Tramping... what to expect

I’m a fairly new Class 2 driver and have a couple of months under my belt. Some agency work and some direct dray work so far. All going well enough to date. Been offered a tramping job, nationwide with Ireland too at times. Job sounds fine as does the patch but naturally I’ve never been a tramper before. At this stage I’ve got a vague understanding of what to expect but can anyone with experience help further? I’ve no idea where I’m heading next week yet so I’m not after geographical specifics but if I know what prep/shopping I need to do at the weekend that’d be a great help. Thanks.

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If you believe some on here you’ll never use a toilet again, you’ll never get showered or washed, your diet will turn to crap causing your weight to balloon and your teeth fall out, your Missus will go off with your best mate and you’ll be a social pariah. There may be some bad times too. :wink:

the maoster:
you’ll never use a toilet again, you’ll never get showered or washed, your diet will turn to crap causing your weight to balloon and your teeth fall out, your Missus will go off with your best mate and you’ll be a social pariah. :

Hey…stop using me as an example eh. :smiling_imp:

On a serious note; take a weeks worth of clean socks and skiddies, wash & shave kit, a quilt and nothing else. You can easily overthink what is basically a simple operation so take the absolute bare minimum, as you gain experience you’ll figure out naturally what you need to make your life more comfortable.

Oh, importantly don’t be a lay by rat or a slave to maxing every minute or you’ll hate it, find some nice town centre lorry parks (you’ll find them as time passes) get out of the lorry, go for a walk, a pint, a meal and actually talk to strangers. Tramping is what you make it.

robroy:

the maoster:
you’ll never use a toilet again, you’ll never get showered or washed, your diet will turn to crap causing your weight to balloon and your teeth fall out, your Missus will go off with your best mate and you’ll be a social pariah. :

Hey…stop using me as an example eh. :smiling_imp:

The names have been changed to protect the guilty! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Second what Maoster says. It’s a grim life stuck in a box, so get out of it for a bit.

I’ve got my bedding, clothes, wash stuff etc but that’s all basic stuff. I also have some meals that I can just sling in the microwave or heat up on the stove if I fancy but most of my little places I’ve found to park are near a pub that serves food so I tend to have a meal most nights unless I don’t fancy it. It does help that my unit is well spaced with fridge/freezer, microwave, coffee machine etc etc (no cool box strapped to the front passenger seat here!)

Oh don’t forget entertainment whether that be films on a tablet, books or multiple copies of Razzle or some other genetlemens publication. If the latter also take a toffee hammer so you can smash your bedding back into a comfortable shape after it’s toughened up.

Expect to be driving a lorry and sleeping in it. Everything else is up to you.

To save money on marked up motorway services tea and coffee , a Thermos will suffice , some truck stops charge 50 pence to fill it with hot water.
If you are cooking in the cab , a basic gas cooker.
Aldi or Lidl have decent canned food and soups.

Get your boss to have a SNAP account for overnight parking and truck washing.
You just sign in on arrival , give the registration , job done.
To add camping shops for your cooker.

A TV at night makes tramping home from home.
Stuff like shavers and toothpaste / brushes , have double of all that kit , to leave it all in the cab when you go home , to save carting back and forth the car and lorry.

Foam ear plugs for a noisy layby .
Tupperware boxes for all the bits and bobs.
A large sports bag to haul the bedding for washing at home .
A duvet or sleeping bag , bed sheets to cover the bunk.

its a grand life stuck in a box if it suits you.
from layby rat to finding some nice quiet hideyholes in your favourite dogging laybys,just wing it and you will soon find out wheres best suiting you to park up.
always…have a packet or 3 of wetwipes,and keep one in the fridge in the summer.

danbabirecki:
I’m a fairly new Class 2 driver and have a couple of months under my belt. Some agency work and some direct dray work so far. All going well enough to date. Been offered a tramping job, nationwide with Ireland too at times. Job sounds fine as does the patch but naturally I’ve never been a tramper before. At this stage I’ve got a vague understanding of what to expect but can anyone with experience help further? I’ve no idea where I’m heading next week yet so I’m not after geographical specifics but if I know what prep/shopping I need to do at the weekend that’d be a great help. Thanks.

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On top of what Maoster says…
As for wk.end shopping… Assuming you’ve got a fridge,.take about 5 pts of milk with you, some cereal, coffee etc.
Try and get a little gas stove, or a 24v oven, or better still a microwave and large inverter, and take some ready cooked meals with you…oh yeh and a kettle.

As Maoster says, it’s better to eat out when you can, but if you have food and facilities on stand by for those nights where you have to settle for a bad parking place, well at least your prepared.

Baby wipes are always handy btw.
Full washing kit and towel.
Once you get into it you’ll realise what else you need.
Good luck with it bud, don’t turn it into a work/sleep endurance test, and you’ll enjoy it. :bulb:

Best thing I bought was a slow cooker. You can get a small one in argos for around ten quid. It only draws about 150 watts so can be run off pretty much most inverters. When you stop for a 45 bung your preferred ingredients in and then when you stop at the end of the day your teas all ready for you. I’ve also got an 800w toaster from whal that my 800w inverter handles ok if I don’t turn it up to full and a 600w kettle from swan (got mine from amazon). Saves messing around setting the gas cooker up just for a brew.
Depending on how much spare time your going to have I’d recommend a decent tablet and get signed up to Amazon prime or Netflix. You can download a lot of stuff when your home on your wifi to watch later so no need for a massive data package.
Other than that as long as you’ve got enough food and water, cooking and eating utensils, clean clothes, wash kit and either a sleeping bag or duvet set you should be ok. Oh and as already said wet wipes, they clean just about everything from sweaty pits to dirty dishes. Oh and a wide necked bottle such as an old milk bottle unless you want to get dressed and put your shoes on should you need a pee at stupid o’clock in the morning.

Thanks people. Not seen the wagon so no idea what facilities it has such as fridge, microwave etc. Don’t drink hot drinks so no kettle needed. The idea of getting a pub meal or similar when possible appeals. Really don’t intend on living on junk food. Think it’ll be daytime drops so plenty of night downtime. Got a decent iPad plus I like to read so I guess a few books is not a bad shout. I like to walk too so maybe find a national gym subscription so I can have a sauna and decent shower if I can park within walking distance. Guess I’ll figure it out when I know the truck and my routes

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It’s also a good idea to carry a small tool kit. A screwdriver with interchangeable bits, no2 pozi drive, a couple of different sized flat bits and a variety of hex and torx bits. Pair of pliers, Stanley knife, insulation tape, gaffa tape, wd40 and a selection of cable ties along with at least 2 of every bulb your lorry uses. Oh and spare fuses.

Initially I’d suggest leaving the alcohol alone unless you have an evening meal in a pub, as it’s easy to fall into the routine of drinking a few if your stuck in the cab all the time.

dreamingofoz:
It’s also a good idea to carry a small tool kit. A screwdriver with interchangeable bits, no2 pozi drive, a couple of different sized flat bits and a variety of hex and torx bits. Pair of pliers, Stanley knife, insulation tape, gaffa tape, wd40 and a selection of cable ties along with at least 2 of every bulb your lorry uses. Oh and spare fuses.

Sounds like a serial killers guide

Make what you want of it and you can enjoy it. My cabs full of all sorts of stuff that I use from time to time, I don’t feel the need to limit what I carry. I have my bike with me in my cab, as i end up in some great parts of the country and love getting out there for a ride. I also have a multi gym membership so i can use loads of gyms. As others have posted get out there and talk to people, don’t sit in the cab all night. It will be miserable if you start doing that

ArcticMonkey:

dreamingofoz:
It’s also a good idea to carry a small tool kit. A screwdriver with interchangeable bits, no2 pozi drive, a couple of different sized flat bits and a variety of hex and torx bits. Pair of pliers, Stanley knife, insulation tape, gaffa tape, wd40 and a selection of cable ties along with at least 2 of every bulb your lorry uses. Oh and spare fuses.

Sounds like a serial killers guide

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
too much clutter there.
a coal hammer,duct tape and a fireside rug with a handy shovel.job done. :wink:

If not supplied Get a Good first Aid kit, and I’d carry a small extinguisher, never know.

Decent torch, good road atlas, and this may sound mad but have a pad&pen, for when that old Irish farmer says he give you directions, better than trying to decipher the crop circles he’s telling you about [emoji1787]

I’d also suggest a cheapie spare phone lobbed in a bag if doing distance work, old Nokia 3210 or whatever just in case modern tec goes ghostly on you…

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Part of the best advice I was given when I started decades ago, along with all that’s been said was get a lorry innertube patch, for all the times the plug is missing from the sinks. Plastic bags for the dirty washing. thebeardedone