Tools to help truckers get their jobs done

Even the best, most proficient truck driver on the road today needs a little help from time to time, and he can get it from some of today’s top technologies.

LumaGear lighting devices

LumaGear, part of the RoadPro Family of brands, now offers 19 tactical, specialty and headlamp lighting devices in a variety of sizes, most suited for professional drivers. All are bright and durable and provide up to 72 hours of continuous illumination.

The tactical flashlights are constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum, making them lightweight and durable. They also are water- and impact-resistant and feature an extensive beam distance of more than 1,600 feet. The tactical line lights have an adjustable zoom, three modes of operation and six flashlights.

The specialty line has a variety of lighting options, including a flashlight with a 90-degree tilt, peel and stick puck lights, a pocket clip and a cap light for hands-free lighting. The value line provides affordable options such as a lantern with a 90-degree tilt and a rotating handle with a hanging hook.

Garmin dēzl 580 LMT-S

Garmin’s dēzl 580 LMT-S has a bright 5-inch screen and is loaded with features to make your driving day as stress-free as possible. They include:
— Easy route shaping that allows you to change your route to include preferred roads or cities with the touch of the screen;
— The ability to sync your smartphone for hands-free calling with the unit’s microphone and speakers. When paired with your phone, text messages and other alerts show up on the 580 LMT-S’ video screen;
— Voice-activated hands-free navigation allows you to speak to the dēzl 580 LMT-S GPS Navigator. It responds while your hands remain on the wheel;
— Detailed maps for North America that include truck-related restrictions such as bridge heights, dangerous curves, weight limits and related information for most major roads and highways. You create a vehicle profile — height, weight, length and width — and then get routes suitable for the particular size and weight of your truck; and
— A truck and trailer services directory that lists more than 30,000 U.S. and Canada repair and service locations.

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Smartphones that fold in half

The latest smartphone development is size — some have gotten much bigger — and their ability to still be small enough to fit in your pocket.

Three Android phone makers have created Transformer phones; they unfold to be about the size of a small tablet and also can be folded in half and still used.

The new foldable phones include the Huawei Mate X, Samsung Galaxy Fold and Royole FlexPai. All fold out to be about 8 inches wide, and all run the Android 9.0 operating system. All also have pumped-up camera and video capability, so important in our Instgramable world.

Fuel additives

It makes sense to have chemistry on your side in the form of some additives that will keep you running in all temperatures. Fuel additives can prevent your fuel from gelling or clouding so you stay on the road and not in the shop. These include:

Howes Diesel Treat Anti-Gel can keep your diesel from gelling as it removes water from your fuel. It can increase power and mileage as it cleans and lubricates injectors.

FPPF’s Polar Power contains fuel power and water dispersant. It lowers the cold filter plug point and provides lubricity for ultra-low-sulfur fuel, and it contains no alcohol.

Power Service’s Diesel 911 de-ices frozen fuel-filters, reliquefies gelled fuel, removes water from the fuel system and extends the life of fuel-filters, fuel-injection pumps.

Surly Soap for dirty work

Trucking can be a dirty business, and Surly Soap was created to tackle hands that get truly dirty. The big bars come in three strengths — aggressive, medium and mild — and each has a built-in finger rail scrubber to ensure your nails get clean.

The aggressive strength bar is suggested for messy occupations such as mechanics, construction workers and painters that need a tough scrub to clean up, so we assume it would be ideal for truckers, too.

The bars are color-coded for strength and have a mild lemon scent.