Becky Hinshelwood 8th February 2017

The HGV Drivers Toolkit

If you are a seasoned, experienced HGV driver used to long days on the road, you probably have your travel bag packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. But if you’re new to the job, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to figure out what you need – resulting in hours of taking things out and putting things back in again. Honestly, it can be more stressful than packing for a holiday! To help you out, here’s a breakdown of the HGV driver’s essential on the road kit:

Food And Drink

If you’ve ever eaten in a roadside café, you know that food on the road isn’t always the best, or the healthiest option out there. That’s why many HGV drivers bring their own stash of food with them. The more health conscious might pack their own meals, while other might just stock up on pot noodles and microwave meals. Long life foods will become your best friend, especially on 3 day journeys when keeping your home-cooked food fresh is a challenge.

Toiletries

Long hours on the road and sleeping in your cab mean that you’re in your own company a lot, so it’s important to stay clean. A pack of toiletries including wet wipes, tooth brush and toothpaste, disinfectant, shower gel, razors and toilet roll can be a lifesaver when you’re stuck with service station showers.

An Actual Toolkit

Out on the road, you are largely responsible for maintaining your vehicle, so having a decent portable toolkit is always a good idea. At a minimum, you’ll want to have pliers, a hammer, a spanner, screwdrivers and duct tape (the ultimate fix-all solution). On top of that, anything more specific that you think will be useful in an emergency.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Life on the road is hard, and you won’t always be able to find somewhere to eat at night (and sometimes if you can you’d rather not!). So we recommend you keep a kettle, mug, teabags and coffee with you on the road. Having some powdered milk stashed away isn’t a bad idea either, as it will keep much better than fresh. A bulk pack of bottled water means you will always have something to brew if there are no facilities nearby. We’ve also known drivers you take a portable stove and pan with them so they can cook on the road!

Entertainment

Once you’ve done your allocated hours of driving, you can’t just flop down on the sofa at home like the office workers out there. So, you should plan for some downtime and decide how to entertain yourself, because sitting in service stations can be really boring. Books, podcasts and portable DVD players are all popular, along with laptops and 3G dongles that let you stream your favourite shows using services like Netflix.

Bedding And Clothes

And finally, take some nice, soft things with you. The beds in HGV’s are functional, but they aren’t always comfortable, so make sure you bring your own duvet, pillows and blankets. This makes sleeping in the compartment much more bearable and your back will thank you in the morning. Speaking of morning, I don’t know many people who enjoy staying in the same clothes for days at a time, so some spare clothes won’t go amiss! You should also have your ‘weather gear’ stored in your cab all year round, so you are prepared for whatever the British weather throws at you.

Don’t forget to pack some earplugs as well, so you can block out the sounds of the traffic and get a good night’s sleep!

For more tips on preparing your travel bag, or to talk to a seasoned driver about their experiences, just get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to help.

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