Trying to stay warm in winter is a struggle for most people, depending on where you live of course, but it’s especially tough on truckers. Those of us who drive freight on 18 wheels and live out of our truck through all of the seasons are daredevils!

 

There are several ways to stay warm in winter, though, and you should be taking advantage of them. Just treat it like you were going to go camping during the winter or fall seasons, and you’ll be alright.

 

If you were camping, you would want a heavy sleeping bag or several really heavy blankets. The same goes for being on the road!

 

Be sure to check with your company to see if they do have an extreme cold weather idle requirement. Most of them require the truck to run when the temp gets below 20 degrees. When traveling in colder climates, you should always be ready for whatever you may encounter.

 

Here are a few tips to stay warm in the winter that you can use this cold season in your truck:

 

1.  Inspect Your Vehicle

Professional drivers are required to check their vehicles before every trip. We do a visual, hands-on inspection and check all necessary items, including tires, wiper blades, fluids, and lights. Check your vehicle more often due to temperatures.

 

This ensures that you don’t have any serious engine issues that would prevent your rig from working and turning you into a popsicle.

 

2. Run Your Heater

Otherwise, as you are finishing up your paperwork and getting ready for bed, run your heater and fan on their highest setting to heat the truck up. Just before you shut the truck off, remember to turn the fan down, or you'll be blowing icy air at you first thing in the morning.

 

You can also get yourself a space heater and power it through an external power source, so it doesn’t suck on the battery power.

 

3. Sleeping Bag

One of the best choices to keep yourself warm at night is a heavy duty sleeping bag. The stores selling camping gear offer sleeping bags that can help you stay warm even when the temperatures are well below freezing.

Doing this helps, but getting some thick blankets to pile on top is another important thing to do in the extreme cold you may encounter.

 

4. A 12V Mattress Pad

These mattress pads are popular among the truckers who spend cold winter nights in their vehicles. They are plugged into a lighter socket and help you stay warm all night without idling the engine. The 12V mattress pad shouldn’t deplete the batteries if they are in good condition. Old batteries might not last all night so you would need to run the engine at least once.

 

5.  Down Comforter

While a sleeping bag might be a good solution, it can be rather cold when you just get into it. Some truckers don’t appreciate such bags since it takes too long to get in and out. A simple down comforter can provide the heat you need to get initially warm. You can either use it separately or with a sleeping bag.

Before spending the first winter night in your truck, make sure you are fully equipped.

However, if you are freezing, there is no need to save idling time. Turn the engine on. Your health is priceless.

 

Contact Us

We know truckers have tons of other tricks to help stay warm in winter, but these are a few of the proven tips that we know work. If you’re having any problems with your truck or have a question about your current order, give us a call at 877-693-5192.

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