Truck Driver’s Call Their Rig Home – What’s It Like?

A Truck Driver’s Second Home

What’s a home? A house on the street, or a rig on the road? For the millions of truck drivers in the United States, the answer could be both.

As the busy shopping season makes for a busy shipping season, many are making their living (and their bed) in a truck.

Just like a truck driver depends on their truck to get them to their destination, many also depend on it to house them. For these drivers, they can still have a feeling of home even as they travel to new places.

For industry newcomers or anyone who is planning to become a truck driver, it makes for a curious question – what’s it like living in a truck?

Trucking Means Life Away from Home – Or Does It?

It’s where the heart is. There’s no place like it. But what exactly is “it?”

“Home” shouldn’t be confused with “house.” For many people, home is less tangible and more psychological. It can be a taste we remember from a restaurant that isn’t around anymore, or the sound of a song we used to sing with friends.

The feeling of home is about familiarity, safety, and belonging. Research from experiments involving fMRI brain technology found that meaningful places, or places that make us feel more complete, produce a sense of calmness.

For a truck driver, the vehicle they’ve come to know, trust, and travel with can provide the environment they need to feel secure no matter where their journey takes them.

Why Call a Truck Home? Because the Industry is Thriving

As for where that journey is, all we know is that it’s forward. Because despite 2020 being an economic black hole, the truck driving industry is still going strong.

Photo by Lê Minh from Pexels

After a brief slump years back because there were more truck driving jobs than people to fill them, trucking demonstrated its staying power during a time when many industries slammed on the brakes and screeched to a halt.

Trucking’s tenacity and continued economic footing can be attributed to three primary factors:

1. Trucking moves over 70% of U.S. freight – last year, it produced nearly $800 billion in revenue.
2. Consumer spending has remained steady, aided largely by a boost in e-commerce sales.
3. There are many truck driving jobs available, with competitive perks to attract new talent.

The truck driving industry just keeps on, well, trucking. But it isn’t just related to trucking’s old-world toughness. It’s about its willingness to evolve, transform, and be the cutting-edge industry workers want.

The Comprehensive Home-in-a-Truck Checklist

Many choose the truck driving industry because they want an escape from traditional jobs. Being a truck driver isn’t just an occupation – it’s a lifestyle.

But if your truck is going to be your home, you’re likely thinking about how all the main things you do at home would translate into a truck.

Touting features based around convenience and comfort, this truck is as livable as it is drivable. Forget scrounging for dim hotel rooms or trying to sleep in a driver’s seat – home on the road just got an upgrade.

Room to Lounge, Lay, or Even Stand in the Bunk

While the tech and safety features offered by the VNL line do produce the sense of calm and security any home should, the interior is also designed with luxurious housing needs in mind.

Photo by Volvo

Let’s start with a basic housing requirement – a place to lounge and relax. In an industry first, Volvo offers a reclining bunk in a sleeper. It lets drivers create a bed, couch, or recliner feeling at any time.

Even the ladder used to access the bunk is built with care, featuring large steps and the ability to lock away neatly when not in use for greater space management. Did we mention the bunk is big enough to stand in? Think of it as a home bedroom on wheels.

What About Food and Entertainment for Truck Drivers?

For truckers who are packing it in for the evening (or the afternoon, depending on the schedule), leisure time isn’t just for lounging. They may also want to use the truck’s Wi-Fi to catch up on some favorite shows, video chat, or do some personal work.

Trucks in Volvo’s VNL line have a convenient adjustable tabletop workstation perfect for calls, paperwork, entertainment, and of course, eating. The truck also features a food storage container. We recommend microwave meals – they’re easy to store and even easier to prepare. That means less wait time for drivers who are hungry after a long journey.

It also means you can spend less time worrying about finding a restaurant. Simply find stores or facilities with trucker-friendly parking spots, or better yet, a dedicated truck stop, and you have all you need until you’re back on the road once more.

How Do Truckers Clean Up and Do Laundry on the Road?

While your truck may not have a shower in it, you have plenty of storage space for hygiene items. Most truckers usually turn to truck stops when it’s time to shower. It’s helpful to look for ones with the appropriate facilities before you start your journey.

The same is true with laundry. While some truck stops have laundry equipment on hand, standalone laundromats work just as well. Not all of them take cards, so it’s best to bring some bills or better yet some quarters. In a roomy bunk with plenty of storage space, it’s easy for you to separate clean and dirty clothes.

Perfect for a New Truck Driver – Especially During the Holidays

For many would-be truck drivers, the thought of being away from home is the biggest roadblock.

But with trucks like the VNL line making road life more comfortable than ever, and the holiday season making trucking’s already impressive rebound even more profitable, it’s the perfect time to get on the road to a new career.

The right truck has a lot to offer – so does the right company. Both can produce the safe, fulfilling, comfortable sense of belonging a truck driver needs to love life on the road. When you’re ready to get that sense of purpose in a truck and a job, look no further.

Are you ready to become a truck driver? Are you already a driver who needs a fresh work environment to call home? We offer a variety of perks including onsite repairs and maintenance for our VNL 760 trucks, paid holidays/vacation, plus more. Click here to view more perks and submit your application.