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.

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

We also updated the information, providing reasons why you should consider having a portable toilet in your truck.

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;
• baking soda as a low-cost cleaning agent;
• bedding, as in a sleeping bag or combination of bed sheets and blankets, and even sleeping bag repair;
• bedding accessories, including pillows and curtains;
• cameras, both digital and disposable;
• clothes, clothing and doing laundry on the road;
• grooming tools and personal hygiene items;
• inverters;
• a laptop computer;
• ventilation systems including portable fans and window screens;
• the all-important portable toilet, and absolutely essential deodorizing chemical treatment;
• truckers atlas or trucker maps;
• trucker hats;
• door mats to help you keep your truck cleaner;
• sunglasses: polarized, transition prescription lenses, and amber vision; and
• a vacuum cleaner.

There are lots of items that drivers might routinely use in their homes that don't exactly fit in a truck. Sometimes items can be repurposed so that they will work for better use and functionality in a truck. We provide a list of our recommended trucker accessories.

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!

Packing List Ideas Other Visitors Have Shared

Click below to see packing list ideas from other visitors to this page...