Hello everyone and nice of you to stop by our blog (again). In this post, I’ll give you an insight into my everyday life and tell you which apps, tools and gadgets make my life on the road easier. Perhaps you’ll also find one or two useful tools here.

 

The pitfalls of fuel apps

When you’re on the road as much as I am, fuel apps are an indispensable aid. I have several of them on my phone: the one from Hoyer and the one from Alphabet. Unfortunately, the Alphabet app only shows me German petrol stations, which doesn’t really help me in international traffic. I often have to resort to Google to find the nearest suitable station.

Of course, I also have a fuel card. The partner companies that are accepted in other countries are listed on the back. But even that doesn’t always work smoothly. Sometimes I can’t pay with my Shell card in Turkiye. There’s only one thing to do: improvise and hope that it will be accepted somewhere else.

 

The sat nav: friend and foe

My faithful companion on the road is my TomTom sat nav, especially for trucks. It really is the best there is. It takes into account the height and weight of the vehicle and avoids narrow roads and bridges that are unsuitable for trucks. However, I always leave it muted and only look at it from time to time. I prefer to drive without the sat nav so that I can keep my head switched on.

My navigation system. Photo: Ronny Nittmann

One example of how important it is to be well prepared is in Portugal. The roads there are often very narrow. Thanks to Google Maps, I can look at pictures of the route beforehand and find a better way.

 

Toll boxes and their pitfalls

I don’t have a toll app, but I do have a box from the mobility service provider DKV, which works in many European countries. The box is really practical because it charges many tolls automatically. However, not all countries are registered and I sometimes need other boxes or vignettes etc.. That’s why I sometimes have a lot of these boxes in my cab.

The toll box, on which numerous countries are registered. Photo: Ronny Nittmann

 

I currently still need a separate box for the Czech Republic. From next year, the country will also be included in the DKV box. I top it up at the filling stations. It’s very easy with a barcode that is scanned there. In Turkey, on the other hand, I have to put a barcode on the windshield. There’s an app that shows me how much credit is left in the box. I can top up new credit here directly via the app. That saves a lot of time and stress.

The barcode for tolls in Turkey. Photo: Ronny Nittmann

I also have a separate box in Norway, and I need a vignette for the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark and Romania. In Sweden, I have to apply for an electronic vignette online before entering the country. In Croatia and Serbia, everything works differently and I have to pay by card at the toll booth.

 

High-tech for the tires

Tire pressure monitoring is a must for every truck driver. I use the Continental ContiConnect app, the digital tire management system. This app gives me access to all sensor data and monitors the tire pressure and temperature. If there are any deviations, I receive a notification immediately.

 

Communication and traffic information

CB radios are as good as extinct in our trucks. This is because it is no longer permitted to hold them in your hand while driving. Instead, I get important traffic information via my sat nav, the radio or via WhatsApp from colleagues.

 

Telematics systems and co.

Our trucks are real high-tech machines. With telematics systems, I can monitor fuel consumption, speed and location. These measuring systems help to optimize driving style and plan maintenance. A particular highlight is the Mercedes Eco program, which shows me in real time how efficiently I’m driving.

You can see my display settings in the following pictures. At the top, where the 0 is shown and the hard shoulders are displayed, I can see that my side assist is switched on and is keeping me in my lane. In the middle is my digital navigation system. I can also see my fuel gauge, the time, the kilometers driven, my rest breaks and the daily driving time on the display. So I get a summary of how long I drive during the day, how many breaks I have to take and how much shift time is left until the next break. And below that I have an overview of the whole week.

At the bottom right, I can see the total number of kilometers I’ve driven with the truck, and to the left, the 700 kilometers I’ve driven in one day in one shift. There are also many other programs that I can set.

 

The view into the cab

A side camera in the mirror arm helps me to keep an eye on the blind spot, especially in heavy city traffic. It comes on automatically when I turn off and then goes off again.

Convenience is also taken care of. My fridge with ice compartment and coffee machine are always to hand so that I’m well supplied while I’m driving.

Less is more

Although there are many technical aids available today, I try not to use too many of them. I prefer to rely on my own skills and my wits. It’s great that these tools exist, but at the end of the day, one thing counts above all: a clear head and the joy of riding.

See you around and stay on the road,

your Ronny