Here’s what I’ve found about Bob Wells, one of the most influential figures in the van-living community:
🧔 Who Is Bob Wells?
- Born around 1955, Bob Wells became a vandweller in 1995 after a difficult divorce in Anchorage, Alaska. With just $1,500, he bought a van and discovered that life on the road gave him more freedom and less financial anxiety than his previous apartment lifestyle .
- He spent over 20 years working at Safeway, then embraced vehicle living full-time, moving between various rigs until settling back into van life .
🌐 Advocacy and Community Building
- In 2005, moved by seeing a mother and her children living in a car, he founded CheapRVLiving.com, a resource site guiding others toward affordable, minimalist, nomadic living .
- In 2011, he launched the annual Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) in Quartzsite, Arizona—starting with 45 attendees and growing to over 10,000 by 2019—becoming a major hub for vehicle dwellers .
- In 2020, he co-founded the Homes on Wheels Alliance (HOWA), a nonprofit that helps at-risk individuals convert vehicles into livable homes .
🎥 Media Presence & Philosophy
- Bob runs a successful YouTube channel, CheapRVLiving, with over 700,000 subscribers and nearly 200 million views, offering tutorials on van conversions, stealth camping, and budgeting .
- He appears as himself in Chloé Zhao’s film Nomadland, providing guidance and support to the lead character at the RTR—a role that connected deeply with his real mission .
- His guiding principle: “The Titanic is sinking… my goal is to get as many people into the lifeboats as I can.” He advocates van life not just as a survival tactic, but as a path to freedom, purpose, and healing .
💡 Why He Matters
- Practicality: From building skills to providing care tips, he empowers real-world nomads .
- Community: RTR and HOWA connect people with support, belonging, and dignity .
- Cultural shift: He challenges the notion of traditional “American Dream,” embracing minimalism, adaptability, and resilience .
🔄 In His Own Words
“Being forced into a van is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“If you can break the power of money over your life, that’s when you’re truly free.”
— Bob Wells
🧭 Summary
Bob Wells is the godfather of modern van life:
- Born of personal challenge, he turned hardship into wisdom and inspiration.
- He builds resources, community, and hope for vehicle dwellers.
- His philosophy: life is richer with freedom, adaptability, and human connection, even on four wheels.
Would you like a detailed walkthrough of his praxis, design tips from CheapRVLiving, or reflections on his appearance in Nomadland?
