. According to labor stats of 2013, about one and half million trucker jobs were available in U.S. Each driver was paid with around 20 dollars per hour and it is observed that the employment rate of truck drivers will increase up to 11% till the year 2022.

If you have no experience in driving a truck and you have never taken a truck driver training then you are going to need a truck driving school that teaches you to drive a truck. Along with this training you are going to need a commercial driver’s license (CDL). In order to get this license, it is necessary to have proper truck driver training which you can only get from a good truck driving school. There are lots of truck driving schools but you have to choose one of them according to your needs. First thing to do is to see if you want to attend a part time or a full time school and make a list of those which offer you your desired program. After making a list, do some research about those schools. Check their website, the reviews given by previous students, and the time period of their truck driver training course i.e. is it few weeks or few months. Ask them about average students they have per class, try to choose a truck driving school which have less students in a class i.e. their students to instructor ratio. Whether they train one person at a time or do they have more than one student in the truck driver cab. If possible, check if the school has relation with the companies which offer fresh graduates jobs or not. After checking all these things, choose the school which meet all of your desired requirements.

Recap

CDL truck driver training is a program which offers you truck driver training from a certified truck driving school. It can be achieved by several numbers of ways. One of them is to get the training from a private trucking school which can cost a few thousand dollars but still there is risk that after graduating, you might not be able to meet the requirements required by a carrier for a truck driver. The driving school will help you get your commercial driver’s license but they might not help you find a job. The other and the easy way is to qualify for the company sponsored CDL truck driver training which saves a ton of money because the company pays all the fee of the students or provide the truck driver training themselves. Not only this, they also hire you when you have completed your truck driver training program. All you have to do is to qualify for the company sponsored truck driver training program. 

Truck Drivers Suffer From Sleep Apnea

By Olivia

Sleeping apnea is a disorder whereby an individual's breathing stops and starts repeatedly while sleeping. It is condition that affects not only truck drivers in the trucking industry, but Americans at large. It is estimated that over 100 million Americans are not getting enough night rest and report by FMCSA also has it that about 30 percent of truck drivers (totalling about 1.9 million truck drivers) suffer from mild to severe sleep apnea. We should note that this disorder affects not only truck drivers but also non truckers alike. There are different types of sleep apnea but obstructive sleep apnea is the most frequent case found. It is understood that having a tired driver behind the wheel will not only put his or her life at risk, but also lives of drivers that ply the same highways. Also, excessive sleepiness leads to being slow to reaction times, inattentiveness causing drivers to be at major risk on the highway and also reduced alertness.

There are different symptoms and risk factors associated with sleep apnea that an individual should observe. They include the following:

• A Body Mass Index above 30, 35 or 40 (Reports suggest that there are about 6 million truckers and 8 million trucking-related jobs in the US. Research also shows that about 73 percent of drivers are overweight, 50 percent are obese and 12 percent have a BMI of 35 or greater). 
• Loud snoring during sleep (snoring does not necessarily mean an individual has sleep apnea)
• I nterruption of breathing during sleep (five or more times during one sleeping cycle)
• Feeling fatigued during the day
•  Consuming caffeine to keep alert
•  Smoking
• High blood pressure (HBP is more related to obesity than sleep apnea)
• Diabetes (this is also more related to obesity than sleep apnea)
•  Depression
• Headaches

Being between the ages 40 and 60 years (Children can also be effected. Those over 60 years also see a drop in sleep apnea cases).

Other cases include;

•  Being male makes you more prone to having sleep apnea disorder, however, females also stand a chance.
• Being African-American or Hispanic

Complications and effects of sleep apnea are as follows:

• cardiovascular problems
• fatigue,
• eye problems,
• complications with medications
• surgery

Truck drivers suffer poor health due to the challenges associated with their job and lifestyle.

The MRB has mandated the FMCSA that any driver with a BMI of 35 should be screened for sleep apnea using a PSG. If diagnosed, such driver should be treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for at least four hours a day usually during their sleep period.

Despite its advantges, the CPAP machine also has its drawbacks: 

•  It is obtrusive
•  difficult to use,
• expensive to maintain

I stand to believe that adequate and affordable medical insurance or plan that includes the sleep apnea plan should be provided to truck drivers. This would afford them the opportunity to take the test and also get treated if by any chance, diagnosed with the sleep apnea disorder. Truckers need to be aware of sleep apnea to protect themselves and their job. And If you do have concerns about having sleep apnea, you should not be bothered, rather, you should get tested.

Fatigued commercial truck drivers should also desist from plying the road as this is a threat to the safety of his life and other drivers at large. A rested and productive driver leads to safer roads as well.

The Rise and Demise of Truck Lease-Purchase Programs

Large numbers of truck drivers have been learning about lease-purchase plans that are being pushed by so many different trucking companies and are probably wondering whether this is something that they should get themselves into.

Many of these contracts are also getting a very bad rap, with the benefits being placed primarily on the side of the trucking companies – not the individual truckers who get signed up into one of these programs.  On the surface it may certainly seem so! After all, the trucking company gets to pass along the prices of fuel, licensing & maintenance costs and health insurance right onto the truck driver, while foregoing the need to provide them with a proper 401k plan!

This article will highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages of truck-lease purchase programs to see if they are something that can benefit you.

The Benefits of Truck Lease-Purchase Programs

Commercial truck leasing provides enormous benefits to the truck company that is leasing their trucks out as mentioned above, but part of these benefits are certainly transferred over to the actual truckers, even if it is done indirectly. The operating expenses of a firm can be seriously affected by the costs of buying new trucks and leasing can be a vital strategy, to keep buying and maintenance costs as low as possible.

Since companies who buy new trucks often have to deal with the harsh realities of getting a loan from the bank, leasing is an excellent way for them to avoid this. But wait! You may be asking – that’s great for them, but what’s in it for me? Well, in order to make these offers more attractive for drivers, the company can quickly draft up a lease-purchase agreement that requires no credit checks, down payments or any other large security measures used in traditional loan applications. Instead, all the money simply comes from the trucker’s pay check.

You can also look at this way – leasing is a precious way to spare cash for the company on cost of buying new trucks. This cash can then be used to provide better wages and conditions for the company’s employees – at least one hopes so. With that in mind, let’s move onto the drawbacks of getting into these lease-purchase programs, and there are many!


The Negatives of Truck Lease-Purchase Programs

Trucking is not a very predictable business. What happens if you incur any injuries, accidents and illnesses while on the job? Guess what, your paycheck stops but your lease-purchase contract doesn’t! And when that happens don’t expect the trucking companies to suddenly become a charity for you.

Also, you never really own your truck and you are stuck with the company you rented from. If you are renting your truck from a company, it is really owned by them. This means you can’t just leave to a different company if you get tired of their terms.

Be sure to always read the fine print of any contract. Many contracts are cleverly drafted to ensure that any problems will always be your fault. Learn from the errors of other people who have been in such contracts to get a better idea if this is something suitable for you.

Finding Local Truck Driver Jobs in USA

Written By Priyanka

With the hard economic times that we live in today, Truck Driving has been known to be a very lucrative career for several reasons. Being a Truck Driver, you can earn a lot of money, have job stability, get to travel to different places and most of all you won't have a boss to deal with. All around the world, there is a need for transportation, not just family and children who commute to school and office everyday but professionals who also transport products and services across different countries and states for a living. In the United States these professionals are known as Truck Drivers or Truckers who constantly keep the country in motion by transporting goods and produce such as livestock, fuel, produce and pretty much everything else to markets and stores as per their need.

Consumers are not the only ones who depend on transportation, there are several businesses that need goods, supplies and equipment shipped on a regular basis. It would have been impossible for businesses to function without an effective and affordable means of transportation to get goods from one point to another. Given below are some of the Local Truck Driving Jobs in USA.

Types of Local Truck Driver Jobs

Fuel Truck Drivers:

A fuel truck driver's role is to operate a truck that hauls different kinds of fuel, oil or gas and to transport it safely to the required location. He is also required to hook up the truck and its relevant attachments, check the truck before, after and during operation, adhering to the rules of the road and managing paperwork for his customers.

Construction Truck Drivers:

Hauling materials from one place to another is the main job of a construction truck driver. He follows a schedule for pickups and deliveries of materials and needs to know the kind of materials he is hauling and their weight. What he delivers are mainly loose materials in the form of rocks, sand, gravel, coal etc. He will be required to travel locally to and from construction or renovation sites as part of his daily schedule.

Light or delivery truck drivers:

Light Delivery trucks generally holds a capacity of less than 26,000 pounds GVW. Drivers driving these kind of trucks deliver or pick up goods within a particular area. The turnaround could be short where the shipment is to be delivered to a nearby city or to pick up a loaded vehicle and drive it to the home base. These drivers generally load or unload the goods at the customer's place of business.

Driver/ Sales :

Some drivers are assigned customer service and sales responsibilities. The primary job would be to deliver and sell products within an already established route. It could be sales related to food products or picking up and delivering of laundry. These drivers may also collect payments as and when required.

If you or someone you know has an interest in local truck driver jobs, you should know there are different choices available and other added benefits for you to choose from. You could also talk to other truck drivers and get a first hand opinion on where to find employment in the trucking industry to make it a career of your life.