We’ve all hit that point during a long run. The road stretches out. The scenery doesn’t change much. You’ve heard your playlist a hundred times. That’s exactly why we put together this rundown of the best listens for truck drivers and long hauls.
Read on for ways to help the miles pass faster, break up the monotony and keep the wheels of your mind turning right along with the wheels of your rig.
Best listens for truck drivers: Audiobooks
Audiobooks are one of the easiest ways to make a long stretch feel shorter. A good story can pull you in for hours, and a great nonfiction title can teach you something new before you reach your next stop. The trick is finding the right place to get them without spending a fortune.
The free option you might not remember: Your local library card
Audiobooks are a great way to pass the time, but those costs can add up fast.
So, turn to your local library. With a free library card everything opens up. Not just print books but audiobooks, videos, TV shows, movies and more.
If you have time to stop by, your library likely has plenty of books on CD, which can be a great option for the road.
Even better, though? Streaming audiobooks.
Two of the best apps are:
- Hoopla – A go-to for audiobooks, music, TV shows, movies and more through participating libraries, often without long wait times.
- Libby – Another great resource, though it’s limited to books (sent to your Kindle or Kindle app) and audiobooks. One small caution: in our experience wait times for popular audiobooks can run longer than with Hoopla.
Paid but worth it: Audible
If you listen constantly, Audible is still one of the most popular options for audiobook fans.
We like it because:
- The library is huge
- Exclusive titles are available
- Offline listening is easy
- Long books can stretch across multiple trips
Audiobooks work especially well during overnight or low-traffic stretches when you want something immersive that helps keep your attention focused.
Popular categories among drivers include:
- True crime
- Thrillers
- History
- Personal finance
- Motivation and self-improvement
Books like Atomic Habits and Can’t Hurt Me and series like The Terminal List and Game of Thrones keep showing up on driver recommendation lists.
Our personal favorite right now? The Dungeon Crawler Carl series. We can’t get enough.
By the way, we highly recommend Audible’s “Longest books we’ve listened to” list for some great REALLY long-haul picks.
Best listens for truck drivers: Podcasts
When you want something a little different from audiobooks, podcasts are hard to beat. They’re easy to start and stop, come in just about every flavor you can imagine and ask nothing more from you than your attention. Want to laugh? Stay on top of the news? Feel a little less alone on a quiet overnight run? There’s a podcast for that.
Best of all, most are free. You can mix shorter shows into busy days and save the longer ones for those open stretches where it’s just you and the road.
Here are five favorites truck drivers keep coming back to:
One of the best-known trucking podcasts around. It blends industry news, real driver stories and a good dose of humor in a way that feels true to life on the road. If you want a show that gets what your day actually looks like, start here.
A longtime favorite for overnight drivers. It mixes trucking topics, current events and call-in conversation, and many drivers say it helps them feel connected through those long late-night hours when the highway gets quiet.
3. The Daily
Short, straightforward news episodes from The New York Times. Perfect for drivers who want to stay in the loop without committing to a long listen every morning. You’ll be caught up before your coffee cools.
Not a trucking show, but plenty of drivers love it anyway. The relaxed conversational interviews and wide range of guests make the miles slip by, and it’s an easy pick when you just want good company in the cab.
If you like to settle in for the long haul, this one’s for you. Host Dan Carlin digs deep into big moments in history, and his episodes often run for hours (his World War I . That makes it a perfect fit for a long overnight run or a route where you want one immersive story to carry you through. It’s rich, detailed and easy to get lost in for all the right reasons. We loved the Blueprint for Armageddon series – nearly 25 hours of deep dive into World War I than somehow never gets boring.
Best listens for truck drivers: Don’t overlook Spotify and YouTube
A lot of drivers already use Spotify for music, but it’s also become one of the biggest podcast platforms out there, with options from The Joe Rogan Experience to Smartless. Even better, you can build playlists for different moods and routes while mixing in podcasts, audiobooks and trucking content all in one place.
YouTube is handy during breaks or downtime for:
- Long-form interviews
- Educational content, like your favorite classic CRST safety videos
- Comedy clips
- Trucking channels and industry updates
Requisite safety warning: When it comes to YouTube (or anything else on this list) please be sure to keep anything video-related hands-free and distraction-free while you’re driving.
Make the miles feel shorter
Life on the road comes with long hours and quiet stretches. Finding ways to stay entertained and mentally engaged can make a real difference in your day-to-day.
At CRST we know driver well-being includes what happens outside the load itself. Whether it’s safety, wellness or simply making life on the road more enjoyable, the small things matter.
If you’re looking for driving opportunities with a company that supports drivers on and off the road, explore careers with CRST.
Start here: https://www.crst.com/driving-careers/
