Comments By FL_Truckin24

Hello again forum, I had something I wanted to run by you all:

After lurking for years I am looking to take the plunge here around March/April 2024.

I am currently in the Central Florida area. I am planning to go into Cypress trucking’s company CDL program. My ultimate plan is to use my mom’s house in TX as my residency and be out OTR as long as I can do it. My question is: Would it be best to start trucking here in FL and then transition out to TX after I am established in the company or would it be best to move out to TX, establish residency, then go into Cypress there?

You can train with Cypress in TX and FL and there is an academy over in Tampa which is about 70 mi from where I am. Starting in Florida would be easier in the near term, I could just put my stuff in storage and use a domicile service as I am not going to keep paying $1600 in rent for a place I will never see. I am single with no kids.

Of course I would have to eventually take time off and move everything over to TX, which is where moving out to TX and getting everything done now would put me ahead. I guess a lot of my trepidation comes from any potential pitfalls that could come with getting established in another state and starting in the trucking school/industry. What do you guys think would be the best path?

First concert was Metallica back in '92 in Orlando, no opening act. They came on at 8 and played until 1 AM. It got rowdy and they had to pay the Arena $60k in damages. I guess that still stands out as the best. Recently I saw the original Misfits and Megadeth in Tampa. I really wish I could have seen Motorhead.

Also, Is your schedule with Cypress more regular now or do you find yourself running at all times of the day?

Is that the I-4 eyesore in the background?

Just looked at my last grocery store receipt from Jan 21. $112.79. I’ve only eaten the food I bought then. No meals out, no truck stop junk, no fast food. On the road every day since 01/21. I still have food left to eat from that trip, but not much. That’s 18 days and counting. Subtract the $8 for Tylenol, and it averages $5.82 per day, eating anytime I’m hungry. And that includes the $18 I splurged on a can of deluxe mixed nuts. Still have some of those left.

So that averages out to around $2,125/yr in food...pretty darn good!

The only time I don't do all the cooking on the truck is when it's in the shop. I eat anything I want to try and I eat very well. No poptarts, hot pockets, peanut butter sandwiches, or ramen noodles here.

How do you do your dishes? I want to cook my own food if I do OTR again. But always wondered how you keep everything clean.

I keep an extra gallon jug of water, a small bottle of Dawn and paper towels. I clean up immediately after things cool off so I don’t spend as much time cleaning up. It’s like anything else, you have to dedicate yourself to it and go through the motions every time.

I guess you could also get one of those 5 gallon jugs with the spigot on the side and situate it in one of the side compartments if there is room. That way you could have hands free stream.

Hello Harvest, Yeah I have heard that staying out of truck stops is a good choice given their cost and that most have a lot of junk food. I guess a better way to phrase this question would be to ask: After groceries and cell phone/data are there any regular expenses that you see living out of the truck that have a sizeable impact?

Things like showers are pretty much free with you getting fuel at your company's truck stop of choice. You also get quite a bit of free food that way too, so if you do get caught with not enough from the grocery store, you can save money that way too.

I had heard of free showers but you also get some sort of meal points as well?

The only time I don't do all the cooking on the truck is when it's in the shop. I eat anything I want to try and I eat very well. No poptarts, hot pockets, peanut butter sandwiches, or ramen noodles here.

It seems like OTR would make for a good occasion to do some culinary exploration.

Facts and figures---one of my favorite things.

I started with a new company in late January of 2022. From then until the end of December 2022, I spent $3,147.62 on groceries. That came to $262.31 per month. I had 276 days driving (more days off last year than my normal). That comes out to $11.41 per day.

$3k on groceries is quite good. I am planning on giving up my apartment and using Escapee's RV domicile service here in FL as a home base. It is my goal to put as much cash into savings and investments as humanly possible for the first couple of years. I figure with enough of that I could afford to by a house outright in a few years. I could then rent that out until I am ready to come off the road and go local.

Hello Harvest, Yeah I have heard that staying out of truck stops is a good choice given their cost and that most have a lot of junk food. I guess a better way to phrase this question would be to ask: After groceries and cell phone/data are there any regular expenses that you see living out of the truck that have a sizeable impact?

From my own experience at least, there isn't much. Make sure you keep a good amount of work gloves on you, I was caught without a pair one time and it takes forever to get that grease off, especially clothes. The biggest thing is learning to pack well too, keeping basic tools, gloves, and duct tape in your truck. Extra clothes, and groceries you get at an actual supermarket. Things like showers are pretty much free with you getting fuel at your company's truck stop of choice. You also get quite a bit of free food that way too, so if you do get caught with not enough from the grocery store, you can save money that way too. Should buy a decent CB radio as well with an antenna, been awhile since I saw prices, but id say around $150. Keep a few hundred set aside in case something on your truck is busted or broken. Like a mudflap, headlight and such. You purchase it yourself, but you would be reimbursed by your company. But from my own experience, if you are a company driver, the biggest thing is just food.

Thanks for the info!