Living out of a Semi

[debit.servus]

For those who don't want to live out of a bicycle and want a RV like space, here is the better way! 

With this option, why able-bodied people PAY MONEY to live on the road? You can live out of a semi-tractor with negative costs! If you need a day off ask the trucking company, and boondock where you sit! This is the cheapest RV living on planet Earth, and you get PAID MONEY to drive to new locations! It's even cheaper than a bicycle or shoes! When it's uncomfortable outside idle the engine courtesy of your employer. Sure you have to drive the truck at least 5 days a week but other than that you're just as free as living in your own van/RV! 

Sleep on a real mattress, use the truck stops for showers, and travel with as much weight as you want with someone else's truck on the company's dime! 

Lose the van or RV ASAP, and save TENS of thousands of dollars a year in the form of a salary living in and driving a semi-tractor! For those qualified this is the BEST way to live on the road, The pros outweigh the cons so much that it's illegal to haul!

 

[WanderLoveJosh]

I considered this a couple years ago when I first hitched across the country, a trucker had recommended it. Never have had enough motivation quite yet, but I’m only 30 and have met truckers that didn’t start driving till after 50, so maybe one day.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Sounds like advertising on a trucking recruitment website...

I did it for 37 years....the reality is way different than the fantasy.

Yes you CAN make good money, but you will be trading your life away for a paycheck.

Back in the day it was a decent way to make a living and actually enjoyable for the most part...but with all the new rules and regulations and medical standards and e-logging and in-cab cameras and lawyers just waiting to sue someone's ass off, the FUN IS ALL GONE.

If you have any plans to do this, you should do your homework AND talk to actual drivers.

 

[velojym]

I did it for about 20 years. I loved the trucks, loved driving all over the country, but you don't even really belong to yourself. You go where you're told, except in certain setups, but even if you're able to pick loads off a board, the realities of the business are still a harsh dictator.

I wouldn't trade my experience, though. I did get to know my way around the country pretty well. Now I'd like to go back, on my own time, and visit all those places I had to pass up.

 

[wagoneer]

Just from being on this planet for 70 years have learned there is no such thing as a free ride, but not to discourage you give it a shot get your trucker life started, all the best.

 

[Kmmech]

I 100% agree with TX2STURGIS. I spent over 30 years driving a truck. It was fun at first, then the laws and regs got to where it was getting harder and harder to make a living. Sure, the recruiters will tell you exactly what you want to hear, then the reality strikes when the paychecks start coming in. If you try to figure the hours and the pay, all you will find is you make far below minimum wage and piss yourself off. I wont even get into the whole lease/purchase side that many people lost their butt on. Its not a vacation. You dont get to visit Disneyland, The Grand Canyon, or anything else other than a loading dock or a truck stop. And sometimes you might get to visit the scales, and spend a couple days with no pay waiting to get a fix it ticket signed off! You can ask for a day off, but its not your decision. If you have hours, you're running. If you run out of hours, you boondock where ever you happen to be. And 90% of the time, its not a place you would choose to be. Ive seen lots of people think it all wine and roses, getting paid to travel, when in fact, they have no clue. If its something you want to try, then by all means, go for it. But heed advice from the guys that spent their life doing it. You may last at it for a long time, but odds are, not. I wish you all the luck.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I wont even get into the whole lease/purchase side that many people lost their butt on.

That sentence should be in BOLD type! I will rephrase it this way:

Do NOT ever, for any reason, get into a lease/purchase deal from a carrier.

Never never never.

If you (or anyone visiting this thread) eventually decide to become an O/O, you need to secure the financing and purchase independently of a carrier.

Period.

THEN you can lease on with a carrier and do contract hauling (their trailer or yours) or get your own authority and run independent. This can work well, I know many who do this and they make excellent money.

But prepare to possibly lose your butt for the first few years. There is a joke told in the trucking industry among company drivers AND owner operators:

You know how to end up with one million dollars as an owner operator? Start with TWO million!

Only for some, its NO joke.

Be careful and again, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

 

[velojym]

Outfits like C.R. England will woo you with unicorns and rainbows... Then they'll lock you down in a truck that's worth a lot less than you end up paying, and you'll
have to work your tail off to keep up with payments, not to mention fuel and maintenance.

I almost fell into that trap, and am very glad I didn't.

When you're starting out and learning the ropes, just be a company driver for a while. That way, if your turbo should ever take a dirt nap on Eisenhower Pass, you may miss a little work, but that's about it.
You can save a good bit of money on the road, especially if you minimize your "at home" expenses (YMMV... if you have a family to take care of, for instance) ... by the time you figure out whether you want to invest more heavily in the lifestyle/industry, you could have a nice stake in a decent truck, as well as some experience to show the more reputable O/O outfits.

 

[Kmmech]

That sentence should be in BOLD type! I will rephrase it this way:

Do NOT ever, for any reason, get into a lease/purchase deal from a carrier.

Never never never.

If you (or anyone visiting this thread) eventually decide to become an O/O, you need to secure the financing and purchase independently of a carrier.

Period.

THEN you can lease on with a carrier and do contract hauling (their trailer or yours) or get your own authority and run independent. This can work well, I know many who do this and they make excellent money.

But prepare to possibly lose your butt for the first few years. There is a joke told in the trucking industry among company drivers AND owner operators:

You know how to end up with one million dollars as an owner operator? Start with TWO million!

Only for some, its NO joke.

Be careful and again, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

I was an O/O for a long time. My own authority, so I could haul for any company I chose to, not just one as a leaser. I ended up with 5 trucks with drivers. Probably the worst decision I ever made. Any owner will tell you, the best money I ever made was when I had one truck and drove it myself. Made alot of money with 5, but operating cost took it all back. Took me years to decide, sell them all, buy one new one, and just do it myself again and sleep alot better at night.

 

[Motrukdriver]

Drove for 14 years and I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. Sure you get to drive all over the country but you are always on a time schedule and rarely, if ever, get to experience the things you see thru the bug guts on your windshield. What you DO get to see are loading/unloading docks and a multitude of dirty urine smelling truck stop parking spaces. Noise, noise, noise... engines idling all night or generators running all night. Parking lot fights, lot lizzards (walking virus factories) beating on your doors, and of course waking up in the morning to go get a cup of coffee and dodging all the plastic bags full of excrement tossed on the ground. Yeah buddy, what a life it was!!!!

 

[Cap1]

I drove for over 26 years. I feel very fortunate I am able now to go back and see all those places I had to pass up.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I have my CDL, but have never used it for long haul stuff, just local equipment moving. Everyone I know with their CDL will do the long haul stuff in the beginning, because the handful of big carriers are the only ones that can afford to insure new drivers. Once they get enough experience under their belts, they transfer over to a local hourly position so they can go home every night.

But if it's what you want to do, i say go for it. You're young and i'm sure it will be an experience you'll never forget one way or another. There is nothing like driving the big rigs, too bad all the politics have to come with it these days.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Everyone I know with their CDL will do the long haul stuff in the beginning, because the handful of big carriers are the only ones that can afford to insure new drivers.  Once they get enough experience under their belts, they transfer over to a local hourly position so they can go home every night. 

Most new drivers have to start OTR/48-state since that is where most carriers need to fill the seats with a warm body. Long haul freight generally has the lowest per-mile freight rates and lowest driver mileage pay.

As they gain experience and seniority or longevity, drivers tend to make several lateral moves, gradually building up experience and work history and able to pick and choose better runs, usually regional and/or local.

Keep in mind that the mega-fleet, bottom-tier, common carriers have a very high turnover rate, some as high as 100% per year! And 75-90% yearly turnover is quite common in the industry. Just walk in any truckstop and look at the racks and bins FULL of recruitment magazines....all FREE of course!

There are many reasons for that: Low pay, long hours, weeks or months way from home resulting in family issues, forced dispatch (even in bad weather), disrespect toward drivers at shippers and receivers, HOS violations, government intrusion, DAC, PSP and CSA reporting, in-cab cameras, driver harassment thru qual-comm (OBC) units, traffic and equipment violations, wrecks, etc etc...

Private carriers, and local and regional positions with common carriers, generally have a much lower turnover rate and usually higher pay and better benefits.

But it's a jungle out there....my hat is off to anyone starting out in that career these days!

This country is 100% dependent on truck freight....so someone has to do it....but stick a fork in me...I'm done!

 

[Charlotte's Web]

....but stick a fork in me...I'm done!

Tempting.  So long as you're not done for.

Charlotte

 

[bullfrog]

I did it two years but kidney stones became a problem even with air ride. Friends like car hauling with a day cab and motel room over nights best for comfort, pay and days off.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

This country is 100% dependent on truck freight....so someone has to do it....but stick a fork in me...I'm done!

It's true,  just about every single item we use and every food we eat got to us via a truck.  So the demand will always be there and if these big companies are still turning a profit with a 100% turnover rate, suppose we won't see conditions improve anytime soon.

 

[John61CT]

Profession will be hit by self-driving like a tsunami IMO less than a generation.

Biggest employer in many states too

 

[debit.servus]

I created this thread for those looking for the cheapest RV living on planet Earth, at any cost to their quality of life, health and life.

I did it for about 20 years. I loved the trucks, loved driving all over the country, but you don't even really belong to yourself. You go where you're told, except in certain setups, but even if you're able to pick loads off a board, the realities of the business are still a harsh dictator.

I wouldn't trade my experience, though. I did get to know my way around the country pretty well. Now I'd like to go back, on my own time, and visit all those places I had to pass up.

I drove for over 26 years. I feel very fortunate I am able now to go back and see all those places I had to pass up.

For those looking for the cheapest RV living on planet Earth, at any cost to their quality of life, health and life. You'll wipe out your savings if you PAY MONEY to go to the places you are passing up, and if you're nearby on your day off, if you have to spend more than $10 to get there it's not available to you. I thought this forum was about CHEAP RV LIVING and I found no cheaper RV living than to live out of a Semi-Tractor as a company driver.

... Its not a vacation. You dont get to visit Disneyland, The Grand Canyon, or anything else other than a loading dock or a truck stop. And sometimes you might get to visit the scales, and spend a couple days with no pay waiting to get a fix it ticket signed off! You can ask for a day off, but its not your decision. If you have hours, you're running. If you run out of hours, you boondock where ever you happen to be. And 90% of the time, its not a place you would choose to be. Ive seen lots of people think it all wine and roses, getting paid to travel, when in fact, they have no clue.

For those looking for the cheapest RV living on planet Earth, you're not going to Di$neyland or The Grand Canyon because of cost regardless of what RV you're in. What better adventure than to visit scales, loading docks and truck stops. With the money you're saving in the form of a paycheck, you can live large at the truckstops buying anything you want with the tens of thousands of dollars of savings your uber-frugal RV living provides you.

"sometimes you might get to visit the scales, and spend a couple days with no pay waiting to get a fix it ticket signed off" For an uber-frugal truck driving RVer, there is no better perk.

Drove for 14 years and I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. Sure you get to drive all over the country but you are always on a time schedule and rarely, if ever, get to experience the things you see thru the bug guts on your windshield. What you DO get to see are loading/unloading docks and a multitude of dirty urine smelling truck stop parking spaces. Noise, noise, noise... engines idling all night or generators running all night. Parking lot fights, lot lizzards (walking virus factories) beating on your doors, and of course waking up in the morning to go get a cup of coffee and dodging all the plastic bags full of excrement tossed on the ground. Yeah buddy, what a life it was!!!!

For someone looking for the cheapest RV living on planet Earth, you can tune these sights, smells and sounds out like you have for the sometimes yucky look of leftovers, agri-dust in the Coachella valley, and your sweaty surroundings from the sweltering no-climate-control days of summer.


Many have asked "what is the cheapest RV living" and I answered it by thinking outside the box.

If you want to spend $0.00 on housing (or as close to it as possible), want that housing to move more than 1000 miles a year (and don't care for desirable/famous scenic locales), want that housing to contain A/C, Heat, high amounts of power to consume in-house, a real bed you can stretch out on, space and CCC for dishes, clothes, portable toilet, bulk buys, storage, 53" Costco teddy bears etc.; and want shower & toilet access at least every other night, while not having a gym membership; and on top of all that being about to make money with said housing on someone elses schedule - become a company driver for an OTR trucking company.

If you a nomadic who (wants to) works to LIVE - work a job for more than minimum wage to earn money, using that money to live life by experiencing desires on your own schedule, and fasttracking medium and long-term goals through sizable income and effective frugality - Seriously look at trucking as it's an employees market right now with base payscale being a living wage.

 

[John61CT]

Rigged. Forced into debt. Worked past exhaustion. Left with nothing

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inte...ebt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/

 

[rm.w/aview]

RV living = Recreational Vehicle living. Trucking may be recreation to some, but, from what I've read here, it's a job not an adventure. I do concede that there are jobs that can be recreation, but I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that trucking is one of them.