Lock it Down: Securing Personal Gear
Your truck isn’t a rolling storage unit; anything not strapped or locked down is one pothole away from becoming road debris. No one wants their $300 toolbox skidding down the interstate in a rain of sparks or $1000 mountain bike tumbling off a cliff like the villain in an old spy movie. That’s not just sad, it’s a liability.
- Secure = Safe + Legal. FMCSA 393 says anything on the tractor or trailer must be secured—personal gear included. If it can move, it must be tied down.
- Bungee cords can be sketchy. They can slip or dry-rot and snap. Use ratchet straps or locking mounts.
- Fuel cans can’t free ride. Gas, diesel, or generator cans must be upright, vented properly, and secured outside the cab. No loose fuel inside a sleeper—ever.
- Toolboxes need to be bolted or locked. If you wouldn’t trust it during a hard brake at 65 mph, it’s not secured.
- Bikes and personal cargo. If it goes on the truck, it needs a real rack and a real lock.
- Theft is real. If it’s not locked, it may as well be donated. Fuel cans, generators, and tools disappear first, especially at truck stops and rest areas. Use cable locks and hardened padlocks—cheap insurance.
End of the day—secure your gear like someone else has to pay for it if it flies off… because they will, and it’ll probably be you.
