Life As A Trucker

Ok guys and gals, first of all I would like to introduce myself. My name is Kevin, I am new to this sight and this would be my first time ever posting something on a forum or even belonging to a blog site! Secondly I am interested in becoming a truck driver. The idea of an OTR really gets the juices flowing. Ok enough of the small talk, I know that being a trucker is hard on relationships and family, My question is I believe me and my female life partner seem to be on the outs, and my desire to become a truck driver is not helping the situation. I would like to know if it would be would it be better to become an owner operator and live in my truck? What I mean by that is if I am an OTR guy would even owning a house or renting an apartment be cost effective since I would be on the road so much? I would like to here some input or advice on this matter (the living situation not the relationship lol).

Thanks for the time, Kevin

Not being on the road yet myself I can't give you perfect advice but I can share from what I've researched. Being an o/o is usuwlly a bad idea especially as a rookie. There is a recent post explaining the complications. It seems to be financial suicide for most rookies.

I think that you should look into storing your stuff. Personally I'm putting all of my stuff in my moms spare room. I've sold a lot to fund training so its not much to store. You may not have an option like that. You could rent a storage unit. I think they are around $100 per month but not possitive. It'd be cheaper than a rent or mortgage payment.

I think living out of the truck is a decent idea. I myself plan to be out quite a bit to make more money. The thing to think about is that eventually you will need a break. Shelling out money for a hotel room is an option but may not be the most cost effective.

It really depends on your situation. If you have family or friends you can store your stuff wih then that would be your cheapest option. Ot also gives you a place to go home to and visit. If you have a lot of stuff it may not be an option. You could sell a majority of it to save space and make money. Storing it at a storage facility allows you to keep your stuff somewhere for less than a home paent. Downside is that you don't have a place to go home to. If you don't really have a "home"then it may be a good option. Getting rid of everthing and living out of the truck isn't terrible. People do it. Personally I would want to get away from it for a while here and there. Going to hotels is a good option but could get pricey. Not spending on rent or anything you could set money aside to fund rooms. Its not a "homey" option but gives you the chance to see places. Really it comes down to what works for you. The o/o route is an option but probably isn't worth it. Maybe after you learn the industry it will be a better option but as a rookie I don't think anyone here will have good things to say about it.

I've been thinking about this topic quite a bit. For a year or so I plan on storing in my moms extra room. During the time I will get an idea of pay and have time to think about how to proceed. I've considered renting an apartment with a friend. Have them pay a bit more because I will hardly be there. That way they get a decent price for what is essentially their own place and I have a bed to come home to. Also my mom would get her room back. I'm also considering buying property or a home. That way when I leave trucking I have a place.

One thing I di plan on doing is taking time off to enjoy vegas, new orleans and places like that. I think I'm going to alternate my hometime with my "vacation" type places.

Those are my two cents...maybe more. I'm sure there are other options that the experienced drivers will know of. I'm interested in their thoughts. Best of luck to you.

**** I did that wrong... sorry still new lol. I appreciate the feedback after I posted this I saw the question I think you were referring to... I found out how cut throat this business is. As of right now if my relationship were to go down the drain, I would have nothing to fall back on. I tried to ask friends and brother, but to no avail. My mom lives in a 2 bdrm apartment and my Dad lives in Myrtle Beach South Carolina and that would be too far from my son when I came Home. I am almost 40 so most if not all my friends are married. Grrr.

**** I did that wrong... sorry still new lol. I appreciate the feedback after I posted this I saw the question I think you were referring to... I found out how cut throat this business is. As of right now if my relationship were to go down the drain, I would have nothing to fall back on. I tried to ask friends and brother, but to no avail. My mom lives in a 2 bdrm apartment and my Dad lives in Myrtle Beach South Carolina and that would be too far from my son when I came Home. I am almost 40 so most if not all my friends are married. Grrr.

I feel your pain. I just turned 30 and my friends are all getting martied off too. I was lucky to have my mom have a spare room. I would have went to a storage place. For $100 a month it seemed like a good option. I'm not sure if there are other fees or anything. It may also vary by location. Having a child you'll definitely want to do something that can get you to that area. A hotel for a fee days may be the best option as far as sleeping unless you can crash on couches for a few days. I think an actual bed would be wanted though after being on the road.

I hear ya, my other issue is that I have literally zero dollars... Its a long story as to why, but lets just say I was unlawfully terminated. My unemployment is all tied up right now because of on going litigation. I dont know what options I have, but technically I am still filing. I think I may be able to have unemployment pay for schooling thru their program.

Keep in mind that your will HAVE to have a physical address for your CDL. It is required by law. You can get a PO Box for your mail, but you will need someone to let you use their physical address for your cdl. It will have to be in the state you call home, and where your get your cdl from.

Kevin, here is the link to a video I watched recently that you may find helpful in putting things into perspective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kq7OTq3dQY

As for putting things into storage, at $100 a month, you will spend around $6000 over a 5 year period to store your belongings. When it comes to furniture and things that have no sentimental value, it probably makes more sense to just buy more furniture and such later, rather than store the used high mileage stuff you already have. If I can manage to make it thru school, I plan on burning my bridges completely, with no money pit back home eating up my meager earnings. Once I have learned to live in my truck and make it thru my first year, I want to start putting into savings at least $200 a week, then eventually $300, and then $400. $400 a week x 52 weeks, is around $20,000 a year. Over a 5 year period, that equates to around $100,000. I know I won't ever become a millionaire, but I just may be able to put back a chunk of change, to offset the coming social security crisis. The reason most people cannot save money, is because they finance everything and pay so much to interest. By the time they get a 7 year car loan paid off for example, within 3 years it is time to buy another because the mileage is so high.

What a fantastic opportunity this industry actually provides! Where else can you come into an industry broke with very little education, have a company completely cover the costs of your training, and provide you a place to sleep rent free? Is there a catch? I'm sure there is. Lot's of bull*hit to deal with and mega responsibility. Learning to live on $300 a week with another driver and sleeping in a small box with very few personal belongings. For those who are single with no kids however, it is much more than just a way to make money.

For some people, letting go of their place to live, personal belongings, and relationships can be really hard to mentally adjust to, if not impossible. I really wish I had become a OTR driver when I was in my early 20's, and by now I would bet set for life. Truth is, I didn't have the guts or mentality that it would have taken at that age to see it thru. I didn't know then that the women in my life, would be nowhere to be found 20 years down the road. Look at the statistics on divorce rates, and then factor all the relationships where people were common law married that end up busted, and you can put in perspective that the failure rates are at least 80%. That doesn't leave a lot of room for success to base your future on.

Here is another site I found which can be very helpful in getting out of debt as a trucker, and putting yourself on the road to saving much more money than you spend.

money saving tips

Hey Dutch, thanks for the input!

Welcome aboard Kevin!

First of all I would say do not even consider buying or leasing a truck - ever. But at the very least get one year of driving under your belt as a company driver before you decide to buy or lease a truck. You really have to learn how to handle that rig, adjust to life on the road, and understand how the trucking industry works before you try going into business.

As far as getting started without any money, take a look at Company-Sponsored Training Programs. They're truck driving schools owned by trucking companies. They will bring you in with little or no money up front (less than $150 normally), train you, and hire you upon completion of the program. It's perfect for people looking to get into the trucking industry that do not have the money up front to pay for private truck driving schools.

Also, read through our Trucker's Career Guide which will cover about every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career started, including your choices for truck driving schools.

That will give you some great reading to get started with

Hi Brett thanks for the input.I want to thank you for such a well thought out and informative site. I don't know about company sponsored training something doesn't add up sounds kinda fishy. I have talked to a recruiter from crst but after I did some research I heard that if you aren't picking things up they drop you from class without you having a way home. I don't know how true it is but that's what I read. I also heard they are not a good outfit to work for, I do understand that every school and or job isn't for everyone. Anyway any other info is welcomed and appreciated. I have a school close to my house called Allstate Career. I don't know if you have heard of them but they seem ok,as a matter of fact I have a sit down with them tonight. Thanks again Kevin.