This section of the Professional Driver Development Program is for those who already have their Commercial Driver’s License. It’s not a complete program but rather, general tips to improve safety on the road while you work.
One thing we know for certain is that we never know what each new day will bring. From construction and road closures to severe weather, we need to be prepared for anything and everything that may come our way. Below is a list of things that every driver should have in their vehicle or carry with them, along with an explanation of why I feel it’s important for you to have. Whether it’s a short trip to run errands or spending weeks or months in your big rig, pack up these items before you go.
Every commercial vehicle is required to have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and road triangles. Do you have them? Have you checked them lately? Have you even opened the first aid kit to see what’s in it? These items are part of your pre-trip inspection and need to be present, complete, and in good working order.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are self-explanatory. They are used to put out fires but can also be used to break windows or ward off an attack by a vicious dog, coyote, or even a human. Simply pull the pin and aim for their face. If they can’t see you, they can’t attack you. It is that simple and be sure to have it recharged before your next trip if you need to use it.
First Aid Kits
First aid kits will do you no good if they are empty or missing supplies. You never know when you may require a band-aid and peroxide for a cut or scrape. There is no reason not to have one in your vehicle and if you haven’t opened it and looked inside lately, please do so now. Replace anything missing so you have it when you need it.
Reflective Road Triangles
Road triangles will alert other motorists that you have a problem, and they should either move one lane over or slow down. I have seen many trucks and cars broken down without any warning device placed behind the vehicle. How can anyone know that you are still in your vehicle if you don’t use these items? For trucks, it is the law. Start using them.
Zip Ties & Bungee Cords
Your best friend in this industry is not duct tape, it is zip ties. You will find long, thick zip ties at the dollar store. Grab a couple of packages and some smaller zip ties as well. Your airlines and electrical lines are held up by thin springs that can rust through and break. You can’t have your lines dragging on the catwalk or on the ground, but zip ties can be used to secure your lines until you arrive somewhere to get the spring replaced. Smaller zip ties can be used to secure loose electrical plugs to the trailer to keep your lights working. Be sure to replace ones you use so you are not caught without them.
Clear Packing Tape
There will be trailers we pick up that don’t have little tabs on the placard holders to keep our placards from flying away. Keeping a roll of clear packing tape in your truck will come in handy for many things and this is one of them. Only tape the side where the placard slides in and not the entire thing. Check your placards every time you leave your truck before you start to drive again.
12 Volt Electric Blanket
A 12-volt electric blanket could save your life. Now that the weather is turning colder, not having one in your vehicle means you are putting yourself at risk of frostbite or hypothermia. If your vehicle breaks down and the engine will not run, you have no heat. If you must wait hours for a tow truck or mechanic to arrive, you will be in very poor condition when they finally get to you. It is better to wrap the blanket around you and plug it into your outlet or cigarette lighter until you are warm. Unplug it after a few minutes until you get cold again, so you don’t drain the battery before help arrives. It’s better to wear down your battery than wind up also needing medical attention. They can be found at most truck stops and Wal-Mart too.
Change Of Clothes
A change of clothes, regardless of the season or the length of time you plan to be in your vehicle, just makes sense. We never know what the day will bring from bad weather to spilled food or drinks would be enough to be grateful for something clean to put on. Accidents we choose to get involved in are probably rare for most people but imagine you are walking into a grocery store and an accident happens. Someone calls you to help them stop bleeding or asks if you have a clean shirt or belt they can use. A house fire will have people running outside and maybe before they are dressed. It may never happen but it’s not unheard of. A change of footwear would also be helpful in bad weather or off-pavement locations.
Proper Footwear
Your truck will become your home away from home and you want it clean. If you wake to a dirty home, depression will become an issue so always keep your truck shining clean inside and don’t wear outside safety boots inside your truck. You will be tracking everything you walk through outside onto your floors inside. Keep a boot mat beside your seat and place your footwear on the mat to keep your floors from becoming contaminated.
Flip flops and sandals are not considered proper footwear. A small piece of glass or metal and you will wind up in the emergency room getting a tetanus shot. This type of footwear can also get stuck on the groves of the driver’s steps and cause you to fall. Please be safe, not foolish. Always wear solid enclosed shoes or safety boots while outside your truck and when entering or exiting your cab.
Extra Potable Water
Water is vital for survival. Whether to drink or wash cuts and injuries, you must have some with you. You can even place one with your facecloths, so you know you have it. Keeping bottles of water can be tricky though. Make sure you change out the bottles for fresh ones every week or 2 and be sure to always have a minimum of 4 bottles.
Non Perishable Food
You need to always have food with you as well. Although it is rare in any one area, there have been many instances where people have been stranded on a highway or interstate for days at a time. Bad weather, multi-vehicle pileups, terrorist attacks, rockslides, and things we can’t yet imagine can leave you without access to food and water for days. Wander down every aisle of your grocery store and find things you like that don’t need to be refrigerated. I like having fruit cups with me because they are healthy and taste good. Don’t forget to eat this stuff and replace it often. You don’t want to be stranded and discover your food is not edible.
Flashlight & Batteries
Why don’t you always have a flashlight with you? Even if you only drive in the daylight, there are many things in shaded areas or very dark areas on your vehicle you just can’t see without one. At the very least it must be used during your pre-trip but can also be used to flag down another motorist or police if you need help or need to slow traffic because of an accident. If you have a heavy one, it can be used to break a window if you get into an accident and can’t open your door. There really is no excuse for not having one with you. Keep extra batteries with you and check them often to ensure they still work.
Towels & Face Cloths
A sealed freezer baggie with 2 or 3 clean facecloths could become a lifesaver to you. Simply roll them up and tuck the bag away for emergencies or comfort. If you use them, take them home and wash them. Don’t forget to replace them. You can’t see if you have anything in your eyes and sweat stings your eyes. You can use them to wipe your forehead off or pour cold water on them on a very hot day. You can use them to wipe snow or rain from your head, so you don’t get sick or have it dripping in your eyes when you are driving. They can even be used to clean any cuts or injuries with a bit of water or serve as a band-aid for bigger cuts. It really is important to have clean dry face cloths with you and they are less bulky than towels.
Work Gloves
You just never know when you will have to get out of your vehicle to move a fallen tree from the road, pick something up, pump fuel or simply add oil to your vehicle. Work gloves are vital and will keep your hands clean and prevent injuries. New truckers, pay attention now. Grease and oil are both used as lubricants, so if you are not wearing gloves and get this stuff on your hands, you will then transfer it onto your steering wheel causing it to become slippery. Never touch anything outside the cab of the truck without wearing gloves and never wear your gloves inside your vehicle. An extra pair will never hurt to have either in case one falls out of your truck without you noticing, in the rain or snow, and if you get holes in your gloves. Warm thick winter gloves will save you in the snow and bitter cold.
Safety Boots & Safety Vests
Many places you go will require all commercial drivers to have safety boots and high-visibility safety vests. It is your responsibility to always have these items in your truck. You will not be allowed on site without these items, and you don’t want to drive from here to Texas just to be denied access to have your trailer loaded or unloaded.
Rubber Mallet
If you think kicking your tires with your shoe is enough to know what your air pressure is, you are wrong. Even a recap or retreaded tire will not just collapse from a halfhearted kick if it is indeed flat. You need a hammer or rubber mallet. They are also available at a dollar store so go buy one now. I had to use my hammer to get my fuel cap off after another driver used all his strength to put it on. Recently, I needed the assistance of 2 big men and my hammer to raise the landing gear on my trailer after it was loaded with a heavy load. Breaking a window in an emergency will be quick and easy making this a must-have item.
Stationary Supplies
Plenty of people use electronic devices for making notes but having pens and paper or a small notebook just makes sense. Extra pens are very important to have in case you lose one or it stops working. I can’t count the number of times I have heard drivers asking to use a stapler, but they are available at a dollar store. So are the staples and paper clips that you also use every day in this industry. A small ruler is needed in case your electronic log system goes offline for your paper logs. Go to a dollar store and get the stationery items you need and keep them with you all the time. Don’t forget to replace what you use so you always have what you need.
Extra Fuses
Here in Ontario, the law requires commercial drivers to carry extra fuses in their trucks. Your company should supply them and being able to replace a fuse is a very useful thing to know how to do. If something in your vehicle stops working, like your lights, heat, or even air conditioning, it may be simply a matter of replacing a fuse to fix the problem. You shouldn’t need any tools to do this, and everyone can learn how to change them. It will help keep you moving without high repair costs.
Security Bolt Seals
For commercial drivers crossing international borders, you should also keep extra trailer seals and bolt cutters with you. Every trailer, whether empty or loaded, requires a seal. Plastic seals may only be used entering Canada if the trailer is empty. All other border crossings require a metal seal to be used. Shippers do not always supply seals, but your company should give you extra seals. Make sure you have them before starting your trip.
You will need bolt cutters to remove the seal when you arrive at your destination. I will mention this more than once but every single time you walk away from your trailer, you need to perform a mid-trip inspection which includes checking the trailer seal upon your return. Whether you step away for a couple of minutes to use a restroom or are away for several hours, you are responsible for that load. If your seal has been broken or tampered with, call your company and the police as per your company’s policy. Do not hang around the trailer or move it until you have been told you can by the police or your safety manager. It is also a good idea to check your 5th wheel during this time as well.
Boot Mat
You should also pick up a small boot mat from the dollar store. Keep it beside the passenger seat so you can easily grab the footwear you need before jumping out of the truck. You will be walking through dirt, snow, mud, and all kinds of other things while you are out of your truck. Truckstop parking lots are awful so don’t wear your shoes or boots in your truck or you will track it all over your truck too. It’s your home now so do all you can to keep it clean.
Dirty Laundry Container
You have a basket, bag, or suitcase full of nice clean clothes but where are you going to put those clothes after you wear them? The dollar store is going to become your favourite shopping place while you’re at home. Pick up a nice laundry bag or hamper for your dirty clothes so you are not mixing clean and dirty clothes together. Also be sure to secure your hamper so it doesn’t come forward when you apply the brakes. Some small bungee cords can also be obtained at any dollar store and will work great.
Pocket Knife
Along with zip ties, you need a way to remove them. A small folding pocketknife allows you to cut them off along with plastic seals when needed. Do not throw cut ties or seals on the ground. Always use proper disposal methods for all debris.
Identification
*** coming soon ***
Canadian & American Cash
Only once have I ever had a problem with my bank card not working in the U.S., but you need to be aware of this. Call your bank and have them add a note to your account that you will be using your card for purchases in the U.S. so you can get what you need. If you don’t let your bank know, they could flag your card for fraud and stop it from working. It’s better to look after this before you need to avoid any unnecessary hardship.
It is always best to carry cash with you just in case. It may be something as simple as you need a cold drink in a location where only vending machines exist. Perhaps you get somewhere and your card simply won’t work. Having cash could be the difference between a happy belly and going hungry for hours or longer.
Cell Phone Data & Internet
Be sure to contact your cell phone provider and ask them for the best way to use your phone in the U.S. so you don’t wind up with a huge bill. You may even wish to consider buying a U.S. cell phone to use while you are south of the border. It will most likely be much less expensive to do it this way. You can pay for internet access monthly at the Flying J and Pilot locations which may be a whole lot less than you will spend on data.
Broom & Dustpan
*** coming soon ***
General Tools
You can save yourself a world of trouble and many hours of sitting and waiting for a mobile technician to arrive for minor issues with your truck. Learning how to do minor repairs yourself will get you moving quicker and keep you moving. You should always carry some basic tools in a small toolbox and learn how to use them properly. Some of the tools you may want to keep with you are a ratchet set, multi-head screwdriver, pliers, vice grips, adjustable wrench, hex keys, wire cutters, a pocketknife, and other small hand tools. You may think of others that you would like to have with you as well. Keep them clean and organized in a toolbox so they’re close at hand when needed.
Umbrella
The weather can change one mile to the next and one state to the next. If you keep an umbrella in your truck for rainy or snowy weather, the walk to the truck stop building won’t be so bad. There is nothing worse than having to walk through a torrential downpour then have the rain stop as soon as you reach the doors. It will happen so keep an umbrella in your truck.
A Long Stick
During your commercial truck training at the school, you probably had a piece of a broom handle or hockey stick to reach difficult places. One example I can think of is the rear spring suspension fastener, but you may also need it to keep your 5th wheel flat if you jump the kingpin over the 5th wheel plate when the trailer is too high. Find yourself a nice sturdy stick to keep in your truck with you just in case you need it to get to components you can’t reach with your small rubber mallet.
Chalk Holder & Chalk
You were taught how to check your coupler movement and security by making a mark on the trailer skid plate and the side of the 5th wheel. The easiest way to see your mark is by using chalk but it can also be used to mark the bogie holes when sliding your bogie assembly or indicating problems you would like a technician to look at. Maybe a small nail in a tire needs to be circled so it can easily be found again when the tire repair truck gets to you. Keeping chalk and a nice chalk holder with you may come in handy for other reasons as well.
Plastic Organizers
*** coming soon ***