It’s that time of the year again when drivers must winterize their rig as they prepare for inclement weather and conditions ranging from icy roads to freezing temperatures. One thing we have all learned since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is that anything is possible, and it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected.
While you’re readying your rig for winter conditions, it’s also a good idea to prep the inside of your cab with emergency provisions in case you’re delayed for an extended period of time, or even stranded. Road closures due to bad weather, severe accidents causing massive delays … are you prepared to sit on or beside the highway for hours, or perhaps even?
We’ve all seen it, and many of you may have experienced it, so you know firsthand it’s a reality. It happened in Fremont County, Idaho, in 2019: About a dozen semi-truck drivers were stranded on U.S. Highway 20 when a severe snowstorm resulted in impassable roads.
Many of the drivers had not had anything to eat for more than 24 hours, until Fremont County Sheriff’s Office volunteers brought some much-needed supplies the following day. Do not let this happen to you.
Having a survival box stashed away in your truck can help you to be prepared for an instance such as this. Here are some items every driver should have in their cab as winter approaches:
- Paper plates and plastic utensils;
- Ready-to-eat tuna, salmon and chicken in pouches;
- Trail mix;
- Protein bars;
- Matches/lighter;
- Batteries;
- A power-pack phone charger;
- Emergen-C immunity-boosting packs; and
- Water, water and more water.
Bob Perry is a regular contributor to The Trucker. He has spent nearly the past four decades on a mission to educate professional drivers and share life-changing products and services to help them live healthier lives while on the road. Recognized throughout the transportation industry, from bus drivers to over-the-road professional drivers, Perry has played an important role in creating a paradigm shift helping regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers understand the current health challenges of the professional driver. He has participated as a wellness advocate in several roundtable discussions, large audience groups and small forums as well as going “curbside” through a national truck stop tour.
Bob’s articles have been featured in The Trucker and a number of other national transportation industry publications and is the host of a weekly wellness call produced by Rolling Strong. Bob has been a regular guest on RedEye Radio and Land-Line Radio, and is often an invited guest on Sirius radio shows. He has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, Drug Store News, American Road Magazine, WSJ, NPR, ABC National Radio, as well as hundreds of daily newspapers. He has appeared on television news shows across the nation, including a featured TV segment on ABC NightLine News.
