The Travel Packing List of
One Money-Saving Pro 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 was a portable toilet. We wanted (and needed) the convenience of being able to "go to the bathroom" whenever we needed to.

We listed 10 reasons why OTR truckers should consider having a portable toilet in their trucks.

Depending on your needs, 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;
• door mats to help you keep your truck cleaner;
• grooming tools and personal hygiene items;
• inverters;
• a laptop computer;
• the all-important portable toilet, and absolutely essential deodorizing chemical treatment;
• truckers atlas or trucker maps;
• trucker hats;
• sunglasses: polarized, transition prescription lenses, and amber vision; and
• a vacuum cleaner.
• ventilation systems including portable fans and window screens;

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.

We also provide some guidance on truck organization.

We think that every truck driver needs to be prepared as much as possible in advance of emergencies, which is why we have compiled suggested trucker emergency kit lists depending on your unique situation.

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.

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