What to carry

BUT if you dont have a lathe handy half of an axe handle will do the job...pure hickory!! I also carry a little can of pepper spray for those late night walks into the truck stop.

 

They make a legal (I think) vinyl tire thumper that is loaded with a lead weight inside. I can only imagine that one wack up side the head of a bad guy would lay them down and waiting for the cops and the EMT's to haul them off.

I keep the receipt in the license holder in case I have to prove its was a valid tire thumper as purchased, which it is.

 

Great list for personal care. I would think you'd add some items that cover the safety of the truck. Spare fuses, spare lights, good flashlite, gloves, the little green FMCSG and Hazardous Materials compliance pocketbook, extra logs, extra pens, if you wear glasses a spare pair. That list can go on and on. I always carried a flight bag that had tools and the spare parts you may need. A very good tire gage. How about rubber gromlets for the gland hands? WD40 can be sprayed into the pigtail when the lights don't work so good and you'll find that WD40 cleans the connector and makes a better connection. You need to sit down and think what you may need out on the road to keep going safely. Just my 2¢

 

Holy hotlist, Batman! You guys have proven yourselves as time-honored veterans of the road with this list. I've copied it down for my future use.

 

Axe body spray, soap, shampoo......

 

Tire Thumpers (AKA personal protection), I've made several over the years. Basically a short length of pipe (metal or ABS) filled with sand, ball bearings or what have you, welded or capped shut. Dip one end in rubberized paint for gripping (available in most hardware stores for dipping tool handles).

Another neat little idea is a piece of 1 or 1 1/2 inch cut about the width of your palm and loaded as above. Close your fist around this and your fist becomes a club. You can do serious damage with this and not break your hands up. Carries nice in your pocket and can be "explained" away as "exercise equipment" for strengthening your hands/wrists.

On a more general addition to the list; get yourself a good folding pocket knife. I carry a 5 inch with a serrated blade and the locking open feature. The serrated blade will cut through tough stuff like straps alot easier than a straight blade and doesn't have to be sharpened near as often.

 

For 50bucks they have a tool out fot attaching to your trailer pin release arm....get in your cab...move trailer fwd or bk a little...and VWALAA...pins pulled in....think its called "RAT"....dunno...need help on the name.

 

1) Backup snowsuit or Carharts...out west in winter...bigtruck breaks down...cant run engine for heat...dispatch warned, but they must finish their internet game of pokemon FIRST B4 calling road service...run APU offa battery for heat...batteries run down, QC starts beeping its last life...road service is on wrong side of Interstate(takes another hour in bad weather to find exit to cross over)...passer-by "drivers" keep going..........STAY WARM(live another day to experience it again).

2) Plastic Ties...excellent for "make shift" repairs for broken dangling lines or big truck that was made in Taiwan so you can get to a TS shop for repairs.

3) Battery replacements for all applicable equipment ie flashlight, screaming meemee, etc etc.

4) Smoker? Buy 2or3 cartons when in the South(rather you need them or not). Take advantage of their lowlow prices versus the North. You never know when your get back there again.

5) Liquids to fit every need....ie Pepsi($3.00 a six-pack at Wallyworld when on sale 1-liters) TS charge an avg of $1.50 to $2.00 A PIECE...oil(from yard) air-line antifreeze, etcetc....stock up from yard(saves them money rather than have them fork out the bill at a TS(makes you "look" responsible and professional TOO) windshield washer fluid(REMEMBER, bad weather = no or late deliveries to obtain such from TS(stinkin truckers)

6) Courtesy - Now THIS one is a MUST that USUALLY gets left at the terminal after you leave. Instead of ridiculing the broken down driver, ASK over CB if he needs any of the above items that you professionally brought with you. This is a much needed sought for item.

7) Gloves(a dollar a pair at BigLots)gardeners' gloves, rags, windex(inside cab), air freshners(last driver of truck mighta only took shower when it rained out)

8) Toiletries. TS "usually" provide soap UNTIL they DONT and now your screwed. Remember, there are OTHER drivers waiting with #'s for a shower, NO Hollywood showers(you dont want to be the first driver to drown in a shower in History).

9) Fuse Replacements. For engine, microwave, anything that runs onem. Fuses in TS are expensive and you dont get many in a pack.

 

Yes, a sleeping bag(lightweight) is a good idea...remember, IF your bigtruck breaks in the dead of winter and your waiting on Road Service, no engine = no heat.

I personally ENJOY my $13.00 "lunchbox" oven. Plug it in to your lighter socket and you can cook ANYTHING that will be so hot, it'll burn your mouth. Many have microwaves...ok..personal choice. While my foods a cookin, I check truck out, do needed paperwork, go in TS. If your the kinda person like me that MISSES homecooked nourishing meals and dont wanna settle for day-after-day TS "food"(could write a book on that), then hook yourself up. nothing replaces a homecooked meal like your wivies can make.

TS food is well, "different". Many offer buffets, and yes, Ive enjoyed many good meals off a buffet..ie vegtables, meatloaf, etcetc BUT(here it comes), WATCH it when you pull N2 a TS in the late afternoons, chances are its been there aloooong time sitting...yes, they do change the pans with fresh, but not allem do. Be VERY wary of the "Deli" thru the glass food, its dried up alot and just sits there UNTIL bought...they'll buy it TOO and crack a tooth.

The Petro TS's have a HORRIBLE habit for letting their heated food be bought up and NOT replace it and the driver (if starved), HAS no alternative to go N2 the restaraunt and pay their prices. Keep in mind, not all TS's are like that...some good, some bad.

Turnpikes are HORRIBLE for their skyrocket food prices...better just keep driving and starve...bathrooms are free but if they change that, I'm crawling underneath the door.

Buy a coffee pot(theyre getting cheaper) Mine was $9.99 on sell at a RV store and I've had that little fart for 4yrs now....brews goood still. The coffee Ive had over the years(B4 I bought my maker), you could put in your crankcase and itd run just fine. Another thing...a broom. Many Companies give ya one, some dont. Why we need one(glad ya asked), You deliver, move MT to your next Shipper, shipper says,"You gotta sweep out trailer, health standards ya know, sorry". You ask to borrow THEIRS, guess what, they say no...utoh, big problem. I bought me one of those "collapseable" ones. Its like a antenna, fits just fine in your jockeybox and extends out like a reg broom. I'm sure you've seen trucks with brooms on the back BUT remember, when asleep, its wierd how brooms grow legs and just walk away under their own power. BESIDES, the shipper JUST might have you leave the dock cause (ahem) there are other big trucks waiting....dont think your dispatcher would like that.

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"Cant help it, I'm as pure as the driven slush".

"Why do fat people think they can "skinny" dip"?

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