Are you experiencing loneliness as a truck driver? You aren’t the only one! There are several things you can do to combat the loneliness on the road.
If you’re a truck driver, you know that there is much to love about life on the road and the trucking industry. There are many benefits between the money, not being tied to a desk, working on your own, and the exciting opportunity to be an owner-operator. But, with most occupations, there are several downsides to the job.
Loneliness is a huge issue that many truck drivers deal with. Whether you’re new to the industry or not, chances are you could use a little help coping with the isolation on the road. We’ve gathered some ways you can deal with loneliness in your life as a truck driver and stop feeling so isolated.
Continue reading below to learn more.
6 Helpful Ways to Deal With Loneliness as a Truck Driver
The industry can sometimes romanticize life on the road. But in reality, it’s not as magical as it is often depicted. Being separated from friends and family for weeks at a time can feel a lot like a solitary confinement sentence. Here are some ways to help you handle the lonely life of a truck driver:
- Make a Plan to Keep in Touch — Before heading out on a route, make a solid plan to stay in touch with your loved ones back at home. An excellent way to do this is to invest in a smartphone that allows you to access social media platforms and video chat apps.
Even though you can’t physically be with your people every night, chatting with your kids or texting your pals before going to bed can help you feel more connected. It’s also important to remember that, while you’re feeling lonely on the road, your loved ones back home miss you too!
Daily contact will strengthen your connections, making your time at home even more enjoyable and valuable. - Try Something New and Different — Doing the same thing over and over, especially when you’re alone, can feel like a drag. Combat your feelings of loneliness by mixing it up! Try something new and different whenever you can.
Maybe there is something on your route that you’ve always wanted to do but never have gotten around to doing it. Stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something different is a great way to get present and out of your head and elevate your mood. - Bring Along Your Pet — One of the biggest draws to life as a truck driver is the opportunity to work without being surrounded by a lot of other people. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need a little interaction and companionship.
Many trucking companies have drive-along programs for lonely truck drivers that allow their drivers to bring their companion animals on trips. A pet on the road can help you feel happier, healthier, and more productive. If you’re willing to meet your pet’s needs and your company allows animals, it’s worth a try! - Pack Your Favorite Photos — It’s easy to feel disconnected from the life you left back at home when you’re on a long haul. You can minimize this separation feeling by bringing your favorite photos of your loved ones while you travel. Keep the pictures on your dashboard or in your wallet so you can quickly glance at them when you’re feeling down.
- Get Active in the Trucking Community — It is important to remember that you're not really alone even when you’re on the road alone. There are thousands of other drivers in the same boat — er, big rig — as you.
Join the conversations on forums, chat rooms, and Facebook groups and connect yourself to the vast national trucking community. Chances are, you’ll cross paths with some of the people you talk to during your route, giving you an opportunity for a good conversation over a meal on the road. This can help make the life of a long-haul driver a bit less lonely. - Engage in TV Watching — Staying up-to-date on current events and what’s on television can help you feel a part of the community, regardless of where you are and in real-time. When you bring TV along, your trip becomes a lot more interesting and much less lonely.
The secret to a less lonely life on the road is companionship and memory-making, and a television in your truck helps satisfy these connective memories; the characters or real-life people in the shows you watch become your companions on the road.
Moreover, when you’re fulfilling your mandatory rest time on a Sunday evening and catching up with friends and family on the phone, you can join in on the conversation about the football game or favorite show that just ended.
Are You a Truck Driver and Feeling Lonely? Let EpicVue Help!
Loneliness as a truck driver is a very real thing. If you are feeling isolated on the road, EpicVue can help! Being alone isn’t necessarily about a lack of physical presence, but more so a mental state. Television can fulfill the human need for connection. Even if you’re physically alone, the people on your TV screen can help keep you company and make you feel like you’re a part of something.
During your time on the road, the faces you see may not look familiar, but your connection in talking about the shows you’ve watched can feel a lot like home and friendship. Now you are ready to head back out, feeling recharged, and can enjoy the new memories and relationships you’ve made, in spite of the confines of your truck.
Television can counteract feelings of isolation. Happy and healthy drivers are more likely to stay with your fleet, significantly reducing the costly and tedious cycle of recruitment and retention. EpicVue specializes in outfitting your fleet with premium in-vehicle satellite televisions. Contact us to learn more today!
