A truck driver is constantly on the road, away from home and comfort. They deal with various uncertain conditions most of the time, from weather to road conditions. Thus, a truck driver always has to be prepared for emergencies.
Of course, it is not feasible to carry everything that you might need, but to make things a little bit easier and to remain prepared for emergencies, it is safer to keep some items in your truck.
Because it is better to be prepared than sorry!
Personal Items
- Food and Water: Any driver should always have water and non-perishable food on hand in their trucks, it should go without saying. Keep enough food and water in the truck to last at least a few days, even if you don't have any cooling or cooking equipment.
- Medications: Keep some required medicines with you for just-in-case situations. Keep it in some sort of pill organizer within your immediate reach so that it is easy for you to know what to take and when. Keep a first-aid kit on hand at all times to treat minor injuries. Keep Band-Aids, painkillers, some antibiotic ointment, and some general bug bite creams.
- Earplugs: We are sure you never thought about earplugs as one of the necessary items to be considered in the checklist. Earplugs are a great way to avoid the unnecessary commotion, and they will also help you get a good night's sleep to prepare you for the long drive the next day.
- Hygiene Items: Anyone who needs to take a shower at a truck stop should always bring a fully-stocked shower kit with them. Keep everything you need to stay clean in your truck, including a pair of sturdy flip-flops. Keep a container of personal wipes with you so you can stay clean on days when you can't take a shower.
- Blanket: A nice blanket is a necessity for any trucker, both for sleeping and in case of a breakdown in a cooler place. Choose a comfortable blanket that you can roll up and keep throughout the day.
- Winter Clothes and Boots: Anyone traveling through places where snowfall is a possibility should be prepared for snowy weather. If you get trapped and have to trek through the snow to get somewhere, keep a thick winter jacket and a pair of good boots in your truck.
Basic Maintenance Tools
- Toolbox: For any truck driver, having a compact toolbox with all the essentials should be a requirement. Make sure to periodically inspect the tools to ensure that everything is present and functional. Think about storing a folding shovel alongside your other tools.
- Flashlight: A flashlight is the best and most important basic safety tool to keep in your truck. A flashlight with new batteries should always be on hand in case you need it, whether it's to look around once you're in your cab for the night or to navigate through a strange area during the night.
- Work Gloves: When doing repairs or carrying freight, keep your hands safe. When working on or off the truck, keep a pair of gloves ready.
- Flares: In case of breaking down, getting into a bad situation, or having to help someone on the road. Thus, it is a good idea to keep flares to help other drivers or yourself when in trouble.
- Fire Extinguisher: It is non-negotiable and futile to discuss whether you should carry the fire extinguisher with you or not. You must carry a well-maintained and well-functional fire extinguisher so that you can use it at the first sign of a fire and avoid the danger then and there.
- Keep The List of Phone Numbers Printed: We all know that phone numbers keep track of everything, but having the emergency numbers printed somewhere is just as important in case your phone breaks down.
Entertainment and Electronics
- Chargers and Batteries: Your electronics and tools should all be fully charged or have new batteries. For long trips, keep extra batteries and chargers on hand.
- Smart gadgets: Spend quality time relaxing by watching TV shows or playing online. You can also spend your off-truck hours in the truck learning new skills.
- Hobbies: We know that trucking is not an easy job, but that in no way means you need to compromise with your hobbies or passions while you’re hauling long routes. Take things easy and take some time out for your hobbies, even if you only get 5 minutes. So, carry your instrument with you and grow while trucking.
We hope this blog will ease your trucking days and help you grow and evolve amazingly.
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