Tools

And a hotshot I won't even attempt to load without a hotshot. I've been looking for a decent blue heeler can't find one form the life of me. And I don't really want to spend $900 on a dog that I will be forced to have fixed. I know a breeder down in GA. He raises working heelers and show heelers. But I have to have a working dog fixed and he wants 900 for his puppies. I'll stick with my hotshot and my voice for now...and one of these days I'll get run over and decide its time for a dog...if I live through it lol.

 

Here's a few things that I didn't see mentioned that may keep you in better straits:

A grease gun, and one or two grease cartridges (keep them where they won't melt and run all over your stuff. Cause they will melt!)
A truck tire pressure gauge (hopefully they will give you this and you won't have to buy one)
An air chuck with a 50ft airline that attaches to your red gladhand (you can find these at any truckstop)
Gallons of Oil (should be able to get this at your terminal - don't pay for it)
Gallons of Water (or coolant if you can get it at your terminal - don't pay for it)
Hose clamps of varying sizes (some plastic stents of varying sizes if you really want to be prepared)
Vise Grips
4x4 inch pieces of hardwood (not long enough to be a pain, but long enough to be useful, especially for a swampy trailer lot)
A hydraulic bottle jack 20 ton ($39 on Amazon - never be stuck again, even at construction sites)
Tire Patch kit (not for tires, it won't work on truck tires, but for airbags, believe it or not)
A nice box cutter (you might have mentioned this, in which case, nevermind. Sure helps when cutting and reattaching a gladhand to a broken airline)

I can think of other stuff, like bulk coils of various airline, a can of ether, but that guy who is saying don't work on your truck or you might get in trouble has a good point. The Coolie carriers don't think like this. They think in terms of you being a number, and they are a big burocracy, beauro..a big paper-shuffling mess. They don't like it when you take initiative.
If you can, get a job with one of these guys who are keen on your mechanic skills. You'll do better with them than with Werner. For backing up my point and as a taste of what's to come, read "Werner Trainer Craps Himself" or whatever that thread is called. It's a classic here at TTR.

EDIT: oh, forgot this. Bungees, in case you don't go with a flatbed. They are useful for many things.

 

LMFAO at all the selfrighteous indignation over wanting to carry a few tools.

As a company flatbed driver I regularly use:

Framing hammer and nails

Screw/Drill gun

Sawzall and hand saw

Ladder (17 ft telescoping folder from Wal Mart)

Tape rule

Flashlight (heavy duty hand held and head band lamp)

Tie wire

4 inch paint roller on telescoping pole (used as hook for gut strapping etc.)

3 ft piece of 1 inch allthread and 5 lb mini sledge (used to gently persuade sliding axle pins to release)

Electrical (splicing pliers, roll of 14 guage wire, various connectors, electrical tape)

Continuity tester and probe light

Razor knife

Staple tacker

WD-40

Duct tape

Zip ties

All the basic hand tools (pliers, wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, wire cutters, channel locks, etc.)


I call road service if I need anything else

 

"They don't pay me for that!"

 

That's what iPads are for, to kill time.

As for tools, I wouldn't bring a thing, to be exact I would learn how to be patient and let others do the work. One reason is simple - liability. If you work on a light and that light goes out or causes other lights to go out, then you're on the hook. Adjusting brakes? Seriously, don't even think about it.