Planning Ahead and $$

Planning Ahead

We want to hit the ground running, and want very much to have a successful experience, so we have been making all the plans and taking all the steps we can to ensure an abundance of opportunities will be available to us.

Physicals

In order to retain our CDLs, every other year we have undergone DOT physical examinations. These exams are at the expense of the driver, unless a company finances the exam. Jamie has had a K-restriction as a township employee, exempting him from the physical requirement for the past few years, so he has updated both the restriction and his physical.

I had a full physical and bloodwork with my GP, as well, in preparation for the loss of my current health insurance and to make sure everything looks good.

We both had eye exams and made sure we are set with the eyewear we will need.

HazMat (Hazardous Materials)

Back in the day (when we were with Schneider), we had our HazMat endorsement and hauled HazMat on occasion. We believed that we would only be required to have a background check and take the exam to get our endorsements back. Unfortunately, we discovered that, perhaps due to our previous endorsements being pre-9/11, there was no record in the system of us having had the endorsement on our licenses (there was record of us having passed the test and it being on our permits, but not on our licenses.) This meant that we now had to take an ELDT (Entry-Level Driver Training) course prior to being allowed to take the exam. Thankfully, we found a great course through CDL Direct, who even beat a lower price from another source.

TWIC Cards

TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) cards are issued by the TSA and provide access to ports and secure maritime areas.  

Since we are in NYS, this requires a separate background check from HazMat, with a small discount if you have your HazMat endorsement prior to applying. This varies from state-to-state.

Passports

Neither of us has previously had a passport (Jamie's trips out of the country were courtesy of the USMC), and we felt passports may assist with smooth entry into Canada, when needed (we did already have enhanced licenses.)

One also never knows when one might want an impromptu trip to an exotic locale!

PO Box

Due to unpredictable home time, and not wanting to inconvenience our family members having to tend our mailbox, we opened a PO Box for mail delivery. 

Legal: LLC and Wills

Planning ahead for the business side of things, we established an LLC. We also felt it was important to  finally have our wills drawn up. 

Taxes

I probably cannot adequately express how little I enjoy tax paperwork, so we are thrilled to have found an experienced trucking-specific accountant who will handle the ins and outs of his profession on our behalf, since we will be 1099 Independent Contractors. If you're in the market, we suggest having a chat with Trucker CFO.

Security System

We have had security cameras on the farm since we started breeding goats. We've had wired and wireless systems, indoor and outdoor, and tried a few different brands. It can be pretty frustrating using cameras from different brands because they generally each have their own proprietary app for mobile viewing. This frustration paired with additional functionalities led us to investigate security systems. We settled on SimpliSafe and are excited to be a part of their network. 

Interested in your own system? Follow our referral link for a nice discount!

Dogs

We are also working to set our pups up for success on the road.

We purchased pet insurance to protect them (and our wallets) while we are traveling. You never know when we might encounter a rattlesnake hiking in the Southwest, for example.

I am a firm proponent of microchipping dogs, especially when they travel. Another consideration for us is that the microchips need to be ISO compatible to cross the Canadian border.

We are investigating GPS trackers in the event of unauthorized adventures.

We have purchased muzzles and are muzzle training as there may be circumstances that will require them to be muzzled and we want them to be comfortable in that situation. This is a fabulous tool and being comfortable in a muzzle is one of the best skills a dog can learn, for everyone's benefit.

Peanut is attending an obedience class and we are following along with Morgan at home at the same time. Being our Security Officer, sometimes Morgan is less tolerant of tomfoolery of other people and dogs, so he prefers homeschooling.

We have also purchased a no-spill water bowl so the pups can also acclimate to drinking out of a new style of bowl.

Considerations 

Obviously, we have not lived in a truck for a *few* years, we have never lived in an expedite truck, and we have never lived on the road with the dogs, so we are making plans to the best of our ability. We are absolutely thrilled that technology has advanced so far since our previous driving and that all sorts of facilities will be more accessible with this type of truck rather than a tractor-trailer.

The steps that I've mentioned are pretty specific to our circumstances, and many are certainly not required, so if you are considering the expedite lifestyle, bear that in mind.

We will be stocking up on prescription refills and hard to get supplies as we won't have stable access to delivery on the road.

I'm quite certain that this list is not inclusive and I have forgotten to mention some things (it's a lot of mental & emotional work preparing to turn your life completely upside down), but it's gives you a little idea of what we've been up to. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out!