Trucking With A Young Family

I just passed my cdl course and n own find myself going to werner for training. Training that is 6-8 weeks. Then I'm hoping to get a dedicated route on the north east. But how do people balance a family and trucking. My kids are 6 and 3 they are not going to take it to well. And advice?

I make it a point to vidoe call at least once a day, if not more. Every time I make it home we do something spacial. Rock collecting, go to the river. Just something fun and with her. I try to read her a bed time story or tell them a story. When I am at home I am at home, I don't take work home with me. I do pick up little things on the road for my kid so when I come home she has something of wear I have been. There is a map book at home and my wife shows her were I am or were I am going.

I don't think there is a Balance, trucking will always take more time. It's the nature of the beast when it gets hard I just remind my self why I am out doing it.

Those are just some of the things we do. Good luck

Do a Google search for "Trucker Buddy" Its a program for teachers/students that is sorta like a pen pal on steroids. The kids can track where you are among other things. I don't know all the details of the program but I know they have a phone app. Wouldn't it be cool if your wife and kids could use your being away as a learning opportunity?

Thanks for the insight. That's a good idea with the video chat. And tracking where I am. My three year old doesn't care at this point he thinks it's cool I'm driving a truck that big.lol. my six year old on the other hand doesn't want me to miss his baseball and cubscouts, and of course fishing. But they are why I'm doing this. I'm going to get my experience and then hopefully come back and do a local route.

Frank, I know you said you are planning to go to Werner, not sure when you are scheduled for orientation. I'm assuming you just got your CDL by saying you "passed my cdl course." Having assumed you just got your CDL ...

Have you already looked for jobs that are local, that might not require experience? The old adage that you must go OTR to have local jobs open up is not always applicable depending on your location. I just want to make sure you understand that. Going OTR first has its advantages for a rookie, but it might not be something you have to do. The only reason I'm bringing this up is because you mention how you have a young family. Most of us do not recommend anybody becoming a long haul trucker if they have a young family.

Some folks have to go OTR because they have no other choice. In some ways, going OTR as a rookie has its benefits, mostly due to the relative ease of the job compared to some other local jobs that put a lot of stress on rookie drivers. OTR can be more forgiving. This translates into setting up a rookie driver for possibly better success by minimizing potential accidents that could tarnish a driving record with an already short driving history.

There are pros and cons to going local right away, it all depends on the type of job, and if they are even available in your area for a rookie. But, if your ultimate goal is local, then maybe you should consider going local right away. Certain local jobs are more forgiving than others. There are a couple deciding factors that you must consider between going OTR vs local as a rookie. The end result will vary according to each family, their specific needs, and of course the availability of opportunities for a rookie based on location.

I have a young family and had the opportunity to go local right away by hiring on with an LTL company and becoming a linehaul driver. Compared to other local jobs, it's relatively easy and I've been very successful. In my area, a rookie driver can get a job right away as a linehaul driver, P&D driver, tanker driver, food service driver, garbage truck driver, heavy equipment operator - the list goes on. There is LTL and truckload. There is sanitary waste, there is construction (although most dump truck jobs do not pay well at all). Some of these opportunities might be available for you, it depends on your area.

I'm just making sure you are aware of any potential options. I hope I didn't add any confusion for you. I went into trucking with a young family too, and am glad I had the opportunity to go local right out of trucking school. I'd hate to see somebody with a young family go OTR when they might not have to.