Tools and Equipment: A Guide to Pro Trucker Use and Savings

Each industry has its share of tools and equipment.

What is generally used in one industry may or may not be used in another.

It cannot be overemphasized that the right piece must be used for each job.

Compromising on this point can lead to serious injury or even death.

The Right Tools and Equipment Can Protect You From Injury

Professional truck driver Mike Simons showed the hard hat and protective safety glasses he was required to wear before going into the loading area of one customer.

The hard hat is designed to protect his head in the event that something falls on him.

The protective safety glasses -- which fit over his glasses -- are designed to protect him from eye injuries.

Tools and Equipment Used By Many Truckers

Below, we have listed some of the most common tools that may be used by professional truck drivers.

The list is not comprehensive as there is variation even within the trucking industry.

For example, flatbed drivers use load-securing tools that dry van drivers never will.

Here is our list:

• cable ties,
• CB radios,
• chocks,
• coolant,
• degreaser,
• emergency flares,
• emergency triangles,
• eye protection,
• fire extinguisher,
• flashlight,
• fuel theft deterrent,
• hammer,
• hand cleaner,
• head protection,
• heavy duty scissors,
• king pin lock,
• light bulbs and head lamps,
• load security,
• load straps and chains,
• locks,
• measuring tape,
• motor oil,
• pigtail,
• Rain-X (R),
• rubber grommets,
• rubber tie downs,
• safety glasses,
• screwdrivers,
• siphon pump,
• snow chains,
• Swiss army knife,
• tarps,
• tool box or tool kit,
• vice grips,
• WD-40,
• winter weather tools,
• work gloves, and
• wrenches.

Different From Truck Parts

For purposes of this website, we have separated tools and equipment from truck parts.

We plan to cover each of the tools listed above separately or in common groupings.

Additional Resources Regarding Tools and Equipment

Some of these resources have been provided by others.

• Company won't supply needed bungee cords
• King Pin Lock cost
• Tire chains for new owner op
• Tire thumpers

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Money saving tip: Depending on the tools and equipment that you may be using, you could potentially save money these ways:

• borrow them (as long as you give them back to the person who loaned them to you),
• rent them (especially if the tools are very expensive and you'll only use them once or a few times),
• share them with others (but only if you and the person you're sharing them with don't need them at the same time),
• buy them second-hand (such as at yard sales, consignment stores or online auction websites),
• buy them on sale (timing the sale to the best discounts), or
• buy them with gift cards, customer loyalty rewards, or bonus points.

One source on the best time to buy everything stated that tools are on sale in February, June (around Father's Day), November and December.

Unless it is an absolute emergency, you might want to avoid buying tools and equipment in a truckstop or travel center, since prices there are generally higher than you can find at retail stores.

Be careful about buying a tool, the quality of which is questionable or inferior to a name brand tool.

Some establishments may throw a bunch of generic or second-quality tools in a "clearance" display at greatly reduced cost.

It will not save you money if you have to replace it after the first or second use.

On the other hand, if in comparing tools you find that the specifications are the same between a name brand unit and a generic or lesser brand unit, you can, at times, save a lot of money by buying the latter.

Sometimes, you pay for the name.

Sometimes, you pay if you don't buy the name brand item.

The name generally stands behind its quality.

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Return from Tools and Equipment: A Guide to Pro Trucker Use and Savings to our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.

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Recommended Trucker Accessories

• Portable Toilet
  
  
• Cold Food Storage Device
  
  
• Appliances to Cook in Your Truck
  
  
• Powering Your Appliances
  
  
• Navigation Tools
  
  
• Communication Tools

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