Month: September 2018

Driving long distances as a truck driver can be challenging. Miles can run together and it can be easy to become a bit drowsy behind the wheel. While you may start your day feeling alert, after several hours of driving it can be easy to let down your guard.

However, paying attention to where you are driving is vital to keeping yourself and other drivers safe while you are on the road. The following are 5 great tips to help you stay alert on the road!

Set Up a Schedule

As hard as it may seem, it is imperative to set up a consistent schedule for yourself to ensure that you are getting an appropriate amount of rest. Setting specific times for driving and for rest will help you stay alert as you’re giving your body the rest it needs to perform optimally. It’s also nice to have a set schedule so you can plan out your stops accordingly!

Try Small Naps

If you feel yourself getting tired while on the road, even taking a short nap can make a big difference. Naps short as 20-30 minutes can help give your body the energy you need to get through the next leg of your trip before you can get a full night’s sleep. Don’t push yourself too far and take a rest when you need it.

Emphasize Nutrition & Vitamins

Maintaining a quality diet of good, wholesome foods will help you be more awake and alert at the times it is needed most. Ensuring you eat a quality blend of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins as well as low-fat dairy can help you ensure you are getting the nutrients your body needs to perform at an optimal level. Taking vitamins and supplements can help you ensure you are getting any nutrients you might otherwise be missing.

Focus on Hydration

When choosing beverages there is no shortage of options for truck drivers. From sugary sodas or juices to Gatorade or iced tea, there are a lot of options out there. The simplest choice you can make that is the best for you⏤water. Water hydrates and helps keep your body functioning at its optimal level to help keep you alert and awake long after you reach your destination.

Turn Up the Volume

Turning up the volume on the radio can help you stay awake for longer and can help keep you alert. The noise will distract you from being able to fall asleep while you are getting to your destination. The distraction may be all you need to stay awake and alert until you are able to arrive safely.

Open the Windows

Sometimes when all else fails just simply opening the window for some fresh air can really help. The feeling of fresh air, whether it’s hot or cold, can alert the mind that it is time to stay up and get the job done before turning in for the night.

When All Else Fails⏤Pull Over

Ultimately, when nothing else works the best bet is to just pull over. It’s not worth your life or anyone else’s to try to get somewhere sooner if you are doing it in an unsafe manner. When you are driving any motor vehicle it’s your responsibility not just to keep yourself safe but also others on the road as well. If you are not alert and ready to react when necessary, you put yourself and other drivers at risk.

Are you interested in earning your CDL? United Truck Driving School can help you get on the road to a new career in just 4 weeks! Contact us to learn more.

There are two main ways that you can get started on your new career as a professional truck driver. You can either enroll in a CDL training program or complete your training through a trucking company.

Both are options that many truck drivers have successfully used, however, there are a few distinct differences between the two. The following are some of the pros and cons of both forms of training!

Pros to CDL School

You can earn your CDL in a matter of weeks. CDL training at United Truck Drivin School only takes 4 weeks to complete! Most CDL schools also offer financial aid options to help you finance your training. In addition to a variety of government-funded programs, United also offers veterans assistance, personal financing, and tuition reimbursement. Explore your financial aid options!

Learn from skilled instructors, each with extensive OTR experience. Most CDL training schools will also help graduates with job placement. United graduates get help with their job hunt and have access to exclusive hiring events with top trucking companies. Another great benefit to CDL school is that you can choose which type of CDL you want. United Truck Driving School offers both Class A, Class B, and a combination of A & B CDL certifications!

Cons to CDL School

Attending CDL school may require a little bit of time off work for day classes. This may not be very doable for people working full-time jobs while training. It will also require a commitment to completing training in just a matter of a few weeks which may be hard for someone with family-related or additional personal responsibilities that they have to tend to

As you can see, there are many pros to choosing a CDL training school. CDL training schools, like United, equipt you with all the tools you need to succeed in the long-run. Now, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of company CDL training!

Pros to Company CDL Training

The biggest pro to company CDL training is that may require little or no payment up front. A lot of trucking companies will cover the cost of most, or all, of your CDL training. However, you will have to pay the amount back over a certain period of time.

Though there is often a bit of flexibility in paying back the cost of your CDL training. Oftentimes trucking companies will allow payment back for training to start when you start working. This will allow time to pay back the money and take only a small portion of the fund from each paycheck you make for a predetermined amount of time.

Good news⏤you’re already hired! Training with the company you’re going to work for means that you won’t have to mess around with a job hunt once you’re finished with your training.

Cons to Company CDL Training

Trucking companies are often owned independently, meaning they are not able to provide financial aid options. Though they may cover the cost of your training upfront, tuition is often expected to be paid back in full whether through loans or other means.

Companies that do offer “free” CDL training will tie you into a contract for a time period (usually one year or more) in return as payment for the training. Being tied to a contract can be frustrating if you later find out it’s not the best company to work for.

While there are several pros to company training, there are many more pros to enrolling in a CDL school in the long-run. United Truck Driving School can give you the training you need to get started in the new career. Forget the contracts and have the flexibility to choose the best company for your lifestyle! Contact us today to learn more!

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 2026 runs from September 13 to 19. The American Trucking Associations set this year’s theme as “For the Miles You Drive and the Sacrifices You Make.” It’s a fitting message. Professional drivers haul close to 11 billion tons of freight every year and account for more than 70% of all freight moved in the country. That kind of impact takes real commitment, and it deserves real recognition.

At United Truck Driving School, that commitment isn’t an abstract idea. Every student who walks through the doors in San Diego or Riverside is already showing it, long before their first paid mile.

What “The Miles You Drive and the Sacrifices You Make” Really Means

This year’s theme points to something drivers rarely get enough credit for: what it takes to keep the job going, week after week. Time on the road, time away from home, and the discipline to keep freight moving on schedule are all part of the commitment. The theme asks the country to recognize that commitment, and to be genuinely grateful for the people who make it.

That commitment is also exactly why this career has real staying power. The American Trucking Associations projects the U.S. is short about 82,000 drivers in 2026. Freight demand isn’t slowing down, which means people who choose this path step into real job security in a field that genuinely needs them and rewards the people willing to show up for it.

That message is exactly where that commitment begins, and where people get the support to build a career around it.

The Commitment Starts Before the First Mile

Every student at United Truck Driving School puts something on the line to be there. Some leave a job. Some study around a full-time schedule. Many are starting over completely, whether they’re coming out of the military, switching careers, or supporting a family while they train. What they get in return is a real shot at a stable, respected career.

Shaun, a veteran who trained at United, made that leap after leaving military service. He has said that once he started researching schools, United stood out because staff took the time to understand his background as a prior service member and helped him navigate the transition. That kind of support matters, especially since veterans currently make up only about 10% of the driver workforce even though a federal initiative is working to push that number to 20%.

Students like Shaun show what this year’s theme is really about. The commitment doesn’t start with the first solo run. It starts with the decision to train, and United is there for every step of CDL training that follows.

How United Truck Driving School Supports That Commitment

Honoring commitment means more than saying thank you once a year. United backs that up with real programs that help students succeed.

Veterans get direct support. United’s Veteran Assistance program accepts most VA education benefits, which can lower or eliminate the cost of retraining for service members and their families.

Tuition doesn’t have to be a barrier. Tuition financing and other government assistance programs exist so cost isn’t the reason someone puts off a career change.

Women bring real strengths to this field. Women currently make up roughly 9 to 10.5% of professional CDL drivers, depending on carrier size, and that number is growing. United’s Women in Trucking program supports women through training and into the industry, helping more women build the same kind of career.

The support doesn’t stop at graduation. United’s job placement services connect graduates with carriers so the move from classroom to career is as smooth as possible. As Riverside admissions rep Monty Jordan has put it, students remain part of the United family long after they finish training. Read more in Our Riverside Rep Raises the Bar for CDL Training.

Simple Ways to Thank a Truck Driver This Week

Recognition doesn’t have to be complicated. A few ways to show appreciation during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week:

• Buy a meal or coffee. A small gesture at a truck stop or diner goes a long way after a long shift.
• Give drivers room on the road. Safe following distance and patient merging is one of the most meaningful ways to say thank you.
• Say it directly. A simple “thank you for what you do” to a driver at a rest stop or truck stop means more than most people realize.
• Post about it. Sharing appreciation online with the hashtag #ThankATrucker helps spread recognition beyond just one week.

To United’s Students and Graduates: Thank You

This week is about professional drivers everywhere, but United Truck Driving School also wants to speak directly to its own students and graduates. Every person who has trained here, whether they’re now hauling freight across the country or just finished their first week on the range, made a real commitment to get here, and it’s one worth being proud of. Explore more graduate stories from people who made that same decision and are building careers because of it.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week only lasts seven days, but the opportunity behind it lasts all year. Thinking about starting that journey? Get in touch with United Truck Driving School to learn what CDL training looks like at the San Diego or Riverside campus.