Road Bath

Although the commercial world has become much more accommodating to the lives of truckers in recent history—providing conveniences like showers and Internet access in truck stops—there are times when you won’t be able to find a shower on the road. During long stints through deserted areas like Wyoming or Arizona, you’ll probably need to rely on just what you have in your cab. But because feeling fresh is still important to many people, no rinse products have been developed especially to meet your needs.

No rinse products are shampoos and soaps that don’t need water to work. Although this might sound itchy and uncomfortable, the products’ special formulas are designed to cleanse without needing a rinse, somewhat like waterless hand sanitizer. Relatively affordable, truckers can purchase a package of six no rinse hygiene items  for use under $27.

The package comes complete with eight ounces of no rinse body wash, the ready-to-use product that both cleanses and eliminates body odors without needing water. Similarly, the No-Rinse brand shampoo is a mild hair cleanser that combines quality with convenience. The PH balanced, alcohol-free shampoo is slightly scented and ready to use right out of the bottle. The kit also comes with a No-Rinse shower cap for conditioning or shampooing hair without water, refreshing wipes that can be used instead of shower gel and are infused with skin softening agents, and hand sanitizer that blocks germs between hand washings.

By using these no-water-needed products, truckers can be sure to feel clean and refreshed between showers. Although these products, which offer sizes large enough for several uses but small enough to make travel convenient, are rather inexpensive for their quality craftsmanship, other brands also features between showers cleansing care. For instance Shower-to-Shower, a Johnson and Johnson company, offers a line of products intended to make users feel fresh when they can’t get to a shower. Most notably, the company offers a unique selection of body powders designed to cool, dry, and soothe the skin.

Although driving a truck isn’t a profession that generally requires a dress code, most people feel at their best when they feel clean and refreshed. Because truckers can take showers at most truck stops these days, the issue isn’t nearly as large as it used to be. In some areas, however, geography and time might prevent a trucker from getting to a shower. When this happens, No Rinse and Shower-to-Shower products are great to have on hand.

Truck Drivers Preventing Injuries

Every job has its risks.  Even people who work at a desk all day are liable to find themselves afflicted with Carpal Tunnel syndrome; working with kids or being a stay at home mom or dad runs the risk of hair pulls and kicks during temper tantrums; and truckers are more prone to sprains, strains, over-exertions, and slips, trips, and falls.

In 2006, the state of Washington conducted a survey that asked truckers questions about their jobs and analyzed the answers in order to determine the types of injuries that truckers might face on the job. Although the survey results did point to the fact that trucking is a hazardous job, more importantly, it allowed researchers to develop a list of methods that truckers can use to prevent injury on the job.

The survey involved truckers from small fleets, large fleets, and owner-operators who had an average of 17.5 years of experience, and those who belonged to unions as well as those who did not. Truckers came from a variety of sub-classifications within the trucking industry, including couriers, local delivery, general freight, and waste collectors.  Because of the variety used when collecting data, the survey results, and suggestions for preventing injury, are applicable to most drivers.

According to the report, driving time is the least hazardous of the tasks truckers must perform.  Drivers who spent more than 25 percent of their time working with cargo, or unloading and loading the truck, were twice as likely to report pain. Although loading and unloading is part of the territory, the report recommends that truckers be careful and consider their physical needs and limitations when working on tasks other than driving.  Although some truckers may be tempted to speed through loading and unloading in order to get back on the road and start making money, moving too fast might be causing some real pain.

The survey also pointed out that many truckers feel pressured to work long hours at a fast pace. Although drivers don’t want to loose their jobs or take negative flack from their bosses, they need to be aware of their limitations and rights, being sure not to work more hours than they can handle.

Another factor that the survey found affecting workers’ reported injuries was job satisfaction. Some drivers love their jobs while others just see driving a truck as a way to earn much needed cash, but truckers that are happy with their jobs and the environment that they work in report higher levels of injury free days. On the employers’ side of the industry, a safe working environment is essential for drivers’ safety.

For all injuries and their causes, the report suggested reporting injuries early, as this may prevent further complications.

Although much of the burden for preventing injuries falls on the employer, employees, by knowing their bodies and exercising caution when working, can have a hand in prevention as well.

Free Guide to Eating Healthy

Whether you’re driving your route or just taking your family vacation, eating on the road is neither the most healthy nor the most pleasant culinary habit.  Because restaurants are too expensive and take too long, you’re left downing greasy fast food hamburgers, soggy truck stop cold cuts, or bags of Doritos and chocolate covered peanuts. But from in-cab coffee makers to crock pots, and from phone ahead to fax ahead orders, eating on the road is getting a whole lot simpler.  

According to etrucker.com, “cooking for yourself can be a healthy, cost-effective, and creative alternative to fast food. The website offers recipes, like this week’s featured dish of Texas Fajita Beef and Chicken, that give cooking instructions in both hours and miles.  

But, of course, in order to make great tasting recipes like the one found on etrucker.com, trucks need to be equipped with an adequate “kitchen.”   

A number of 12-volt kitchen appliances that plug right into your cab are available from a variety of stores and websites. Roadtrucker.com lists a portable oven and Pizza maker among its selection of in-cab cooking gear. With dimensions that allow a whole pizza to be cooked within the oven, and settings for cooking or warming, the oven is ideal for a variety of types of cooking.  

But eating Pizza every day probably wouldn’t be much healthier than stopping at every McDonalds on your route. Luckily, several other cooking devices are available from Roadtrucker.com, including a microwave, stove that heats to 300 degrees and comes with disposable foil pans for cooking, grill, saucepan and popcorn maker, and frying pan. Of course, all of these appliances plug right into your cab for power whether you’re cooking while you drive or relaxing during a break.  

One of the better appliances for truckers who want to cook on the road is a 12-volt slow cooker or crock-pot. Crock-pots are great for the person who wants a home cooked meal, but doesn’t have time to do the cooking. Just throw your ingredients into your crock-pot when you wake up in the morning, and by dinner you’ll smell the cooking!  Crock-pot recipes for the cooking novice can be found in a variety of bookstores, in addition to on the Internet. Additionally, many favorites, like fajita mix or pot roast, can be adapted to cooking in a crock-pot.  

Of course, if you’re going to be making your own meals, you’ll probably need to invest in a good portable refrigerator to keep all your ingredients fresh. In this mobile era, portable, 12-volt refrigerators are not as uncommon as they used to be. Norcold makes a unique model, a unit that can be used as a refrigerator or a freezer that lies down like a cooler. With automatic temperature control installed on this model, you’ll be sure that your foods stay cool during even the hottest months.  

But even though so many appliances exist to make home cooking easy for the trucker on the go, some truckers might just hate cooking, and after one too many in-cab pizzas, they’re ready to head out. You’re ready for a sit-down meal, but you’re not ready to spend a lot of time. In this age of modern technology, most restaurants allow people on the go to fax, e-mail, or call in orders ahead of time so they are ready on the way out. This does not apply just to fast food restaurants, but also finer local dining. Of course, you might not know the local hotspot with the best burgers, but with a GPS system in front of you, you can be constantly checking the food options in your area. Once you find one that appeals to you, pick up the phone and place an order.  

Although McDonalds Big Macs satisfy a craving once and a while, technology has made it much easier for truck drivers to eat great on the road. Whether you’re looking for some fine dining or to make your own soufflé, these options will make satisfying that hunger a little bit faster.