Explain Trucking To Your Spouse

Have her make an account on here and ask her questions. I spent about 4 years talking this over with my wife. We are both in our fifties. While we miss each other more than we thought we would, we talk daily. I stay out about 6 weeks at a time and go home for about 6 days when I do. I haven't seen my wife since October. I have been spitting my home time between her in NC and my family on Long Island. I'm going home at the end of this month. I hope that helps. Good luck.

Have her make an account on here and ask her questions. I spent about 4 years talking this over with my wife. We are both in our fifties. While we miss each other more than we thought we would, we talk daily. I stay out about 6 weeks at a time and go home for about 6 days when I do. I haven't seen my wife since October. I have been spitting my home time between her in NC and my family on Long Island. I'm going home at the end of this month. I hope that helps. Good luck.

Thanks for the input Scott. I have enjoyed following your journey at CFI. She's more concerned about the time apart. We've spent everyday for the last 13 years together. When the recruiter from Maverick said I would be in Arkansas for 5 weeks and out with a trainer for another 5 weeks I could tell she was holding back the tears. That's what makes this so hard and I don't know how to deal with it or how to comfort her. We're in our early 30s and our son is 10.

Are you sure they said 5 and 5? I had a week of orientation, one week of securement, then an OPTIONAL 5 weeks with my trainer. They want a minimum of 3 weeks with a trainer. That was almost 2 years ago so I don't know if things have changed. Also, my trainer lived 2hrs from my house so I went home every weekend or had my wife come to me in the hotel.

Are you sure they said 5 and 5? I had a week of orientation, one week of securement, then an OPTIONAL 5 weeks with my trainer. They want a minimum of 3 weeks with a trainer. That was almost 2 years ago so I don't know if things have changed. Also, my trainer lived 2hrs from my house so I went home every weekend or had my wife come to me in the hotel.

The recruiter told me 1 week of orientation, 4 weeks of school head back home for a week to transfer my CDL to Pennsylvania and then head out with a trainer for 5 weeks before I get my own truck.

My wife and I are absolute best friends. We ran a business together for years, went everywhere together, and honestly were only ever apart once for four days in the last twelve years. So, yeah, going OTR was seriously tough on both of us. But I found it had positive effects as well. When I was home we appreciated each other so much more. The time we spent together then was serious quality time. Yes, quantity is always preferred, but quality has its own merits.

This is going to vary depending on what company you go with, where you live and where your trainer lives, but I know for me during the 2 months I was in training last year I saw my family far more often than I anticipated. You may be surprised. However, you should be prepared for the worst of course.

In the end, I never would have begun this journey without my wife's full support. I'd always recommend every decision to be mutual between spouses.

I am sitting in Cleveland as i type type this on my route to little rock. Orientation this Sunday. I am going flatbed usa otr. 1 week orientation 1 week securement training then 3+ weeks with a trainer otr.

I believe you must be going to the college to get your cdl then coming back to get the otr training separately.

Either way they are a highly skilled training program. If you go with Maverick they will help you to become a professional driver. Hope to see you out there. My girl and i are working through the being apart now. Sounds like your going through double what I am.

I hijacked my husbands account to add my 2 cents..... I am a truckers wife.... I'll admit him being otr was difficult at first.... Then I went to Las Vegas for our daughters 21st birthday... Was sitting by the pool talking to 3 sisters from Ireland... Told them my truth.... He's gone for 6 weeks... He comes home we **** like monkeys....... We're in the phone constantly.... When we see each other its soooo damn good. Like being young and newly in love again... One of the sister's sat up pulled off her sunglasses and stated "You lucky b***h" I realized right then.... Yeah I was lucky... I had a wonderful husband that is away from home because he loves his family. It's what you make of it.... If wives think they have it hard... Sit back and think of hubby alone, tired, eating crap food, using public showers, and being away from home.... Thank your man...

I hijacked my husbands account to add my 2 cents..... I am a truckers wife.... I'll admit him being otr was difficult at first.... Then I went to Las Vegas for our daughters 21st birthday... Was sitting by the pool talking to 3 sisters from Ireland... Told them my truth.... He's gone for 6 weeks... He comes home we **** like monkeys....... We're in the phone constantly.... When we see each other its soooo damn good. Like being young and newly in love again... One of the sister's sat up pulled off her sunglasses and stated "You lucky b***h" I realized right then.... Yeah I was lucky... I had a wonderful husband that is away from home because he loves his family. It's what you make of it.... If wives think they have it hard... Sit back and think of hubby alone, tired, eating crap food, using public showers, and being away from home.... Thank your man...

That's a very good way to look at it. I honestly wonder how many spouses of truckers (husbands as well as wives) think the driver is doing it to just get away from everything. Part of taking care of your family is the financial side of it, and trucking pays better than many other jobs. This lifestyle/career definitely isn't for everyone. Jim is lucky to have someone who supports him the Way you do.

Banks, as has already been said have your wife make an account. Members here don't sugar coat anything while providing a realistic view with honest expectations.

My wife and I are absolute best friends. We ran a business together for years, went everywhere together, and honestly were only ever apart once for four days in the last twelve years. So, yeah, going OTR was seriously tough on both of us. But I found it had positive effects as well. When I was home we appreciated each other so much more. The time we spent together then was serious quality time. Yes, quantity is always preferred, but quality has its own merits.

This is going to vary depending on what company you go with, where you live and where your trainer lives, but I know for me during the 2 months I was in training last year I saw my family far more often than I anticipated. You may be surprised. However, you should be prepared for the worst of course.

In the end, I never would have begun this journey without my wife's full support. I'd always recommend every decision to be mutual between spouses.

This is why prime was my frontrunner and why I put a microscope on them. In my mind that Pittston terminal would be a great tool. I can park there on home time and probably get a trainer that's close. Maybe I'm being too analytical and overthinking everything. That can actually be apart of the problem now that I think about. Maybe my trying to comfort her is what's causing her to worry.

Banks thinks, maybe he is overthinking stuff:

Maybe I'm being too analytical and overthinking everything. That can actually be apart of the problem now that I think about it.

Yah think?

It happens...at some point you'll reach maximum saturation, the level of diminishing returns. We all arrived at the GO or NO-GO fork in the road at some point...you're not quite there yet.

Seeing is believing.

I made you a ride-along offer on the other thread you're active on. I rode with a Swift driver for a day run many years ago before making my final decision. It was an eye-opening experience that provided additional clarity and purpose to my decision. Might help you as well. Not intended as a recruiting exercise, but a learning experience that is not typically available. Due to your relative proximity to the DC's location, it's possible.