Important Documents

I am interested in any techniques experienced drivers use to keep their important documents secure and yet still accessible while they are on the road.

As I mentioned in my training diary, I am currently waiting on a replacement birth certificate to get here so I can finish getting my license and get out with my trainer. There was another student in my class that had all his stuff in a safe deposit box, but it required him to go home still in order to get it.

One thing I have learned is that once my certificate gets here I can go to the County Registrars office and have it registered in their system. This would mean that if I ever needed to replace it again I could go to the court house instead of having to go through the Department of State.

Anyways I am just curious. This is one of those challenges that those who do not make their living away from home ever think about.

Do note that having a document kept at the register of deeds does make it a public document. Any Joe Schmoe as long as they know the book and page number can look at it. Even have copies printed of it. Granted the likely hood of someone knowing the location of said document without you telling them is fairly slim.

I bought a collapsible file cabinet thing from Walmart for like $10.

Birth and death records are all ready public record so I'm not too worried about that. 30 minutes to get a certified copy versus 6 weeks would be worth the risk lol.

Do note that having a document kept at the register of deeds does make it a public document. Any Joe Schmoe as long as they know the book and page number can look at it. Even have copies printed of it. Granted the likely hood of someone knowing the location of said document without you telling them is fairly slim.

I bought a collapsible file cabinet thing from Walmart for like $10.

Make sure you keep that file folder somewhere you can get at it QUICKLY - in case you have to grab it and run.

Just heard a story from a friend that had to re-power a load going into Canada, because a fellow driver had his truck burn to the ground and lost ALL HIS DOCUMENTS that were onboard in the fire. He was able to get a replacement drivers license pretty quickly - but was still waiting on his Passport to come in.

A PASSPORT CARD is as good as a Birth Certificate - when it comes to proof of birth/citizenship - and I believe this is true for all companies.

I keep my CDL , Passport Card, SS Card (unlaminated - DO NOT LAMINATE your SS Card) & TWIC in my wallet. Originals of all my other important docs (birth certificate is really the only one), are in a file at an attorney/friends office, and I can get them Fedex'd anywhere if need be.

ALL my other important stuff (tax returns, divorce papers, military stuff, school stuff, etc.) have been scanned and stored in multiple accounts in the cloud.

Rick

I have one of those clip-boards with a locking storage hatch built in. Calculator built into the clipper. You can buy 'm at any truck stop or Wally-World.

I am planning on getting my passport card once I get through this initial hurdle for that exact reason.

I have an O.S. bag for when I am on the truck. It has all my important stuff so in the case of an emergency I can grab it and go. When I was running for Covenant we had a situation where a car climbed under the fuel tanks and burnt the truck to the ground.

I bought a collapsible file cabinet thing from Walmart for like $10.

Make sure you keep that file folder somewhere you can get at it QUICKLY - in case you have to grab it and run.

Just heard a story from a friend that had to re-power a load going into Canada, because a fellow driver had his truck burn to the ground and lost ALL HIS DOCUMENTS that were onboard in the fire. He was able to get a replacement drivers license pretty quickly - but was still waiting on his Passport to come in.

A PASSPORT CARD is as good as a Birth Certificate - when it comes to proof of birth/citizenship - and I believe this is true for all companies.

I keep my CDL , Passport Card, SS Card (unlaminated - DO NOT LAMINATE your SS Card) & TWIC in my wallet. Originals of all my other important docs (birth certificate is really the only one), are in a file at an attorney/friends office, and I can get them Fedex'd anywhere if need be.

ALL my other important stuff (tax returns, divorce papers, military stuff, school stuff, etc.) have been scanned and stored in multiple accounts in the cloud.

Rick