The Lap Of Luxury: Making Your Rig Feel More Like Home With Custom Installations

When you're out on the road, the minutes melt into hours sometimes. As a long-haul driver, you probably spend weeks at a time on the road, driving each day across the wonderful and varied landscape that is the American highway system. You're a worker who serves an important role in how this country functions—and you deserve to do your job in comfort. What started as just a motor and a flatbed on wheels has grown into something quite amazing. Newer and better luxuries have been implemented to make you feel more at home than ever, regardless of where you travel. With these semi truck upgrades, you can travel in the lap of (relative) luxury each time you head out with a load.

An Electric Fireplace

Gone are the days when sleeper units consisted of a pull-down bed and a small shelf. Today's larger units can even accommodate a small electric fireplace--very useful when you're spending a night sleeping on the side of the road. For drivers who travel through sub-zero temperatures in the winter, a fireplace can also help you to stay warm if you become stuck. Best of all, most run on a battery rather than gas.

Most custom-made sleepers embed electric fireplaces in either the back of the driver's seat or the back of the passenger seat. Not all semis will have enough room to do this, so if you're looking to get one installed, you'll need a fairly large rig.

An Air Conditioning Unit

While a fireplace will keep you nice and toasty on long winter hauls, any trucker knows that driving from north to south can mean quick changes in temperature. Summertime itself also means punishingly hot temperatures as far north as Maine. Having a small air conditioning unit installed in your sleeper can be the difference between relying on fuel-powered forced air cooling and taking a night off to relax in the back. These, too, can be wired to rely on a separate battery.

A small air conditioning unit can be put into your rig in two main ways: a portable installation or a permanent installation. Almost all rigs have room for either option.

Shower Units

Yes, it is possible for you to enjoy a long, hot shower after a difficult day on the road. Even better, there's no need for you to enter the frightening scene that's often found at major truck stops to do it. A 32" x 32" shower unit can be fitted into most commercial big rig sleeper areas. A refillable water tank embedded within the truck usually provides enough water for a 10 -minute shower and can be refilled at each stop.

While it certainly isn't going to be the big, roomy installation you enjoy at home, it's more than large enough to fit the average adult. The downside here is that the water tank itself can greatly increase your weight on the road. Depending on where you're driving, that may push your rig over the weight limit for whatever you are carrying. When in doubt, double-check your total weight against local laws.

A Good Entertainment System

You spend most of your time on the road alone, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't let loose and have a bit of fun once in a while! During long nights, having a bit of fun at your fingertips is a great way to unwind. Whether you enjoy spending time on your computer playing video games or you just like to listen to music, a semi truck customizer can provide you with the ability to feel as if you're sitting at home in your own living room. That being said, it's not enough to just install a really good car stereo and be done with it. A good entertainment system typically includes the following:

A small entertainment unit for storage
Shelving for consoles, DVDs, and CDs
Speakers, sub woofers, and tweeters placed strategically from your dash to the other end of your sleeper
A wall-mounted flat screen measuring between 20" and 30"; this can be swing-mounted from the ceiling over your bed
Remote-control access to help you change music or movies from anywhere in the truck

Power-wise, most installations are connected to a battery and your motor. These batteries work the same way that your main truck battery works--they can be recharged by firing up the motor and allowing it to run for approximately 15 minutes. A single battery's charge is usually enough to cover moderate use during the few hours a day you'll want to unwind. If you're similar to most modern truckers in that you also have a mobile WiFi plan, you'll even be able to connect with family over the net from your truck.

Whether you're a commercial trucking company or just a freelance driver, creating a cozy environment in your rigs is wise. On the endless roads that pepper America from east to west, north to south, time can seem to stretch on and on. Just knowing that there's a place to unwind and let loose once you stop for the night can seriously help truckers to stay motivated. Create a fleet of rigs that mix beautiful form and utilitarian function by speaking with a sales expert like Arrow Truck Sales today.

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