The best portable toilet for truck drivers is this one by Camco. If you want to know all about it before buying it then keep reading.
You know the feeling. You are in the middle of nowhere when your stomach starts to rumble and you feel like you are going to explode.
That Taco Bell or buffet at the truck stop just isn’t sitting right with you. This is getting dangerous.
You start sweating when you realize that you have to release some matter (poo) from your body because there are no bathrooms, truck stops, rest stops, restaurants, or stores nearby.
What do you do? Well, your options may seem limited. A bag? Maybe, but that is nasty and will stink. Plus, what happens if the bag has a hole in it?
Pull over to the side of the road and take cover behind a tree? Maybe, but what if it’s freezing cold outside? Hobbling through a foot of snow with below zero temperatures isn’t going to be fun.
What are you going to do if the urge to use the bathroom happens in the middle of the night? it can be a long walk from your truck to the truck stop in a foot of snow.
The solution?! Get a portable toilet!
These things are a life saver! I have used this one (Amazon link) by Camco over the past several years and in this article I’m going to tell you all about them. The good and the bad of the best portable toilet for truckers.
This one by Camco is the best portable toilet I have used while truck driving and camping too. Keep reading to find out all about what I like (a lot) and don’t like about it (a few things I would change).
One more thing, check out the tips that I have at the end of this article should you decide to buy one. The tips are things that I learned after having it for a few weeks.
Also, if you are driving for a crap company do yourself a favor and find out what other jobs are out there. Visit my extensive job board here, it’s free.
Pros Of The Camco Portable Toilet
1. The 2.6 Gallon (Standard) Option Is Perfect For Truckers
If you are like me you don’t have a lot of space for extra stuff in your truck. Don’t worry, this portable toilet doesn’t take up much space.
I wanted to get a portable toilet but I didn’t want it to take up a lot of space. I went with the “Standard” 2.6 gallon holding tank instead of the 5.3 gallon because it was smaller.
The space that I saved is priceless and plus I don’t rely on my portable toilet everyday. I usually only use it when I really need to and/or don’t have other options.
How long will it last before you need to empty it? That depends on what you do (poo or pee) but I would say if I use it everyday for 3 days then it needs to be emptied. Having the small waste tank does mean that it will need to be emptied more often though.
One thing to avoid is using a lot of toilet paper, you can read why in my tips below.
2. Good Construction
The Camco portable toilet is constructed well. It doesn’t feel cheap nor breakable. It has a solid base that has held up to my 220 pounds many times.
How long is it going to last? I have now had it for nearly a year and see no reason why it shouldn’t last another 2 or 3 years at least.
3. Easy To Remove Waste Tank And Carry (no spills)
The waste tank (bottom) is easy to remove from the bowl tank (top). You just have to remove the 2 side latches and it’s ready to be emptied and cleaned.
This is what one of the latches looks like:
Take the waste tank and dump the waste into a toilet, dump station at a rest stop, or porta-potty.
Put in some bleach with water, close it, and swish it around a little. After that just pour it out again and if possible let it air dry.
I never have time to air dry it so I just throw in one of these tablets and a little water and it’s ready to go again. The tablets work great at controlling the smell, as long as you use them you won’t smell a thing.
4.Wide Opening For Bigger People
This is actually something that I overlooked before I bought the Camco but man did I luck out.
The opening on this toilet (the part you sit on) is plenty big so that your stuff (male) isn’t hanging outside the bowl. I guess this is a big deal for some people because there are a bunch of portable toilets than have a small bowl opening.
With this portable toilet I’m able to do everything at once, sitting down! No need to hurry, just grab your cell phone (or newspaper), take a seat, and relax 🙂
5. Doesn’t Smell (this was my biggest fear)
I was hesitant in buying a portable toilet in the first place because I thought the inside of my truck was going to stink.
After about a year I can honestly tell you that it doesn’t smell as long as you maintain it.
There are some things that you need to do though in order to minimize the smell:
1. Use Chemicals like these: These drop-in deodorizer tablet things are great at reducing how bad it smells and makes emptying the waste container much easier. I never use my toilet without having one in the waste tank.
2. Keep It Clean: Clean the bowl tank too. I use a mix of bleach and water in a spray bottle to spray it down and then a quick rinse with water. So far it has worked just fine.
3. Empty It Often: If you have any type of waste (poo or pee) in it make sure you empty it as soon as possible. Don’t let it sit for a long time or you are just asking for trouble. If you have can’t empty it you better make sure you have one of the drop-in deodorizer tablets in the waste tank.
5. Made in the USA
It’s nice to support a company that makes their toilet in the USA versus China. For some of you this might not be a big deal but it is for me.
6. It Can Hold A Full Size Adult Male
One of the hesitations I had about buying a portable toilet was my weight. When I started doing some research I noticed that they were made primarily of plastics.
Being 220 pounds I didn’t think it would hold me up without cracking.
I was wrong. After having it for about a year it has held up really well. No cracks at all.
I’m not sure what the weight rating is but I can’t see it having a problem with anyone under 300 lbs.
7. Easy To Clean Waste Tank
I just rinse it with water and bleach and then add a little water to it along with one of these tablets. If you use these chemicals you won’t need to clean it very often.
Make sure to get some disposable gloves too. Just in case.
8. There Is A “Premium” One Available Too
If you are able to spend a little more money there is a “Premium” version available too. There are really 2 things that separate the “Premium” version from the Standard one (the one I use).
The Premium version comes with a pumping flush action and a swivel dumping elbow to make emptying the waste container a little easier. I have never used the Premium version but I have heard that the pump flush mechanisms are known to not last very long.
I could see the dumping elbow coming in handy but I’m not sure it is worth the extra money.
The Cons Of the Camco Portable Toilet
1. Need To Squat A Little More Than A Regular Toilet
What do you expect? It’s a portable toilet! No surprise here but you will have to squat just a little more to use this toilet than a traditional toilet.
If you have a hard time sitting and standing when using a traditional toilet then I guess using one of these could be a problem.
2. Only Use Single Ply Toilet Paper
Using single ply toilet paper is not required, it doesn’t say anywhere in the manual that you have to use it but I strongly encourage it if you are going to be flushing the toilet paper with the waste.
If you are going to put toilet paper (I recommend you don’t, see the tips below) then you should use single ply toilet paper because it takes up less space and is easier to clean out.
The double ply paper makes it more challenging to clean out the waste tank.
3. Water Sprayer Is A Little Weak (4 star)
The water sprayer is a little weak when you flush matter (poo). There are times where matter (poo) is still on the bowl after flushing. A streak of it.
This doesn’t happen all the time though. When it does I use my spray bottle with bleach and water in it to clean it up with some toilet paper.
I don’t throw toilet paper in it, I instead put it in a bag like these on Amazon and then throw it away later.
4. A Waste Hose Would Make It Even Better
I remember seeing portable toilets by some other companies that came with a waste hose for emptying the waste container. That would be nice to have but it’s fine without it.
You can pay a little more for the “Premium” version and it will come with a waste elbow but for me it’s not a deal breaker. This thing is easy to empty and clean without a waste hose. I;d rather save money money by getting the standard version that doesn’t have the elbow or hose.
5. Takes Time To Get Used To The Shallow Bowl
Don’t expect the bowl to be as deep as a traditional toilet. If you are going to wipe yourself I caution you to not reach too deep into the portable toilet or you might touch some of the waste (poo) inside of it.
It took me a few times to get used to it but now I know to sit up a little when wiping.
Tips When Using The Portable Toilet
1. Get Some Tablets
You should get some of these dissolving tablets and pit it into into the waste tank along with a little bit of water.
By doing this you are going to minimize the odor in your truck a lot.
I actually went a few weeks without putting any chemicals in the waste tank and it wasn’t that bad. The only time it would smell would be right when I flushed because the valve opens on the bottom of the flush tank to let the waste and water down into the waster container.
For those few seconds the odor did get out and didn’t smell very nice. The next day I ordered the tablets on Amazon and have since had no problems at all with odor.
2. Don’t Flush Toilet Paper
The less toilet paper you flush the easier it is to clean out the waste tank.
I remember vacationing in Mexico with my wife and kids we had to put the used toilet paper in a separate container next to the toilet.
We were asked not to put the toilet paper in the tank. At first it was a little odd because I was used to being able to put the paper in the toilet.
Makes sense though if the plumbing isn’t made for paper waste.
I’m doing the same thing with my portable toilet. I have a bag (these are the ones I use) that I put used paper in and seal it. Now I just throw it in the garbage as soon as possible.
Another benefit is that is it much easier to clean the waste container if there is no paper in it and it can hold more waste.
3. Close Lid Before Flushing
I learned this the hard way. If you flush while you are sitting on the toilet you will get some splashes hitting your rear. The simple solution is to close the lid before flushing.
Another thing that this does is it minimizes the (nasty) odor from getting out into your tuck when you flush.
Keep the lid closed at all times!
4. Check The Rubber Seals Before Using
Check the rubber seals between the top of the toilet (flush tank) and the bottom (waste tank) before you us it. The seal will need a little bit of Vaseline to keep it sealing correctly.
I have used small amount of Vaseline and have had no problems with it.
Advantages Of Having A Portable Toilet In Your Truck
Having a portable toilet in your truck comes with a lot of benefits. Here are several of them:
No More Waiting
You no longer have to depend on being able to wait until the next truck stop or rest stop when you have to use the bathroom. Having a portable toilet completely solves that problem.
Cleanliness
If you do come across a nasty bathroom and don’t feel comfortable using it you now have the option of using your own portable toilet that you know is clean.
Sickness
If you aren’t feeling well and have to constantly use the bathroom then a portable toilet can save your life. You won’t have to wait to use the bathroom which is just going to increase your discomfort.
Safety And Security
If you are rolling through a not so good part of town you can still use the bathroom without leaving your truck. With a portable toilet you don’t have to worry about leaving your truck and risking your safety. Once you get to a safer location just empty out the portable toilet.
Less Urinating In Public
With a portable toilet you don’t have to worry about urinating in public while you are tucked away behind your trailer.
Its Portable!
If you get a new truck you can take the portable truck with you! You don’t have to leave anything behind because it belongs to you. A high quality portable toilet can last you any years as long as you take care of it.