It’s almost as if cell phones and mobile apps were invented for truckers. Think about it: One small device can give you access to traffic updates, weather, music and directions while allowing you to communicate in multiple ways and even store incredibly important information. It’s no wonder why more and more truckers are relying on cell phones and tablets.
Consider some stats by uShip: In a survey of 6,000 owner-operators, there was a 57 percent increase in one year of owner-operators using cell phones for daily business; and 33 percent stated they use mobile apps to monitor the weather, gas prices and traffic conditions.
And, 20 percent said they used Facebook and Twitter to keep up with friends and family.
But what are the top apps for truckers? We’ve sifted through the giant amount of apps available to give you some good ones to consider.
Take a look and tell us which ones you use or will try in the future.
1) 
GASBUDDY: This is a free app that is available on iOS and Android devices. GasBuddy helps you find the best regular, midgrade, premium and diesel fuel prices in your area. You can give updates for the best prices you see and get updates for whatever city or zip code you wish.
2) 
WAZE: Waze Social GPS, Maps and Traffic is an excellent way to navigate your route and beat the traffic. It’s a free app and is available for both Android devices and iOS. This app is a community-based app in which you share and get reports from the giant world of drivers who use it. It allows drivers to report traffic jams, accidents, hazards, police and other road alerts, along with good gas prices.
3) 
BIGROAD: BigRoad is a free trucker log book app for iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android devices that allows truckers to keep track of their daily driver logs. It’s a free app that allows you to find truck stops, weigh scales and traffic directions. It also allows you to send documents and photos to your company right from your phone.
4) 
Weather.com: Who doesn’t need weather updates? The Weather Channel offers updates, radar maps, pollen alerts, weather warnings and hour-by-hour weather breakdowns. The app is free on both iOS and Android devices. It’s an excellent app that gives you up-to-the minute information that allows you to plan out whether to keep hauling or stop and wait out the storm.
5) 
My Fitness Pal: This calorie counter and diet tracker is easy to use and very helpful for anyone who wants to stay in shape but is challenged by being stuck in a seat for a long haul. It allows you to set diet goals, keep a caloric diary and input exercise statistics. What makes this app such a good choice is when you input an exercise or food, it looks up the calorie count so you don’t have to. The app is free for both iOS and Android.
These are just some of the great apps available for truckers to make their daily routes easier. Do you have a great app you want to share with us? We’d love to hear from you so we can share them. And remember, if you need our help for any reason, don’t hesitate to contact us by email to [email protected] or our 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-440-9523.