Here We Go

Okay, first, you will find that we have a ladies only section, and you will quickly find that you are not alone and that they are quite a support group. I rarely venture into that hens nest, since I am not relly equipped to be in there and I stay mostly out.

The small trucking company out of Ok sounds like a reasonably run outfit. I am saying that basd only on the minimal info you provided, but in general terms, small companies that provide a minimum like that tend to be straight arrow companies. I have no idea how far they run, what they haul, or the condition of the equipment, but the management must be reasonably sound for them to make that offer.

As long as the school is recent, and meets the minimum standards set by the company for training, then getting onto one of the larger and better companies is not that much of a problem. of course, it's always a little bit of a challenge to define exactly who is a better company, since the work I do may not be appealing to someone else, and vice versa. Unfortunately, the past experience in the Army is prpbably of little real value since it is not a direct connection to a trucking job. The insurance companies tend to control that part of the induistry, and anything other than direct experience won't have much value. It might get a little bit higher starting rate if paid per mile, but that's up to the individual company. However, companies do tend to look at people with military experience as a lot more mature than the kid walking in off of the street, so there are some advantages to a iliutary background.

Hometime varies, and that depends on the company and their schedules, as well as where you live. In rough general terms, most major companies run about a day and a half off for each week out. But, that;s a very rough rule of thumb, and it depends so much on the company and the freight, as well as the freight lanes. if you live in a major freight lane that they run in, the chances go up considerably of getting home. there are also local and regional jobs that get you home several times a week to every nite. there is no one size fits all trucking, and there are as many jobs as there are situations that need them.

Industry average pay right now is about 38k a year, and I've always thought that the figure is reported a bit low. In actual terms, I would think that about 42-44 would be the average. I think tht the average is reported low because there are a lot of people that get in for short periods of time, and since they spend a large part of that time in school or training at a reduced price with another driver, it sways the statistics lower than it really is. Whether or not that is a suitable amount for you depends on the cost of living where you are. i live in an area with a relatively low cost of living and do quite well. but in NY state, I would be living well below the poverty line, so it's a very regional thing. Pay can go up, once you have a year or so of time in and can make yourself more attractive to the better paying parts of the industry. They are out there, but just like any other industry, you have to have some experience and know where you are heading to get the better paying jobs. And for the most part, they are not offered to the beginners. With time, you can increase your pay and make out quite well.

there are some hidden issues dealing with pay, well not really hidden as much as pitfalls that can get you some problems. We wonlt get to those right now.

By the way, i removed your email from here for your own security. Feel free to use it in pm's, but we prefer that it not be displayed in public. Check out the ladies forum, you'll find any possibl sources of "truckers wife" clothing there.

(If he stays out for weeks at a time, I would recommend a negligee with fur trimming around the bottom. The trim will keep your ears warm when he gets hold of you!)

 

As far as care packages go, the easist thing to do would be to make them up ahead of time and send them along with him. There is no way to ship them ahead and know where he is going to be at any given point in the trip. Basically, make the packages of thibgs like snacks, road munchies, maybe favorite movie theatre type candy, small goodies, but don't get excessive here. He still has to store the stuff in the truck, and it's not as big as it looks.

As for lot lizards, in the last 10 years, I have been approached twice, and neither of the 'ladies" tempted me in the slightest. Somehow, when a lady starts the relationship by making the announcement "Hi, I'm disease free" it sort of takes all the romance out of things. Unless someone is really going out of their way to make contact with parking lot popsies, they are fairly rare. I wouldn't worry about that too much. Now if your husbands ideal love interest is a minority, middle aged, street prostitute with bad hygiene and no teeth that meet, then you may have to worry, but most guys don't really have those fantasies, except for the occasional serial killer amongst us.

Truckers needs are not much different from anyone elses, and between Walmart and Walgreens you should find everything needed to outfit a truck for a driver to be comfortable and happy. With him having been in the military, he knows how to set up for living with minimal gear, so it won't be a problem. And it's not like he can't stop at a Walmart on the trip and pick up something if he needs to have it.

Do some searching here on the site, you will find discussions of what to take along in the truck, how to set up meals for on the road, and a whole list of other subjects. They are common discussion topics on here, and you should find someone who has already met and overcame those types of problems.