What Is the Best Bluetooth Headset for Truckers?

Lets face it, truckers have a tough job both mentally and physically.

Drivers are on the road for long stretches of time, loads need to be delivered in unrealistic timeframes and trucking can be lonely. Some fleets allow you to bring a dog or spouse along for the ride to help ease the loneliness.

But you’ll find most drivers are alone in their rigs as they drive 2,000 – 3,000 miles in a single week.

Technology has helped with easing the loneliness. One of our favorite technology advancements is bluetooth technology.  Bluetooth headsets allow truckers to talk on the phone or listen to music without lifting a finger.

And FMCSA regulations actually require long-haul drivers to use a wireless headset. You’re prohibited from using a phone that’s not hands-free.

Choosing the right bluetooth headset allows truckers to keep their eyes on the road at all times. You can pick up calls from friends or family without increasing your risk of an accident in the process.

When looking for a headset, you’ll need to look for a few different features that help truckers.

Bluetooth Headphones for Truck Drivers 101

You need a Bluetooth headset if you want to be able to meet FMCSA guidelines. As a trucker, your attention to your surroundings and the traffic ahead are what keep you safe out on the road.

A second or two searching for your smartphone is all it takes to get into an accident.

Wireless headsets allow you to avoid these unnecessary risks while driving. You can ensure that your load reaches its destination faster and with less risks if you have a wireless headset available.

But what do you even look for in your headset?

A few of the must-have features for trucker headsets are:

• Noise Cancelling: Noise cancelling is an important feature. When you talk to someone using the built-in microphone on the headset, you’ll need noise cancellation so that the person on the other end of the line can hear you well. Otherwise, the person will hear the sound of your truck, traffic and any other noise.
• Talk Time: How much talk time is available? Most models will be able to maintain a charge for far longer than you’ll be on the road. The more talk time, the better.
• Wireless Range: Wireless range will also be important. You want the device to pair easily, but you also want to be able to roam away from the device. The roam range can be 30-feet, which will allow you to have some freedom when outside of the vehicle to still be able to respond to calls.
• Charge Time: How fast will the headset charge? This can vary greatly, with a lot of units charging in as little as 2.5 hours.

These are the key most important features when considering Bluetooth headsets. There are others to consider, such as standby hours and models that comply with FCC regulations.

Additional features that you may want to consider are:

• Water resistance
• Glove-friendly controls
• Comfort

Of course, read through the reviews and other information about the headset to make sure that you’re buying one that is worth the investment. We’ve done a lot of the hard work for you and have chosen a few of the best Bluetooth headsets for truckers.

Our Top Rated Trucker Headsets

Best Noise Cancelling: BlueParrott B450-XT

BlueParrott’s headsets are some of the best in the industry. Truckers love these headsets because of the noise canceling ability. You’ll spend a little more for these models, but you’ll also be able to enjoy:

• 24 hours of talk time
• Extreme comfort
• 300-feet wireless range from paired device
• 96% background noise cancellation
• Hands-free control
• Volume up and down on the headset
• Programmable button

BlueParrot’s large, cushioned ear pad allows you to keep the headset on for longer without ear pains or discomfort in the process. You have voice controls at your fingertips, and the range is impressive at 300-feet.

In terms of noise cancellation, these are the absolute best noise cancellation headsets on our list.

You’ll find that this headset is rated at blocking 96% of noise, so it blocks more than enough noise compared to competing models. The person you’re talking to will not be able to hear your loud engine, nor will they be able to hear honking horns in the background.

Pros

• 300-foot range
• 96% background noise cancellation
• Multi-connect up to two devices

Cons

• Media volume is low

The only drawback of this headset is that the media volume is not as high as many truckers would like. Everything, from the range, ease of setup and noise cancellation are superb, but it would be nice if the volume went a touch higher.

You can also upgrade to the new updated BlueParrott B550-XT model now.

Best Durability: Plantronics Voyager 104

Plantronics Voyager is one of the most durable headsets on our list. It’s not the best in terms of affordability or noise cancellation, but it is a rugged headset that is comfortable. There’s memory foam on the headband and on the earcup to allow for comfortable, all day usage.

Water-resistant, you can confidently wear this headset outside of the truck when it’s raining without it impacting the functionality of the headset.

Key features that are included are:

• 24-hour battery talk time
• 99% noise reduction (does not meet this level)
• 60-feet range
• Glove-friendly controls
• 5-hour charge time

Built tough, this headset will be able to meet the quality demanded by truckers. You can wear this headset in extreme weather and for daily use without concern.

Pros

• High-end durability
• Sound isolation
• Easy connection

Cons

• Issues disconnecting

A handful of users have made complaints that the headset seems to randomly disconnect from their devices. The disconnect seems to be rare, and when it does happen, the fastest way to fix it is to pair the item again.

Pairing the item again corrects any sound quality issues that you may experience.

Best Sound Quality and Price: Trucker Bluetooth Headset

The Trucker Bluetooth headset is bulky, but it also provides the best sound quality for the price. If you’re on a budget and want something that is a little more durable than the Mpow Pro (more on this shortly), this would be the perfect compromise.

Trucker has an on-ear design with a mic and can connect to:

• Android
• iOS
• Skype

Key features include:

• 27-hour talk time
• 800-hour standby time
• 2-hour charge time
• Extra padding on the ears
• 33-feet working range
• Answer/reject and other button options

If you want a long talk time, this is the headset for you. The sound is great, the padding allows for all-day comfort and you can charge the unit in three hours.

Pros

• Great sound quality
• Superb noise cancellation
• High-quality

Cons

• Low hissing sound when using low volumes

A few of the small complaints I am seeing are that the headset seems to make a hissing sound when the volume is low. The microphone can also be fickle, so you will have to raise your voice so that others can hear you clearly.

Overall, this is the best quality-to-price headset that we have on our list. It’s a headset with a durable build and good noise cancellation, and it costs far less than some of the other models on our list.

Best Affordable Trucker Headset: Mpow Pro

If you just want the cheapest Bluetooth headset to get the job done, you’ll want to choose the Mpow Pro. This model is lightweight and comfortable, and you’ll notice that it looks more like a headset you would see at a call center rather than on a trucker.

But for the price, you receive a headset that provides:

• 12-hour talk time
• 30-feet roaming range
• 48-ounce weight
• 4x noise cancellation
• On-ear volume controls
• Simple device pairing

Mpow Pro isn’t the best for talk time, comfort or quality, but it gets the job done with the lowest investment possible. The unit charges in two hours and provides a 12-hour talk time, which is more than enough for a long-haul trucker.

Noise cancellation is acceptable, and the unit is ultra-lightweight.

Pros

• Lightweight and comfortable
• Pairs quickly with devices
• Extremely affordable

Cons

• Muffled sound

Mpow Pro’s biggest flaw is that the sound can be muffled. The noise cancellation technology is not on par with more expensive headsets, so the sound quality does suffer. If you’re only on the phone once or twice throughout the day, the muffled sound may not be an issue.

But if you’re on the phone multiple times per day, you may want to bump up your budget to the Trucker model we reviewed previously – or an even better model.

While Mpow isn’t the best Bluetooth headset, it’s affordable and will work fine for the casual user.

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