Hey all. I’m grasping at straws here looking for someone who has done this, or something similar, and is willing to share their insight and experience.
To start, *I’ve been in the trucking industry for coming up on 30 years now.* I’ve done everything from heavy haul to long combination and have spent the last \~20 years in LTL at the same company. I’ve got the “Been there done that” Tshirt lol.
But, *I’m burning out*. *Especially from LTL*. Everyday feels like groundhog day now.
I still love the driving aspect of the job (It still runs thick in my veins), but I’m tired of the industry and all it’s nonsense, and especially, LTL. 20 years in LTL has also taken it’s physical tolls on me.
“Just change jobs” is likely everyones suggestion, but that’s a tough one. I will admit that I’ve become accustomed to the *\*benefits\** of my current job position – mainly, Monday to Friday 9-10 hour days, no weekends, home every night, and close to the same money as open board for a lot of other companies. **Yes, I’m spoiled** (*I’m fully aware of it*), and entering my 50’s and being fairly financially comfortable (and accustomed to living a normal life again vs the traditional trucker road lifestyle) I’m not really looking to go back out into the “real world” again. The excitement of a new gig would be great and all…for a bit. Until the realities set in.
To the contrary, I’m looking at getting completely out inside another 4-5 years and doing something completely different.
Now, moving on….my wife and I are also avid RV travellers who have travelled coast to coast in various RV’s over the years. We have contemplated buying a coach, retiring to the RV full time, renting our house for passive income, and hitting the road. It’s a lifestyle we both crave and have thoroughly enjoyed when we’ve been on the road for extended periods in the past.
My wife is also in a high-demand white collar position where short term contract work is very well paid, and mobile work is even an option in some situations, so even hitting the road for her does necessarily mean an end to an income stream for her. But it wouldn’t be *necessary* to make ends meet by any stretch. Just spare cash.
So…where is this all going? I’ve had this idea tumbling around in the back of my head for a few years now to retire early to an RV and hotshot for shits and giggles….
* Maintain my Class A (CDL) into retirement. Easy peasy.
* Buy said coach. Diesel pusher, lots of horsepower for the bit below…
* Buy a 25-30′ enclosed trailer (we’d want to bring along at least one of our motorcycles anyways) to tow behind the coach, maxing out our length depending on whatever size of coach we end up in. This would give us space for 6-8 skids or skid equivalent freight after the motorcycle is loaded.
* Register the coach commercially with all the tax write-off benefits thereof when operated commercially, whilst maintaining the ability to go “personal use” when we’re not hauling anything. Yes, careful bookkeeping and a trucking industry tax professional at the end of the year will be essential – no big deal.
* Get a green card so we can interstate while south of the border. (We’re Canadians) My wife already has one from long ago that can be renewed. Needless to say getting one myself in an industry in desperate need of bodies wouldn’t be hard.
* And then….**Hotshot to help offset fuel costs as we travel at our own leisure and make some fun money here and there as well sometimes.**
Yes, with a reasonably small enclosed I’ll be limited what we can haul, but again, this isn’t a situation where we need constant maximum profit. I’d pick and choose what to take, where, and when. If we find somewhere we’re enjoying we stay put for a few weeks or a month or whatever, then when wer’e ready for something new, hunt up some freight on uShip or a load broker that’s heading somewhere new and interesting, and off we go. Haul ass or poke along depending on the needed timeline, and get to point B. E*ven if it’s only break even from a fuel and consumables/depreciation aspect*, that’s fine, as the underlying goal of paying for our own relocation/travels is the real mission here. Ideally we turn a profit – I’m not a big believer in the race to the bottom of pricing in this industry, but we all know it’s realities sometimes.
Anyhow. I know people who have “retired” to a truck with a studio sleeper or whatnot and are doing something similar, but the coach aspect would be…different. Reality is my wife wouldn’t go for living in a truck without much space and limited niceties, but will have no issue with a 40′ coach lol.
Anyone “been there done that”? Do share please.
Thanks all.
