It’s not easy being a truck driver. You’re constantly on the road, carrying vital cargo from a loading port to an unloading depot.
Sometimes, this means you’re traveling completely across the state or even the country. Hours of nothing but road, other vehicles, and the radio to keep you going. While each trip comes with its own challenges, the drives become even more challenging if you forget or don’t understand why you need a must-have item.
Whether you’re a seasoned trucker who knows every highway and backroad like they were raised there or are someone looking at the different types of New York commercial driver’s licenses, you’ll likely find value from the following list and the reasons given for each item’s inclusion.
Shower Flip-Flops
There are a lot of things you need to carry in your shower bag: fresh clothes, your soaps, an item to scrub yourself with (i.e. loofa, washrag, etc.), a towel and more.
One vital item to ensure is always there is a pair of shower flip-flops. You should also pack something to disinfect them with because the entire reason you want them is to keep your bare feet off of the floor.
You aren’t the first nor the last person to utilize a truck stop’s shower, and this results in all kinds of nasty germs benign on the floor. From athlete’s foot to a variety of bacterial infections, there’s a lot you’d rather avoid on those shower floors, no matter how often they’re cleaned.
Of course, wearing your work boots or shoes can also get uncomfortable after a while and another benefit of keeping these sanitized flip-flops around is that you can switch into them to give your feet a relaxing break every now and then.
Mini Fridge
The benefits of keeping a mini fridge in your truck are probably pretty obvious at first glance. After all, it means your food options are less limited and you can bring some of your favorite foods from home to work. A less noticeable benefit is that it will let you bring cold drinks which may encourage you to stay hydrated.
How much water you need to drink will vary based on a few factors, such as temperature, physical workload and the like, but what is always true is that you need to drink when you’re thirsty. This isn’t easy since you don’t want to pull over every few miles to go to the bathroom but the consequences of dehydration are worth avoiding.
Dehydration can lead to headaches, feeling tired and even being less physically capable. Sometimes all we need is a gentle reminder, and those water bottles can be that reminder for you.
Portable Cooler and Microwave
Portable coolers and microwaves go hand-in-hand when discussing their usefulness. Portable coolers allow you to carry cold items without them spoiling for longer and can be vital if you don’t have access to a mini fridge. They’re pretty useful with them as well, though as you can more easily take cold foodstuffs from your home to the truck and vice versa.
A microwave’s importance for a trucker can’t be overstated, however. You can take leftovers or microwavable meals with you to help you eat enough calories to stay healthy. Snacks are great, but nothing compares to the filling power of a sandwich, though even their flavor grows stale after a while.
Some microwavable meal options for a truck driver include baked potatoes (though they may not be as good as ones from an oven), canned soups or even omelets. You should also keep some microwave-safe plates and bowls in the cab so you don’t accidentally start any fires or blow something up.
Navigation Equipment
Don’t get this twisted; it’s fine to use your phone as a GPS for a while, and it makes a good backup, but you really should have a dedicated GPS device. Truck drivers travel many roads so you’re likely to find at least one that has no cell service at all and many more that have poor service.
Your phone may struggle to provide you the navigational information you need in these areas, but a dedicated GPS won’t. Plus, the less you look at your phone, the less likely it is for you to be distracted from the road.
You may feel as though these items are all you’ll need in terms of navigation equipment, but they aren’t. You also need to carry a map with you. Remember, both your phone and the GPS device are pieces of technology and everyone’s favorite thing about technology is that issues are common.
Your GPS may bug out or die, your phone could be glitchy or the battery may dry and then you’d be stuck. Unless you carry a few maps with you. Store at least two in different parts of your truck so that you have access to them should you need them.
Citizens Band Radio
Every item discussed on this list so far may make sense even to the untrained eye. The citizens band radio, or CB radio for short, is a not-so-obvious entry.
These radio frequencies can allow people to talk to each other even when cell phones are unavailable. Truckers use them for a multitude of reasons, such as warning others of a wreck on the road ahead or even just asking for directions.
Sometimes you’ll find someone using it to crack a quick joke to others passing by. Others still may coordinate to help someone on the road. For example, one driver may see someone in a car trying to run someone else off the road and team up with another trucker to protect the car.
The CB radio, like many of the items on this list, is a must-have in every semi truck for a large variety of reasons. Make sure you have as many of these items as possible in your semi and you’ll find all of your future drives to be more enjoyable.
