Road Trip Tips

How to Drive Like a Long-Haul Trucker

• Travel in the opposite direction of rush-hour traffic. Enter a city in the evening hours, and exit it in the morning.
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• Listen to comedy. “A lot of us schedule our days around shows on satellite radio,” says Brett Nymeyer, who for about six years has been driving 18-wheelers for Challenger Motor Freight, which operates throughout North America. “Most guys listen to comedy channels, like Sirius 104. They keep you awake and happy.” No satellite radio? Pop in a comedy CD.
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• Take walks. Park as far from rest-stop entrances as possible to gain some exercise.
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• Get in rhythm. Truckers are very conscious of circadian rhythms, says Nymeyer. Plan stops for the afternoon and the middle of the night if you’re still on the road, he says, so “you’re not fighting fatigue when the body wants to sleep.”