i see in some posts people talk of having all their stuff in a bag in their car…
what is essential ?
I will be doing day stuff no nights out, but have so far collected a flask and mug, ordered a AA trucker map (coming 27th Jan ffs!!), got 2 pairs of work trousers, safety boots too - the firm say they’ll provide a dayglo vest
i know this probably sounds a niave post but I’d appreciate a pointer seeing as I satrt on Monday lol
thanks
Si
You can get that AA map in most services.
As you are on containers, its always handy to have a crow bar in the cab, a couple of big rubber bands come in handy for keeping trailer plates held on, also a torch, gloves, you might want to get yourself a kettle for those moments when your sat down the docks waiting for your box, and id take a good book aswell.
Oh and get yourself a driver hour guard, they are invaluable, especially when your new to the game.
A LARGE collection of tail light (usually twin contact) bulbs. You will be amazed at the regularity these bulbs blow, and side marker lights (and the marker lights on the front of the skelly too for that matter). I regularly go through at least 4 a week! I’ve begun to question the quality of the bulbs, but surely bulbs are bulbs at the end of the day?!?!?!?!
Not sure about crow bar but I keep a LARGE pebble in the side locker. Comes in handy for belting the container doors shut when they’re stiff (very often) and banging the safety catches across when you’re trying to get the doors open. Also handy for banging for the twist locks levers into place when the box hasn’t landed square (can also do a quick accelerate and jam the brakes on to level it) and the most useful thing I find it good for is banging the rear pillar retaining clips back down after lifting or dropping the rear pillars (20 or 40ft box). No amount of greasing seems to ease them, they’re tighter than a nun’s wotsit.
Gloves most handy if you’ve got a sliding skelly as if it’s a Montracon or Dennison early model you’ll have to swap the air line over to release the locking pins on the skelly so you can slide it and you usually will get [zb]ed up with grease doing this.
Don’t forget your polish and rag for those 5hr tips 
If you are not doing nights away, then you will need a lot less.
A flask (you mentioned that already, I know) something to read during those long waits 
some kitchen towel (which doubles as toilet paper) and don`t forget to take a ballpoint pen to fill in the tacho card!
At this time of year, make sure you have enough warm clothing.
Your AA Truckers Atlas will not arrive until January because they will be sending you the new edition- it is updated every January. Meanwhile, MSA`s all seem to be offering UK Road Atlases for £2.99 at the moment, so buy one of those.
Good luck, matey! I know you`re going to enjoy it.
Vince
A 2 metre steel rule, so that I KNOW what the trailer height is.
A hand towel
Wet wipes
Some plastic banding for when bits start to fall off.
and a dinner fork, for the times when I find a chip shop or a chinese.
thanks guys 
knew you’d come up trumps!
speakin 2 one of the gaffers today, and I had mis-understood something so might go onto night out duty - I thought it meant night shift, ie start at afternoon time and home at midmorning every day, but evidently it means same start time and a max of 3 nights out a week as it entails taking 2 boxes rather than 1 over to wigan or wherever and kipping when the tacho calls time, but its £380 rather then £320 a week. really I guess i’ll do a month as i am to get into it,then see about this option…
cheers
Si
Add at least one pair of good stout cheap gloves to the list. (One pair to use and another pair to replace the first ones when you’ve left them somewhere 
)
I can get my truck into B&Q to get new gloves but a container rig may be more tricky!
Calv
I carry a camera for back up in the event of an accident & a drivers hours timer.
It might sound obvious, but plenty of money, and a few bob in small change if you need to use a public phone! Also, if your doing boxes, a spare pair of pants for when you go round that ■■■■■ a bit too quick with a heavy 20ft on for the first time! 
Good Luck!
Mal.
thanks again well i am off down 2 B&Q tomorrow to get the glove, I also bought a diary to write down the hours I work.
How much is hour guard and where can you get them from? Seems you chaps know everything!
Mal, thanks for the money tip, I hadn’t really thought of that before 
The thing is that none of my family has ever been involved in transport before I really am starting from scratch! 
getting excited now!
It turns out that where I am going to work they are training one of the office lads (we did Class C together) to be on the road full time, and it happens that 2 drivers have been asked to leave - so I will even get my own wagon from next week! I think it’ll either be a Renault Premium or a DAF somethingoranother!!
Also I’ve had to promise my instructor that I’ll call him on Monday evening to let him know how I got on!
Check the Driver’s Hours Guard forum which is just 5 forums below this one in the list. Or you can click here.
You will find details of how to order and also details of a discount available to TruckNet UK members.
I can honestly say that I think it will be the best and most useful bit of kit you will ever buy, I started using one just under a year ago and I would be lost without it now.
CBR_SI:
How much is hour guard and where can you get them from?
Have a look here for info on the hour guard, including how to order one. You can buy them in Truckstops too.
There is a forum on TruckNet dedicated to this excellent little gizmo, scroll down the forum list until you come to it. I believe they are around £20.
As time goes by, you will acquire more stuff if you do regular nights out. Eventually, your truck will become a miniaturised version of your home. I`ve got a cooker, telly, fridge etc etc, as have most drivers who do nights away. But this stuff can come later.
Dont worry about having no family "history" in transport, I didnt either and neither did many of us.
Dont be afraid to ask for help from other drivers when up the road, you will find that most drivers are only too happy to help a new un.
Vince
I always take a decent torch, a towel, and a tape measure. Not forgetting the charging lead for the mobile fone.Good luck with it, I hope it works out just fine for you
Sleeping bag and pillow are a minimum for nights out.
At least 2 changes of clothing, and 3 or 4 changes of underwear and socks per week.
Take even more books if you’re on nights out.
If you can afford it, a couple of pans, a mini gas stove and some canned food for when you are stuck on a night out in the middle of nowhere. Don’t forget a knife, fork and spoon for eating with.
Sufficient towels and cleaning fluids to keep you from smelling like an old dog 2 days in would help as well.
And get used to getting dressed in confined spaces.
If your doin nights out, a water container, for the brew kit n washing and a can opener for the cans 
Last but not least, a pleasant attitude and a sense of humour.
The first will keep things moving along nicely usualy, the second will be put to good use at almost any moment of the day or night. If you feel a ‘sense of humour failure’ coming on, take a step back and count to 10, it’ll just as likely be a wind-up. If not, loosing the rag will only make things worse. 
Best of luck.