Where to move?

Hey Tesla,

Before you jump in the U-Haul do alot of research where companies run there freight and where Carriers have there terminals this will give you a good idea what Cities and states you can add to your choices. But, I would make sure you also like the weather in those states, here in Washington state it rains 9 months out of the year and we are close to the mountain passes which will require you to chain up.

What happens if trucking not for you? you will be in a new place with what kind of weather and having to make new friends, could be very tough. I personally would not move away from loved ones just for a job that I have no experience and going through a huge change of life style.

But, I will say sometimes you got to do what you got to do to move on.

Take care and good luck

rdman

 

i am going to have to go with rdman on this one .. find out first if trucking is right for you and if it isn't right for you ... then move to a great huge city and drive limos and do airport runs.. you will get paid roughly 700 minimum a week ... if you are in the northeast part of the coutry and you run limos you can make anywhere from 700 to 1300 a week ... including tips .. i did that for the 2 yrs i was out of a truck .... i missed being on the road ... looks like it may be limos for me considering nationwide southeast put slanderous things on my DAC report .. then had the nerve the last 2 days to ask me to go back ...

but yea, i will have to go with rdman ... make sure trucking is for you and make sure you are right for a company before you fire up the credit card machine and grab a u-haul

 

How about leave your stuff at moms, get in that truck and go go go. Its nice to have a place of your own to go home to.. but really you'll just be paying for something you won't see alot. If you want good hometime, go with a respectable flatbed outfit. Maverick, maybe TMC.

 

Get out your atlas and then start looking at the centrally located states. Forget about the edges Like Florida, Maine, Washington, and border states in general.

As an otr truck driver you will be traveling alot. If you live in a "corner" of the country you are severely limiting your options as far as getting loads "thru" the house.

Choose cities that have a 3 or more interstates and or us highways intersecting that general area. Examples of this would be Harrisburg Pa, Louisville Ky, Cincinatti Oh, Columbus Oh, Indianapolis In, St Louis Mo, Kansas City Kansas, Chicago Il, etc. These are major crossings for freight. each if these cities will have major manufacturing bases as well as rail road yards.

Choosing anyone of these areas will ensure a steady supply of job opportunities in trucking, warehousing, and drayage.

As far as affordability that will depend on your requirements. If you live in the truck you cannot claim a "tax home" for purposes of the daily per diem. You can get a small 1 bedroom apartment and just store some of your possessions there and that will enable you to claim the per diem while you are gone.

Southern states will have a "cheaper" cost of living but will also have depressed wages as compared to their northern counterparts.

I would suggest an area that is warmer rather than colder due to winters being more harsh in the north. Other than that this is a highly personal decision and I recommend doing some traveling first before settling down. Driving a truck provides an awesome opportunity to see this country especially if you take the time to explore in your spare time.

 

And that's definitely a pearl of wisdom.

 

Plus; if you are going to move, try to get a location where you can park truck and trailer either at the house or close by. We can drop trailers. Some companies don't allow you too. It is less work and worry if you can get the whole rig at your house.

 

Could you take a moment to explain this a bit more? Is the per diem a tax deduction from which we benefit only at tax time, or are you using the term per diem to mean a cash payout from our employer to our pockets?

Sorry, but in sales we use the term per diem to mean an allowance or payment each day for certain expenses. That is the definition I have always used, and it seems truckers might use as a tax item only.

Sorry for the basic question. I am going to CDL school and training within the month, and I am trying to choose a new place to live to benefit my miles over the first year or so.

 

Here is my understanding of "per diem as it applies to truckers."

The perdiem is beneficial for us under the "transportation workers" section of the IRS code.

Because we are required by our jobs to be away from our "tax home" (this will be your primary residence where you pay rent/mortgage, utilities, etc) we will be "duplicating our expenses."

While you are at home you have a refrigerator and cupboards to store food you purchased at a grocery store. The electricity you paid for enables your refrigerator to keep your groceries edible and delays spoilage.

While on the road away from home the government has recognized that it is an inconvenience to you in that you do not have access to the food and staples already purchased at your home and will have to purchase additional foodstuffs. Therefore they permit a daily deductible amount (currently 52.00 per day in the contiguous US and 58.00 in Canada. Of this amount you may only deduct 75% of that amount for each day you were "away from your tax home" and were required to 'take a break' [I read this section as a 10 hour break].

Note next year you will be allowed to deduct 80% of the daily per diem.

Now companies may offer a daily perdiem (which I strongly advise against) which will reduce your taxable earnings (and the amount of money your employer pays in taxes on your behalf as in social security and medicare). They are only allowed to "give" you 39.00 (the equivalent of 52.00 per day at 75%) per day tax free (provided you met the criteria for qualifying).

In the event your employer paid you more then you must declare this "over payment" on your tax return and may owe taxes on that money. In the event your employer underpaid you then you may claim the discrepancy on your tax return. It is a hassle to say the least

There are some other threads throughout this forum regarding per diem and may benefit you to research them.

 

Many thanks for that comprehensive and clear definition of the per diem as used in this industry. It seems it is purely a tax allowance, with no cash passing into the driver's hands from his/her employer.