Bunk LedgerPaperwork that stays in the truck (2026)
The folder is useful when it is always in the same pocket. What goes in it is the list your carrier gave you. This page will not invent a legal set of documents.
One pocket
Pick the pocket you can reach without unbuckling into a dig. The folder lives there at the end of every home-time reset and at the end of every shipper wait. If it lives on the kitchen table, it is not in the truck.
Ask your carrier what they expect in the cab. Registration, insurance cards, permits, and medical cards are their list and the law's list, not a list we are going to freelance. When they name a document, it goes in the folder. When they say a phone photo is not enough, believe them.
Keep a pen in the folder. A shipper window is a bad place to learn that the pen in the cup holder is empty.
Do not store the folder in the path of the exit or under a pile of laundry. The storage guide is blunt about projectiles and exits. Paper is light. The binder clip on a stack of metal permits is still an object you do not want in the aisle.
On a phone, this table moves sideways. The first column stays put.
| Habit | Why |
|---|---|
| One pocket, every time | You are not searching |
| Carrier's list, not a blog's list | Their list is the one you will be asked for |
| Pen in the folder | The window will ask you to sign |
| Phone photo only if they said so | A picture is not automatically the document |
Conclusion
The next time you are asked for a card, your hand should go to one place. If it does not, fix the pocket before you fix anything else in the cab.
FAQ
What documents are legally required?
Ask your carrier or read the official source. This page will not publish a homemade legal list.
Is a phone photo enough?
Only if the person who will ask has already said so. Do not assume it.
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