Home Town: Anywhere, USA?

Here's what my wife and I are thinking... We want to go OTR, or rather more specifically, I'll go OTR and she'll go with me. We're wondering about having nothing more than a mailbox in our "home town" and getting rid of most everything we own (we're already losing our home to foreclosure - long story). What little we'll keep will be in storage. Then, as we travel about as a company-driver-and-his-spouse, we can, theoretically, request "home time" in a variety of places around the country (assuming we plan our time off with our dispatcher in advance, or let him choose). We'd rent a car and a motel room, and we'll get to know different places all over. I think with this model we can take some "home time" as vacation time and see new places, visit tourist traps, and eat at nicer places a couple of times a month.

Now, the question is this... Can this work? Have any of you done this? We're thinking about doing this for a year or two, and then, having visited all these locations, perhaps we'll know where to purchase property for our permanent home town (and retirement).

Also, are there any inconveniences having my wife along (seriously)? Like, are there customers that won't allow her on property, even if she stays in the truck? Are there problems with her taking showers at T/S? Etc.

FYI: My wife may elect to obtain a CDL A too, and then we'll team drive and double our income. Otherwise, it's just me with her as a rider. Well, I'd put her to work with paperwork, cooking, navigation, etc. Maybe washing the truck, tarping, lumping, changing tires, you know... JK.

Your input is appreciated! Thanks!!

 

I'm guessing these are issues even for the driver, right? If so, are these the issues that are normally addressed by building "torpedoes" in the truck (creative usage of milk jugs)? Obviously, there are other urgent needs that can't be as readily "cured" in the truck. How do drivers cope with that when the restroom is "way over there" at 3 in the morning, or if a customer refuses access? (Seems to me the latter would be a human rights violation.)

I haven't picked a company yet. This very idea may help in the selection process. As for the motel, as long as we were in agreement with the dispatcher at least a day in advance, we would hope to get a motel room, assuming safe parking was found for the truck (whether a customer, a terminal, or Wal-Mart, etc). The idea would be that with enough lead time on our request for "home time," the dispatcher would run us to a feasible area, not necessarily our choice every time, but not in the middle of North Dakota in winter with no motels or rental cars, either. I don't know if this would work or not, having no experience with trucking dispatch. What do you think?

 

Thank you both for the honest, candid replies.

We're in the process of thinking it through... thus my questions to help us make the decision. I appreciate your input. This is what we need to hear to help us make our decision and/or prepare for it.

I understand your concern, but are you taking into consideration we won't have any "home" bills? No mortgage, no utilities, no car payments, no home or car insurance, far less in taxes, etc? In other words, I'm expecting to pay some money for motel rooms and rental cars in lieu of those payments. I'm more interested in the logistics of this idea... and I think you touched on some areas that I would need to discuss with the company before employment (where to park the truck and the security of the truck and load).

I also understand about the destinations we'll find ourselves. Thus the rental car to drive us out of those areas. Most towns of some size now have Enterprise RACs and they'll pick you up, and later pick up the car or drop us off. So where we leave the truck is not that much of a concern in this regard. Since the company I'm considering now expects me to take the assigned truck home, loaded or empty, I would guess that they'll allow me to discern safe parking wherever I am. Of course, I need to discuss this with them and find out who holds what liability and for what.

I should have made this clearer... sorry. I'm thinking of several years down the road to purchase a house. What I meant that was in time, visiting a variety of regions, we could hope to find the area of the country we want to call home. If my wife wants to get off the truck, we'd have to rent until our credit is re-established or we have enough saved (ha). Our credit is so screwed up right now, that it will take a decade or more to get back to square one. (FYI: I tried two commission-only jobs when I resigned my previous salaried job, and didn't make a dime. Now, I'm finding there are too many people competing for the jobs I need and want in this area. Unfortunately, it's been nine months since my last paycheck. Thank God my wife is working!)

Thank you... My wife and I appreciate that there are still those out there who would think that way. What do women drivers do when they're solo and have the same need? Is there another solution we need to consider, assuming we go through with this?

Again, thank you for your input. Hopefully, by tomorrow evening I will have some clearer direction on which employer I'll go with, and what we'll have to do to make it all work whether my wife goes with me or not.

 

Thank you Rex. Your latest post was very generous and encouraging. I needed that.

Indeed, we are considering having my wife get her CDL also. I have experience in Class B, so getting my Class A should come relatively quick. My wife, on the other hand, has zero experience, and has never even paid attention to trucking (which is why I always drive when we travel!).

So what we had decided was to wait until I'm in and rolling, and she has a chance to ride with me and see what it's like. Then, we would decide whether it's a good fit for her. But now... we may choose to take classes at the same time and just do it anyway.

The bigger income would definitely be welcome, as well as the chance for her to contribute and do something other than "crocheting" in the passenger seat. Ha.

I sat here trying to write excuses why I didn't want to go that route (my wife getting her CDL), but as I sit here, I'm finding they're not valid. Based on your input, I'm going to have to revisit this idea with her more seriously.

I hope that a year from now, my wife and I can look back and be thankful for a good year!

Thanks for the input. You've helped a lot!

~ Steve