Equipment Provided Vs Purchased For Company Driver?

General question, but leaning towards Prime/Millis (CLP scheduled 1/28)

QualCom/ELD, provided, but is this a Wi-Fi Hotspot? Trucking GPS, sounds like the QC does this, is a paper map then good enough for planning? Does company send route with fuel stops? CB, seems this is never provided, is the $40 model good enough? Wheel chocks, flashlight, MagStop, 8lb mallot, rubber mallot, cable cutter, snow chains, other tools? What about a BT headset, is this just to call your buddies hands-free, or do you really need to speak to shippers, receivers, FM while driving? tia

is a paper map then good enough for planning?

It was good enough back in the day before we had all these electronics. I always used my Rand McNally road atlas in combination with Google Maps for trip planning. You need the "Motor Carriers" atlas. It has a ton of information in it that you will need. You can find truck routes, locate low bridges, and have each individual states rules and regulations for kingpin measurements at your fingertips. It is worth ten times what you'll pay for it.

Does company send route with fuel stops?

Yes, and all this type stuff will be covered in orientation and training. Each company will have their own little ways they do this sort of stuff. It is simple and straightforward.

CB, seems this is never provided, is the $40 model good enough?

You can get by with any old C.B. radio, but you'll be a lot happier if you spend the money on a Cobra 29 and have a C.B. shop install it so they can make sure you've got a good ground. They can help you get the proper antenna and set the SWR settings for you. That will help you to get the best reception and output. Remember you do not have to have all this stuff for your virgin voyage. You can buy things as you begin to produce some cash flow.

Wheel chocks, flashlight, MagStop, 8lb mallot, rubber mallot, cable cutter, snow chains, other tools?

Honestly, I have never had a set of wheel chocks on my truck. Shippers and receivers who require them have them available. I occasionally needed a wheel chock when adjusting a stubborn set of tandems , but I just improvised with a piece of 4"x 4" of whatever was conveniently available. Your company will provide you a set of tire chains. A small 2lb. sledge hammer is always handy. You really should just start the job and then create a list of the tools you come across as needing. I had several tool kits on my truck. Most of the time I never needed any of them.

What about a BT headset, is this just to call your buddies hands-free, or do you really need to speak to shippers, receivers, FM while driving?

You'll need a headset if you plan on talking while driving. I spoke to shippers and receivers far more often than I ever did with my dispatcher. I very seldom talked to my buddies. I found phone conversations to be very distracting. That is my experience. People like Kearsey and Daniel B. talk while they are driving all the time. For some people it helps them. I never liked it. My wife wouldn't even call me while I was driving because she knew I just didn't enjoy chit chatting on the phone. I did conduct business with my shippers and receivers, but that was part of my way of making my job more profitable.

Don't overwhelm yourself thinking you have got to buy a bunch of stuff to start this career. You don't. All the stuff you've mentioned can be purchased as needed. Plus, you'll have a much better idea of what you need after you've been on the road for a few trips. By the way, if you find you need some cable cutters or something that you don't have, 95% of the time you will be at a shipper or receiver. There will be other drivers there also. They will almost always be willing to give you a hand or loan you something if you are in a bind. Even some of the shippers and receivers are accustomed to having rookies show up not having what they need. They will loan you something to cut a seal or whatever you need. You will figure out what you need as you gain experience, or you could just do like PackRat and have your truck loaded up like you're expecting the Apocalypse. Either way you will survive.

I occasionally needed a wheel chock when adjusting a stubborn set of tandems , but I just improvised with a piece of 4"x 4" of whatever was conveniently available. Your company will provide you a set of tire chains.

With automatics some companies want you to have chocks in order to do the brake test which we didnt need to chock in the manuals.

"Whatever was convenient"... Funny story... I was so freak in tired and past my 14 at a shipper. Just want to slide the tandems and park. I didnt have a chock or curb handy...i thought "what do I have that is 3D? My Triangle box!!!" 10 seconds later there was plastic crumbles all over that parking lot 😂

Prime and some other companies are now requiring drivers to pay for chains, load locks, padlocks....tarps and straps for flatbed. Prime takes it out your pay weekly increments and buys the chains back if and when you leave.

For me it is claw hammer, flashlight and jumper cables. I can kill someone with all of them.and get the truck rolling after I bury the body 😂

I didnt have a chock or curb handy...i thought "what do I have that is 3D? My Triangle box!!!" 10 seconds later there was plastic crumbles all over that parking lot

That is so funny! I understand though. I can remember times being so tired that I would have done anything just to finish my day and hit the sleeper.

If I remember right I think Massachusetts used to require wheel chocks when parked especially in their service plazas along the Mass Pike. You can use a 4 x 4 and cut them to fit on a 45* angle or better to have those HD rubber ones.

The little 6x6 inch chocks are real cheap at Harbor Freight. I bought em years ago for when I needed to unhook my landscape trailer to access additional machines from truck bed. Think they were $15-20 for a set

I have those HF chocks. Great for the shadetree mechanic. I likely have all the useful small tools I've seen in trucking videos.

Is the QC a WiFi hotspot? Kearsey (Rhonda) mentioned this feature, in a years ago ELD writeup.

Since my name was pulled into this....

I'm going to start a separate topic on here this week: "Tools, Tips, Tricks, and Trailers". A few things I use sometimes and things I've learned to make things easier.

I was wondering about the no chocks comment didn't realize the manuals where like that.

Does your trainee know you use if claw hammers lol

With automatics some companies want you to have chocks in order to do the brake test which we didnt need to chock in the manuals.

For me it is claw hammer, flashlight and jumper cables. I can kill someone with all of them.and get the truck rolling after I bury the body 😂