Question:
The motor on my personal vehicle just blew and I don't have the cash to replace it and I can't get credit. I have been thinking of moving away from my current city anyway since the cost of living here has gone sky high.
So, I'm thinking of living on the company truck for 6-12 months in order to save enough cash to replace my car and move to a more affordable area. Anyone done this? Any tips? Hate the idea of it but I don't know how I can come up with 3 to 5 grand for a new (used) car unless I take some drastic measures.
Maybe you can tell that I'm a new driver. I'm not making much so this is one idea.
Thanks for any tips and insight.

Answer:
I'm not a driver but I have been through some major financial difficulties in the past I too have taken some "drastic" measures to get squared away financially.
I moved out of my 1200.00 a month apartment. Put my things in storage for 171.00 a month. I have a UPS Store mailbox, BofA online banking, Verizon Wireless phone and broadband internet. I also have a 24.00 per month LA Fitness membership for exercise, swimming, sauna, and showers. I budget myself for very few luxuries. I will be debt free for the first time in over 30 years and have about 10K in savings. Before I start driving, I want to have a considerable amount saved in the event of whatever "bumps in the road" might come along.
My Dad told me this 30 years ago, God rest his soul. The older I get the smarter the things he told me become!
Check out Daveramsey.com or Clarkhoward.com for other money saving tips.
You're idea is a good one for saving money. Each dollar saved will make you feel better and give you more options.
Best of luck to you.

Answer:
Thanks for the tips, Coder. I'm sure lots of drivers take this option for periods of time, I just wanted to get an idea of how this has worked or not worked for anyone who has tried it. If your thinking about getting into driviing you won't be making much your first year or two. I've been driving for about 10 months now, getting .29 a mile. At this rate I only bring home about what a ten dollar an hour job would provide, except that the hours are much longer. Good luck to you.

Answer:
Your boss won't like you getting a sense of independence. shhhhGovernment Ain't YO' Friend. Nor your Servant.
A Tax Reduces Incentive & Capacity. A Regulation is also a TAX.


Answer:

Wannabies,Newbies I hope you noticed. Don't look like the "road to riches"
like the Carriers claim.
Answer:
Going with a company that teaches you has many advantages, but also disadvantages. Most large companies have thier own training and will put you up at a motel nearby,maybe even give you a meal a day. I went with Schneider and did alright. "Graduated" their training academy and drove for them for a year( minimum requirment). In that time, I heard some horror stories and some good ones about their school. Remember they stress safety and if you have an accident during training they'll drop you like a hot potato. Most of their instructors were ok. I was fortunate and got two really good instructors. They communicated very well and had a lot of patience.Some trainees did not have it as good as I heard other students complain about the trainers they had. Some almost came to blows. Good luck with your decision. Rule of thumb: first year you work for the company, then you work for yourself.
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Answer:
It is possible to have a good week, but stuff happens when your out there. For instance a couple of weeks ago I couldn't get a com check for the lumpers since it was 2am and the computers at my company go down every night from 1-4am. I don't know how to break pallets down (yet) so I had to hire the lumpers. At this union shop they wouldn't touch the load until they had the payment up front and they wouldn't let me have the door for two more hours even though they had 50 other empty doors so the entire multi stop load had to be rescheduled. Ended up sitting on that load for a solid week, which only paid about 300 bucks. You have to learn from your mistakes. I should have gotten an advance beforehand but usually the lumpers want their payment after they unload you, not before. So I learned. For reasons beyond your control you can be late and it'll take you a week to get the load off since they have to reschedule. I usually make about 400 a week at 29 cents, but then you have to have money to live on, and the price of food is sky high at the truck stops and restaurants. Trucking isn't the money making machine some of the carriers claim. If you live on a truck as I'm thinking of doing, then you could save some money that way.

Answer:
I have gotten "religion" regarding spending, budgeting, and SAVING money.
It's applicable no matter HOW MUCH you make!
Here's a link to a Newbies Archive post from a very smart lady...Chocklit Sunda
http://roundtable.truck.net/viiewt.php?t=16455

Answer:

One of the lessons that is plainly obvious to me is that you are working for the wrong bunch of morons. Can't get a Comcheck at night? Sitting on the load for a week?
Utter BS, and I would have told them to route me to the terminal upon empty, because I quit.

$400 a week? At 29cpm, that means you are running 1379 miles a week. Any company that can't keep you running with 2000 miles a week or more is not worth your time. Because they are wasting yours.
$400 a week, at 40 hours a week, is $10/hour. Now, because you drive a truck, I know that you work more than 40 hours a week, more like 80 hours a week or more. Which brings your pay scale to $5/hour or less. LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE.
What the hell are you wasting your time out here for? You are being screwed royally. You could get a job delivering pizzas for Dominos and make more money AND be home every day.
And you'd have had money saved up for the contingency of your car needing repair. Or are you like most truck drivers who can't manage their money worth a damn?
Answer:

OH NOOOOOO, who'd a thunk. ( or I believe you were told ) ______
|l ,[____],
l---L –OlllllO-
()_) ()_)-(-)_)
I'd rather die on my feet like a man than live on my azz hiding in a truck.........Sir James Brown

Answer:
May I suggest you review the help wanted classifieds?
Look under Baby Sitter. They make more than drivers, based on what I noticed the other day: $12 per hours. I am almost certain that they get extra perks, as well. Most likely free TV, free food and snacks, free transportation....
Get it?Government Ain't YO' Friend. Nor your Servant.
A Tax Reduces Incentive & Capacity. A Regulation is also a TAX.


Answer:
My sentiments, exactly. The pay I'm getting now sucks. You aren't telling me anything I don't already know. Manage your money and save? I send it all home and it pays the house bills, but I appreciate your advice. Can't save what you don't have. Got a 30 day leave to move to another city with a lower cost of living and will be looking at local work there, or will try for a different company. I thought about flipping burgers for a living since it would pay more. I've never had any illusions that trucking paid a lot and didn't choose this profession. I got layed off and since there's no work around here the state employment office offered me truck driver training. So here I am in the trucking business. Live and learn. The first company I worked for was only giving me 23 cents, now I'm at 29 with my second but without decent miles, so I'll look around. Again. Thanks for the replys...

Answer:

If you want to stay in trucking, you should be able to do much better than 29cpm and 1300 miles a week.
I was making 29cents/mile 6-7 years ago. No reason anyone should put up with that today.
Answer:
Thanks, highwayman. Usually I do get more than 1300 miles a week, but I sure had a run of bad luck on my last 5 weeks out. Co.Truck broke down, the one week load, my personal truck blowing an engine. Been a crappy month. Occasionally I do make 6-700 wk, sometimes about 500. This last month I had a couple of weeks at 400. Maybe I'm getting shorter runs since I'm new. Also, I'm still making mistakes that cost me time that I'm trying not to repeat. In 10 mos I had never been to a place where the lumpers wanted the money up front. Learned something. As you know, there's alot to learn about trucking once you finally get past driving, backing, shifting, etc. All the things that can go wrong. Being new to the trucking industry, I don't know what I should be expecting in the way of wages or miles. I'm working for a med sized co, about 500 trucks, who tell me I wont get 30 cents till after one year with them.
To lower my overhead I'm moving to a town with a much lower cost of living, can live with relatives till I get settled, or live on the co truck and will look for local work in that area since there's no work where I currently live. If I can't find anything local, what can a driver with only 10 mos exper expect to get otr? Know I sound dumb but I'm learning. Thanks.

Answer:

In 10 years I have only every been to 1 place that wanted money upfront. Maybe it was the same place you went to.

You should be able to get .32-.34 cpm somewhere. And your mileage shouldn't drop below 2000 a week regularly.

Pay alone doesn't make my decisions, but based on your posts, I think you can find better work conditions elsewhere. Even if you hire on elsewhere with the same .29cpm as you make now, if you can find a company that will give you more mileage and less BS and waiting around for lumpers to unload you, you will make more money without having to run your a55 off .
Not saying you should jump ship, but just something to consider - I always keep my eyes open for opportunity even when I am relatively happy with what i am doing. Because you never know what good fortune may come your way, and if yo are not prepared, you will miss it.

Your .29cpm is probably low average. I bet you could find offers somewhere in the .32cpm range, +/-.
And I know you can find companies who will give you 2000-3000 miles a week or more depending on your preferences.
Keep learning. The dumbness only comes in if you stop learning and moving forward.