Hi everyone,
As someone is new to the driving scene (class 2), i’ve just signed up for a few agencies in west Yorkshire and wondered what everyone would recommend as a bag of goodies (tools/ essential items) that I would need for when driving. I’ve thought about some things like sat nav, maps.
I’ll be delivering to shops mainly and also involves hand balling.
Thanks 
Keep it simple. Just how much junk do you want to be carting around each day?
If you are working for the same companies each day you will soon get an idea of what’s required.
If no nights out are involved then you’re laughing. Just make sure you have enough food for your expected day and some extra in case things go pear shaped.
The odd couple of screwdrivers/pliers etc can come in handy for light bulbs etc
Its a legal requirement to have spare bulbs and tachograph rolls so some of them would be a good idea. Companies should supply them but some dont. And some rip the preverbial when its an agency driver.
I am an agency driver and I carry with me
Never needed to use most of them but its better to have and not need than need and not have
wet wipes in case theres no bogroll…( keep it in the fridge for a exhilarating wipe)…a must for me plus you never know when you need to go. 
Essentials:
Hi-vis
Gloves
Pen
Pocket torch
Phone with googlemaps
Phone charger
Spare tacho roll
Bit of old rag or wet wipes to clean your hands on
Not essential useful addition:
Small hand towel to dry your head/hair if it’s ■■■■■■■ it down
The-Snowman:
Its a legal requirement to have spare bulbs and tachograph rolls so some of them would be a good idea. Companies should supply them but some dont. And some rip the preverbial when its an agency driver.
I am an agency driver and I carry with me
- Spare Tacho rolls
- Spare bulbs (enough for all exteriors)
- Star and Flat head screwdrivers
- T10 torx head screwdriver
- Small vice grips
- Pliers
- Cable ties
- String
- Box cutter (Knife)Never needed to use most of them but its better to have and not need than need and not have
^ Ignore this guy. 
I carry a screwdriver and 2 torches, one led and the other a wind up thing. I always go to work with clothes, boots and hi viz, a nice cuddly high viz coat. You never know when you need it like last night when I was sitting on the barrier for 4 hours last night waiting for tyre fitter then recovery.
Sat nav as well as it has a TV and dab radio
Some wet wipes for the steering wheel and other dirty bits round the cab.
Hard hat, safety glasses, phone charger, sometimes take my tablet, a tape measure, digital camera soon to be upgraded to a dashcam. Spare tacho rolls and analogue discs, this year and last years diary for driving records. A hand full of pens.
Enough food, drink and money to see qme through 15 hours, mags to read.
Not forgetting my driving licence, CPC and digi card. Plus some business cards 
Loads of other ■■■■■ as well…
Good luck,
Steve
Left hand down!:
The-Snowman:
Its a legal requirement to have spare bulbs and tachograph rolls so some of them would be a good idea. Companies should supply them but some dont. And some rip the preverbial when its an agency driver.
I am an agency driver and I carry with me
- Spare Tacho rolls
- Spare bulbs (enough for all exteriors)
- Star and Flat head screwdrivers
- T10 torx head screwdriver
- Small vice grips
- Pliers
- Cable ties
- String
- Box cutter (Knife)Never needed to use most of them but its better to have and not need than need and not have
^ Ignore this guy.
Excuse me? And why,exactly, is what I have listed so wrong? What would the all mighty expert left hand down carry instead? See anything on my list that is a huge great big no no?
Sorry left-hand-down but you have REALLY annoyed me here. What is your problem and why have I to be ignored? You dont even know me and what I posted was perfectly legitimate. You didnt even answer the OPs question with much different answers than mine
The-Snowman:
Sorry left-hand-down but you have REALLY annoyed me here. What is your problem and why have I to be ignored? You dont even know me and what I posted was perfectly legitimate. You didnt even answer the OPs question with much different answers than mine
He’s asking for essential items. All yours are not (with the exception of the tacho roll). The only thing you’ve missed off your list is the kitchen sink. And how you’ve come to the conclusion that my list isn’t “much different” to yours is beyond me unless you’re blind and can’t read.
Hand steriliser gel is handy.Wilkonsons are the cheapest.
Foam ear plugs for a day time snooze in a noisy layby or a night out if out of hours.
A clip board keeps the paper work in order.
Large kit or sports bag to haul the kit.
Tacho timer ,such as a kitchen timer.
Diary and writting paper.
Breakdown phone numbers and tyre firms.
Left hand down!:
The-Snowman:
Sorry left-hand-down but you have REALLY annoyed me here. What is your problem and why have I to be ignored? You dont even know me and what I posted was perfectly legitimate. You didnt even answer the OPs question with much different answers than mineHe’s asking for essential items. All yours are not (with the exception of the tacho roll). The only thing you’ve missed off your list is the kitchen sink. And how you’ve come to the conclusion that my list isn’t “much different” to yours is beyond me unless you’re blind and can’t read.
Truck net Baby hour
Left hand down!:
The-Snowman:
Sorry left-hand-down but you have REALLY annoyed me here. What is your problem and why have I to be ignored? You dont even know me and what I posted was perfectly legitimate. You didnt even answer the OPs question with much different answers than mineHe’s asking for essential items. All yours are not (with the exception of the tacho roll). The only thing you’ve missed off your list is the kitchen sink. And how you’ve come to the conclusion that my list isn’t “much different” to yours is beyond me unless you’re blind and can’t read.
I could have accepeted your reason had you simply said you might not consider my items essential. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. They are essential to me,that’s why I carry them. If you have managed to go your entire driving career without needing an emergency cable tie or had to replace a bulb at the side of the road then you are one lucky guy.
OP has joined agencys. It is a sad fact that some companies that use agency drivers (I say some as most are decent) give those drivers the trucks that are not in the best repair and getting on a bit. Roadworthy,but not exactly 100% dependable. In that respect,in my opinion,everything I carry is essential. One company I do a lot of work for does not even have a workshop at their yard or fitters because they just rent the space of another yard. If op works for a similar company and has,say, a loose mudguard at 2am,how does a wet wipe or a phone charger help him in this situation?
I accept,however,that your list is vastly different to mine. Poor choice of words on my part. But why you think a phone charger and a phone with googlemaps and hand wipes as essential but spare bulbs,screwdrivers etc not to be is a mystery to me. By your reckoning,if op does not have a smart phone with gps and maps he needs to get one. Maybe he has a sat nav?
Im not interested in getting into an argument or falling out with anyone. We just have a difference of opinion about what constitutes “essential”
On day/night work my bag consists
Torch x 2
Spare batteries although 1 is wind up
Book
Hairbrush ( sorry lads but )
Gloves x2
Flask
Cup
Coffee
Hi viz
Leads for charging phone & handsfree
Map & sat nav
Baby wipes
Micro fiber cloth
dieseldog999:
wet wipes in case theres no bogroll…( keep it in the fridge for a exhilarating wipe)…
Snowman, I see you’re new to TruckNet and possibly to the internet? Welcome. Try not to get so upset.
Contraflow:
Snowman, I see you’re new to TruckNet and possibly to the internet? Welcome. Try not to get so upset.
Yes new to trucknet,been pro driver for over 10 years. Not new to internet however,I try not to get annoyed by responses on forums. I know what some people can be like.
The-Snowman:
Left hand down!:
The-Snowman:
Sorry left-hand-down but you have REALLY annoyed me here. What is your problem and why have I to be ignored? You dont even know me and what I posted was perfectly legitimate. You didnt even answer the OPs question with much different answers than mineHe’s asking for essential items. All yours are not (with the exception of the tacho roll). The only thing you’ve missed off your list is the kitchen sink. And how you’ve come to the conclusion that my list isn’t “much different” to yours is beyond me unless you’re blind and can’t read.
I could have accepeted your reason had you simply said you might not consider my items essential. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. They are essential to me,that’s why I carry them. If you have managed to go your entire driving career without needing an emergency cable tie or had to replace a bulb at the side of the road then you are one lucky guy.
OP has joined agencys. It is a sad fact that some companies that use agency drivers (I say some as most are decent) give those drivers the trucks that are not in the best repair and getting on a bit. Roadworthy,but not exactly 100% dependable. In that respect,in my opinion,everything I carry is essential. One company I do a lot of work for does not even have a workshop at their yard or fitters because they just rent the space of another yard. If op works for a similar company and has,say, a loose mudguard at 2am,how does a wet wipe or a phone charger help him in this situation?
It doesn’t. But then you need to remember what you’re being paid to do: driving the truck, not fixing it. If the truck breaks then you ring the office and let them deal with it because a) it’s their job to sort out and b) if you take matters into your own hands and try to fix it yourself you will still get a bollocking because you “haven’t been trained”. That is modern day haulage for you and thus no toolbox full of crap need be taken with you.
As a side note, in all the years I’ve been driving I’ve never had a mudguard come loose when down the road. You might lose it altogether if you have a blow out but then you’ve got bigger problems to worry about than your mudguard. As for bulbs blowing, well, nice idea in theory but most trucks require more than what you’ve got in your bag to change them. I’d like to see you change the headlight bulb on a modern Iveco with your screwdrivers, vice grips, pliers or box cutter. In fact I’d pay to see that.
I accept,however,that your list is vastly different to mine. Poor choice of words on my part. But why you think a phone charger and a phone with googlemaps and hand wipes as essential but spare bulbs,screwdrivers etc not to be is a mystery to me. By your reckoning,if op does not have a smart phone with gps and maps he needs to get one. Maybe he has a sat nav?
A phone charger is essential because if your phone goes flat then how are you going to contact the office/customers with progress etc, ring in with any problems etc? Yes, sure, you could ask to use the phone at your delivery points but it’s far from professional and very inconvenient, therefore I’d say it’s an essential bit of kit to go with the phone in order for you to complete your job with minimal fuss. As for it being a smart phone, no, not essential per se, especially if one already possesses a satnav, but in the absence of a satnav a smart phone with googlemaps is perfectly adequate to enable one to complete one’s tasks.
Most truck bulbs can be changed very easily with the kit snowman has said
I find a large hand-bag comes in usefull , especially at dawn 