Category: Blog

The trucking industry is known for providing men and women with lucrative and exciting careers. But while the earning potential for truck drivers is exceptional, the job comes with its own physical demands and challenges. Sitting and driving for long periods of time doesn’t leave much time for exercise, and it can be hard to eat healthy on the road. However, if you want to maximize your earning potential by having a long, productive career, you need to take health and fitness serious. Truck driving school in Tucson will teach you how to maintain your rig, and this article will teach you how to maintain your body as a truck driver.

Stock Up on Healthy Snacks

The tendency for most truck drivers is to eat what’s available on the road. Unfortunately, this typically means lots of fast food and processed truck stop snacks. To keep hunger at bay, stock up on health snacks before you hit the road. Fruits, nuts, and veggies are excellent to have on hand, but there hundreds of other healthy snacks you can find at the market.

Exercise When and Where You Can

With the exception of staying in a motel or hotel with an onsite gym, you won’t have access to professional exercise equipment while you’re on the road. Fortunately, you don’t need a gym to stay active. Aim to exercise for at least 15 minutes every day, and try to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously to maximize your results. Maybe that means push-ups and squats in a truck stop parking lot or jumping jacks and lunges at a rest stop.

Stretch Before and After a Long Haul

As a truck driver, one of the most important things you can for your physical health and wellbeing is to stretch. Give yourself 10 or 15 minutes to completely stretch out your muscles and tendons before and after a long trip. Stretching will reduce sitting discomfort and can even help prevent some of the lower back injuries that truck drivers often complain about.
HDS Truck Driving Institute is committed to producing the very best truck drivers. We do this by providing our students with comprehensive training, resources, and support. If you’re looking for the best truck driving school in Tucson, HDS Truck Driving Institute would like to meet you. Call us at  877-205-2141 to learn more about our Tucson truck driving school

It was only a matter of time before CDL training programs began recruiting female drivers, as women are known for driving less aggressively and being more cautious. In theory, these skills mean that women drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents. Now that an increasing number of women are enrolling in Tucson CDL school, their involvement is shaping the trucking landscape.

Challenges

Women who pursue trucking as a career face advantages and disadvantages. Similar to male truckers, there are bound to be some female truckers with similar experiences in the industry. While some female truckers may find their gender is a plus, others may find it creates challenges. On the one hand, other drivers are anxious to cater to a female trucker’s needs by helping with directions on the CB, radio checks, or fixing the truck in a break down. In fact, some female truckers can use the radio to simply ask a question and have had free meals when visiting truck stops.

Equal treatment

Many women truckers don’t feel they have been treated any differently than their male counterparts. However, some female truckers feel they receive too much attention. While other drivers may be overly helpful to female truckers, the truckers may not have extra time to chat while trying to get directions.

Harassment

When other drivers’ attention goes too far, it can constitute harassment. Every now and then, a female trucker may hear ignorant comments over the CB radio. Other drivers may find these jokes funny, even though they are disrespecting their female colleagues. Some male drivers are serious and even say nasty things to female drivers to put them in place. A mature female driver will respond by simply ignoring the disrespectful comments that come up every once in a while.

If you are looking to begin a career as a female truck driver, HDS Truck Driving Institute has trained thousands of CDL drivers. We are a fully accredited educational institution in Tucson. To learn more about beginning a career in trucking, give us a call at (877) 205-2141.

Obtaining your Arizona CDL will open up doors for many different career opportunities within the trucking industry. Whether you want to drive for a company or be your own boss, see the country or be home with your family each night, there are a wide variety of career opportunities only available to men and women who complete truck driving school in Tucson. To help you plan for the future, here’s a look at some of the top career opportunities as a truck driver.

Over-the-Road Truck Driver

OTR drivers transport goods and materials throughout the United States and are typically on the road for three or four weeks at a time. Experienced OTR truck drivers can make 60 cents or more per mile. If you want to make a great living and get paid to travel through the U.S., you may be interested in becoming an OTR driver.

Regional Truck Driver

Unlike OTR drivers, regional truck drivers haul freight within a few hundred miles of a specified area. For example, if you complete truck driving school in Tucson and want to stay in the Old Pueblo after graduation, your regional deliveries will take you to places like Phoenix, Yuma, and Southern California. Regional truck drivers can be out for two or three weeks at a time.

Local Truck Driver

If you would prefer to be home each night, you should pursue a career as a local truck driver in Tucson. Local drivers make deliveries throughout their home base and are often home nightly. In some cases you may be asked to make long-distance hauls, but even those should only keep you away from home for a few days at most.

There are also opportunities for Arizona CDL holders to become truck driver instructors, owner/operators, and more. If you want to learn about all of the career opportunities as a truck driver, contact HDS Truck Driving Institute. We are proud to be one of the very best truck driving schools in Arizona, and the premier CDL school in Tucson. Please call us at  877-205-2141 to learn more about our programs, admission requirements, and financial aid opportunities.

Spring weather may be great for gardens, but the wet conditions that flowers love will also cause over a million traffic collisions each year. If you’re a Tucson CDL driver, you need to know how to safely handle such situations during your time on the road. When it comes to rain, safety begins before you drive, as you take steps to ensure visibility.

Slow down

One of the biggest safety risks in driving through rain is hydroplaning, where the tires rise up on a film of water. Even as little as 1/12 inch of water on the road forces your tires to displace a gallon of water per second to maintain contact with the road. To ensure your truck doesn’t hydroplane, you should reduce your speed to correspond with the amount of water on the roadway. For example, even at speeds as low as 35 mph, brand new tires can still have difficulty maintaining contact with the roadway.

Leave room

Another way to avoid hydroplaning is by leaving plenty of room between your truck and the other drivers. Remember, others traveling won’t be as experienced with driving long distances in rainy conditions. To stay safe, increase the following distance between your truck and the vehicle in front of you. You should also start to slow down early to stop for an intersection, make a turn or adjust to other traffic conditions.

Respond to a skid

Even if you’re taking all the necessary steps to stay safe in the rain, you may experience a skid. If you feel the truck beginning to skid, the worse thing you can do is panic. Instead, continue looking and steering in the direction you want the truck to go. At the same time, don’t slam your brakes, as this will make it more difficult to regain control of the truck.

Since 1991, HDS Truck Institute has proudly served the Southern Arizona community. Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about CDL training in Tucson. Our graduates are working for many of the nation’s top over-the-road carriers.

After completing truck-driving school in Tucson, the next step is taking the road test portion of your CDL exam. While you may be anxious about bumping a curb or forgetting to check your mirrors, not knowing what the examiner is looking for can be even more nerve-wracking. An effective way to ease any anxiety related to the test is by learning exactly what to expect on the big day.

Automatic failures

In order to pass the CDL road test, you need to know what constitutes automatic failure. While some of these may be obvious, like getting into a wreck or running a red light, other automatic failures aren’t so easy to detect. For example, smaller actions like hitting a curb, forgetting your turn signal, and failing to check your mirrors when changing lanes all result in automatic failure. When driving a truck, these little mistakes can result in very serious consequences, so it’s important to ensure they never happen.

Acceptable mistakes

Even after years of truck driving, minor mistakes do happen. In most situations, it’s not a serious safety hazard to grind a gear or taking an extra second to find the right RPM to get into gear. So long as you demonstrate sufficient proficiency in shifting, you won’t fail the road test with a few ground gears or missed shifts. If you make these minor mistakes on the test, just keep your composure, take your time, and find the right gear.

Non-driving considerations

Your demeanor during the test is actually a main factor guiding the examiner’s decision to license you. Trucking is a high-pressure occupation, as you spend the day dealing with heavy traffic, terrible weather, and impatient drivers. For this reason, you need to show the examiner that you can stay calm when faced with serious stress.

HDS Truck Driving Institute has been proudly training Tucson truck drivers since 1991. As a fully-accredited educational institution, we have trained thousands of students to pass their Commercial Driver License exam. To learn how we can help you become the kind of professional driver companies seek, please call (877) 205-2141.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration have specific rules prohibiting interstate truckers and bus drivers from texting or using hand-held phones while driving. These joint rules are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s efforts to end distracted driving. As a result, violations of these rules can result in fines and driver disqualification.

Texting while driving

Commercial motor vehicle drivers aren’t allowed to text while driving their vehicles. This means, truckers are prohibited from manually entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from their electronic devices. This includes sending short messages, e-mailing, instant messaging, and accessing web pages. Drivers are also not allowed to press more than a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using their mobile phones.

Conducting voice communication

As a result of these regulations, CMV drivers may not reach for or hold a mobile phone to conduct a voice communication or dial by pressing more than a single button on their phones. Additionally, CMV drivers who use mobile phones while operating their vehicles may only operate a hands-free device located in close proximity. Combined, these rules mean a driver is prohibited from unsafely reaching for a device, holding a mobile phone, or pressing multiple buttons while behind the wheel.

Understanding the risks

Besides facing CDL disqualification, violating these rules may result in substantial penalties. Additionally, recent research illustrates that failure to abide by these rules increases a driver’s chances of suffering a safety-critical event, such as a crash, near crash, or unintentional lane deviation. According to the FMCSA, CMV drivers who dial a phone while driving increase their odds of being involved in an accident six times. Texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which equates to traveling the length of a football field.

For more information about obtaining your CDL license in Tucson, contact HDS Truck Driving Institute. We offer nationally recognized truck driver training with available refresher courses and road testing. You can learn more by calling us at (877) 205-2141.

Since April 1, 1992, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has required drivers to have commercial driver’s licenses in order to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Consequently, the FMCSA has developed and issued standards that states must follow to issue CDLs to drivers. Restrictions are placed on CDLs when a driver’s vehicle lacks critical equipment on certain CMVs, so drivers need to take the Skills Test in the same type of vehicle for which they are seeking CDLs to operate.

Classes of licenses

According to Federal standards, States issue CDLs and CLPs to drivers according to three license classifications. Class A encompasses any combination of vehicles that have a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more. Any single vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross weight rating below 4,536 kilograms is Class B. A Class C vehicle is any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not qualify as a Class A or B, but is designed to transport 16 or more passengers.

Endorsements

Drivers who operate certain CMVs must pass other tests to obtain endorsements on their commercial driver’s licenses. For example, a double or triple trailer driver only needs to pass the knowledge test only to obtain an endorsement. For a passenger vehicle, the driver needs to pass the knowledge and skills tests. Additionally, a school bus driver needs to pass the knowledge and skills tests.

Restrictions

If a CDL driver fails to pass the Air Brakes Knowledge Test, doesn’t correctly identify the air brake system components, or does not properly conduct an air brake systems check, he or she will carry an “L” no full air brake restriction on the license.

Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about obtaining a commercial driver’s license with HDS Truck Driving Institute. We have proudly served Southern Arizona since 1991. As a fully accredited educational institution, we have trained thousands of students to pass their CDL tests and to become the kind of professional drivers that companies want to hire.

After obtaining your commercial driver’s license, the most important career decision you will make is how to surround yourself with the right people at work. You also need to understand the factors affecting the freight you receive, as well as the steps to take to put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. Factors to consider when choosing your freight type include your personality, lifestyle, and desire to be far from home for long periods of time.

Dry van carrier

The most common trailer on the roads is dry vans, which are big, empty boxes. As a result, they don’t require any temperature control mechanisms. As there are more dry van companies than any other type of company, you will discover the broadest range of opportunities in this trucking area. Additionally, there are a large variety of companies pulling these types of trailers, so they are difficult to define in a general way. As a result, there are a broad range of jobs and lifestyles within this trucking category.

Dry van jobs

Especially with bigger companies, dry van jobs tend to offer the greatest range of opportunities for truckers who prefer regional, dedicated, and local runs. In many of the larger companies, it’s easy for truckers to switch over into a regional job, which gets them home on the weekends, or possibly every night. While these jobs may require some manual labor, this usually depends on the individual companies themselves.

Refrigerated carriers

A refrigerated company can haul either temperature sensitive freight or drive freight. From time to time, the company will get some of each. Consequently, it’s good for a company to be capable of hauling both types of goods, as it gives the company more versatility with its freight.

HDS Truck Driving Institute trains truckers to become the kind of professional drivers that companies seek. Over the past 20 years, our graduates have secured jobs with many of the nation’s top over-the-road carriers, as well as regional and local companies. Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about enrolling in truck driving school in Tucson.

Graduating from truck-driving school helps you learn all of the skills that you need to know to safely operate a commercial truck. Once you obtain your CDL and get behind the wheel of a truck, you can start living your life on the road. Use this guide to learn more about what to expect from life as a driver:

Inspections Before You Drive

You should always walk around to inspect your truck before you get onto the road. Look at all of the tires, the mirrors, and the doors to make sure everything looks solid. You should also look at the area around the truck so you can see any potential hazards that might affect the way you back up or drive out of the parking lot. Even if you just stop at a truck stop for a quick meal, you should always do a quick walk around to make sure the truck looks good.

Long Hours on the Road

Whether you drive long haul shifts or local routes, you can expect to spend a lot of time behind the wheel. You might not make it home every night, but you will get the chance to see a lot of the country from wide-open highways. Make sure you take the time to rest to ensure that you are completely refreshed when you get back behind the wheel of your commercial truck.

Visits to Lots of Truck Stops

During the long stretches of driving, you will probably spend a lot of time at various truck stops around the country. Try to make an effort to eat healthy food options whenever you can to keep your mind and your body ready for your next session behind the wheel.

If you think the life of a trucker is appealing for you, sign up from the program at HDS Truck Driving Institute. Our Tucson program offers you the chance to learn the skills you need to earn your CDL and get on the road. For more information, visit us online or call (877) 205-2141.

You have to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) before you can legally work as a truck driver. Keep reading to find out why it is important to hold a CDL before you get behind the wheel of a truck:

A Driver Has All of the Necessary Knowledge

If a driver successfully obtains a CDL, it is proof that he or she has fully mastered the necessary knowledge to safely and efficiently operate a commercial vehicle. Drivers have made it through truck-driving school and have proven that they learned everything they need to safely get behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle.

A Driver Has All of the Necessary Skills

Earning a CDL also shows that a driver has the skills he or she needs to safely drive a truck. The skills portion of the CDL exam shows the Department of Transportation that the test taker has mastered the required skills to get behind the wheel of a commercial truck.

A Driver Meets All of the Health Requirements

Commercial truck drivers have to pass a serious of physical requirements in order to obtain their CDL. These physical requirements show that a driver is healthy enough to operate a large vehicle like a commercial vehicle. Drivers must have 20/40 correctable vision in each eye with or without correctable lenses. Diabetics who require insulin shots cannot get a CDL, but those that can control the disease with diet and oral medication can. A driver’s blood pressure must not be higher than 140/90. Drivers must have blood sugar beneath 200 and must not have any cardiovascular disease.

With the help of HDS Truck Driving Institute, you can learn everything you need to know to successfully earn your CDL. Our programs are designed to give you the help you need to start out in a new career. To learn more about our program and admission requirements, visit us online or call (877) 205-2141.

Once you finish your time in truck-driving school, you will be immersed in the real world of commercial driving. Use this guide for some help finding your footing as you begin to work as a professional truck driver:

Pay Attention to Blind Spots

If you are unaware of what is happening in your blind spots, it can make it very dangerous to drive or to maneuver around parking lots. Your blind spots will fall to the side in front of the cab, directly behind the side mirrors, or behind the truck. Pay attention to who is on the road around you so your blinds spots are not as dangerous.

Follow the Speed Limits

A commercial truck is an extremely heavy vehicle, which means it takes longer than smaller vehicles like cars to stop. You should always follow the speed limits on the highways and side streets. Driving the speed limit helps you maintain control of your vehicle at all times.

Maintain Your Truck

It is important to maintain your vehicle to be sure it always ready to drive. Get the oil changed regularly and check the tire pressure. Have some professionals check on the fluid levels, the horn, and the mirrors. This helps you feel confident that your truck is in the best condition.

Check the Weather

You should always check the weather before you get on the road to see if there are any potential hazards that might make the route more dangerous. If the weather is going to be really bad on a certain route, you might want to consider taking another one.
Come to HDS Truck Driving Institute to learn everything you need to know to earn your CDL and enter the world of commercial truck driving. Our programs help you hone your skills so you can begin a new and fulfilling career. To learn more about our program and how you can apply, visit us online or call (877) 205-2141.