Living in the truck

Really?
Why?

 

You know, initially, I thought, what a waste of lives, but after reconsidering, it's their oasis in this jungle. Now, to be clear, these folks aren't regular freight haulers, they clearly have steady Freddies, and can do their own thing. They seem like nice folks, although the Bible thing turned me off, but if you are going to live in the truck, it should be like this. I still think their older years could be better spent than looking through a windshield, if out that long, they probably don't have a house, and this is it. With everything I held dear gone to pot, you know, sitting in a truck watching the destruction unfold may not be so crazy after all.

 

I've known a few OTR long-time drivers who have all their mail sent to a P.O. box, use their 'home' terminal as their legal address, and spend vacation time either in hotels or visiting relatives. One guy saved up so much money by not keeping a domicile that when he retired from the business, he bought his house with cash....

 

The math can be very revealing. $1,500 in rent, plus $500 in various utilities and services (someone has to cut the lawn). 25K a year before you blink an eye. That’s a chunk on a single income.

On the income side, staying out longer increases income as well, let’s call that another $5K per year. So, yeah, increasing savings by $30K a year creates options.

Still couldn’t do it, but I wouldn’t fault someone who chose to. Had a local (young) couple live in the truck as a team for three years. They banked $150K per year. Three years of busting it gave them options few of their peers have.

 

I've been a truck dweller off and on about most of the last 12 years. I stay in motel when visiting my storage unit and po box. Rent cars when needed to gey away from truck.
I got into trucking to travel. Its been mostly good except for that aging in a bumpy ride part.
Im fixing a van to live in and travel some more next year

 

Was OTR for a year with my starter company out for 3 weeks home for 3 days. Then left for a regional company home on weekends for the same money I was making OTR stayed there for 2 years. Not running LTL Shuttle overnight home daily and making more money then I know what to do with.

I enjoyed the OTR life style but my wife was getting sick of it so decided to get something where I’m home everyday.

 

Those new generation cascadias have the nicest interiors. Freightliner did a fantastic job redesigning it.

Its a comfortable truck both driving, and in the sleeper.

 

When I drove for JB Hunt, I knew a driver out of the KCMO terminal who grew up in Montana, and is family still all lived there. He drove down to the KC terminal with one of those Rancher-style pickups (heavy-duty, 4WD) with a 'cowboy camper' on the back, and THAT was his home for a few days when he took weekends off.