What Do Truck Drivers Need on the Road?

Truck driving is a job that marries you to your vehicle. You’ll spend a lot of time every day in your truck, so it’s essential that you pack all of your essentials and entertainment options for a smooth and enjoyable ride. If you’ve been wondering what do truck drivers need on the road, this article will cover most of the essentials.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FMCSA has set guidelines on how much a driver should be driving before they take a break. For example, property-carrying drivers may only drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. This means you should always have some kind of entertainment handy for those 10 hours to keep yourself occupied. What do truck drivers need on the road, you ask? Entertainment is one of the big considerations when it comes to packing for your drive, but there are plenty of other things to take along as well.

What Should I Pack for Truck Driving?

When asking what do truck drivers need on the road, you should always consider essentials to pack. These are things that every truck driver needs to have an enjoyable ride.

First, tackle your clothing needs. This includes:

• Your trucking clothes. These should be comfortable for you to wear for long periods. This can include stretchy jogging pants, shorts and loose shirts that don’t restrict your movement.
• Off-duty clothes. This includes comfortable seasonal clothing and shoes that you can wear while lounging or taking a break.
• Clothing essentials. This includes spare underwear and socks so you’re never caught in a bad situation. We also suggest a spare shirt or two should you get soaked by rain or spill something on yourself.
• Safety items. This includes steel toe boots if there’s even a slight risk of a heavy object dropping and hurting your feet. You should also wear safety glasses, a hard hat and coveralls if there’s any risk to you. Sunglasses are also necessary when driving in bright conditions and a raincoat is great for adverse weather.

Next, you’ll want some basic hygiene supplies that include:

• Basic toiletries such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and deodorant.
• A shower kit including body wash, shampoo and perhaps conditioner.
• Grooming tools like a shaving kit.
• Wet wipes for cleaning purposes.

Finally, you’ll want to take basic supplies that don’t count as hygiene or clothing. This can include your medication, spare contact lenses and wipes for your glasses.

Gadgets Every Truck Driver Should Have

Every driver should have a couple of gadgets to help make their life easier.

• A battery bank can be incredibly useful for charging your phone or another device on-the-go. While you can always use your truck to charge a device, it’s handy to have a spare battery if you’re ever away from your truck or need to charge multiple devices.
• A vehicle charging port adapter is perfect for charging your devices. This typically plugs into your cigarette lighter and turns into multiple USB ports to charge a phone, tablet or anything else.
• A GPS system is always handy if you’re unable to use your smartphone. These are generally much better in remote areas where you might not get a signal on your phone.
• A handheld vacuum cleaner is great for removing crumbs and random debris from your seats. It’ll help prevent your truck from attracting rodents and pests.
• A dash camera is perfect as a second pair of eyes that can keep you safe, improve compliance and also prove your innocence should you ever get into an accident.
• A smartphone mount works wonders if you ever need to use your phone while driving. Keeping your phone at the same level as your eyes will help prevent accidents.

Things to Buy a Truck Driver

Truck drivers usually have all they need for the job, but if you ever want to buy a truck driver a gift then here are a couple of ideas:

• Brand-new smartphone
• A new GPS device
• Portable vehicle safe to keep emergency cash and valuables
• Electric blanket to keep them warm during cold seasons
• Audiobooks to keep them entertained while driving
• Small portable refrigerator to keep food and drinks chilled
• A tablet for watching films, listening to music and playing the occasional game
• Comfortable new clothes to wear

It’s all about balancing practicality with something unique and new. Entertainment options are usually a great idea as long as you make sure it’s something they can enjoy while driving.

Things to Make Truck Driving Easier

Truck driving can be made a lot easier by focusing on convenience, comfort and entertainment.

For example, you should always consider bringing along devices that make things more convenient for you. A USB charger that plugs into your cigarette lighter is a great choice because it helps to keep your devices charged up. Similarly, a toolkit for random truck repairs is also a great addition since it makes your job easier and helps you keep all of your useful tools in a single box.

For comfort, most of this will come from your clothing. However, you can also consider options like a heated blanket for when the weather gets cold, a comfortable sleeping mat or bag for long distances, or even a completely new driver’s seat. Check out our truck driver sleeping tips to learn more. Comfort also comes from making your driving environment as homey as possible, such as adding a nice scent to the truck or a plush cushion to lounge on during your breaks.

Lastly, entertainment is also a huge factor in making your long-distance drives more enjoyable. You generally want to focus on things you can do while you drive so they can’t be too distracting. Audiobooks are a fantastic option since they cover so many different books, and you can easily put them on a smartphone or eReader. However, you should also have some entertainment for when you’re taking a break. This can be from a tablet to watch movies or TV shows, a portable games console or even a camera for you to indulge in photography.

FIll Out a Trucking Job Application With ABCO Transportation Today!

What do truck driver need on the road? They need everything mentioned above but they also need a good paying job with benefits that help them and their familes. At ABCO Transportation, we offer these benefits and more, including free stays at company-owned resorts across the country. 

Come be a part of a team that cares about its truck drivers and fill out a trucking job application today. Take a look at our variety of truck driving jobs across the country, including trucking jobs in Atlanta, GA, that will suit your individual needs no matter where you call home. 

If you’re a truck driver who is looking for more employment options then don’t hesitate to contact us and review our truck driving tips today.