Best Truck Equipment: Upgrade Your Accessories

Thousands of semi-trucks are sold in the United States every year. And while they transport goods over long distances, they only come with the essential equipment. If you’re a truck driver, you need accessories that help make your job easier. The good news is there are a host of accessories on the market. Here’s the best truck equipment you can get to enhance your working style.

Summary List

• Best Overall: Vyncs GPS Tracker
• Best Value: Uniden 40-Channel CB Radio
• Honorable Mention: Gideon Heated Electric Lunch Box 12-Volt Portable Stove

Types of Truck Equipment

Cooking

Truck equipment that gives you the power to cook, reheat, or keep food at the right temperature is wildly popular with drivers who spend a lot of time on the road. Portable stoves, coolers, and even coffee makers are available in all shapes and sizes—and budgets—and plug into your auxiliary power outlet. They might take a bit longer than conventional, more powerful cooking facilities, but the health and money-saving benefits are obvious.

Navigation

Probably the first pieces on the list for anybody looking to do more than local mileage, navigation-based accessories are a must-have. GPS navigation systems now do a whole lot more than just detailed mapping and audible instructions on how to get to your next destination. With trip logging, emergency tracking, and driver-assist features, there’s something for every type of driver.

Entertainment

If you regularly spend the night in your cab on long-distance trips, you’ll definitely want truck equipment with the potential to keep you entertained. Whether it’s a Wi-Fi hotspot, a digital satellite antenna, or a portable DVD player, you need something to help you relax and stop you from going stir crazy during those evenings when you can’t be at home.

Health and Safety

Health and safety equipment for your truck may be easily overlooked because it’s likely you’ll rarely use it, but gear that keeps you and others safe in an emergency or unexpected situation is invaluable. Think about investing in a toolkit, high-visibility jacket, and a flashlight, at the very least. A first aid kit is a must, too, but anything else will depend on your personal truck-related circumstances.

Connectivity

This type of truck equipment includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters for connecting to your gadgets in the cab and CB radios and GPS trackers for connecting to your office and fellow truckers. You can also buy antenna extensions and satellite dishes for your truck so you can be sure you’ll always be connected.

Best Truck Equipment: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall

Vyncs GPS Tracker

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Best Value

Uniden 40-Channel CB Radio

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Honorable Mention

Gideon Heated Electric Lunch Box 12-Volt Portable Stove

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Our Verdict

The Vyncs GPS Tracker is a must-have gadget because of its standout features and ease of use. The Uniden 40-Channel CB Radio is our best value recommendation due to its reliability and affordability.

Benefits of Truck Equipment

• Comfort. Even if you don’t spend all day, every day in your cab, it’s important to be comfortable. If you’re going to splurge on truck equipment, it might as well be with the goal of making you warmer, happier, and more comfortable.
• Convenience. Gadgets and accessories of all kinds are designed with one thing in mind: They make your life easier. Whether it’s a portable stove or an app for logging your mileage and fuel consumption, good truck equipment has to be convenient.
• Efficiency. If there’s equipment out there that helps you get more done in less time and with less effort, that’s a pretty good benefit, too. Navigation systems and power charging stations, we’re looking at you.
• Improved health. If your truck equipment includes anything for cooking or storing food, you’re at a much better advantage than those drivers who have to rely on fast food and roadside cafes. Not to mention the growing list of portable fitness items you could potentially add to your regular cab cargo.

Truck Equipment Pricing

• Budget-Friendly (under $20): Must-have truck equipment isn’t always fancy. At the low end is where you’ll find the basic accessories: multi-point chargers, productivity apps, phone holders, seat organizers, and Bluetooth headsets.
• Middle of the Road (up to $100): Useful appliances like electric fans, antennae, cooking equipment, and small coolers will generally be priced in this range.
• Premium Range (over $100): As with anything, the more you pay, the more features and better specifications you end up with. This is where you’ll find super-efficient portable fridges and cookers, GPS systems with all the bells and whistles, entertainment systems, ultra-safe lockboxes, etc.

Key Features

Size

As this guide suggests, there is a massive range of potential appliances, gadgets, and accessories available to equip your truck. It’s easy to go crazy and buy everything that catches your eye, but remember that it all has to fit in the truck, too. The size of the equipment you buy is fundamentally important, particularly when it comes to appliances that aren’t going to be moved around too much, like coolers, fans, or screens. 

Power Source

Although many items are described as portable and aimed at truckers and long-distance driving, not all of them are compatible with life on the road. The main reason for this is the power source. You need something that is happy running on 12V and, ideally, doesn’t need to be plugged in all the time to protect your battery. Anything with a USB or auxiliary power fitting on the end should be fine.

Portability

If you’re going to be loading and unloading your equipment into the truck on a regular basis, it’s worth considering how portable that equipment actually is. A huge fridge might be convenient and handy on long trips, but are you in a position to lift it into and out of the truck when you need to?

Other Considerations

• Legal implications. Just because an appliance is deemed portable and makes your life easier doesn’t mean they’re legal to use while driving. Make sure you know the law for each state you’re going to be driving in.
• Insurance. If you’re upgrading your truck or just filling it full of expensive new equipment, it’s definitely worth also upgrading your vehicle insurance or taking out a specific policy.
• Weight. Practicality and convenience aside, multiple electrical appliances can add up to a lot of extra weight. Make sure you’re not exceeding your maximum load and take into account any adjustments you might need to make to your driving style if you do end up making the truck much heavier.
• Tax-deductible. If you’re using the truck for work, it’s reasonable to assume that any equipment bought for use while working is an investment in your business. It’s definitely worth checking if it’s tax-deductible.

Tips

• When buying truck equipment, think about your needs. You can also research the best equipment for truckers to determine which items are the most popular and then get the ones you need the most.
• When choosing a GPS tracker for your truck, these are the most important things to consider: driver-assist features, connectivity, approved roadways, detailed mapping, fleet management, and trip logging.
• It’s important to note that all CB radios use four watts of power to transmit, which is required by law. The only difference between CBs is its features, not the amount of power they put out.

FAQs