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On his social media account, Chris Kuna posted a clip of the interview he conducted with a truck driver nearing retirement. The rig operator had an interesting (and fairly unique) personal story. The interview is embedded below. Here’s how the semi-truck driver went from broke to a seven-figure net worth.

Dale and his wife, Melissa, are a married couple who have been on the road for many years now. “We’ve been married 48 years. We pretty much do everything together. Arguments go away immediately,” he says of his partnership.

One of the reasons their story is so unusual is their approach to truck driving. For them, it’s become an immersive lifestyle. It began when Dale’s business went bankrupt. “I needed money right now because I had a kid in college,” Dale recounts.

According to Dale, if you drive a semi-truck as a team, you can make a couple hundred thousand dollars per year. In their case, the couple did this without having any major bills. “Put the kids through college,” Dale tells Chris. Additionally, they avoided car loans and were able to save for retirement. How did Dale and Melissa do this?

A truck driver drives on hilly desert road from driver's perspective
Miguel Perfectti via iStock

Couple turns trucking career into a way of life to save up more than $1 million

It might sound extreme to many, but the couple sold their house, and they’ve been living in their rig for 15 years. Surely, this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but their strategy isn’t far off from personal or even business financial advice 101. Keep expenses as low as possible, maximize your income, and save and invest for the future. Over time, your financial security grows.

“We’re getting ready to retire, and we’ve got over a million dollars saved up.” The couple plans to buy a home in the Midwest and take off to Florida in the wintertime.

When asked if he still enjoys the job, Dale was quick to answer. “I’m tired of driving, but I don’t want to go do any real work either,” Dale says with a laugh.

Chris Kuna interviews truck drivers and posts their stories across social media. According to his website, he’s a transportation professional with over a decade of industry experience.