The Travel Packing List
of One Money-Saving
Professional OTR Truck Driver

From our very first trip as a professional truck driving team, our packing list included two very important things.

In fact, even though Mike is now a solo truck driver -- and the number of items that he takes with him on the road has increased -- he has always kept these items on his travel checklist (with the singular exception being the time that he drove for a trucking company that forbade one). The first indispensable item packed is a device to keep food cold. Because we consider this ability to be very important, we have used a variety of devices over the years.

You may read more about our use of thermoelectric coolers, ice chests and compact refrigerators and other pages linked from our meal preparation page.

Have a great packing list idea? Share it!

The second indispensable item we packed is a portable toilet. We wanted (and needed) the convenience of being able to "go to the bathroom" whenever we needed to. 

The Porta Potti® served not only as a toilet, but also as a collection point for all waste water from cleaning dishes, brushing teeth, and washing hands.

Depending on the room in your truck and your personal preferences, you may have an inventory much different from ours. Here are the different packing lists that Mike uses for time on the road: job-related; food and equipment; and personal.

In the days to come, we plan to provide info on these other travel checklist items:

• baby wipes for various cleaning tasks;
• bedding, as in a sleeping bag or combination of bed sheets and blankets;
• bedding accessories, including pillows and curtains;
• cameras, both digital and disposable;
• clothes, clothing and doing laundry on the road;
• inverters;
• a laptop computer;
• ventilation systems including portable fans and window screens;
• the all-important portable toilet, and absolutely essential deodorizing chemical treatment;
• truckers' hats;
• sunglasses: polarized, transition prescription lenses, and amber vision; and
• toiletries for showers on the road.

It goes without saying that there are also some items that a professional driver should not pack in his or her truck. They should be apparent by reading through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's list of definitions in Part 390.5 of the Rules and Regulations.

Money saving tip: Although a professional driver cannot anticipate absolutely every contingency that he or she will face on the road, being well prepared by following a well laid out packing list is certainly an advantage. Consider, for example, the cost of a ticket for having a burned out headlight when you could have had not only a spare with you but also the tools with which to change it.

Have A Great Packing List Idea?

Do you have a great idea about an item that you feel is indispensable that needs to be added to one of our existing packing lists that can help truck drivers save money? Share it!

Or have you saved money by using something that you've packed in your truck? Share it!

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