Living In A Tractor Full-time?

Sorry i didnt read the responses yet.

Yes Rookies can do it. The company won't even notice. As OTR you are the only one assigned to the truck. Many lease ops stay out for 3 to 4 months without going home at all. No one is tracking your home time and no ome will "force" you to take hometime. You taje off when and where you want.

You keep asking about what we call "slip seating". That is done for local and some regionals so the truck is moving when you are home. That requires a schedule also. OTR has no real home time schedule. No one will force you to take home time. Whether you are "living on the truck" or not... you park at a truck stop during home time. If you are staying in hotels, then find one with truck parking. Most likely you will drop your trailer before home time. Meaning, you can park bobtail in the car parking lot... just park in the back. Hampton Inn and La Quintas are good for this.

More importantly, you need a physical Residential" addtess for your CDL. It cannot be a PO Box or UPS store. "Residence" means place to live. People will tell you that you can use these types of stores. But you can lose your CDL if caught.

Use a friend or relatives address.

Companies all have established freight lanes they run. They will establish terminals or drop lots in high traffic areas for them. Running OTR they can send you anywhere. This is where alot of folks hinder themselves.

Planners are only concerned with moving freight. They don’t really care who does it, just that it gets done. When drivers want to be home on a certain date, planners use that to create the routes for that truck. If you leave it open, they can literally send you anywhere because they know you don’t need to be at a specific place on a specific date.

A friend of mine worked at Roehl in the curtainside division. He lived in NC but stayed out 2-3 months at a time. The planners sent him all over, mainly west coast right after he came off home time. He loved it and made good money. When he gave them time frames he needed to be back east they worked him back.

Drivers he worked with didn’t do nearly as well because they wanted to be home much more frequently. They kept them running in much smaller circles from home.

Your division also plays a part of the equation. Different freight goes different places.

Flatbeds tend to not work weekends as far as pickup/deliveries and not usually weird hours for deliveries. We’re more mon-fri during normal business hours. Based on the type of customers.

Van frieght has alot of customers that run 24/7.

Generally big companies will let you take time off wherever you want. Your travel will be on you though. Using the tractor won’t be allowed. They will probably want you to show it is parked in a safe legal place during time off.

Communication with your driver manager will be your key to success.

I see, this makes sense. So most companies will let you stay out however long you want? I've been liking the idea of working on a consistent schedule for longer blocks of time in exchange for more time off. Most of the job postings though don't specify the schedule you have, just the cents per mile. I'd assume if you get benefits then you would need to put in so many hours or days on the road to stay eligible. I like the idea of working 3 months on and 6 weeks or something similar. I know a few independent adjusters in the insurance industry who work 8 months out of the year and take the rest of the year off. They travel overseas or go on long hiking trips. I don't know how feasible that is with the trucking industry. From what I've heard the PTO time they give most truckers is meager compared to any other industries when comparing the amount of time you spend away from home.

What is the likelihood that they approve personal leave? That is if they even offer it. Most of the companies I've worked for in a remote setting for call centers have medical leaves that need documentation or personal leave. Personal leaves usually don't require documentation, it's just requested to the manager and you may or may not get approved. But it can be up to three months. Do they offer those kinds of arrangements in trucking? On Reddit, one trucker said they were approved for 6 months off for personal leave, no questions asked. And the job was waiting for them when they came back. I find it hard to believe.

You're not going to be able to travel around in the company's tractor. The way to handle situations like you mentioned is to plan it with your driver manager. You tell your manager you want to take "home time" from May 15th to May 19th, or whatever your specifics are. You also tell them where you want to take it. Let's say you want to go to Las Vegas. You remind them as you get closer to the time and they will work on routing you to the area you want to be.

You don't have to go to a terminal or operations center. You can park at a truck stop, or some other form of secure parking. Then you can ride share or rent a car for travels or exploration.

Oh I see. So, on the last trip, they assign you, they will ensure the destination is in the city you want to take your days off. I would also want to park at a gym like Planet Fitness if they allow truckers to park there. One fear I have with truck driving is the toll it will take on health and fitness. I've worked hard to lose 20 pounds and still have about 50 pounds to go. I know there are creative ways people can still work out in their truck but it most likely wouldn't include cardio of any kind. But if you can park the tractor at planet fitness and then be able to walk into the gym every day, shower, and work out, then not have to pay for lodging because you can sleep in the tractor; that's a good deal.

You probably won't get in the gym daily while OTR...There are cardio workouts truckers do , be it in the truck or in the parking lot they're at....Creativity to find what works best for you daily. There standard rule of thumb is, 1 day off for 7 out. The most I stayed out was 2 months, after that I needed a break from my co driver.... The only way I know you can take "vacations" and come back is typically used by lease operators. I knew a few at my first company, they'd lease on, drive however long they wanted., Then take time off to go see the family, like here in the Philippines, I knew 3 drivers who did it this way....

That's the least of your worries right now lol . You need to learn the industry and put in sometime, and build your reputation with your company, 1st and foremost....Having the right "Can Do" attitude, and showing you're going to do whatever it takes in the industry. Building a good solid relationship with your driver manager , you work under it a GREAT asset to have as well.

My 2 companies I drove for, 22 months at first, 4 months at 2nd, I pretty much kept rolling as much as I wanted. When I had time off, usually 1 week, a time or 2 I was out 15-20 days (due to my last co driver) the 4 month gig my 2 driver managers I had, were young and I think new to trucking, so I kinda had to micro manage them hahaha. But it was cool as were they and I loved the experience. If I hadn't planned to retire @ 62, I probably would have stayed with them as long as I had loads and didn't sit much due to the freight how it has been the past 2-3 years now...

My point is, for now, just fully concentrate on the job, the rest of it will fall into place, as you learn & grow. It's not gunna happen over night, or in weeks, or months. You WILL figure it out, IF you stay long enough in trucking and don't quit too early on....

Good Luck to ya man it's really not that hard to do well driving trucks, if you have and keep the right mindset, and don't over think it too much this early in the game.

Sorry i didnt read the responses yet.

Yes Rookies can do it. The company won't even notice. As OTR you are the only one assigned to the truck. Many lease ops stay out for 3 to 4 months without going home at all. No one is tracking your home time and no ome will "force" you to take hometime. You taje off when and where you want.

You keep asking about what we call "slip seating". That is done for local and some regionals so the truck is moving when you are home. That requires a schedule also. OTR has no real home time schedule. No one will force you to take home time. Whether you are "living on the truck" or not... you park at a truck stop during home time. If you are staying in hotels, then find one with truck parking. Most likely you will drop your trailer before home time. Meaning, you can park bobtail in the car parking lot... just park in the back. Hampton Inn and La Quintas are good for this.

More importantly, you need a physical Residential" addtess for your CDL. It cannot be a PO Box or UPS store. "Residence" means place to live. People will tell you that you can use these types of stores. But you can lose your CDL if caught.

Use a friend or relatives address.

Thank you this is really helpful. Are most OTR jobs W2? It's a little confusing when I read forums and watch trucker videos breaking sown their pay. Most will include what they paid in their fuel card, which makes me think they are 1099 and will need to do their own taxes end of the year. But I am more interested in W2, where you can get benefits. At least for the first year, to get my experience and pay off my student loans. Afterwards, I would like to find an arrangement where I can work half the year and take the other half off to travel. Im not sure how most companies operate in those kinds of arrangements.

One of Zomer's interests:

But I am more interested in W2, where you can get benefits.

Good move. If anyone offers you, a truck driver, a job paying cash or 1099, turn around and leave without even saying "Goodbye". That setup is actually illegal.

Your other thought about half-and-half work won't fly. No company will talk to a driver who has gone off to Margaritaville for six months then wants back in.

Most companies i know of won't allow leave more than 30 days unless medically covered under Family Medical Leave Act.

Many insurance companies will not allow a driver to be off a truck for a certain period of time without going back into training. Example... if you haven't driven in the last 6 months, Prime expects a full training duration again.

Your plan of work 6 months then take 6 mos off wont be feasible.

Understand there is no true work schedule. I left out yesterday at 6pm. I parked at midnight. Got hours vack at 10am. Will drige until 8pm. Then will head out tomorrow at 6am. We constantly rotate our clocks for maximum money.

Check out my Youtube channel w8th accurate info. There are playlists for "Considering Getting a CDL", also "Realities of Trucking" and training.

In my case as I am to start KLLM Academy Jackson, MS on May 12...I believe I am correct in that if you live within 150 miles of there terminal , which would be Jackson for me you take truck to terminal and also policy I have heard many say is that if you stay home 7 days or more you have to turn that truck back in and move into different truck once return from home time. I live 1 hour 30 mins from terminal. This is my point of view and for the company I am to train with and drive for.

I'll try to keep this as succinct as possible. I'm considering going to CDL school for a host of reasons but mainly to pay off debt. I watch a lot of trucker channels on youtube and lurk in other forums where truckers chat about their lifestyle and earnings. Some have mentioned that although they haven't started out making 6 figures, they were still able to pay off debt and accumulate nice savings. They didn't have to pay living expenses because they essentially lived in their truck. How feasible is this?

I do understand that if you are an owner/operator or lease then it would be likely that you would have your own tractor. But what about if you are a regular W2 company driver doing OTR? And if you are assigned your own tractor, but you do not have a residence to park it at, how likely is it that they would allow you to park at the terminal on your off days? Or perhaps you could park at a truck stop nearby.

The ideal situation that I would be looking to achieve temporarily would be to get assigned my own tractor without having to be an owner/op or lease (sounds too expensive from what I've heard). Forgo having to pay for rent because I would live in a tractor similar to an RV or vanlife. Ditch paying for a car also. I still would need to pay for food, cell service, gym membership, etc. But having a car payment with insurance and rent out of the equation, I could pay off my student loans within a year or two years at the most, and put some funds aside for savings and down payment on a home when I am ready to settle.

I'm just unsure how likely it is to achieve this with most companies as a rookie. I'd imagine most carriers need their trucks available for other drivers so they would not allow it to be used as a full-time residence.

My lease is up in June and I am considering starting the CDL training with Roehl in late April or May. So I need to have a good grasp on what type of living arrangements I have the options for.

Looking forward to hearing your replies and any insights!

It's very feasible. Lots of drivers do it. There are some who have posted on this forum who do it. The question is, how much are you willing to go without? Need a shower every single night? Might not be the best option. OTR , you have to be willing to "rough it" at times, especially if choosing to live out of your truck. Need home cooked meals every day? Might not be the best option. We meal prep and set ourselves up to eat healthy, but the fridge only fits so much food and it can be a couple of weeks or more between opportunities to hit a grocery store.

For someone who doesn't mind the solitude and is willing to live like you are camping, it's a great way to save money.

I'll try to keep this as succinct as possible. I'm considering going to CDL school for a host of reasons but mainly to pay off debt. I watch a lot of trucker channels on youtube and lurk in other forums where truckers chat about their lifestyle and earnings. Some have mentioned that although they haven't started out making 6 figures, they were still able to pay off debt and accumulate nice savings. They didn't have to pay living expenses because they essentially lived in their truck. How feasible is this?

I do understand that if you are an owner/operator or lease then it would be likely that you would have your own tractor. But what about if you are a regular W2 company driver doing OTR? And if you are assigned your own tractor, but you do not have a residence to park it at, how likely is it that they would allow you to park at the terminal on your off days? Or perhaps you could park at a truck stop nearby.

The ideal situation that I would be looking to achieve temporarily would be to get assigned my own tractor without having to be an owner/op or lease (sounds too expensive from what I've heard). Forgo having to pay for rent because I would live in a tractor similar to an RV or vanlife. Ditch paying for a car also. I still would need to pay for food, cell service, gym membership, etc. But having a car payment with insurance and rent out of the equation, I could pay off my student loans within a year or two years at the most, and put some funds aside for savings and down payment on a home when I am ready to settle.

I'm just unsure how likely it is to achieve this with most companies as a rookie. I'd imagine most carriers need their trucks available for other drivers so they would not allow it to be used as a full-time residence.

My lease is up in June and I am considering starting the CDL training with Roehl in late April or May. So I need to have a good grasp on what type of living arrangements I have the options for.

Looking forward to hearing your replies and any insights!

It's very feasible. Lots of drivers do it. There are some who have posted on this forum who do it. The question is, how much are you willing to go without? Need a shower every single night? Might not be the best option. OTR , you have to be willing to "rough it" at times, especially if choosing to live out of your truck. Need home cooked meals every day? Might not be the best option. We meal prep and set ourselves up to eat healthy, but the fridge only fits so much food and it can be a couple of weeks or more between opportunities to hit a grocery store.

For someone who doesn't mind the solitude and is willing to live like you are camping, it's a great way to save money.

I think the lack of exercise equipment would be my first concern. I've been on a weight loss journey for the past year and joined planet fitness. I've lost around 20 pounds but have 50 pounds to go. I know there's creative ways you can get some exercise in and can probably bring a kettlebell and workout bands with you, but cardio has been my go to for getting my metabolism going.

Showers? Meh. I live in a rooming house where we have one bathroom to share among 5 or more people. I don't always get the chance to shower everyday or even use the bathroom exactly when I need to. Meal prepping works great for me. I've been trying to incorporate more fasting to assist with blood sugar and weight loss. So going a day or two with no meal would be what I was planning on.

Im pretty much a loner and enjoy solitude as I drove into subjects that interest me. Only thing is I think I would for sure need a pet. Preferably a cat. Most the companies I've researched allow for pets but some don't. That would be a factor I'd consider and is non negotiable.