Budgeting / company driver expenses

Can usually get free shower when you fuel the truck. Ask about that when you interview with your first company.

 

I spend very little on the road. I’m home every weekend, so I cook up a week’s worth of dinners that I can reheat in my toaster oven (I prefer it to a microwave). Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, and I use my fuel points from Love’s to buy lunch a couple of times a week.

Your employer will probably tell you where to get fuel, you’ll want to sign up for any rewards program they have. I’m signed up with Love’s and Pilot/Flying J, and earn fuel points and free showers every time I get fuel. I get enough points with a fill up to get a couple of hot dogs from Love’s or a couple of slices of pizza from Pilot.

I’d also note that my company is just now starting to get trucks with refrigerators in them, my truck doesn’t have one, but I’ve had excellent service from a $79 Walmart dorm fridge.

 

15 years ago I averaged $200 a week for food and all other incidentals, last few years it was closer to $300 a week.
Certainly can be done for less and definitely heard of more. That was just my overall average.

 

Truck stops give you a driver rewards card. You swipe the card when buy fuel at truck stop. When you buy 50 gallons or more fuel you get 1 shower credit that is good for 7 days. TA/Petro truck stop you have to buy 60 gallons or more to get a shower credit. If you buy fuel everyday you can get free shower credit every day.

If you buy 50 gallons in the morning then buy another 50 gallons in the afternoon you can get another shower credit. So you can build up a shower credits.

pilot/ frying J have a deal if you buy something like 1,000 gallons of fuel a month you get free unlimited shower.

Loves also has that deal something like buy 1,200 gallons in one and the next month you get free unlimited fountain drink refills and 2 free shower every day for the month.

 

Truck stops have apps for cell phones and you can see how many shower credits you have and how many driver reward points you have.

The best part is you can see how many showers the truck stop has and how many are available and you can reserve your shower from you truck, so you don’t have wait inside truck stop if all the shower are being used.

 

That’s pretty close to how I use to do it in my company solo days.

Treat myself to a restaurant meal once a week.

 

Straight to the Points - Trucking Blogs

All you need to know about big 3 point system.

 

I give myself 75 a week to blow on pointless expenses. For example, if I wanna stop at Iowa 80, I know I'll be buying a shower because we don't fuel at TA/Petro. I also use it towards reserve parking in an emergency, dinner from somewhere decent on my 34, T shirts, cigars, etc.

Sometimes I'll go over budget though. My opinion is, for all the 17 hour days eating bologna and cheese sandwiches and microwaved food, it's good for your mental health to treat yourself on occasion.

A few months ago, I paid 50 for an Uber round trip and spent another 100 or so at Niagara Falls doing the boat ride, souvenirs, etc. For 150 dollars, I got a special experience. It's a lot cheaper than flying there from home on my time off.