Driver Services
Choosing The Best Bluetooth Headset for Truckers
August 7, 2020
Truck drivers are some of the safest people on the road. They go through rigorous training before ever getting behind the wheel and travel up to 3,000 miles a week, making them masters of the highway. With safety being the top priority, many truckers look at hands-free Bluetooth headsets in place of their old CB radio.
What truck drivers should look for when buying a Bluetooth headset
The biggest reason truckers should get a Bluetooth headset is that the FMSCA requires that you have a hands-free device to talk on the phone. It’s just as important, however, that you find a headset that works for you and your specific needs on the road.
Comfort / Form Factor
The first factor for truck drivers to consider is the form factor of the headset. Many drivers prefer to have headsets with an over-the-ear cup, while others like to use something more discrete like an in-ear device. Over-the-ear headsets might have better sound quality on average, though it is crucial that you stick to recognized brands in the industry rather than picking traditional headphones.
Noise Cancellation
Not everyone’s truck cab is adequately sealed to keep engine and road noise to a minimum, so choosing a headset that cancels out all outside noise is a worthy investment for most drivers. If you’re going with an over-the-ear option, you have many products with noise cancellation to choose from.
Sound / Mic Quality
The audio quality of your headset is something that varies drastically in the market, and can often be subjective to the truck driver. One driver might prefer something more bass heavy to cut through the road noise, while others are fine with a smaller sound from their in-ear headset as long as there’s enough clarity. Try to find the headset’s frequency response chart for a visual representation of it’s audio quality.
Device Pairing
Truck drivers these days have two phones a lot of the time; one for personal use and one for work on the road. Managing one phone is already a lot to handle while operating a commercial vehicle. Unless using a smartphone with a dual sim feature, finding a headset that can toggle between devices at a whim might be your top factor to consider.
Battery
This one should come to no surprise, but you need a headset with an extended battery life. The last thing a truck driver needs to worry about is suddenly losing their connection to dispatch. Luckily, headsets exist that can last off one charge for multiple days on end.
Warranty
If the product is good, manufacturers are often more willing to provide an extended warranty. Headsets are no exception here, so make sure you’ve purchased one that can take all the bumps and knocks on the road.
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