My husband has worked in the trucking industry for his entire adult life. While he isn’t a trucker, he has worked on the dock, dispatched, and built loads. He is the contact for truckers to reach out to for questions or when problems arise. He has built many relationships with these drivers over the years. Therefore, I turned to him as a valuable resource for ideas as to the best gifts for truck drivers.
Since most of the time truck drivers are on the road, most of these gifts cater to making their nomadic lives a bit easier and more comfortable. Others are meant to strengthen relationships with loved ones when they are home.
1. Seat Cushion
Gift ideas for truck drivers’ comfort
Sitting for hours can put strain on the back, legs, and neck. Get them a seat cushion to add support and reduce strain.
Are they already suffering? Get them a neck massager with a heat function.
To keep blood flowing all those long hours on the road, give them compression socks. These are a great gift for anyone who spends a majority of time sitting, like business owners or writers.
2. Steering Wheel Desk
Useful gifts for truckers
This provides a surface for filling out paperwork or using their laptop. It can also be used as a table to eat while at a stop (not while driving, of course!).
If they are a one man show, give them a front seat organizer so their gear isn’t flying around in the cab. They will have all of their paperwork and anything else they need within arm’s reach.
Make sure you get them a cell phone mount. This way they can easily use it for GPS, calls, or listening to music.
3. Portable Refrigerator
Christmas gifts for truck drivers
At Christmas we tend to spend a bit more on gifts than during the rest of the year. Splurge and get them something they will really love. If they spend a lot of time driving across the country, they probably spend a lot of money eating takeout and grabbing drinks from vending machines. A portable fridge allows truckers to keep foods cold for a long trip. They can have fresh sandwiches, beverages, and fruits and veggies to eat. It’s a great way to save money while eating healthier.
For shorter trips, a travel cooler will be useful for keeping food fresh for a day or two.
If you are looking for truck driver gift basket ideas, choose a snack basket. Then they don’t have to waste money in vending machines along the way. There are even healthy choices available.
4. Emergency Roadside Kit
Important gifts for truck drivers
Trucks are expensive, so it’s not everyday you get a new rig. This means at some point they will have a breakdown. An emergency roadside kit is a must have gift for truckers.
Some truckers might know how to do some minor repairs themselves, especially if they are independent drivers responsible for their own rig. A mechanic tool kit and a sturdy pair of work gloves will come in handy for quick repairs.
Of course, a first aid kit is a necessity as well. You never know what might happen on the road. Better to be safe than sorry.
5. Travel Toiletries
Gifts for truckers they can’t do without
A travel toiletry kit will keep everything together for freshening up at the truck stop. (Of course, you can get toiletries for female truckers too.)
Due to restrictions on the amount of time drivers are allowed to spend driving without sleep, many long trips are done in teams. A travel pillow will prevent a stiff neck when it is their turn to sleep in the passenger seat. A sleep mask can help block light for better quality sleep.
If they sleep in the back of their truck, give them a roll out memory foam mattress. These don’t take up much space when not in use, but will allow for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
6. Family Games
Gifts for truck driver dads for family time
Truck drivers are away from their families a lot. Get them some games for a family game night when they get home. This will be a great bonding experience, without having to leave the house.
Or give them an air popper and popcorn to munch on for a family movie night. Of course, they can eat the popcorn while playing games too. If they already have a popcorn maker, or if you want to add an extra gift, give them a popcorn gift set that comes with kernels and seasonings.
For outdoor fun, get a cornhole set to play together. This is a good activity for a family barbeque.
7. Heated Gloves
Cold weather gifts for truckers
Sometimes the inevitable happens. Trucks break down. Truck drivers can be stranded for hours. When they are driving through Minnesota in negative temperatures, this can be deadly. Rechargeable gloves can keep their hands warm for hours.
Thermal Socks will help keep their feet warm in frigid temperatures as well. You can get warm pairs of wool socks or heated socks.
An emergency thermal blanket is also useful in case they are stuck outside overnight.
8. Amazon Music Subscription
Good gifts for truck drivers
We have moved past the days of endlessly flipping through radio stations to find a song that comes in without static. Get them a music subscription so they can listen to their favorite tunes during long hours of driving.
With an Audible membership they can stay up to date on their favorite podcasts or catch up on the latest best sellers. It’s a great way to multi-task.
Sometimes there are long waits at the dock to unload. It’s like when an airplane lands and has to wait on the runway for an available gate to let out passengers. Give them some puzzle books or a deck of cards to pass the time.
9. Mobile Printer
Cool stuff for truck drivers
My husband mentioned that often drivers need to print manifests or other documents from the road. They will save valuable time with a mobile printer.
A portable wifi hotspot is useful for phones or laptops while on the road. My husband and I used one of these years ago while on a road trip, in the days before unlimited data cell plans.
Independent drivers often schedule their own loads. They will need a laptop so they can book additional trips in their down time.
You might want to take a look at gifts for other jobs too!
10. Personalized Tumbler
Father’s Day presents for truck drivers
For a personalized truck driver gift, give Dad a tumbler with his name, a family photo, or a message from the kids to keep family close while he’s away.
A bluetooth beanie will keep his head warm and allow him to listen to tunes. Pretty cool, huh? Of course, he needs to dress comfortably. T-shirts are the way to go. Some of these shirts have funny sayings for truck driver moms too. Get her some for Mother’s Day.
11. Bluetooth Headset
Best gifts for truck drivers
A bluetooth headset will help them communicate on the road while canceling out distracting noises.
You don’t want them getting a ticket for going too fast. Getting a ticket will cost money and time. A radar detector will help them reduce their tendency towards a lead foot.
With all these gadgets, they will need a portable charger. There isn’t much point in having all that technology if the batteries go dead.
12. Love Coupons
Trucker gifts for him from his lady
Although some ladies accompany their guy on the rig, many stay home raising families or working at their own jobs. This can cause some detachment from the relationship. Slip a love coupon, or a few, into his bag each time he goes away. Then he will be thinking of you and coming home to redeem the coupons in person.
Give him a date night scratch off poster for ideas for creating lasting memories together.
Then spice things up with couples’ games to help you reconnect.
13. Vehicle Food Warmer
More Father’s Day gifts for truck drivers
You don’t want Dad eating all that greasy truck stop food everyday, do you? With a portable food warmer he can heat up healthy homemade food while on the road.
Then choose a cookbook with healthy recipes. Get the family together, and spend some time bonding, while you cook Dad a bunch of meals to take on the road. He can store them in the portable refrigerator you gave him for Christmas.
He will also need a trash can with a lid to get rid of scraps after eating in his truck.
14. Dashboard Camera
More gadget gifts for truckers
A dashboard camera provides an accurate record of the trip such as the driver’s speed and route.
GPS is a must for finding the best routes and discovering alternative roads when there is a slow down.
A magnetic light tool will also be handy for when something drops down between the seats or rolls into a dark place.
15. Multi-tool Pen
Stocking stuffer gifts for trucker drivers
One gadget with multi functions makes a great gift when you spend your time in a small space. These are not only pens, but rulers, bottle openers, screwdrivers, and more.
Polarized sunglasses make a great stocking stuffer to protect their eyes from glare while driving.
Of course, since they eat, sleep, and practically live in their vehicles, an air freshener will definitely be needed.
They can also benefit from some vent goo for keeping the inside of the cab clean.
Discussion