Things to Pack for Over the Road Truck Driving

As you become a seasoned trucker, you will find your own list of essentials to pack for long trips. But for the beginner, some of the necessities might be easily overlooked. With the tight spaces of the cab, a trucker needs to be conscious of how much to storage space there is. Your concerns should be safety first, communication second, and comfort third. To this end, here is a short list of things to pack as your start your life as an over the road truck driver.

Extra Cash
Starting out, you may not have paycheck to draw from on the road, so be sure to carry enough cash to cover emergencies for at least a week. Consider what might happen if your rig breaks down in Tulsa and it will take a week to get repairs done. You are going to need to stay somewhere and eat something, so having the funds to hole up in a motel while waiting on the mechanics is a good contingency to plan for any trucker to prepare for.


Blankets and Coats

Your next pick up might be in Fargo, and it gets mighty cold at night. Having extra coats to wear during hookups (it can get down to 20 below in the right conditions not considering wind chill) and extra blankets to throw on your rack during a sleep-over will keep a trucker warm and well rested for the next leg of the ride.  

Dash Mounted Cell Phone Charger with Hands Free Set
Keeping in touch with friends and family on the road keeps a trucker’s spirits up, and having a fully charged phone with a hands free set up keeps you safe and on the road without having to worry about pulling over and burning time. Many states have enacted laws about truck driving and cell phone use, and a hands-free set will let you talk while keeping your mind on the road ahead.


Food and Drinks Cooler
Several companies offer center console fitted coolers large enough for drinks and snacks. Having your own supply limits the stops you’ll need to make, and lets you stock up on cheaper solutions rather than paying the prices at truck stops. Truck driving is a numbers game when it comes to paying the mortgage, and when a trucker is on the road, every dime counts.

Flip Flops and Extra Underwear
There’s never a need to load up the cab with a full suitcase, but having flip flops for the shower to keep your feet fungus free and a change of underwear to stay clean and comfortable will go a long way. Keep these in a small toiletries bag with toothpaste and brush, a razor, and some mouthwash and the road won’t wear you down so fast.

Truck Driver Forums

A truck driver forum ‭ ‬or message board,‭ ‬is a discussion site where people can hold conversations by using posted messages. A thread or topic is a single conversation. Each new thread can be replied to by as many people as so wish. You can start new threads by posting discussions to start a new topic. Other people can read and respond to your thread. Truck driver forums are a good resource to find answers to questions you may have about trucking. 

You will be able to read most forum posts without having an account. If you wish to start new threads or reply to existing threads most forums require you have an account. Having an account on a forum has a few benefits. Along with being able to post threads and replies in the forum you will have a profile page you can fill out. Your trucking forum profile not only contains information about you it can be a great place to link to your Facebook or Blog.

Below you will find some links to popular truck driver forums.

The Truckers Trucking Forum - http://truckers-trucking-forum.com/

The Truckers Report - http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/

TruckingBoards.com - http://www.truckingboards.com/forum/forum.php

Excellent Tips For New Truck Drivers

As a new truck driver, you're likely ready to hit the highways and begin your career as a trucker. Long hauling is the manner that many new drivers start off their livelihood and is generally their first option. For others, it's merely a step before getting into local trucking jobs with firms that are smaller.

Everyone has to start somewhere! Many people quickly become disillusioned with their new trucking careers after being faced with the many long, arduous hours of doing their logs correctly, planning their trip, finding places to sleep and continuously developing their driving skills. However, there are many tips one can use early on in their trucking careers to make their transition easier and less stressful.

• Always bring something with you on your long-haul trips that remind you of your close friends or family. For example, a digital photo frame is durable enough for road journey and can support several of your favorite photos.

• Get a cell phone service plans that offer flat fees and you'll be able to talk to your friends and family whenever you want.

• Rent out or purchase audiobooks with your favorite books. This is one of the best ways to occupy your time on long trips away from home.

• Bring healthy snacks with you such as cut fruits and vegetables to avoid the necessity of having to eat fast food.

Locating Work

Locating work as a new truck driver is pretty simple because truck companies are always hiring. The offers of some companies may even contain attractive bonuses if you sign on as a brand new driver.

It is easier to get work as a long-haul truck driver than a local truck driver in the beginning. Companies that specialize in local runs may require at least two years of truck driving experience. They require the minimal 2 years of experience per their insurance requirements. It is simply more economical to cover a truck driver that has 2 years of experience and with a clean history, than it is to cover a fresh non-seasoned truck driver. Also, some insurance companies won't cover drivers that are new.

It's always a good idea to study and research each individual trucking company before signing any contract. It's also very helpful to find reviews from real truck drivers for a particular business. For example, find out about the state of their trucks. Some companies are notorious for not keeping up their gear in efforts to save money. Also be very wary of companies that have truck drivers who frequently quit their jobs.

Long haul trucking can be a wonderful profession. With preparation and some luck, you can make your time on the road cozy and enjoyable. You can explore the world, while still remaining connected with your family and friends.

The Future of Electronic Logs for Truck Driving

Ken More

It seems like only yesterday that truck drivers were keeping track of all their pertinent activities that included the hours they drove, the time it took to eat meals, any accidents or breakdowns that they faced as well as the start and end destination of their route all on paper forms.

Today, that work is now being charted on electronic logs which are have recently taken over the trucking industry. Now, you'll find e-logs in all types of trucks that greatly reduce the paperwork and create a simple, efficient system that accurately tracks the entire route of each truck.

What is an E-Log?

An electronic log is a rather small device that looks somewhat similar to a GPS that you may have in your personal vehicle. This paperless log is installed in the dashboard of your truck and records basic information such as the following;
- Where the truck starts, goes and stops
- The speed of the truck
- The idle time of the truck
- The miles per gallon

This basic information is recorded in the device during the entire trip that the truck takes. An employee who gets in the truck at the start of the trip will need to enter their assigned number. At that point, the e-log will ask if the truck has had a pre-trip inspection. Once the vehicle gets going, the driver will press the "drive" button and the system will start recording.

At certain points in the trip, the driver will press the appropriate button to alert the e-log of the activity that is happening;
- Stopping for a break
- Filling up with fuel
- Making a delivery & more

The beauty of this system is that the driver only has to press a button and not write down any information. For truck drivers, having a paperless log saves them time, effort and energy in having to write down all the pertinent details of their trip.

The Benefits of Electronic Logs

There are certainly some important benefits that the e-log brings to trucking businesses as well as the drivers. While e-logs costs several hundred dollars, take hours to install and have a monthly subscription fee, they also offer the following benefits;

Accuracy:

Even the best drivers can not accurately record information from time to time. The e-log never fails as long as the driver just presses a button to indicate a change in the status of their vehicle.

Simplicity:

Without having to keep written logs, drivers can focus more on their primary job of driving the rig and getting to their next destination in a safe manner.

Instant Information:

Because the e-logs are in constant contact with the home base, a dispatcher can see in an instant just how long the driver has been on the road. That way, they can make accurate decisions when the drivers are reaching their maximum hours for the day.
A driver who is trained to use electronic logs can focus more on their job while their bosses can get accurate, up to the minute information that allows them to make better decisions.