As most of the country continues to hunker down in their homes and practice social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19, truck drivers remain committed to keeping essential stores stocked with all of the products people need to keep themselves safe and healthy. But to do their job well, and to stay safe while doing it, drivers need to make sure they have the right kind of trucking supplies.
While there are plenty of supplies that truckers are accustomed to having with them on the road (gloves, dashboard mounts, tool kit, dashcams, etc.), the COVID-19 virus has created a need for additional trucking supplies. Here are some of the resources drivers should make sure they have on-hand during these trying times.
The Most Important Trucking Supplies to Have Available
If you’ve been watching the news at all—and even if you haven’t—you’ve probably heard of the things you can be doing to protect yourself and others from getting exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The most important supplies you’ll want to have with you on the road are:
- Cloth face covers/masks
- Gloves to wear when working outside the cab of your truck
- Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Disinfectant wipes or spray to clean the inside of your cab
For example, in the image that headlines this blog, you’ll see one of our drivers using a lithium-ion sprayer that we provide to our team members to disinfect the cabs of their trucks. We’re always looking for new ways to provide for our drivers, and we have even more advanced cleaning supplies on the way to ensure nothing less than the safest, cleanest working environments.
However, always remember that you need to wear a face mask or covering and, ideally, a pair of gloves anytime you venture outside of your truck. You’ll also want to try and limit the number of surfaces you touch to minimize your risk of exposure.
CDC Recommended Truck Driver Safety Tips
“Professional truck drivers are on the front lines of the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. James Voorhees, president and CEO of ITI, says. “It is vital that they know how to protect themselves and others.” To that end, here are some truck driver safety tips to help keep you healthy during your day-to-day routes.
- Clean (or avoid) high-touch areas outside of your vehicle.
- Stay informed of any regulatory changes that might affect your job (hours of service, CDL expirations, etc.).
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water (or hand sanitizer, if soap and water are unavailable) whenever you’re in public.
- Sanitize the inside of your truck at the start and end of every day. Pay special attention to areas like door handles, the steering wheel, turn signals, shift levers, and other high-touch surfaces.
“The American trucker sits at a vital intersection in society,” Trucking.org says. “They are the critical link between the valued goods we produce and the demands of our most pressing needs.”
With the supplies and truck driving safety tips above, you can keep yourself safe, healthy, and productive during this trying time.
