Things to have when going solo

Another thing that I use is Windows (God Mode). From this, I can make any adjustments and make a Desktop shortcut to it.

GOD MODE Just as messing with the registry, some of these settings if not set properly can cause a bad headache!

 

Body wipes
Paper towels
Lysol wipes
Picnic stuff like paper plates and plastic cutlary
Garbage bags. Even if you don't use them, have them; you'll never know
Dish soap (works great for cleaning road treatment off windows

 

What company are you driving for? That will answer the basic question of how well the tractors are maintained. But I would not expect to jump from truck to truck very often.

Some things I first got when I started were:
- Coffee cup x2
- Gallon of OIL/Coolant/Washer Fluid (all provided by the company) You may have to find jugs but...
Also, get some fuel treatment, extra set of wipers, head light bulbs, etc... Basically talk to the mechanic and see what they will give you. The more you show interest in maintaining your truck, the more likely they will be to help you out.
- Straps and load locks. Get from said company.
- Small tool bag with basics. You will probably have to tighten up loose screws, brackets, etc... Stuff rattling when I go down the road drives me crazy.
- Duct Tape.
- Cooler, (12v or plain) depending on company a fridge might be installed.
- Work gloves.
- a GOOD flashlight. Something bright and easily held.
- Cleaning supplies! So you can clean up after the last meat that was in it and maintain yourself
- Small trash bucket. Lots of uses. Trust me.
- Sleeping arrangements. I have my own mattress, as I will NOT sleep on someone else's filth. even in a sleeping bag. But you do you...
- Entertainment. Laptop to me in the best. Movies, music, games, etc.. all rolled into one. Plus you can use your phones hot spot to get online if needed. I also have a 4TB portable hard drive for added storage.
- Of course GPS, Atlas, etc... Plus any needed items that the company will provide. The GPS on most elog units suck, so I don't use them.
- When it gets cold, I bring a metal garden spade and a 10 gal. bucket of ice melt. Along with all the winter items needed for wearing.
- Don't go cheap with the 12v addon plugs if you need 1or 2. The cheap ones usually will get hot/melt/short whatever is plugged into them.

But of course there will be a lot more things that you will come to use/need as time goes by. You will figure that out as it goes. But again I ask about the company, because when/if my truck dies, I get a loaner and once mine is fixed I go back to it. So my bigger items stay in the truck and I pack light in those instances.

 

I totally agree. Just a bit of humor on this subject. One of the training carriers I stay in contact with their Company Shop manager. He and I make facebook comments a lot. About a year ago I actually called him and tried to pull some strings to get a friend's son a good tractor assignment. He told me he had a good low milage tractor that he would contact his fleet manager to add to the fleet for him. Almost a new truck. The very first trip he went to Nevada. Somewhere near Salt lake city, the engine blew up. Left him stranded in SLC. You can imagine the next conversation I had with the father. Back a few weeks ago when I was still in the hospital he came to see me. First words out of his mouth, Got any recommendations for tractors? I will never live that one down.

 

To just expand a bit on work gloves... depending on what the OP will doing, gloves are important

If you are just buying gloves at a Loves or whatever, the red and black mechanic thinsulate gloves are the best overall in my opinion. $20.00. Second best are the brown leather gloves with the red inside lining.

Get a pair of thinner gloves that have the rubber for the palm of your hands to wear on the inside of your heavier duty gloves if you ever have to chain up. Also rubber doctor gloves work too. But I appreciate the thicker warmer gloves because my hands have poor circulation. It sucks when you are in the middle of chaining and your hands get wet and go numb.

If you appreciate extra warm gloves, the brown gloves with the white cotton lined on the inside are the best gloves I have worn so far, and they last the longest. The larger truck stops sell them all over, and some truck stops far up north will have them. If you see them, buy several pair, because you can't find them just anywhere.

TA Iowa 80
Petro Interstate 44 has them
TA/Petros in Wisconsin seem to carry them. Unfortunately they are hard to find in my experience. I have not seen them in Michigan or Illinois.

In the Northeast all I see are overflowing rest areas and $10 cans of dip.

 

I have a 2019 Freight. Got in it with 32 miles on it. drove it for a year, and going up hills on 70W in Maryland, it throws a valve. 117K on it. So I completely understand. But you just don't expect that from a newer truck. Mega's buy the cookie cutter trucks and the cheapest bulk price, so you can imagine the QC that goes into some of them.

But it's still a crap shoot, even with a 4 wheeler. You never know.