For family guys- is night shift worth it in trucking?

there is a "shift differential pay" for 2nd and 3rd shift workers, but i have found that to be mostly for union shops. i know, i only worked ONE union shop, the rest were ordinary non-union companies.

however, there are "some" employers, non-union, that WILL pay that shift differential pay.

i found that once i got off the road, regional, local, then dedicated jobs worked best for me.

either home daily, or every weekend, or home nightly.

night shift work, afforded me time for the family, doctor appointments, and other things that simply cannot get done at later times.

also, the traffic IS STILL THERE, but much easier to work around, i observed.

i am retired, but if i had my choice? i'd certainly go for night time work.

one "draw back", here i am a former night worker, for like oh....25-30 years maybe..???

and i still do not sleep during the night, i wake up EVERY DAY at about 4 AM....

and i been retired now for like 2 years..???

so sleep deprivation working nights, CAN BE a big deal, and there are all sorts of "remedies" that others claim work for them, to get a good days sleep..??

uh ...huh.....NOT for me, ever.....they just DO NOT WORK.....for me..........

 

I worked nights for 8 years anywhere from a 7p to 1a start times and yes they varied. You’ll be home for the ball games, dances, life events, but will go to work tired that night. Whenever you need a day off, you realistically have to take 2 days off... take Tuesday as an example. Work Monday night get done 10a on Tuesday, now you’re beat & will be worthless for whatever event you had planned for the day. But no you took Tuesday off so you could go on a school trip Wednesday morning? Ok now you didn’t get enough sleep to work Wednesday night.

See where i’m going there?

Weekends suck because your sleep schedule is so messed up.

it took me well over 3 years to readjust my body & sleep schedules to day shift.

Headlights. I hope they don’t bother you, especially the high beams & led light bars.

Just some food for thought hope it helps.

 

I'll say my experiences, you can judge for yourself. Most of my trucking was at night, not so much because it was the preferred time for me to drive, the nature of the job required it. I had to be up at midnite, be rolling out of the yard by 1:00, and had my 1st appt. at 4am. Most warehouse deliveries are at night, and did that for years. It took a huge toll on my family life, ultimately cooking it altogether. Sometimes, I wouldn't get home until 3pm, maybe catch a soccer game or play, but by 6pm, I had to be in bed to be up by midnite again. I missed a lot of activities and the ex finally had enough of it. I had friends that drove OTR that got more sleep than I did. Sunday nights were the worst. Yeah, I still toss and turn around midnite even to this day. It's why many of my posts are at 3am.

 

One more thing to add is trying to sleep during the day in a house full of people is not going to be the easiest thing in the world.

Also make sure the wife is ok sleeping alone. This will be an adjustment for her as well

 

Did the night shift thing for the last 10 years. I'd start Sunday night at 7pm, usually finish by 7-8am. Rinse and repeat all week unt Friday morning.

While I loved working at night, I hated not being able to enjoy being home with the family in the evening. Any school functions were a hassle to attend, as they usually start around 6pm. So I'd hardly ever attend. When I'd get home in the morning, I'd enter an empty house. Sometimes that was great, but most times it sucked. My marriage suffered, almost to the point of divorce.

One of my big reasons for doing the night runs was the traffic was not as bad. And in the beginning, that was true. But around here, before the Virus, the traffic was pretty nuts even at night.

I switched to a more normal schedule January 1st. I start my day at 2am now, and couldn't be happier. I have Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and Sunday to do whatever.

The traffic is not near as hateful as I figured ( I'm sure that will change as the virus subsides), I see my family, and can even enjoy some sporting events. I won't willingly go back to night work anytime soon.

 

You keep emphasizing your worries about what you’ll be losing over the weekends, if it doesn’t feel right don’t go for it. My advice? The heck with what anyone else thinks, you have to be happy, and the only person who knows how to achieve that is you.

 

The only thing you will do at home is sleep. (or at least you SHOULD be sleeping.). For a married man with kids? Nope! By all means give it a shot....I think you will re think it after a few months.....or your wife and kids will re think it for you. Good luck