Wow this has been extremely helpful. Wish I had of read it before I made a thread lol. I have a question for when/if I become solo. Should I invest in a hot plate or pot? I mean I guess it would be up to personal preference really. What about a heater? (Winter's coming up) And a converter for 12v so that I could use regular appliances and such? Oh Oh and what's your take on heating pads? Could a good heavy comforter do the same trick for me or would a heating pad be better?

Been trainin for about seven years so I gotta toss my two-cents in...Please packyour stuff in duffle bags with working zippers(I realize trash bags hold a lot but ya know they just ain't sturdy) Suitcase tend to be unwieldy to handle in the cab. Please do not bring all those little hazmat books and fmscr regs I have my own set and several more from your fore runners who left them(Hell you can keep one as a suvoneer of our time together). You really, really don't need one of those big ol' honkin' metal binders for your log book, I have enough bs on my dask and those binders tend to fall off on bumpy highways usually landing directly on top of someone's toe(Yowiee). Please no briefcases either again there just isn't good spot for them. If your trainer will not share any fridge space(He's a doodie head I know) penut butter and a loaf of bread will go a long way as that eating out every day is pricey. Also do not try to put exercise equipment, televisons, packages you think we will deliver to your family along the way, already inflated air matresses, microwave ovens, large inverters, crock pots with food already started in them, ... you get the idea. All of these items have been attempted to be put into my truck and hence left with cars, loved ones, or on a curb.

I have 2 comforters on my bunk and stay toasty. I have a 12 volt portable stove. (lunch box cooker) You can put soup, your meal, anything in it and when you get where you are going will have a hot meal. Couple pieces of bread, deli meat, jar of swanson's gravy and you will have a nice little meal.

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That is a good list...I took my laptop when I was training, did not seem to be a hinderence....I did not take my truckstop guide or atlas until I was solo, my trainer had all that and it seemed reduntant to have more than that. I took my personal GPS also just to get an idea of what is out there, mine is a sportsman GPS not the road one, if you decide to get one for the road make sure it is one for trucks, if you get one for cars it may route you into a low clearance or worse into an area you cannot turn around in...this did not happen to me but I know an experienced driver who found himself in a very bad situation in one of the New York Boroughs because he did not get a GPS that was designed for trucks.....just a thought

Tissues and vaseoline are a must.

don't forget the tarps if your gonna mess with lot lizards--just kidding,leave that stuff alone!

Baby wipes are great if you have that rare occasion when you might miss a shower

what size wrenchs and sockets sould I bring. ie. biggest wrench and socket. to smallest

Caz are you training to drive the truck or fix it. Don't bring any tools to a training truck. As for once you get your own don't worry whatever you need you won't have.

Bring a clipboard for your log book. It used to drive me nuts to watch a student try to fill it out on his knee. I finally bought three for students but two of them have wandered off.

Just remember if you bring a lot of stuff you will probably end up sleeping with it. There just isn't a lot of room in a truck. I had a student try to bring tools along with him. Good thing his car was at the terminal where I picked him up at. Thats where the tools stayed.

My last student was from down south and was signed up for southern regional. It didn't occur to him to bring any warm clothes with for training. Well, he was warm for about 2 days. Then we were in U.P. of MI and into Canada and he wasn't so warm anymore. He had never really saw snow before and it was snowing like crazy that night in the U.P. I did my "Star Wars" trick for him. I said, "prepare for light speed, punch it Chewie!" I turned on the brights and the snow looks like the stars flying by in Star Wars. He thought that was the coolest thing ever and thats where they got the idea for the movie.
I had another southern student a couple of winters ago. We got out to fuel in WI. It was below 0 and very windy. He thought he was going to die. He pulled his stocking cap down all the way over his face. He looked like the guy in the old Fat Albert cartoons. I don't know how he could see but he filled up the truck. We walked in to sign for the fuel and had all kinds of people staring at us. They probably thought he was going to rob the TA.

Anyways, my list: clothes, sleeping bag, pillow, shower stuff, clip board, and your wife's cooking if its any good. Thats about it. I have everything else.