Email your truck driving questions to brett@truckingtruth.com and we'll get you an answer in no time. We may even include them here. If you'd like your questions kept private, simply say so - we'll respect your privacy.
For questions about becoming a truck driver, we highly recommend:
- Our trucker's forum which is full of friendly, helpful people
- Our TruckingTruth Facebook Page
- Our Truck Driving Blogs with almost 300 articles from over a dozen authors
- Return to the Ask A Driver Homepage
How many days might truckers go without showering because there is not any shower? There are showers at the truck stops, but how often do truckers pass by those?
Hi Robert.
It's funny you ask that because if you ask people what the most common stereotypes of truck drivers are, 'smelly' is a very common one. Especially if you ask someone that works at a truckstop! However, be not concerned. It's true, there are an unfortunate number of smelly truck drivers out there but honestly, 99% of the time it's simply a matter of laziness. Drivers spend so much time alone that from time to time some of these guys kinda 'let themselves go'. Now if they had their wives or girlfriends with them it would be a totally different ballgame!
But they don't. So sometimes they get lazy and don't bother showering or doing laundry nearly as often as they should.
But you pretty much pass by truckstops constantly. They are seemingly everywhere and it really is pretty rare that you go more than 24 hours without passing a nice truckstop to shower and do laundry at. Most guys keep some soap, water, wash cloths, towels, and 'Baby Wipes' with them for a quick 'sponge bath' if needed in the truck from time to time.
Sometimes your schedule gets really tight and it's not that there aren't opportunities to shower, it's that you don't want to take the time. You may only be able to get 3 or 4 hours of sleep on a certain night and you don't want to spend any of that extra trime doing anything else. So a quick 'sponge bath' will have to do for now so that you can use the precious little time you have for sleeping.
So don't be concerned my friend. There is no reason to walk around dirty and smelly. There are more clean, nicely maintained truckstops around now than there ever was before, You'll have no trouble getting in all the showers you'd like.
Take care!
For questions about becoming a truck driver, we highly recommend: