How-to
Organize Your Cab by Zone
Clutter in a cab costs time, and loose items become hazards in a hard stop. The fix is a home for everything, decided by how often you need it and whether you need it while driving.
Zone 1: Driver's reach
Only what you need while the truck is moving, and all of it secured.
- Phone in a mount. Federal rules prohibit CMV drivers from holding a mobile phone while driving, so set it up for hands-free use.
- Sunglasses, a drink in a holder, toll and fuel cards somewhere you can reach without looking.
- High-protein snacks within reach. You sit for hours, and protein keeps you full longer, which makes it easier to skip the junk at every stop.
Zone 2: Paperwork and required documents
If your truck uses an ELD, FMCSA requires you to keep these in the cab:
- The ELD user's manual
- An instruction sheet for transferring ELD records to an officer
- An instruction sheet for reporting ELD malfunctions
- A supply of blank driver's records of duty status graph-grids, enough for at least 8 days
Keep them together with your registration, insurance card and bills of lading in one labeled folder or a seat-back pocket, so you can hand them over quickly at an inspection.
Zone 3: Passenger seat and dash
This is where clutter collects. Give it a container, such as a front-seat organizer, and empty it at every fuel stop. Skip seat-back organizers: with truck seats pushed all the way back, you can't reach them. Paperwork and cards are easier to grab from a visor organizer.
Zone 4: Sleeper and bunk
- Clothes in soft bags or bins sized to your cabinets.
- Food and the fridge together, so the kitchen is in one place.
- A small trash bag you change daily.
Zone 5: Outside storage
Gloves, straps, tire gauge, flashlight and anything dirty or rarely used belong in the side boxes, not in your living space.
Keeping it clean
My rule is a place for everything and everything in its place. Organizing and cleaning go together, but they're different jobs. Organizing means every item has a home, so nothing piles up. Cleaning is quick because there's less in the way.
My cleaning kit is short: a leaf blower to clear dust and crumbs out of the cab fast, wet wipes, and Amway Home L.O.C. Multi-Purpose Cleaner for the interior surfaces.
Disclosure: I'm an independent Amway business owner, so I can earn money from Amway sales. I mention that cleaner because it's what I use.
Gear that helps with each zone is in our gear guide.