Our team at RoadPro has set out to discover what truckers experience on the road. What better way to do this than actually getting into a cab and traveling with a trucker on their route?

Our Director of Channel and Shopper Marketing, Derek Lehman, had the first ride with one of our good friends Henry Albert. They took the road on November 5^th starting in Charlotte, North Carolina.  From there they spent 2 days of traveling together, during which Derek got the experience of truck stop food, a travel center shower and sleeping in the cab. They wrapped up the trip in Hedwig, Texas, having traveled a total of 1,254 miles and we could not wait to hear all about Derek’s experience.

Sitting down with Derek, we got the inside scoop:

Q: What were some things that stuck out to you during your time on the road?

A: “Two big things I learned: Time slips away while on the road, when it comes to the day to day activities, however time is front and center when it comes to managing the clock against the legal driving hours, breaks, etc. Second, trucking is a brotherhood and there is a lot of comradery.”

Q: Did you encounter any unexpected issues?

A: “I was increasingly aware that distracted drivers are rampant on the highway.  The truck cab provides a unique vantage point to see into the passing automobiles.  Most drivers are texting, talking on smart phones, eating and other activities and pulling their attention away from the primary activity of driving.”

Q: Any other big take-aways from your experience?

A: “I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of space I had in the upper bunk bed.  At 6’1” I could stretch out in the bunk and still had plenty of room.  Unfortunately, the mattress was not very comfortable and exceptionally thin, however after riding over 600 miles, any bed feels good.”

Q: How was showering in the travel center?

A: “ I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I took my change of clothing and toiletries into the travel center and spent $14 for a private shower room.  I had a very clean private room equipped with a dead bolt, a toilet, shower and fresh towels.  The towels were in decent shape and for a few minutes while showering I forgot I was in a travel center and could have been at home or in a hotel.”

After Derek’s positive experience, RoadPro has gained a lot of insight into life on the road. We are in the works of planning more ride-alongs for our team – stay tuned to hear about each of those!

In the mean-time, make sure to check out our new qualifying products on RoadPro Rewards to make sure you are getting the most out of your travel product purchases.