If you’re going off for a long-haul trucking journey, you probably know that there’s a bunch of things you need to take with you, especially if you plan on being away from home for a few days, However, it can nonetheless be easy to forget about some of the essentials when you jump into your cab and get rolling, so we’ve put together this handy list of 11 essential supplies that every trucker should have on the road!

1. De-icer

If you’re traveling in winter or around cold parts of the country, you’ll want to pack some de-icer in case your windshield become frosted over and difficult to see out of due to excess ice.

2. Toiletries/pills

Although things like clothes and money are obvious must-haves when packing, people often forget about smaller things such as their toiletries, toothbrush, medication, and other similar smaller items.

3. Multi-tool device

Whether it’s your standard Swiss Army Knife or something a little more high-tech, a multi-tool could save your bacon if things go wrong on the road.

4. Podcasts/audiobooks

The radio is great and all, but reception can be sketchy and the songs can become repetitive and boring pretty quickly. Instead, try listening to podcasts or audiobooks which help to stimulate your mind and keep you entertained better. It could work wonders!

5. Rechargeable headlamp

What happens when your truck breaks down in the middle of the night and you don’t have anyone there to hold a flashlight while you try to diagnose the problem? You wear your rechargeable headlamp!

6. Fire extinguisher

We probably don’t need to explain this one, but suffice it to say that fires can happen on reefer trucks and they are quite dangerous, to say the least.

7. Power bank

Sometimes called “power packs”, “power banks” or something similar, these are devices which store power which can then be transferred to your cell phone or similar device in the case of an emergency where you lose power and your phone dies.

8. Work gloves

A trusty pair of work gloves should be an essential in every reefer driver’s arsenal of tools! You never know when you’ll need to get your hands dirty (sort of) at short notice!

9. Polarized sunglasses

Driving all day, especially in sunny parts of the country, can really strain your eyes over time. Although sun visors help to block the glare from the sun, a decent pair of polarized sunglasses is ideal for seeing clearly and protecting your vision in the long term.

10. Non-perishable food and water

What happens if you find yourself broken down and stranded in the middle of nowhere with no food or water to consume? You probably won’t die before you’re found, but you could become very uncomfortable nonetheless. Be sure to have some non-perishable food and water in your truck at all times.

11. Paper maps

GPS map systems are great, although not perfect, but what happens when your navigation system is down, cannot get a signal, or breaks entirely? Sometimes it’s a good idea to have paper-based contingency maps for these kinds of situations, giving you something to refer to if you have technological problems – something which cannot “break” in the same sense.

So there we have it! I hope you enjoyed this list of 11 essential items for truck drivers to take on trips with them. Are there any items that you simply cannot complete a trip without? Let us know in the comments below!