What do you carry?

[JimS]

What do you carry with you while you are driving a big rig? Other than your CDL, insurance verification for the truck, and
registration, what other paperwork is it wise to carry? Do you carry your physical exam papers? I know one driver who carries a
disposable camera. He said they took his phone during an incident and feared losing evidence to support his claim and that
pictures from a cheap disposable backed him up. Is it wise to do a written log even if you have an ELD? Other advice, ideas, what
do you do? Thanks.

 

[pat sublett]

Glock 42

 

[Janicholson]

Dash camera and a thin digital snap shot camera. Digital copies of the paper log book. Backed up on an external drive after each trip at home. (prevents loss if in a fire) Jim

 

[JimS]

Copies of the paper log is a good one. Thanks. I believe they can take your logbook and if they do it may leave you short on evidence.

 

[Tony in SD]

Not to be a smart a$$ but where do you find a disposable camera now days? And where would you get the film developed? Almost everyone has a camera on their cell phone.
I also carry a Glock. Never leave home without it anymore. Too old and slow.

 

[JimS]

I have heard of drivers having their phones taken as evidence when there was concern they may have been texting. If they do that, there go your photos. The digital camera was a good suggestion. We still have a place here that develops film. We have a number of photographers in the area too that will do it.

 

[Tony in SD]

Guess I live in the sticks. Nowhere near here to develop pictures anymore. You could always text the photos to an email address.
Do they have the right to confiscate phones? Don't know but I would think not with due process.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

30lbs of extra fat.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Most of my years peddling freight were spent in the Kansas City, MO. area. That entailed many dozens of cumulative hours of waiting in alleys. I carried an axe handle to convince persistent bums they needed to scram, and the occasional pimp. gm

 

[Moonlite37]

Run off reptiles with an axe handle?

 

[hd6gtom]

Same here used to carry 45 cal. Now all I haul is n fords. I figure if anyone is gonna steal one of them junkers they need to be in the nut house, not shot.

 

[D beatty]

The 38 years I drove for an LTL carrier I carried a 2FT piece of 3/4 pipe ( called a tire knocker if asked by cops). Our company would not let use carry a camera or firearm .

 

[ericlb]

these days its mandatory to have truck papers, insurance for it and cargo usually a company has some kind of proof of insurance for the cargo and trailer if its your tractor ,that seems to vary by company. personal, you must have your cdl, medical information and exam with you, [ that flatbed winch bar is a nice thing to have too even if you dont run a flatbed, it has a nice heft and a pointed end] id also carry a dash cam that can be rotated to film a cop or dot during a stop, as far as i know a gun is still illegal to have in a commercial truck in all 50 states, hide yours well if your going to have one,

 

[marloweg]

you can carry a firearm just proven in Wisconsin

 

[Tony in SD]

Title 18 U.S.C. 926a: Interstate transportation of firearms

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver?s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

 

[Crazy Horse]

Well Tony, I guess that sets the record straight. So you can "carry" ( between certain states) but not loaded and the shells (do they still call them bullets) must be elsewhere and maybe even locked. Not terribly handy if a bandito decides to take charge of things. Just seeing one though might discourage someone. Being from Canada, it's beyond my imagination to think of someone packing guns in their cars while out for a Sunday drive. I see the odd border service program on TV where some families are checked and they have 2-3 handguns in the car, one lady had her gun in a diaper bag. Yikes !!!

 

[Crazy Horse]

Are you saying that the occasional pimp wanted to talk to you? Hmmm ..... now that's SCARY !!!!

 

[Tony in SD]

You are correct, an unloaded gun is just a rock. So most CCW holders I know carry loaded guns. FYI There are a number of ladies conceal hand bags being made so it is not unheard of to have one used for diapers.

 

[504]

Medical is digital, and the DOT gets it as soon as the do a W&W on you. In Mo we have to pay $2.00 to have it recorded.

 

[stonerock]

mostly a 9mm sometimes a 38, 357, 45 on me, in my truck 270,30-06 or 300 win mag

 

[oydnar]

(quoted from post at 11:24:27 12/27/17) Dash camera and a thin digital snap shot camera. Digital copies of the paper log book. Backed up on an external drive after each trip at home. (prevents loss if in a fire) Jim

most drug stores still offer film developing service, problem is ya have to wait a couple weeks, what is gone, is the 1hr places

 

[2wheelgnnr]

this is why transportation engineers should be interested in the firearm carry reprocity act. and hope it passes. firearms permit viewed like DL.....good in all 50 states if you have one in your home state!!

 

[mj]

SP101.

 

[bass]

(reply to post at 10:18:23 12/27/17)

colt m1911a1 .45cal

bass

 

[NCWayne]

As Tony states the law doesn't say anything about it being illegal to carry, but it's still one of those rumors that gets brought up quite regularly, usually by those who don't carry and haven't looked into it. Personally I carry either a .380 Colt Gov, or a.40 Styer everywhere I go.

Given some of the places I have to go, and the fact I'm often alone, driving a truck with probably $75K plus in tools, I don't think I'm crazy for wanting that extra security there, anymore than I do when I'm out with my family on a weekend.

I look at it this way. I've never seen a victim that knew they were going to be a victim when the they left home......