What Makes a Great Long-Haul Trucking Route?

Though many long-haul truckers are willing to go just about anywhere on America’s highways to get the job done, there are certainly routes that they prefer to drive and others that they dread. While much of this may be chalked up to the personal preferences of the driver, there are undoubtedly some factors that make certain trucking routes more popular than others. These are some factors that seasoned truckers take into account when deciding how excited they should be about their next route.

The Length of the Route

Length is an obvious consideration in interstate trucking, but it’s often not as simple as shorter routes being preferable. Drivers are usually paid according to the number of miles driven, so often longer routes are preferable since they bring in more money.

Traffic Congestion

Whether long or short, routes that take a long time due to heavy traffic are often ones that drivers dread. Not only does traffic increase the length of time the driver is on the road, it is often a stressful experience and can lead to more accidents.

Scenery

Despite the fact that the stereotype of the trucker is someone who has seen every corner of the United States, there are some landscapes that never get old. More variety often makes for good routes, as do routes with increased chances of seeing wildlife or other unusual sights.

Trucker Friendly Roads

Wide, well-maintained roads are much less stressful for drivers and easier on their vehicles. In addition, roads that pass over steep hills or through tight switchbacks are often stressful even for the most seasoned of truckers.

Alternatives

Even a very well-loved route can occasionally become difficult to navigate, whether because of traffic, weather or natural disaster. This is why the best routes are ones that have a number of viable alternative routes that allow for the circumvention of trouble.