Living in a truck

[TeamCaffee]

I was reading in another thread about leaving our running water and comforts of home to live in a truck. I thought to myself why in the world was I crazy enough to want this? There are negatives BUT there are a whole lot of positives that I enjoy.

We get to see the leaves change in the fall and new leaves in the spring

We get to see the sun come up and see the sun go down on the most amazing parts of the country

We have seen most of the downtown high rises all over the country and their awesome lights

We have seen Christmas lights in all parts of the country

We have taken time off or had time off in most areas of the country to see the local sights

We get to see our family and friends often as we do not have to take vacation time to travel

We have met amazing people who live all over the country

We have participated in some really neat events all over the country

We are able to spent time together to enjoy our country

Never knowing what the next day will bring.

Parked and have a rain storm with lightening and thunder! Awesome sounds in our truck.

The best thing about ALL of this is we get paid to travel!


Negatives

Team Driving - learning to sleep in a moving vehicle

No bathroom in truck (there are solutions to this)

Driving in poor conditions

Finding a quiet place to sleep

Getting hung up at a dock waiting on paperwork or a snag in the load

Not knowing when we will be home

Missing out on family events

Seeing traffic jams all over the country

 

[mrgoodtude]

I was reading in another thread about leaving our running water and comforts of home to live in a truck. I thought to myself why in the world was I crazy enough to want this? There are negatives BUT there are a whole lot of positives that I enjoy.

We get to see the leaves change in the fall and new leaves in the spring

We get to see the sun come up and see the sun go down on the most amazing parts of the country

We have seen most of the downtown high rises all over the country and their awesome lights

We have seen Christmas lights in all parts of the country

We have taken time off or had time off in most areas of the country to see the local sights

We get to see our family and friends often as we do not have to take vacation time to travel

We have met amazing people who live all over the country

We have participated in some really neat events all over the country

We are able to spent time together to enjoy our country

Never knowing what the next day will bring.

Parked and have a rain storm with lightening and thunder! Awesome sounds in our truck.

The best thing about ALL of this is we get paid to travel!


Negatives

Team Driving - learning to sleep in a moving vehicle

No bathroom in truck (there are solutions to this)

Driving in poor conditions

Finding a quiet place to sleep

Getting hung up at a dock waiting on paperwork or a snag in the load

Not knowing when we will be home

Missing out on family events

Seeing traffic jams all over the country

Been home for 2 weeks, bout lost my mind. Me and the Mrs are in Gatlinburg now (by some beautiful rapids below the balcony) and we can't wait to get the new truck.
BTW I can't sleep at home anymore=)

 

[cheri1122]

Mama never told me there'd be days like this: delivered this morning near Ft Wayne, in rain like Niagara Falls. In & out of the truck 5 or 6 times, no way to hold an umbrella [it wouldn't have helped anyhow], I was soaked literally to the skin - even the paper money in my pocket was dripping. I peeled off the wet stuff and found places to hang it to dry [my socks are still hanging on either side of the paper towel roll, lol] all over the sleeper.
And yet, the times I've driven around Flathead Lake & the Columbia River Gorge & through Montana & Wyoming, from Cape Cod to San Jose make up for even the worst days, living in a truck.

 

[Moot]

If you get into this line of work solely for the sake of a job and to make money, you will probably fail, or at the very least hate it. One needs the proper mindset or possibly be out of their mind to enjoy and thrive as an expediter.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Terry O'Connell posted this years ago and with his permission I have used it on my blog ever since. I personally think it speaks volumes about us and our business. We have met people out here who do not enjoy this lifestyle and they are really miserable and I cannot imagine waking up every day hating what I was doing.

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle; 

Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;

Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;

Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.

 

[jjoerger]

We do not enjoy this lifestyle. We would much rather be home and waking up in our own beds everyday. (My wife more so than me). We do it solely to earn money and to be able to take the time off that we require for our other interests. We look forward to the day (about 3.5 years from now) when we will be debt free and able to support ourselves driving only 2 months out of the year. We plan to work more than that but the feeling of knowing we are doing it by choice rather than necessity will probably make it more enjoyable.

 

[ChanceMaster]

We do not enjoy this lifestyle. We would much rather be home and waking up in our own beds everyday. (My wife more so than me). We do it solely to earn money and to be able to take the time off that we require for our other interests. We look forward to the day (about 3.5 years from now) when we will be debt free and able to support ourselves driving only 2 months out of the year. We plan to work more than that but the feeling of knowing we are doing it by choice rather than necessity will probably make it more enjoyable.

I myself will be debt free in about 2 years. I enjoy the lifestyle and travel. Nothing like being in the sleeper during a thunderstorm . Looking forward to the day that all my trips will be optional. Perhaps a little more home time.

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[scottm4211]

I'm more on jj's side of the fence.

 

[ATeam]

We look forward to the day (about 3.5 years from now) when we will be debt free and able to support ourselves driving only 2 months out of the year. We plan to work more than that but the feeling of knowing we are doing it by choice rather than necessity will probably make it more enjoyable.

When you are a debt-free expediter, the sunrises are a bit more pretty and the rain is a bit less wet. The best part is that when you get tired of the game, you can go out of service to go home or hang out wherever or wherever you choose.

A friend told me the other day about a team he met at a pick up who only works three or four months of the year. They spend the rest of the time at campgrounds in their fifth-wheel camper. That seems a bit light to Diane and me, but the longer we are in the business, the more time off we find ourselves taking.

 

[zorry]

A lot of people that go to LEA find that they end up with more time off.

 

[ChanceMaster]

And actually, expediting is helping me become debt free. I would be in a financial mess without this source of income. I think I get paid pretty well for the work I actually do. My home will be paid off in 2.5 years, no car payment, no credit card debt, no kids.

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[skyraider]

Mama never told me there'd be days like this: delivered this morning near Ft Wayne, in rain like Niagara Falls. In & out of the truck 5 or 6 times, no way to hold an umbrella [it wouldn't have helped anyhow], I was soaked literally to the skin - even the paper money in my pocket was dripping. I peeled off the wet stuff and found places to hang it to dry [my socks are still hanging on either side of the paper towel roll, lol] all over the sleeper.
And yet, the times I've driven around Flathead Lake & the Columbia River Gorge & through Montana & Wyoming, from Cape Cod to San Jose make up for even the worst days, living in a truck.

Did you get any of that on film? lol., just kidding.

 

[purgoose10]

I would like a dock high motor home with a roll up door that rolls up with the push of a button. Maybe 3 pallets behind the king size bed. You know a full size closet for a fire wall. Big motor, 2 A/C's and a grill that will slide out under the awning. Oh yes must have a flat screen tv outside just to watch when grilling.

 

[nottoold1961]

My wife has her i on those...LOL

I would like a dock high motor home with a roll up door that rolls up with the push of a button. Maybe 3 pallets behind the king size bed. You know a full size closet for a fire wall. Big motor, 2 A/C's and a grill that will slide out under the awning. Oh yes must have a flat screen tv outside just to watch when grilling.

 

[Missie600]

I was just thinking about this yesterday! I was thinking how sometimes I wish that 8 years ago I would have remained at my office job at the insurance company and Gary would have stayed at the police department and we would live very "normal" lives with schedules, etc.

BUT then something happens....

We get to drive through beautiful Montana or visit my Dad in Weed, CA or have dinner with our daughter in Nashville, TN. Or maybe we get to spend a day in Las Vegas. It is at those moments that I realize how much I would miss if I were sitting in an office every day.

There are a lot of negative things with this job, but there are also so many perks that it makes it worth it!

 

[Kristi]

I'm more on jj's side of the fence.

Me too sadly

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[Moot]

When you are a debt-free expediter, the sunrises are a bit more pretty and the rain is a bit less wet. The best part is that when you get tired of the game, you can go out of service to go home or hang out wherever or wherever you choose.

I agree! While I am not debt free, isn't that un-American, my current van has been paid off for 4 years. We do have a mortgage and one car payment. Other than that, I have no financial obligations like a steep truck payment that would force me to accept reduced rate loads or stay out longer than I want to. I am covered under my wife's health insurance and I can and do go home when ever I please. That's the way I like it!

I have worked my butt off since I was a kid. To quote Zorry: " Expediting....It beats working for a living."

 

[barbara6410]

What is LEA?

 

[paullud]

What is LEA?

Landstar Express America

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