Packing List for Students

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by notarps4me, Jan 24, 2007.

  1. mskitty76

    mskitty76 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 3, 2012
    San Antonio, TX
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    i have been in the trucking industry since 98, either as a driver or a log auditor (safety department). nowhere in the fmcsr does it mandate an ink color for paperwork (or even that it HAS to be ink - you could use crayon if you want). it all depends on company policy...just reading through and thought i'd comment on this one...
     
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  3. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    EV...i thought it was blue or black ink as well.....
     
  4. mskitty76

    mskitty76 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 3, 2012
    San Antonio, TX
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    Ok, it's been a while since I was with a trainer, but I HAVE been to a few orientations on the lovely grey dog. As a general rule, here's what I pack to go to orientation (which should also work to go with a trainer - and I'm a horrible pack rat who tries to plan for ANY emergency from a hang nail to a hurricane)

    duffel bag -
    a week's worth of clothes (rolled in outfits - fold pants/shorts in half, fold shirt in half put socks, panties/underwear and bra at collar/waist) roll
    another week's worth of underclothes and socks
    1 towel, 1 washcloth
    babywipes (great for a multitude of emergency "fixes")
    necessary paperwork in a notebook or "trucker clipboard" (birth certificate, social security card, long form physical (if you already have it), medical card)
    in a small bag (like a makeup bag) pens, hilighters, white out (the dry kind you just roll on, not the wet stuff that takes forever to dry), mini stapler and extra staples, calculator, pocket sized notepad or 2
    in a big ziplock bag -normal size bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (i DESPISE bar soap), extra razor blades (if you use the razors that use replacement blades and not the use and toss type)
    smoking supplies (carton of cigs, extra lighters - i wouldn't recommend bringing zippo fluid...might freak out the bus people)
    a few fave dvds and cds in one of those travel cases (don't bring the original boxes, just takes up precious space!)
    empty laundry bag (get one cheap at a dollar store)
    Purell laundry sheets (they were mentioned earlier in the thread - these are AMAZING! smell good, put them in a zip lock, but don't zip it all the way, and your clothes smell good even days after laundering

    backpack
    (in smaller sized zip lock bag) "travel size" bottles for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash - these get refilled from the normal size bottle as you go, so you're not toting heavy bottles every time you go in
    (in another smaller sized zip lock bag) toothbrush (with travel case), toothpaste, travel size mouthwash
    razor
    hair brush
    contact case and solution
    extra hair ties/clips (if you use them)
    eyeglasses (in a hard case, so they don't get bent or messed up getting tossed around)
    ANY AND ALL medications you regularly take IN THE ORIGINAL BOTTLES

    you COULD put a small laptop in the duffel bag, but honestly, if you're in training, you NEED to be getting your sleep or asking questions and enjoying the scenery when you aren't driving, but hey, we all have trouble going to sleep sometimes, and there are things you just gotta' do with a laptop
    a Nook or Kindle is a great thing if you are a reader - you can download tons of free books (some super short, some super long - it's really hit and miss) fill that sucker up before you head out, you never know when you'll catch free wi-fi, as you have to pay for it at the truckstops...on a side note...if you have a droid phone, you can download a Nook app, and get books straight to your phone. I had a Nook, but mine got stolen from my car, but, all my books are there on my phone. Imagine trying to lug weeks worth of books into the tiny truck? no thanks!

    don't forget your phone (for saying good night to the family before bed, NOT for use while driving ;)) and charger - get a car charger if you can

    that's all i can think of right now. just remember, all of these lists can be modified to fit your personal needs, but as has been said a million times before, keep it to the bare necessities! even when you get your own truck! you are liable to get mad, quit and have to move all the crap you've accumulated. don't gather enough that you need a u-haul to get home!

    for those of you about to head out into the great wild yonder, good luck and God bless! keep the greasy side down!

    just a tip, most of what you will see is interstate after interstate, highway after highway...it does get boring, and you will think "THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR! I wanted to see the country, see the sights!" then, you get "lucky" and are stuck in traffic in jersey, look over and see the statue of liberty for the first time (awe inspiring)! if you're like me, you'll take a pic (this was back in the day of the 35mm). once the pic is developed, you realize all you can see is the ocean, she blends in pretty well...lol...silly rookie i was! I still remember being bored out of my mind, hating my trainer, then, seeing something for the first time, like the atlantic ocean...wow! so, good luck! I'll quit rambling now...hopefully, i didn't forget anything that is a major necessity.
     
  5. T-Lady

    T-Lady Medium Load Member

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    Feb 20, 2012
    Wautoma, WI
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    Regarding dry erase windshield idea...it would work great, but I hear its illegal, as it interferes with visibility. I would double check before trying it...
     
  6. nascarchuck

    nascarchuck Road Train Member

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    Sep 2, 2008
    DFW, TX
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    Exactly what I did. Worked great! I still use the markers for notes, etc now.
     
    mskitty76 Thanks this.
  7. mskitty76

    mskitty76 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 3, 2012
    San Antonio, TX
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    i stated doing that when i first ran solo, and kept getting lost (in 99). people thought i was crazy! of course, i got bored one day and decided to draw on the sun roof of my truck...had a cute little flower scene...in order to do it, i had to air both seats all the way up, but i had a pretty "stained glass window' after that...
     
  8. YOUNGUN1978

    YOUNGUN1978 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 15, 2006
    Monterey, CA
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    I'd say the least amount of stuff the better if your going to be in a truck with a trainer.
     
  9. 18dreamer

    18dreamer Bobtail Member

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    Oct 6, 2012
    The land of Gar. Tx
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    I hope to graduate from a training company in the near future and have a question about space and power usage for a trainee. Would it be out of the question for some or most trainers to allow these items on their truck. A max burton Stove to go, 10"x10"x12" 150-175 watts, koolatron P20 18 qt 16"x9"x18" 12 volt pulling 4 amps = 48 watts and a small kettle to heat a couple cups of water. I plan on having my supplies including these in a medium duffel and a medium backpack. The cooler would be powered most of the time I assume. I just don't want to tax the capacity of the APU on the truck or the feelings of the trainer. Sorry if this has been covered before.
     
  10. mskitty76

    mskitty76 Bobtail Member

    18
    8
    Oct 3, 2012
    San Antonio, TX
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    Think about this when packing. You and another adult are going to be sharing a space about the size of a minivan (including the beds). There is not a lot of room. If you can do without those while in training, it is probably best. It is solely up to you, but I would wait until I was in my own truck. You and this person (who lives in the truck and has pretty much all the available space taken already - unless you get a great trainer who keeps one or 2 cabinets cleaned out for his/her trainee) are going to be sharing a tiny space, and there is a good chance they may have these things already and might be willing to share.The key that EVERYBODY keeps repeating is the less you carry, the better. You might see if you can chat with your trainer before you get in the truck, and see what they think. Sometimes you can do that. Hopefully everything works out for ya'!
     
    18dreamer Thanks this.
  11. 18dreamer

    18dreamer Bobtail Member

    32
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    Oct 6, 2012
    The land of Gar. Tx
    0

    Thanks mskitty76. I'm really hoping for a good trainer that's clean and I'm a flexible and understand fully that this is their truck. I could be resourceful and due without the cooler. I would even pay for some extra food stuffs for the two of us for a little room in their cooler if they have one. As I'm sure you know just trying to limit on the road expenses. I'm going to try to meet the trainer before we head out. This is a great site I'm picking up a lot of little tips Thanks.
     
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