What To Take With You

From:  "Driver's ABC's - Surviving the First Year"

This is a very complete and thorough list of things to take with you. You may not be able to actually take this much while with a trainer, as space may not allow it, and it may not be applicable to you if you’re only going to be out a couple of days at a time.

None the less, it is very expensive to have to buy things on the road when you probably can buy them at Wal-Mart for half the price. As you prepare to go on the road, make notes on this list and circle what you feel you need to have. A Note of Caution: relying on your memory when it comes to packing is not a good idea! Unfortunately, though, the Murphy’s Law of these matters is that no matter what, you’ll forget something!

• Refrigerator/Cooler

• Microwave

• Pillow

• Blanket / Bed sheets / Sleeping bag

• Pillow

• Clothes bag or suitcase

• Shower Room Bag

• Dirty clothes bag

• One week’s worth of clothes (depending)

• Coat/jacket & rain jacket

• 2 pair of shoes

Note: If you’re going OTR, you need to consider that you will be in all kinds of different climates. One day you could be in sunny Los Angeles and the next day you may be in wintry Wyoming. Pack a variety of clothes and use the layering approach. You can bring just 2-3 thermal shirts and trade off between them but have 6-7 long sleeve/short sleeve shirts and wear a clean one each day.

Basics

• Hangers

• Defense Spray

• Compass

• CB Radio and Antenna(s)

• Weather Radio

• TV/VCR

• Music / Tapes

• Briefcase / bag to keep paperwork in.

Paperwork Related Items

• Motor Carrier’s Atlas (it is very important to have a MOTOR CARRIER’S Atlas. There is in it that cannot be found in a basic atlas.)

• Magnifying glass (you can’t believe how hard it can be to read an atlas late at night in the cab of a truck)

• Pens, notepaper, notepad, organizer

• Calculator

• Log book ruler

• Mini cassette recorder (these are excellent to record mileage at state lines, to record directions when you’re getting them by CB radio and to record any other thoughts and reminders to yourself.)

• Truck stop guide/directory

• A list of important phone numbers (Calling information from the road is expensive - bring all phone numbers with you that you think you might call.)

• ATM card

• 800 # to call home

• Calling card to make business calls

Miscellaneous

• Alarm clock, wind up, battery powered or cigarette plug in -- just so long as it wakes you up!

• Camera and film

• Spare pair of shoes

• Hat

• Books/Magazines

• Paper towels and glass cleaner

• Gloves

• Batteries

• Sunglasses

• Pain reliever(s) -- (Excederin, Tylenol, etc but nothing with alcohol in it!)

A Few Tools

• Adjustable wrench

• Bunjee cords/tarp straps

• Gladhand seals

• Electrical tape

• Duct tape

• Screwdrivers

• Flashlight

• Slider lubricant

• 5th wheel puller

• Hammer

Personal

• Toiletry bag (big enough to fit all your bathroom stuff--try to get small trial size items or buy small plastic containers & fill them)

• Shampoo, conditioner

• Soap (truck stops give you soap but it’s the cheapest stuff available)

• Razor

• Toothbrush and toothpaste (highly suggested you buy a toothbrush cover)

• Shower shoes (beach thongs will do just fine -- and yes, they are a good idea - you can't believe the weird foot funguses out there.)

• Hair dryer

• Curling iron (?)

• Lotion

• Clippers

• 2 Towels and washclothes (a small number of shippers/receivers/truckstops have free showers for non-fueling customers but will not provide any towels)