How, When, Where Do Truck Drivers Sleep?

On-the-road truck drivers can drive whenever they choose and based on their schedule will have to decide how, where, and when to sleep during their journey.

Back when I was on the road for weeks at a time, I had this mindset where if I shut down that meant that my free time is meant to dedicate as much time to sleep as possible.

To me, shutting down meant that for the next ten hours of free time, I’m going to try and sleep as much as possible. Besides basic hygiene, like showering, using the restroom, laundry, and getting some food, I didn’t really feel like I had much time to do anything else.

I couldn’t really plan to nap on when my trailer was being loaded or unloaded either since the timing was never really consistent. Over time I learned how to make the most of my off time and I hope my tips can help.

When Do Truck Drivers Sleep?

Generally speaking, OTR truckers will sleep either during the day or at night.

Many drivers prefer to drive only at night so that they have plenty of morning parking by the end of there shift and to avoid traffic during driving hours.

If you are an owner-operator, since most of the money you make comes from a profitable fuel economy you will enjoy getting more miles thanks to minimal midnight traffic. Sometimes weight stations are closed at night too.

Here’s a table summarizing the regulations for truck drivers’ hours of service:

A Trucker’s Best Way to Schedule Sleep

My advice based on my experience, as well as my two brothers who have been OTR, is to schedule your sleep based on your chronotype.

Chronotype is your body’s unique sleep preference. There are four main chronotypes:

Lark – Early to bed, early to rise. A “morning person”. Most productive and focused in the mornings. Usually sleeps the best of all chronotypes. Great for typical school schedules or 9-5 jobs.

If this is you, you’ll feel much better getting your sleep time starting as early as 8PM if you can. This helps you stay alert for those morning hours.

Owl – Natural “night owl” who stays up late. Most creative and energized at later hours. Tend to socialize by having night outs. Great for late shifts.

If you’re a night owl, then you will definitely take advantage of a good parking situation mention earlier in this post. You can drive at nights, find good parking in the early mornings and sleep then when you can.

Fox – An “in-betweener” that is flexible in terms of going to sleep. They have steady energy across the day.

You are likely more go-with-the-flow in terms of your sleep schedule. Like my brother, you make this fit you however is both most practical and comfortable.

Dolphin – Is “erratic” in that there is no standard sleep schedule. Most energetic when inspiration hits. They are more in touch with their energy levels and learn to adapt to their current schedules.

This is my chronotype – I will always go for the night drives to get the best parking and sleep at a stop. If I weren’t trucking, I’d naturally fall asleep at very early hours (like 6 or 7AM) if I really have nothing to do.

Where Do Truck Drivers Sleep?

For naps, truckers can sometimes sleep in the truck when waiting for loads. This is usually the best time to take a nap if you really need a bit of sleep. Ideally you get enough sleep on your time off, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen.

If you’re feeling physically fatigued, tell your dispatcher that you need a break before your next load. Letting them know ahead of time helps because you’re less likely causing sudden issues to their whole operation.

But telling the dispatcher that you need a load off for safety and sleep is something you only want to do very occasionally. If you keep requesting extra breaks, at some point the people in charge are gonna decide you’re not cut out for the job.

For a full rest, truckers typically park at rest stops to sleep. These rest stops are usually very safe and well-lit.

The issue with truck stops is that some of them don’t have a level parking lot. This makes it harder to sleep comfortably.

If you see a truck moving from parking spot to parking spot, it’s usually due to the ground not being level.

That said, hotels get expensive quickly and finding truck stops and alternate parking areas is financially wise.

4 Tips for Finding Truck Driver Parking

• Check google maps and Google Earth. Smaller towns in your area might show areas where other truckers have parked.
• Look out for backroads to pullover off the freeway.
• Try out parking lots at malls, Walmart, Lowe’s, etc.
• Use SmartTruckRoute or TruckerPath to find truck stops

How Do Truck Drivers Sleep In A Truck?

Average sleep for an OTR trucker averages around 6 to 9 hours.

Typically a trucker on-the-road will have a truck equipped with a sleeping berth. A sleeping berth is a compartment in the truck that has a bed and mattress for long distance drivers to sleep in.

You can also bring electric blankets, fans, heater, and sometimes white noise machines for maximum comfort.

If the truck isn’t equipped with APU, many times the truck will be left on for heat or AC depending on the weather.