Proposed trucking lifestyle: Feasible or not?

I'd be willing to rent my basement to everyone on the board as long as you promise to not live there. If anybody asks ,you're from Nebraska.

 

Well, I'll chime in here and say I've been weighing the odds. I'm local only now, but have thinking of going OTR just for a time to spend away from everything in my life lol

 

Most companies don't really demand that you take home time off in your home state.
Home time is another way of saying time away from your truck. If you know in advance where you want to take time off ... like if you want to attend the races on Sat and Sun...and your delivery is on a Fri am. Let you DM/FM know that you would like to take the time off and you'll be ready to roll again...most of them will (hopefully) work with you.
Consider that most companies look at time off as this...for every 6 days out you earn 1 day off.
I drive as a solo driver and I like it ... but driving solo is not for everyone...just as driving team is not for everyone.
If you have and friends or relatives see if you can go out on a run with them as a "RIDER" for the whole run...this way you can see if this is the right job for you before you invest any money in getting your CDL. This is what I was able to do before I
made my decision into taking up the actual driving.
You might have heard this before. "Driving takes a certain type of person and this type of job is not right for everyone".
Good luck in your venture

 

OTR = a mini vaction from home.... A lot more time away from home if you like being in a not rolling home every night.
LOL

 

RM I'm not sure what the current daily per diem is, but for me it sure adds up to a ton of money by the end of the yr.

 

Now, granted I am looking 'down the road' to a time when i am solo, but I had the same way of thought. Right now, I live in an apartment with a roommate. I told my roommate that I would be attending a trucking school in a week or two, and selling all my stuff that isnt 'collectable'. Then just getting a P.O. Box for mail whever 'home' will be. I have a brother that lives in Houston, sister lives in NE Kentucky, parents in NE Iowa. Really dont matter there I am to take time 'off'. Figure I will see the inside of the sleeper so little, it will be like home. =)

 

I would suggest IRS pub 463. It explains the per diem under IRS. However, per diem that is in pay has been discussed at length on the forum. Do a search and type in per diem. It is not something that drivers should do, but many companies basically require it.

 

Even if your company doesn't require you to take the per diem pay option you can still claim it on your taxes for each night away from home.

Like I said earlier it can add up to a lot of money at the end of the yr.

 

I agree. I am only referring to the companies that reduce your gross pay under their per diem pay plan. There is still a deduction for the per diem if they don't do the total. I just wanted him to review all of the posts on it.