As a new driver about to start my first driving job in the next couple of weeks I’d be interested to hear experiences of other new drivers and things you’ve maybe not thought about before you started?
Aside from the obvious things like satnav, roadmaps etc (although I’d be interested to know which models/versions people get on best with?) It would be great to know what you can’t live without. From boots to trousers, bags to travel mugs… whatever goes with you I’d love to know about?
I always have some paracetamol, or similar.
I have a small tupperware tub with paracetamol, strepsils, plasters etc
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Baby wipes
A Hip Flask too. 
Regards Larry.
For me, a big bottle of water.
Ok, I know I’m not in the big boys club, and really shouldn’t be commenting 
But, doing what I do, multi drop in London, washing machines and ■■■■■■ mattresses are the worst, I tend to sweat a lot.
Fluids in are a must. It’s ok for me, there’s always a corner shop along the route.
Keep a 2 litre bottle of water somewhere and then, when you’re sat on the M6 for 2 hours, you’ll remember it and say “You little beauty”!
You’re welcome
Coffee
steviespain:
For me, a big bottle of water.
Ok, I know I’m not in the big boys club, and really shouldn’t be commenting
But, doing what I do, multi drop in London, washing machines and [zb] mattresses are the worst, I tend to sweat a lot.
Fluids in are a must. It’s ok for me, there’s always a corner shop along the route.
Keep a 2 litre bottle of water somewhere and then, when you’re sat on the M6 for 2 hours, you’ll remember it and say “You little beauty”!
You’re welcome
Yes you can tell you’re not in the big boys club.
We have water in our in-built fridges 
toonsy:
steviespain:
For me, a big bottle of water.
Ok, I know I’m not in the big boys club, and really shouldn’t be commenting
But, doing what I do, multi drop in London, washing machines and [zb] mattresses are the worst, I tend to sweat a lot.
Fluids in are a must. It’s ok for me, there’s always a corner shop along the route.
Keep a 2 litre bottle of water somewhere and then, when you’re sat on the M6 for 2 hours, you’ll remember it and say “You little beauty”!
You’re welcomeYes you can tell you’re not in the big boys club.
We have water in our in-built fridges
Built in fridges! WTF?
I had 3 fridges “built in” to my puddle jumper yesterday 
Dropped em all off in Kew, 2 went to upstairs flats. Hence the need for water
(Gonna have to see about about getting HGV 3 )
As a day/night driver on agency, being sent all over the place, I take:
Pen + Notebook/Paper - If nothing else, to write down the address if you’re light on paperwork or insurance details if you have a bump
Garmin Dezl 770 Sat Nav, It does traffic, heights, weight limits and ADR stuff - Does bluetooth handsfree calling too
Philips Trucker Atlas (Just in case)
Phone charger
Glass Cleaner and a couple rags/cloths - Especially if driving at night.
Torch
Gloves for refuelling and oilly/greasey jobs
Different pair of gloves for handling the load if it is clean - No one likes oil and grease on their ratchet straps
Sun Glasses
Paracetamol
Swiss Army knife with tweezers for taking out splinters.
2-3 cans/bottles of something to drink and something to eat - As a newer driver you’re likely to be given the older and more abused truck in the yard which is probably more likely to break down.
When I first started, I had some cheap steel toes and steel shank boots. They lasted 6 months before I picked up something lighter and more comfortable , I find Timberland Pros very lightweight and comfortable for 12+ hour shifts and don’t get cold in the winter as the toe caps are composite (Just as strong as steel but doesn’t conduct heat/cold through them)
You could do worse than trousers by a company called Scruffs from Wickes/Amazon. They’re smart enough, water repellant and wash and dry very quick.
animal:
Baby wipes
^ This!
Coffee
Always have paper towels ( blue paper roll the best buy) to keep mirrors wiped clean.
A Hammer < best tool invented, fixes most issues, badly perhaps, but fixed in my view.
Swiss Army knife with tweezers for taking out splinters.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
does anyone know exactly what the swiss army are meant to do with their knifes?
personally id rather have a bayonet. 
If I could throw in a few essentials in the technology / entertainment department:
FM Bluetooth transmitter
Connects to your phone through Bluetooth and puts out an FM signal that your radio can pick up, so you can play your own music instead of terrible radio. Perfect if you end up in a truck without an AUX port
Old android phone with CoPilot installed.
Don’t bother buying a TomTom for god knows how much money, CoPilot works perfectly fine, does traffic reports and weight restrictions etc, and is a good use for that old phone that you threw in a drawer 2 years ago
Spare charging cables
Magnetic phone mounts
By far the easiest and quickest way to mount the phone to the dashboard. I’ve also got one that clamps to the underside of the top bunk, so I can watch telly lying in bed on my phone.
Nextbase 112 dash cam
Your company will probably have dash cams installed on the lorry, but I like to have my own footage in case anything goes wrong.
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Oxygen
Jimmy McNulty:
Oxygen
i was going for a box full of strong pornogrophy, but thatll do too
qwakers:
Jimmy McNulty:
Oxygeni was going for a box full of strong pornogrophy, but thatll do too
Who needs a box anymore that’s what the internet was invented for
Not sure what type of work you’re doing, tramping, days, nights, you don’t want to be lugging gear about you’ll never use.
I’ll take it your a tramper
Bedding the choice of duvet or sleeping bag is personal, I carried 2 duvets a tog 13 and a tog 5 can be swapped about depending on weather or used together.
If your truck is fitted with a fridge you’ll be sorted if not it’s not a cheap outlay, there’s various brands and either induction or gas, someone will guide you as to the best.
Buy a cheap mat or bath mat to put on the floor between the seats, nothing worse than standing on a freezing cold floor first thing.
Cooking gear is again a personal choice, there’s plenty of gas stoves out there so it depends on how much you can afford.
Pans and a kettle, if you choose an electric kettle make sure the unit can accept the amps.
Water not just for brews and pot noodles, but you’ll need to take in fluids, or you’ll be ■■■■■■■ iron bru in no time.
Sat Nav is down to expense, there’s plenty on eBay that will do the job, but I have a tablet that had CoPilot on it, think it was about £8 a month.
Spare phone with a SIM card adapter, can’t phone home on a smashed phone.
Entertainment is down to you again, you can pick a cheap tv / dvd combi, the adapter will be 12v just go to maplins and buy the bits to make up your own cable, and don’t plug it into the 24v outlet, get a cheap digi antennae and you’re laughing, or you can use a tablet for Netflix etc.
Basic first aid kit and paracetamol,
Decent sunglasses
Leather gloves, those thin nylon touch gloves are crap oil and grease still get through and with leather you’re better protected against injury.
Wet Wipes and plenty of them.
Flip flops for when you eventually get a shower, splashing about in clock spring soup is minging and you don’t know who was in before you.
There’s plenty of other stuff you’ll find you’ll either need or want to get, as you go along.