Semi-Tractor Truck Living

Living in a truck is like living in an ultra-small apartment on wheels, but with some significant differences. All of the trucks I have lived in have had a sleeper berth area and at least some storage room in which to store clothes, toiletries, food, and meal preparation items.

The photo at left shows storage areas in one of our trucks with numbers near specific items being stored. Items range from food (5) to our portable toilet (8) to meal preparation appliances (2, 3 and 6). Items 1-5 are stored under the lower bunk, which is in its up position in the photo.

Some professional drivers who own their own trucks (owner-operators) have custom sleeper berths that include showers, toilets, kitchens and even enough living space for furniture. Customized semis tend to be very expensive -- as much as a residential home.

Just like we expect certain conveniences at home, many truckers have come to expect certain functionality in their trucks. For that reason, we have become very creative in learning how to make the most of the tiny living conditions in our homes-on-wheels, especially with a view toward saving money.

A professional driver's priorities will shape what he packs and how he lives in his truck. From the very first trip that Mike and I took as a truck driving team, we had two essential items with us: a device to keep perishable food cold and a portable toilet. We struggled to find a satisfactory method of cooking in the truck until we obtained a device to provide electrification in a form we were used to using.

We've tried a number of food preservation methods including dorm-sized compact refrigerators, thermoelectric coolers and ice chests. For us, using an ice chest is the most reliable method of keeping food cold.

Of course, the ice chest requires a continual supply of ice, but we found a way to take care of that. By using an ice chest, we don't have to worry about refrigerator compressors conking out or thermoelectric cooler motors going bad.

From both hygiene and convenience standpoints, having an in-truck "bathroom" is far superior to relying on private or public restrooms (if they are even available). Our portable toilet serves double duty in the truck by also being the collection point for waste water from cooking and cleaning. The water we use in the course of brushing our teeth, boiling foods and cleaning dishes goes here, too.

The model of portable toilet we most recently upgraded to has one of the largest waste holding tanks available. The successful portable toilet user will endeavor to keep the fresh water tank charged, use some kind of additive to break down the waste and control odors, and empty the waste holding tank when required. The contents from the waste holding tank can be flushed down a standard toilet.

Just as we are used to having electricity in our homes, so many drivers want or need to have electricity in their trucks. The challenge is that electrically-powered devices used in homes run off AC (alternating current) power whereas many trucks come equipped with only 12-volt DC (direct current) outlets.

There are two popular ways to provide in-truck electricity: either use a diesel-powered auxiliary power unit (APU) or use an inverter.

APUs cost thousands of dollars and must be installed so as to use diesel. Inverters can cost much less. For drivers who do not have an APU, inverters are the way to have reliable AC electricity in their trucks.

To supply enough in-truck inverter power for appliances like hot pots and electric skillets, the unit must be connected directly to the truck's batteries. Up to the maximum number of watts that our inverter can provide, we use this device to power our

• electronic equipment (cell phones, laptop computer, etc.);
• cooking equipment (hot pot, electric skillet, etc.);
• personal hygiene appliances (shaver, blow dryer, etc.); and
• truck support items (rechargeable flashlight, etc.).

If a battery-connected inverter is used when the truck's engine is off, the power can theoretically be drawn down to a critical level. Some newer model trucks conserve enough power to allow the truck to be cranked but shut off power to lights, 12-volt outlets or the inverter when the power level is critical. To recharge the batteries, the driver must either drive or idle the engine.

In a growing number of locations, anti-idle laws are being passed to prevent drivers of semi-tractor trailers from idling. So you can see from just an electrification standpoint, having an APU is better than having an inverter.

Professional drivers have a limited number of ways to set the temperature inside their trucks. For company drivers without an APU or other climate control devices in their trucks during hot and cold months, these are the choices:

• suffer in the heat/cold,
• connect to a source of "shore power" (which they may pay for out of their own pockets if their companies will not),
• get a hotel/motel room (if one with truck parking is nearby and has a vacancy), or
• idle anyway and take the risk of getting a ticket.

We are convinced that one of the biggest expenses for company drivers is food. It is very expensive to eat nothing but restaurant food.

Mike and I have saved a lot of money by preparing, cooking and eating food in the truck. Of course, we occasionally eat out, but for the most part, we eat meals we fix ourselves.

For that reason, a significant part of our tiny living space is devoted to meals: food (storage for both perishable and non-perishable items), dishes, utensils, cooking appliances and cleaning equipment.