“Kids today just don’t realize how good they have it.” Older generations always think they had to work a lot harder than their younger counterparts (and they’re normally right). The same is true for trucking.
Truck driving technology has improved dramatically in recent years. This goes far beyond the tech in the truck itself and even extends to other tools drivers can use on the road. You might be surprised by how many great truck driver apps there are.
How to Determine the Best Truckers Apps
As we considered the best apps for truck drivers, we didn’t just focus on designated trucker apps. That is, this list includes several apps that are made for people in general but are useful for truckers. Part of the reason trucking careers appeal to millennials (and just about everyone else) is that all types of modern technology are empowering rapid improvements in terms of how enjoyable the work is.
We considered all of the following criteria when compiling this list:
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- How useful are these apps for truck drivers? We looked for apps that do practical things like make weigh stations and rest areas easier to find. The list also includes apps that can help prevent burnout for truck drivers or help drivers stay in better health.
- Does the app have good ratings? We looked for apps that generally get good reviews from those who have used them. We also took care to identify apps that offer excellent customer service. This is more important for apps that truck drivers might really count on to get the job done effectively, as the user could need prompt responses to any bugs or problems.
- Do we like the app? Here at Duncan & Son Lines, we pride ourselves on treating our team as a part of the family. A lot of companies say that, but we mean it. For that reason, we wouldn’t recommend any app unless we personally thought it was useful.
Best Truck Driver Apps
Now that you know which criteria we used to select these apps, you should have some idea of what to expect. With that in mind, let’s jump right into the top apps for truck drivers.
1 – Allstays Truck and Travel
This app includes great information about where you can find rest areas, truck stops, weigh stations, truck ramps, and more. It can help you see where there are steep road grades, Walmart locations, truck dealers, and just about everything else you might want to know about while you’re on the road. This app has tens of thousands of data points, which puts a lot of information in your hands. You’re covered whenever you need a laundry facility, a hot shower, road service, and more.
2 – Audiobooks
Keeping yourself entertained is one of the best ways to maintain good mental health for truckers. Audiobooks offer well over 100,000 different audiobooks, and you can access more than 10,000 of those for free. When you sign up, you might get a free trial that includes some free access to books you’d normally have to pay for. If you love to read books but don’t feel like you always have the time or energy, you’ll love this opportunity to keep up with your healthy habit while you’re on the road.
3 – MyFitnessPal
Speaking of healthy habits, it can be difficult to stay healthy for truckers. While you’re on the road, junk food is always readily available, and it is easy to get in the habit of having it too often. This app is free (though there are in-app purchases), and it can help you watch your health. The app helps track both diet and exercise. You can enter your food manually or even scan barcodes to find some items.
4 – Trucker Path
This app includes information on more than 7,000 different truck stops throughout all of North America. You can find information about weigh stations and scales, fuel stops with truck clearance, and available parking. Use the trip planner feature if you want, or engage with the truck driver forum. Almost a million truckers already use this app.
5 – Acorns
This app is built for everyone, but it can be used to help truck drivers save money while they’re on the road. It automatically sweeps the spare change into an investment account. You can set up your portfolio to invest money based on your income and your specific financial goals. Combine this with some other money-saving tips for truck drivers, and you’ll get even more financial benefits from this lucrative career.
6 – Dark Sky Weather
This app costs $3.99, but most people who have tried it say it’s worth every penny. It has hundreds of thousands of reviews with an average rating of 4.7, so you know it’s awesome. This might be the very best weather app available, which is nice to have for drivers. Driving a truck in bad weather can be tricky, but it gets a lot easier if you don’t get caught by surprise.
7 – Waze
As navigation apps go, this app has just about everything: GPS, maps, traffic alerts, and live navigation. You can use it to find out about traffic, hazards, construction, and other things that might cause problems along your route. It even makes automatic changes to help you avoid traffic and other obstacles. Truck drivers can use it to get the job done faster and get home more quickly.
8 – Rolling Strong
Rolling Strong is on a mission to improve the quality of life for truckers by focusing on fitness, nutrition, sleep, and generally healthy lifestyles. Drivers can join the wellness social page, find fitness facilities, and set themselves up to receive medical CDL recertification reminders. The app even provides access to CDL wellness coaches for those who want more personalized attention. Some of these features do remind payment, but it’s worth it to the many drivers who find that they get a lot from this particular app.
9 – Calm
This is one of the best meditation apps on the market. It’s a “freemium” app, which means you can start using it for free, but that you may have to pay for some of the best features. Still, you can get daily meditations, some music tracks, sleep stories, breathing exercises, and even a mood tracker completely for free.
These features are helpful because it’s extremely important to stay calm and collected on the road. There are many ways for truck drivers to reduce stress on the road, and using this app is certainly one of them. If you find that the job is starting to wear on you, getting in the habit of mindfulness might dramatically improve your daily life.
Resources for Truckers
Here at Duncan & Son, we offer some of the best trucking jobs in Phoenix, Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and everywhere along the I-10 corridor. We like to hire skilled, experienced drivers, which means we have to have a lot to offer.
Much like all of the apps listed above, we have a large collection of resources for truck drivers who are looking to make the most out of the job. Take a look at our blog today, browse open positions, or contact us to learn more!
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