away from home

If the truck was were you belong you would still be in it. Quitting with a week under your belt is not exactly an indication you are willing, able and ready to do this.

 

Homesickness is something you will get over. Most of what your feeling is seperation anxiety, especially if you've never been away from home for extended periods. If your going to do OTR your going to have to suck it up and push onward. Don't be afraid to call home every day to check in but realize that any problems at home, toilet backing up, kids has the flu etc are things you can't do anything about. Your job is to put a big, heavy truck down the road safely and to arrive on time to pick up or deliver. Some people just can't handle it and give up and if your one of those people do it right, call the company tell them you need to quit and why and tell them to aim you for a terminal, then go home, find a local job and live your life. This is a rough, stressful job and some people just can't do it but give it a real try first, otherwise you'll doubt yourself and always wonder what if I'd just stuck it out.

 

EXCELLENT POST!!
I agree, before you hang it up..give yourself some time. Set a goal for instance. And after you reach that goal in driving and you still have these feelings, then you know you tried and that it was not a total waste.
GOOD LUCK to you and your FAMILY!
I know it's a tough life and WISH you all well with whatever it is you want to do in life.

 

i could not say it better than capt. caveman. it is a work style that you have to get used too and so does your better half.

 

I don't think you gave it enough time. Think about it. You said you didn't want your wife doing all the work. What work? With one less person in the house, there is actually less clean up and stuff. Not sure if you have kids or not...but if the house is clean when you leave, it shouldn't get messy, unless everybody at the house are slobs (no offense). As far as other work....not sure what that is. This gives her a perfect opportunity not to have to rely on someone else for everything either. I'd totally hate it if my wife wasn't willing to try new things or to fix something. Have her take some powderpuff classes and get her hands dirty. As far as paying bills, do it online. Many of the bills we have are paid through wells fargo bill pay. As long as you have access to the net, zip on there and pay it....etc.

 

I would say, you have overcome your problem for a very long time. No advice needed from us.

Does Central have a terminal at exit 150 in Oklahoma? If not, good luck with getting another job any time soon. Your DAC will always tell on you.

Of course, you may catch a break if you were still in training and a trainer was on the truck to continue the load.

 

There is NO easy way to overcome this problem, other than (like everyone else said) to suck it up and do it. If you have to tell yourself everyday, that you are doing this for your family, then do it. Do whatever you have to, but I gotta say, despite what you say, I don't think you will make it OTR. And that's not a knock on you, it's the truth: OTR is not another job, it IS a lifestyle. And not everyone is cut out for it.

When I started, I missed my wife and kids like crazy. Esp my kids, I remember taking to my eldest (then 4) and he almost always sounded like he was ready to cry. Even now, when I am on the verge of having a decent local job, he still (every now and then) tell me how much he will miss me when I go back on the road.

If you are having that hard of a time leaving the house, then you should look locally, maybe driving a dump truck or cement mixer. Or working for a foodsevice company, something that while it won't pay great, will keep you close to home (granted they are CDL B jobs). Just something to think about, keep your chin up, but you should ask yourself some hard questions, and be honest.