Where to park during hometime when solo

I am in CDL training right now. I drove in the military for years, but didn't get my CDL. I plan to work for a company for 1 year, then become an owner operator, purchasing my truck with cash with my own authority and purely running the load boards- no lease or company involved. I have some money saved up (I'm retired military) and this is a career change for me and I could go straight O/O out of school, but I want to learn how to drive, but equally important, I want to learn the truck. Knowing how to fix things and the nuances of trucking..

Based on the above, when I purchase my truck, and I'm 100% certain I will be one my own, running the loads boards with own authority and not working with a company/carrier. Here's my question...

1. Where do I park my truck and trailor if I am home for 1 week, or 2 weeks, vacation for 2 weeks, etc? I do not have the land at home, so obviously that isn't an option, and believe it or not, the nearest truck stop/24 hour stop is 50 miles away. Any thoughts or recommendations would help. I have looked into O/O stuff for over 1 year and studied up on it the best I could, but this issue is one I can't find much information on. I know parking at a truck stop is doable for 2-3 days, but what about 1 or 2 weeks at a time? I appreciate your help in advance.

 

Can you give us an idea of where you live ? Near commercial areas ?

 

find a good local mechanic. chances are your truck will at least need a service if not other repairs when you get home. they will likely let you park your truck in there lot in exchange for the service work.

 

We own a warehouse with a bigger parking lot than we need. We have several local drivers that pay a monthly fee to park.
We we first got the warehouse, we were trying to be neighborly and just let people park for free. No good deed goes unpunished though, and they trashed to place, backed into the fence and just drive away, and all manner of mischief. No telling how many bad tires and pee bottles I had to clean up that they just left. So we ran everybody off, and started charging. Seems people will take care of things when it cost them something.

 

Some megas have shared drop yards. You might be able to pay them to park it there

 

If you are going to be a o/o for a career then buy yourself a place to put your truck . I would never leave my truck unattended at truck stop for home time . It is your livelihood you need to protect it .

 

NO Parking Place Is 100% Secure, Unless It Is WELL SECURED (and even then.....):
Razor Wire, Electrified Fence & Gate (5000+ Volt), Cameras, Etc.
- - - -
CHEERS!!

 

Agreed, unless you are in a big northern city and real estate is through the roof then start looking for a cheap piece of land. The best way, if there is no parking near you, is to buy the land and then rent it to other drivers in the same situation as you. Easy money.

 

Depending on where you live, ask around at private businesses that have large lots and offer to pay to park while on hometime. Or storage yards, small factories/warehouses, basically any privately owned business with a large enough lot.

When I come home I park at a bar a 5 min walk from my house. Guy has a huge gravel lot behind the bar and charges a flat rate of $35 per week for parking. Used to be a restaurant 5 miles from my house that had free truck parking, but covid shut them down and they haven't reopened since. Last fall the lot got blocked off.

I'm about to move to another state though, and planning on going the land route mentioned above. Already looking around for small areas of land just outside the city to buy to use for storage and to park my truck on. Best I've found so far was 5 acres for 40k, less then 2 miles from the home. Right outside the town and on the main 4 lane road that goes through the town. A seemingly perfect place if it can be converted for use as a parking area.