With the season right around the corner, it is time to start planning how to show appreciation to the ones we love.
Everyone loves a gift given from the heart, but for truckers, the usual gifts might be a wasted opportunity.
Do not get us wrong, though. Truckers are some of the people who can enjoy gifts to the absolute fullest. The trucking life is hard and lonely – so every gesture of attention given to them has a greatly positive impact on their life.
A good truck driver gift is anything you can think of – a shirt, a sweater, a pair of shoes. However, a great gift for a trucker is one they can use on the road.
With that out of the way, here are our X awesome gift ideas to give your favorite truck driver this season!
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What Is a Good Gift for a Truck Driver?
When it comes to good gift ideas for truck drivers, the ideal gift they can get will be both practical and thoughtful.
While truckers do love the odd t-shirt, it will not help them much on the road. What you need to gift to a trucker is something to help them while hauling. This can be anything from things that make the loneliness more bearable to things that will help them handle the difficulties of living in the truck.
What Should Every Trucker Have?
Asking this particular question is a good way to start thinking about a truck driver gift. There are a lot of essentials that not many truckers have, like a slow cooker or a mini-fridge.
Here’s a list of truck driver accessories every trucker should have to help you with your quest for the perfect truck driver gift.
Truck Driver Gift Ideas: Tech to Help Them on the Road
Truth be told, when it comes to truck driver gift ideas, there are many things to choose from. Therefore, we chose to group up different gift ideas under certain categories to make your decision easier.
Here are some tech trucker gift ideas:
GPS Device as a Trucker Gift
This is one of the essentials of truck driving, so choosing a GPS as a gift for a trucker is a great idea. However, not any GPS device will do – since trucks are in themselves very particular machines, you will have to find a GPS that is designed specifically for CMVs (Commercial Motor Vehicles).
These GPS devices contain height clearance information, routes that are not allowing trucks, and maps that are being continuously updated.
Electric Blanket for Those Cold Nights in the Cab
This is the ideal gift for OTR truckers. The reason being is that they spend the most time in their cab – oftentimes even spend the night in the cab. Long routes equal to not many roadside hotels around, so having an electric blanket on those cold nights can be a godsend.
Bluetooth Earbuds to Keep in Touch
CMV operators are legally forbidden to operate a cell phone while driving. The fines are high, and the risk of a distraction leading to an accident is even higher. A hands-free headset is an ideal choice to keep in touch with a loved one while they are on the road without them endangering their and the lives of others.
Satellite Radio to Kill the Boredom
As you might be aware, the trucking lifestyle is quite dull. The traditional AM/FM radio can get out of signal range quite often, especially in rural areas. Frankly, this radio is more of a problem than an entertainment system. So, if your favorite trucker drives frequently in rural areas, satellite radio is a perfect gift for them. It will never lose signal (as long as they keep away from tunnels that is.)
Mini-Fridge to Eat Healthily
A trucker’s diet is far from healthy. It usually revolves around fast foods, bags of chips, and quick diner stops. A portable fridge enables storing healthy food longer, helping them save money (truck stops are quite expensive as compared to other food places) and eat healthily.
A CB Radio to Talk with Other Truckers
You’d be surprised that CB radios are not the norm as they used to be in the ’60s. Having said that, many truckers do own a CB radio. Even though they are out of fashion, they are still a great thing to have in the cab. Find one that provides access to weather and emergency channels for that extra benefit besides having your favorite trucker chat with his colleagues on the road.
A Dash Cam to Keep them Secured
The road is far from a safe place, especially with all the crazy things that happen in a matter of seconds. Dash cams are one of the greatest devices a trucker can have. In the unfortunate event of an accident, having video footage can make the difference between paying enormous fines and, well, not paying them.
Tire Pressure Monitor System to Keep them on the Road
A flat tire on the truck means delays for the haul. This doesn’t only mean the trucker will potentially lose money if they are on a deadline – it also means they will be away from home longer. A tire pressure monitor system can prevent these delays by giving the driver the ability to monitor tire pressure directly from the cab.
A TV/DVD/Gaming Console Combo to Keep Them Entertained
Although a bit expensive, a TV/DVD/Console combo will allow your favorite tucker access to a great entertainment system right in their cab. With the TV/DVD combo, they will be able to enjoy movies without dedicating too much space for them in the cab, and with the gaming console, they can spend their off-duty time on their favorite games.
An E-Book Reader to Have a Library in Their Pocket
If your favorite trucker is a fan of a good read, then an e-book reader will be the perfect gift for them. These neat tablets can pack thousands of books with no bulk whatsoever – offering the benefit of a literal library in one’s pocket. Side note: if you decide to gift one of these to a trucker, make sure it is a model with a built-in backlight.
Truck Driver Gift Ideas: Tools
A trucker is as good as their tools. Well, not entirely true, but in an event where the truck breaks in the middle of nowhere, this statement does begin to sound true.
Having the necessary tools to fix anything in the cab yourself is both a necessity and ease of life. Having tools to help everyday life are also great.
Here is our pick for trucker tools gift ideas:
An All-Purpose Utility Tool
If you ask a trucker what is the one tool they would love to own, this will be way up high on the list. And what’s there not to love? It opens up everything, you can cut anything, you can use it as an emergency screwdriver. Some even come with a pair of pliers on top of every other tool there is.
A Tactical Wallet
Similar to the all-purpose tools, but the twist is you can keep your valuables in there as well. With multiple functions built into it, it is the perfect choice for DIY truckers who do not want to carry around sets of tools – with this bad boy, they’ll have all the tools in their pocket.
A Lockbox
Although not a tool per se, a portable lockbox will provide that immediate secure storage for all the valuables your favorite trucker has. It is small, inconspicuous, and some modes have a heavy-duty steel cable with them to secure the lockbox to a stationary object in the cab.
Leather Work Gloves
These are a godsend for any trucker. Oftentimes, truckers do need to get their hands dirty – and not only when doing repairs. Some hauls will require loading/unloading, cargo strapping, etc. Having a pair of leather work gloves literally saves fingers!
A Tactical Flashlight
Getting a trucker a heavy-duty flashlight is a great gift idea. It will help them see those hard to reach angles, as well as serve as all-purpose lighting when there is some issue with the truck during the night.
A Resistance Band
Although not technically a tool, a resistance band is a great choice for any trucker. The trucking life in itself is very sedentary, so any chance of physical activity is great for a trucker. A resistance band is such a tool – it can be hooked up to almost any part of the truck, and there are many exercises one can do with only this band.
Trucker Gift Ideas: Quality of Life
The last category of truck driver gift ideas, quality of life gifts are things that will not necessarily have a huge impact on your favorite trucker’s life, but they will have a perfect application nonetheless.
Some of these hold sentimental value, others are quality of life gifts that can improve the life of a trucker.
Polarized Sunglasses
A pair of these will make a trucker very happy. The truth is that no one wants to drive with the sun blasting directly in their eyes. Getting your favorite trucker a pair of polarized sunglasses means they will be wearing them for the majority of their 11-hour workday!
A Supportive Seat Cushion
Although considered a quality of life product, the supportive seat cushion is a must-have for truck drivers. As we mentioned, truckers spend most of their day in the driver’s seat, so the support offered by this cushion is much-needed. It relieves back pain and helps increase the driver’s comfort. This here is the perfect gift for long-haul truckers!
A Shower Kit
The shower kit is another perfect quality-of-life gift for a truck driver. It is a simple, yet elegant solution to a trucker’s showering problems (outside of providing the shower itself that is.) Get them a set that comes with a zipper bag, these tend to last much longer than the plastic ones.
A Truck Mattress
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for all of us – and some truckers do not have this luxury while on the road. However, if your favorite trucker has not yet invested in a good mattress, you can do it for them as a gift. Remember, the one single thing all truckers want after a long day on the road is to get quality rest and recharge their batteries.
Quick Dry Towels
Everyone has towels, but for truckers, drying them is quite a problem. However, with a quick-dry towel set, this becomes a thing of the past. These towels are extremely efficient when drying, so by the time your favorite trucker is out of the shower, the towel is dry!
A Road Atlas
While this might look weird, considering the fact GPS navigation is a thing, a road atlas can be invaluable for truck drivers. GPS service is, well, not the most reliable thing in the world to say the least. This is precisely the reason why veteran truckers always carry a map with them. They pre-plan the route, so when the GPS starts to “behave”, they can turn to their trusty old paper map.
A Cell Phone Mount
A great addition to the hands-free Bluetooth headset, the cell phone mount is a great way to have the phone in front of the driver for everyday use – like using it for GPS, music, or hands-free calls.
A Seat Organizer
Making use of all the available space in the cab is the never-ending battle truckers have daily. The seat organizer is the secret key to making the most out of the limited space the cab has. This thing fits on the back of the headrest of the driver’s seat and allows storing that you frequently need.
Final Words
We hope the above helps you select the ideal truck driver gift for your favorite trucker. Selecting from the above will surely make the trucker’s life on the road much easier.
Whatever you might select will most definitely make the day of your trucker!
