Rookie right here

Oh lord I carry a tire thumper for that. Would be alright if you were in the parking lot but something like hat in the cab and you and the assailant are going to be blinded screaming and rubbing your eyes.

People breaking into your truck in the middle of the night at truck stops is the last of my worries at a truck stop. Not something I would be very worried about. Yes there are bums and others that frequent truck stops, but once in your truck they aren't usually stupid enough to cause problems. Just lock your doors and make sure your windows are up when you hit the bunk and you should be fine. Sleep with your tire thumper by your bed if you are worried.

A crack over the head with a 16oz ball peen hammer might not kill somebody might not knock them out but they're not going to know what the hell is going on after it happens. Even with as small as I am it evens out the fight and buys me time in that situation. I don't know kung ## or karate but I know enough that a hammer plus my fists of fury flying are going to get somebody out of my truck.

@Shayne_E_star good you have the right attitude. We have given you the tools and I can see you are using them already very good. You can get the mag light at Walmart for like $15 or so maybe 20 idk if they still have them or not but they used to come in a 2 pack with the big one and the pocket size. I have a snap on set I picked up at a T/A for $30 paid too much for that set but I needed a flashlight. I'd spend the money and get the 2 pack. The large one works well for backing, PTIs when its dark, or repairs at night, the small one is great for checking the 5th wheel jaws after hooking up. I have a pouch my little light goes in and my big one goes next to my seat. And I always know where they are the big one also doubles as another form of protection.

I carry a hammer for my tire thumper instead of one of the tire thumpers you buy at a truck stop. $25 at Lowes carbon fiber handle, 16oz head works great for thumping tires also works when I need a hammer on the road. You'd be surprised when you need a hammer throughout the day. I've beat binders, chain hangers, glad hands, etc with that hammer to get things fixed. Most don't carry many tools on the road, I don't carry them although I'm thinking about taking my kit from now on. Just don't know if I can justify the extra 80lbs. But I have a 280 piece tool kit I can take with me to fix most problems myself or at least get me to the closes repair shop to get the problem fixed. I would recommend at least carrying various screw drivers, 3 pairs of vise grips different sizes, and at least 2 cresant wrenches an 8" and a 12". Screw drivers for lights, vise grips for gripping things or pinching off air lines. One day you will blow a brake can out in BFE with no place within 200 miles. In that situation pinch off the brake line with the vise grips and limp to the service shop. Much cheaper than road service and a lot less time. JUST DONT GET CAUGHT!!! Is it "safe" no but at 1 am in Wyoming I'm doing what I have to to get my truck fixed. And sitting on the side of the road for 6 hours waiting for a tech is out of the question. The adjustable wrenches have many uses I prefer carrying 1 wrnech as opposed to 20. Less weight less to lose.

Please realize I have given you a way to temoraily fix a bad brake can I expect that if you have to do that you will be extremely cautious as you will be losing braking power and you will stop at the closest service station. Its not a perminant fix but many people have done this before to get them some place safe to get the truck fixed. Its one of those things that has to be done at times. Almost forgot carry extra lights for your truck and trailer. Ask the shop to provide you with a few to keep in the side box. If they won't pick up some extras at a truck stop and keep the receipts for CRE to get reimbursed. Lights go out all the time, carry extra bulbs for the headlights and turn signals its not hard to replace them and it beats the hell out of a ticket. I don't carry lights for my truck because they were all replaced a month ago. I do carry extra lights for my trailer. Lights for an east are a pita to find at times. Its better to be prepared than up a creek without a paddle.

There are a few who will probably disagree with some of what I have said. I understand that specially with pinching off a brake line, however you want to be a truck driver. As a truck driver sometimes we have to fix things on our trucks. Getting a little dirty is part of the job. If something is out of your realm of what your comfortable fixing get help or call road service. I'm mechanically inclined so I work on my truck every chance I get to cut costs. The point I'm trying to make is you will probably be expected at some point in time to do a little light work hanging mud flaps, changing lights, etc etc. Its part of our job. What sets a truck driver apart from a steering wheel holder in times like this is somebody that will get dirty to get their truck back on the road as opposed to walking over to the service shop at the truck stop that's full and asking somebody to hang a mudflap for them or replace a headlight bulb for them. I don't know if your mechanically inclined or not but doesn't matter for the most part if you need help on how to fix things were here for ya, google is also your friend right along with YouTube lol. Sometimes there are how to videos or articles you can find. I have learned many things about fixing trucks through how to videos and sitting in the shop watching them fix my truck asking questions learning how to do it.

Almost forgot carry at least 2 gallons of extra oil, 2 extra gallons of antifreeze, and a gallon of washer fluid (2 gallons of washer fluid in the winter). If you carry nothing else to be prepared other than what I have just listed these are by far themost important things to carry. And in the winter carry a bottle of ppower service or howels diesel treat, spare fuel filters, can of ether, bottle of diesle 911 and a filter wrench. Trust me if that truck gels up during the winter when its -10 outside you DONT want to wait on road service learn how to change the filters yourself and learn how to get that truck running again ASAP. That can be a matter of life and death. I have never had a truck gel on me, but I carry all that crap in the winter just in case. I also carry the filters just in case another driver has problems so I can help them out. Fuel filters are cheap, no big loss of I have to give a couple away. Is how I look at it. Bout the only thing I don't carry is air line antifreeze don't believe in that crap and it ruins seals. Drain your tanks at night before you hit the bunk, and drain them in the morning and you will be alright and should never need air line antifreeze. I don't believe in it but I got a propane torch I carry in the winter to unthaw binders and chains so if nothing else a little heat will melt the ice in a line. Don't take much and I don't put it on the line bout 6-10" away is all it takes 10 seconds later or less line is clear and you're brakes work. Winter sucks majroly, but that discussion can wait for a couple months lol. I'm enjoying summer and don't want to think about snow right now haha.

 

Excellent postings here 379. I couldn't agree more with you on being able to handle simple mechanical issues such as lights, mudflaps, and changing a fuel filter. I laugh every time I hear a driver ######## how DOT screwed them by catching the windshield washer tank was empty. Always have atleast 1 gal of oil, proper color antifreeze for you current truck, and washer fluid. Spare lights and fuses, fuel filter and fuel filter wrench. It isn't a bad idea to carry some of the diesel 911 in the winter. The only time I ever had my fuel gel on me was when I fueled a reefer at England's Salt Lake terminal. By the time I got to Denver the reefer had quit, lol.

For the most part truck stops are safe. The one thing I always try to avoid is walking between trucks at night. My buddy got rolled at the pilot in Vegas doing that. If you do carry a weapon for protection you had better be sure you are prepared to use it, if you get a chance to. Otherwise it will probably be used against you.

 

If your are driving for a company that is forced dispatched, meaning go there or your fired. The only thing you will be able to reject for weight is when you over 80,000 lbs. Basic rule I learned was 12,000 steer axle, then 34,000 for the drives and trailer. You will learn all about that and more hopefully when you get to school.