How to Deal With OTR Truck Driver Fatigue (Preventative Methods, Last-Minute Tips to Stay Awake)
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- Опубликовано: 17 май 2024
- If you are an OTR driver or even a local driver with long shifts, you've probably had to deal with driver fatigue.
Driver fatigue can sneak up on you suddenly and rapidly sometimes, and it can be extremely dangerous if you're falling asleep in the middle of the highway.
Our driver Brian shares some of his insight regarding diet, sleep schedule, caffeine and sugar, last-minute tips and fallbacks, as well as a myriad of other tips to keep you staying awake and energized on the road.
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Soundtrack:
Sun Dog - Tiger Gang
Pop Filter - Alternate Endings
Nu Alkmemi$t - Cafe Radio
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:23 You can take active measures to prevent falling asleep, as well as preventative measures.
0:56 Brian's go-to light breakfast is boiled eggs and yogurt.
1:10 CARBOHYDRATES
2:20 The healthy sugar intake for males is 37.5g per day, and for females 25g per day
2:55 When a caffeine crash happens, you become more tired than if you hadn't had coffee.
3:17 GET ENOUGH SLEEP BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD
4:52 This trick works wonders if you're trying to make it to the nearest resting area.
7:05 DO NOT FLIP FLOP BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING
7:20 Day driving aligns your sleep schedule better with nature.
7:26 That means less driver fatigue for the majority of drivers.
8:56 MAKE SURE YOUR TRUCK ISN'T TOO WARM IN TEMPERATURE
11:03 Good sunglasses will have better UV protection and better polarization.
I pull over and take a 2 hour nap. Doesn’t matter what the circumstances are. If I’m blinking, zoning out, and swerving, I’m getting stopped.
If I take a 2 hours nap I became even more tired.
do you know if in the US, you can pull over anywhere? like beside any highway? or is that a traffic offense or something like that?
@@JamazVu it’s an offense here. Usually highway patrol doesn’t bother you. However, I have gotten a citation for it.
I flip the radio on to NPR. Listening to their BS will wake the dead.
Absolutely
Do not fight fatigue!
You will loose in the end!
The cold, the music and the cofee can only give you a few miles/minutes!
Best thing to do is to pull over and take a nap or ho to sleep all together!
Better to be late than never get there!
I personally had 2 incidents, one caused by me and one caused by a driver of mine because we were so fatigued that we fell asleep at the wheel!
did you get fired for the one caused by you. thats the only thing im scared about getting into trucking 1 accident thats on you and you can get fired ect
I didn't cause too much damage. I just payed for the repair and that was the end of it.
But if you get in to a serious accident resulting in big damage or injury will most likely get you fired.
💯 percent slp fuck the load company u can find anywhere get slp driver the min you feel fatigued find sleep
Or….killed? Like… don’t just worry about a ticket or the job. Worse things can happen.
I always win //
I drive this schedule and it works like a charm…I’m well rested and still get loads on time…I wake up at 7am..get on road by 730…drive until 330…pull over and sleep until 5 pm…get back on road at 530 pm and drive until 1130pm…then sleep from 12 midnight till 7am….it’s a wonderful schedule that have been doing for 10 years….
How long it take you to figure out that schedule
Not a trucker, but I do a lot of long 8-12 hour road trips.
When I start getting tired, I'll find a **safe** area to pull over (very important). Make sure my doors are locked,
recline the seat and put a small blanket on me which I keep handy.
A quick 30 minute nap, and presto: The tiredness is not only gone, but I am energized and good for another 4-6 hours.
It's as if a 'switch' was flipped that hacked the tiredness away. This always beats trying to stay cold/loud music/whatever.
Even when I am at work, on the odd occasion at lunch I'll simply find a dark room, lay down and keep my eyes
closed for 20 minutes. I won't sleep, but resting my eyes does miracles.
This is how i do it as well and it normally works for me i am a master at taking short quick naps then feeling energetic 🎉
The caffeine doesnt crash hard when you avoid sugar throughout the day, also make sure you eat alot of anti-inflammatory foods like ginger, tumeric and leafy greens
Totally
Tho items aren't t in the ts
Blood flow. The body fuels the mind. You gotta get out of that truck and move your body. All the other stuff works to a degree but no substitute for movement. Been driving 30 years. Trust me. And flat out if you just cannot keep it together pull that damn thing over and call dispatch and tell them I’m taking a nap! Period! A two hour nap will do wonders for you.
Back when I was in training my trainer taught me a trick that works. Keep a dumbbell in the truck right next to the driver seat. When you start start getting drowsy, pick it up and do some curls and other exercises with it. Do sets. Something about working out (adrenalin?) pulls your body right out of sleep mode. It also has the positive effect of exercise benefits, muscle toning, etc. It can be done in ways that do not affect your driving or attention to the road.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing
Yeah
Or sleep your full 8-9 hours.
Resistance bands work too
That's an awesome idea. I remember when I worked an office job that I was always tired at the end of the day, but I would go to gym and I was pumped the rest of the day. I'm getting my CDL right now, I'll need to bring my dumbbells along with me when I get my truck.
I really appreciate this video. I am a company driver on a dedicated coca cola account. The hours are insane and all coca cola hours aren’t created equal. Some receiving hours are only overnight, some are only days. More than once I have had to stop and sleep for an hour. Dispatch may not like it, HOWEVER…i genuinely do not care. If I am blinking and shaking my head and desperately looking for somewhere to stop because I am on the verge of falling asleep I STOP. The load will get there when it gets there. It may be 1-2 hrs late. But it will get there. Be safe out there everyone
I eat a light breakfast of fruit and low sugar yogurt with nuts and lots of coffee w heavy cream. Then mid-day i have lots of veggies and beans and some fish and avocado. Dinner is coffee with heavy cream. I NEVER get sleepy at the wheel.
Im in cdl school currently and they tell us to immediately pull over and sleep if we feel any fatigue whatsoever. Theres no cure for fatigue except some decent sleep. Definetly a rule i will go by once i start driving
It really depends on the type of fatigue. If you are really tired, then yes, pull over and take a nap. If you are what i called Bored tired, stoppink and taking a short walk around the truck will help a lot. When you sit for a long time, your body starts to think it is time to sleep, especially at night. Getting out and moving around re activates the body into staying awake.
Keep that attitude. Don't ever drive fatigued, and don't let anyone heckle or pressure you into doing something unsafe. What matters is getting there safe, on time, and not hitting anything. If you have to get out and look 25 times, do it! Feck it if other drivers are being rude, impatient douchebags. You be safe! If they are THAT worried about the time it takes you, then they can get their butt out of their truck and help you. Otherwise, ignore them. One trick I use sometimes when a customer's dock isn't well lit, or there aren't clearly painted guide lines, is to lay down lines of bright yellow duct tape, and pull them up when I leave. Yes other drivers laugh sometimes. I don't care. There are caring people out here who will help you, and there are a-holes who have forgotten that they too were once new. Remember to pay it forward when others are kind. We all need help sometimes.
15min power nap works wonders
The opera part was hilarious. 😅😅😅😅
We need a video clip of this.
The worst place to sleep is in a truck stop the noise is what makes fatigue the next day
This should be a mandatory watch video for everyone who drives a vehicle. Great advice, thank you!
Great tips thanks
Thank You for the excellent tips!
Love this guy! 😀 Funny but legit info!
Great tips.
Thanks bro
Awesome channel.. Great Team.. Thank you.
Great video! Thank you!
Brian you are legend mate
Great tips 👍
You so right ,
I am planning to go on 1800mile trip, this man helped me a lot knowing the best tips.
Thanks my brother
God bless you 🙂
Morning Game ~ Cold water on face. 5 sun salutations (stretching is the fountain of youth) + walk around the truck 5 times. Drink water.
Breakfast (LUNCH) ~ Meaning break fast. Intermittent fasting will get u fit n give u far more energy. The concept is not to eat for 12-15 hrs. The 1st meal of the day fuels ur energy cravings n mood for the rest of the day. A raw liquid meal (greens frozen berries ginger frozen avocados seeds filtered water) will give u optimal performance. Use the washroom n then go for a short walk or circle the truck until u have to go again because smoothies make u go twice in 10 minutes. That’s the raw nutrients removing toxins. This should not take more than 20 mins
Meal 2 ~ Think sweet potatoes (pierce with fork n nuke) vegetables stir frys or stews r so easy. Did u kno that spices even have protein? We need the plants that animals eat just as much as they need them. Use healthy fats like avocado or coconut oils. All meals for 1 day r typically eaten in a 4 hour window during intermittent fasting.
Evening Game ~ If u feel desperate for caffeine don’t do it! Try a blue light which stimulates our circadian clock😉
Thanks for that sunglass tip!
This guy is a master i listen every word he says.,thank you G.O.A.T
The best I found is drive 5 to 6 hours, stop for a nap of minimum of 2 hours than drive the rest. Depending how far i need to go. I will stop and take another 7 or 8 hours sleep or 10 if i have enough time. If i takes the 10 I will go for a walk or run, shower and 7 to 8 hours sleep. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables instead of fried chicken or cheese burgers and you will notice the difference
Thank you for sharing! Very relevant and useful tips!
Are you allowed to take 2 hour naps? Won't that put you behind schedule for your delivery?
Great info. New subscriber
Truck driver or not these are great tips for anyone that's dealing with fatigue while operating a motor vehicle. Thanks as always
Thanks for your content I've been doing the cold air on the face just got through a 3 weeks of driving at night while I train a new driver
Good stuff..buddy..It helps for new drivers and those who not think they know everything already..😜
thank you! very good video! Every year I go to summer holiday with my family. 4 kids, so it must be during the night, otherwise I get crazy with them shouting and also it is more manageable (no lunch, no annoyed kids). Every year I look for tips to avoid falling asleep, as I usually feel sleepy in the second half of the trip. I appreciate the heart-bumping and ice-hands tricks, I was not fully aware of them. Other tips which I feel are useful are eating some mix of crunchy thinks (like a mix of nuts and dried fruit). Chewing gum helps, but eventually the face muscle will feel the fatigue. Also listening to random music mixed up with short podcasts (unfortunately I cannot talk, as kids sleep). I tried to use night glasses, but I find them useful only for short periods and when there's too many lights on the road. Otherwise I feel like they are filtering out precious light which could be useful at night.
I am not even a truck driver, but these are good tips for the everyday office worker as well.
You have done very well. Thanks
Thank you kindly!
Ur driving tips nice
Nice Very good job, congrats
Kind of missed a big tip/point. When it is time to sleep....SLEEP! Don't mess around in your bunk for 4 hours watching youtube or a movie on Netflix. Once it was time to hit the bunk. I'd read a chapter of a book and then lights out.
Sunglasses are understated. And kind of laughed at $300 a pair. Like the man said I was getting killer headaches (driving nights everyone seems to think bouncing their high beams off your mirrors for miles is okay or not dimming them when on coming) I wear prescription glasses, spoke to my Optometrist and she recommended night time glasses. Which are also polarized for daytime. Haven't looked back. But I can only dream of $300 sunglasses. My last pair $1258. But haven't had a headache from driving making them worth every penny. I get two years out of a pair. Since my insurance only covers the cost of $200 every two years. And like the man said. Buying cheap isn't helping your eyes any.
Great tips
Glad it was helpful!
My grandson will soon be OTR driving and I worry about him. I have sent him to video to keep as a refresher great tips.
Thanks for those tips. I'm not a big fan of sweets or surger in my coffee. I usually on half a coffee once a day and I have it with two milk in to and my breakfastes are on big eather. My main meal usually the biggest one of the day
As a new driver that wears prescription glasses I normally get transitioning lenses for my glasses.
You’d think you’ve got it all covered but depending on the places you go, you find you need the ability to go from darkened glasses to trying to see in a recessed or inside dock now, not 2-5 min. I now have clear lenses with magnetic sun glasses. I also get the normal pair that transition with highly active lenses, normal transitional lenses don’t darken much inside a vehicle by the highly active do get fairly dark.
It’s a tax write off so treat yourself right!!
Upbeat piano music works well. Gets you jamming.
“I keep my truck at 17-18 degrees”
Me an American 😳
Here's an easy tip 16 degrees C is 61 degrees Fahrenheit
I always do the winter one. I don't put my hand out the window but lean a bit so that my face gets cold or my body. That wakes me up. Then roll the window up and try again later.
Great advice! Thank you so much new driver here.This is very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
I drive a 350 or 500 metric tonnes quad road train in the Australian outback for 12 hours a day for 14 days then 12 hours a night for 14 nights then have 14 days off. Some good tips here.
I was distracted by my thoughts. I was driving emotional. I got a speeding ticket in a school zone. It was a rural town. The streets were empty & the school zone sign didn’t have the speeding limit with the flashes! It cause me my job! 🤦♂️
Agree on sunglasses but I look for clarity so I can see everything to license plate. Make sure test your glasses before you invest on good pair as mentioned on Video. If your CPAP machine It's not healthy to work flip flopping hrs. As mentioned by my doctor. Stay on working schedule sometimes it's too hard on body. As mentioned by doctor avoid flip flopping ur hrs.Great points overall!!
I never fully went to sleep due to the truck turning off and on every 5-10 minutes . It was what I called awakesleep , actually I do that awakesleep now when sleeping since I have RA which can be painful . I think electrical hookups , like you would find at a camping grounds , but with meters to make them commercialized and it would probably be beneficial to you drivers . Although I couldn't see any truckstops installing them , it would probably defeat their purpose which is to sell fuel , but maybe rest areas .
I drive about 50 hours on the road. Decent video. Drink enough water. Thanks for the frozen finger trick.
V I P tips for The Big Trucks 🚛 . You guys got everyone life in your hands . Be safe on the 🛣️ roads
The drool on the thumbnail took me out 🤣🤣
I work as an Airport Shuttle Van Driver, we sometimes work at late nights to pickup or drop off passengers much like a taxi and yeah getting drowsy behind the wheel is a common problem especially if you just came a day time shift to a late night shift, body clock haven't yet keep up
what I do is
I just usually chat with my passengers (if they're up for it)
talk about the game, cars, have some laughs, etc
miles would roll by just like that and you're somewhat alert and awake 🤷♂
listen to high tempo music like Lively Reggae, Heavy Metal, etc. never listen to slow tempo music passengers would fall asleep and so are you.
have some caffeine flowin through your veins!
(Coffee, Cola and some types of Teas) it would wake you up for a bit, but be aware that it'll wear out depending on your tolerance.
have a Really Spicy Snack (Spicy Ramen, Spicy Burritos, whatever) the spice would wake you up and reduce grogginess
Look at your mirrors often.. staring dead straight at the road for a long time would eventually lead you to succumb to Highway Hypnotism
use your break time to sleep/nap
doesn't matter how long 🤷♂ 10 20 30 minutes it'll give you that boost
Hello ET transport my name is Youssef I'm from Morocco and i hope to be part of your company i wanna be a truck driver like my father but I'm interested to work in Canad i love it
I been at this job for seven years and wow this video is very informative as I'm gonna try these Im.not gonna over sleep on mu tens and I will start getting up sooner and be more rested and est healthy! 2023 is my goal changer I'm gonna make that med card scared of me ! And not the other way around ! Lolll
Hi i am a old 70s and 80s trucker old cabovers.I liked and subsribed cause back in 1980 a new ext nosed black pete showed up in yard and everyone on christmas party was begging boss to drive it i was 21 at that time.Boss said cali only truck.if anyone wants it raise your hands .well of course everyone raised their hands even local drivers we where so sick of leaf springs then and this one had everything loaded.we only had 3 352 pete cabovers with air ride boss had 150 trucks at that time in 1981.if you where drunk did not matter the bosses wife would drag you out of bar and threaten your job so you just drove but you sobered up fast it was scary i did that 5 years and quit without scarring nothing no accidents they ran us hard 14 hours driving was normal and lie on logs and little white pills helped a ton till they outlawed it.we lost probaly 10 i know of in our company from being pushed to @t guy had 3 million miles was just turning 62 and hit head on as he topped a hill with a brand new white cabover he was 2 weeks from retirement and taught me.3 weeks later i saw a ghost it was a white cabover leaving shop and i was confused and i felt a tap on my shoulder it was my boss he said its just business no hard feelings right>?.thats your buddys truck i just put new frame and cab on it a rekit he called it i spun around and told him off that was my last day driving
He said: Don't eat these, don't eat that, overall
he did not say what to eat......I guess scramble eggs.
Healthy food in the morning is:
Apples, banana, pears, blueberries, cherries.
Orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice 100%
turkey, chicken, beef (boil) or in the oven.
broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, snow beans, squash, bits, salad.
Noon time: Same vegetarian food with white meat but not fried.
Well, I have done it. 😘😎 Stay away from too much sugar,
caffeine, alcohol, high drugs and street women lol🤣😂😍
Add your leafy greens and superfoods like ginger and tumeric.
Wearing Silhouette branded glass, I think Ill bought size fitted polarized clips, aint cheep but you can't cut on your side vision with two glass over an other.
Maaann I get fatigue Local every night 😂😂😂😂🤦🏾♂️ it’s something about trucking your eyes get so tired and dry fast ! But when your not in the truck your normal ? Why is that 😂😂😂😂
When you are sitting, looking at the same thing, your body starts to shut down to sleep. Doing something that is mentally stimulating helps alot.
What kind of glasess you recomend,for truck drivers
🎯💯🎯💯🎯💯Thank you!!!!!
Don’t wait until you’re drowsy to do something about it stay ahead of it.. before I ever get drowsy I’m doing things to keep myself tip top..
I like to lift weights but when I’m otr it’s tough so what I do is stop every couple hours and jog around a rest stop and do some push-ups.. also I travel with my dog so stopping and playing fetch with her seems to be a great way to stay ahead of being drowsy
Does have a dog in the cab help? I would think another being to interact with could make a difference.
Another trick if you’re very desperate: take a sip of your drink but do NOT swallow it right away. Your brain will become alert temporarily because it does not want to choke. It will fade as you get used to it in your mouth. You can repeat this but you will eventually have to pee really bad, but it is a good last resort option.
Sunflower seeds, a good podcast, coffee. When that fails. Pull over and take a 20 min nap. That'll get you going for a while (For night driving) works for me 😳
I does pull over about ones every hour where i go to the rest room have a cigaret and go for a walk around the truck and do a inspection on light load tires etc it is not healty to sit still to long at the time
Not a trucker, but I work 12 hr rotating shift. I've found that singing karaoke really helps. You can download a good playlist and just let it run. Try not to be searching the phone, but it's great and you might unlock a hidden tallent!
Thanks, truckers for all you do!
Good
i don't drive trucks, but I've been in this situation, once I dozed off for 3 seconds and another time I couldn't recal how I entered a corner. Don't fight fatigue, you will lose, others will lose, maybe you're unlucky and will hit something . Be safe
That's the hardest part getting a good night's sleep especially when the truck next to you is a reefer that runs all night or the truck next to you is running all night
I find that chewing gum helps lots. If I only need to go 25-50km I find that taking some big deep breaths helps too.
Regular sleeping pattern is very important. Unfortunately, it's hard to adhere to in the trucking industry.
Oh ain’t no good 8 hours a sleep here more like 4 or 5 a day
Listening to something that makes me laugh and chewing gum keeps me awake.
I’m new to this profession, but what I used to do for long trips (12 hours non stop), O used to drink and eat stuff, but now that I’m nearly 50 years old, I’m thinking about having a new strategy because I can’t drive as nearly as I could even rested, so I thinking about stuffing menthol oil in my nose, smelling salts and maybe even chewing nicotine gum.
this is great tips lol
Here is a tip: if your trying to last an extra hour awake call your friend or family on Bluetooth. This helps me stay awake while driving.
It's amazing how time flies when you're bullshiting on the phone
I know about sugar I don’t eat sugar anything really anymore and all that truckstop food is basically the same thing I bring as much as I can from home I don’t drink coffee after 5 o’clock usually and I try my best to get at least seven hours of solid sleep 7 to 8 hours but it doesn’t always work that way
we used to be able to get some rest when we had the paperlogs, but now with ELD's, I'm completely exausted.
When I started driving I did the mistake of signing up with SWIFT!!! Anyways they put me with a "mentor " who insisted on stopping at every truck stop. He would have huge meals. Not only couldn't I do this but I couldn't afford it bn a new job and everything. Anyway I had to walk out on this situation!
One thing that really works for me is sunglasses but embarrassing to wear them in winter.
I stick my head out the window with bluegrass banjo music full blast
If I'm shaking my head to keep my eyes open it's time for a nap.
Yeah my man, I agree but sometimes you can't just lie down and sleep. Life is not that comfortable, you should know that.
Back in the day they just did a bump or 2 of the ol nose candy and laid down some rubber 😆
Why you have always keep your window open? To keep the O2 in?
Can truckers use otc sleep aid ? Melatonin or ?
Rookie here,If u get a load and it's 15 hours to drop off and let's say I'm in Oregon,it'll take me 11 hours and I have to sleep for 10 hrs.but the load is due 8-11am do I call the receiver and tell them by law I have to sleep 10 hrs and so I'll be there late at night?
What kind of glasess ar good or you
I never get sleepy I just have a hard time focusing sometimes. My body won't let me nap unless I'm sick af.
Please can someone tell me Where can I find a really good sunglasses and what are their specifications?
Thank you
What is your definition of really good sunglasses? Some of the best sunglasses i have had, where just dark tinted safety glasses, i believe they were called nemesis. They were really dark and blocked out a lot of light all around my eyes. You can find decent sunglasses at the truck stops, avoid polarized lenses though, if you have a digital dash, the polarized lenzes can make the numbers on the dash disappear.
Omg, I can't tell u how real and dangerous it is to feel sleepy while u hauling 80000lbs!!! It's absolutely number one downside for me
lmfao, that thumbnail looks like he was fatigued from off duty non driving activities😅
Right, he let someone spurf on his face
never get into the habit of sleeping in the drivers seat
Yes, even when stopped. Do not ever sleep there, get into the sleeper
I do night shifts at the hospital.
I've realized that night shift workers who sleep on their breaks end up worse off.
If you sleep during a break then your body both gets used to sleeping at the wrong time, and also it makes it harder to sleep when yuo actually need to go to bed.
All that said, sometimes you really need a nap. Pull over, get into the bunk, and power nap for 15-20 minutes. That should be enough to get you through, while it also won't mess up your regular sleep schedule.
The driver's seat should only be for awake and alert time. Nothing else!
Nothing beats late night fatigue like a shot of Carolina riper hot sauce
Windows down year round, inconsistent wind baffles will keep you awake.
you not lying you talking about the true
Low glycemic complex cards at breakfast break down slowly and maintain you without spikes. Think whole grains, oatmeal and sprouted grain breads. Low sugar!
Vitamins...
B12
B complex
@@franklinbrandon5283 nutritional yeast is loaded with B vitamins and can be added to just about anything (soups salads sauces popcorn toast anything really). Also vitamin D and C supplements are important.
@@leahschindler438 agreed 100%!!
You cant sustain any day to day without supplements(IMP)...
Talk on the headset a lot with family and friends. Have some friends that are other drivers and we sometimes talk for hours.
Thank you for sharing Michael, great tip!
The best amount of sugar to consume each day is 0 grams.
*added sugar. Best is 28g or less.