With the holiday season far behind you in the rearview mirror, you’re likely settled back into the daily grind, which starts with your morning commute. When I’m driving to the office, it’s a cup of coffee that really gets me going. But I’ve found a few great BlackBerry smartphone and BlackBerry PlayBook tablet apps to make my commute that much easier. (Just remember, as cool as these apps are it’s important to always keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road while driving. Enter your information ahead of time and don’t use these apps while driving)

Here are some of my favorites:

• DriveSafely by iSpeech.org: This handy BlackBerry smartphone app helps drivers keep hands on the wheel by reading SMS and email messages out loud. DriveSafely Pro provides even greater functionality, allowing you to dictate SMS or email responses, repeat messages, and even make outgoing calls.

• GasBuddy – Find Cheap Gas Prices by GasBuddy Organization, Inc.: Do you need to find the cheapest gas while you’re on the go? This BlackBerry smartphone app locates nearby gas stations and allows you to view current gas prices. You can also help your friends save money on gas by sharing prices with BBM integration.

• VCMS – Speed. Location. Odometer. Compass. by I-Mentalist.com: Consider this as an all-in-one driver’s best friend created for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. With a compass, odometer, latitude/longitude trackers, lap timer, speed alerts and social network integration, let’s just say backseat drivers have some serious competition in the ‘know-it-all’ category.

• Compass by mappau OG: This magnetic compass was written natively for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, using a magnetometer instead of GPS. You can select from five different compass themes, and the compass automatically re-calibrates every three days to ensure accuracy.

• Magellan Compass Maps by o2 Interactive: Before you get on your way, you can use this BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app to search, navigate and bookmark your destination, then use GPS and cached map data to take you there.

Are you ready to hit the road with these great apps? Before you set out, review your local laws for using mobile devices while driving. Remember, you can always use these apps to help plan your trip before getting behind the wheel.

Have any of these apps helped make your morning commute any easier? Do you have any favorite driving apps for your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? Let us know in the comments!