There’s nothing quite like the hum of your rig and the long stretch of open road—but what happens when you have to pick between two comforts: no radio or no A/C? We asked our Truck Drivers USA community what they’d rather do without behind the wheel, and the responses rolled in faster than a downhill gearshift on I-70.
The A/C Loyalists: Windows Down, Tunes Up
For a lot of drivers, music is non-negotiable—even if it means braving the heat.
Michelle Dittmann keeps it simple: “No A/C. Roll the window down and turn up the tunes.”
Jason Cromer agrees: “No A/C. I always have Pandora.”
Joseph Perlman says, “No AC. You can roll the windows down, but I can’t drive without music.”
James Stem summed it up perfectly: “No AC. I have to have my radio.”
Charlie Davis chimed in: “No A/C, gotta have music.”
Others, like Yannick Dils, got creative: “No A/C. Turn up the radio and open the fridge for cooling.”
Team No Radio: Gotta Stay Cool
Then there’s the crew, who’s all about keeping their cool—literally.
Shawn Rutherford put it plainly: “No radio, easy—unless it’s winter.”
Jeff Trelford gets by with a workaround: “No radio, I’ve got a Bluetooth boombox.”
Cory Clark doesn’t hesitate: “Definitely no radio… A/C is almost a must.”
Deborah Caputo agrees: “No air conditioning.”
Lela Pearson, Julie Davis, Rick Beckwith, and many others said they’d rather ditch the radio if it meant keeping their A/C.
For Brian David, it’s about practicality: “No radio. I can always use my phone for entertainment, but personal experience tells me the old 2-55 A/C sucks.”
“Been There, Done That” Veterans
Some drivers didn’t flinch—because they’ve already done both.
David Barandica recalled: “I had a job driving a box truck without any of those.”
Charles Russell took it up a notch: “I’ve done both and driven L.A. to Norfolk with neither A/C or radio in late July.”
Evan Siegel shared: “Drove from Lordsburg, New Mexico to Houston with no A/C in the summer.”
Mike Eitner, with over 3 million miles under his belt, said he’s done it both ways.
And Then There’s the Middle Ground…
Some folks said it depends, like Deborah Sison, who said, “No radio if it’s during summer. No A/C if it’s during winter.”
Russell Zinck added: “It all depends on if it’s winter or summer.”
Others got philosophical—or just plain funny. Timothy Henry said: “No radio because I’ve got a good voice.”
Hope N Rick Gonzales agreed: “No radio, I can sing!”
What’s the Final Verdict?
From phone-streamed music to Bluetooth speakers and ice packs to cracked windows, drivers have found all kinds of ways to adapt. But one thing’s for sure—truckers will always find a way to make the ride work when it comes to comfort on the road.
Whether you’re team A/C or team radio, it’s clear that every driver has their own must-haves. The real takeaway? It’s not always about comfort—it’s about making it through the miles your way.
