Swept off in a hurry... daddy's gonna be a ... trucker?

Hi, desylverwyrm... and welcome to the forum! I, too, wish you had found this forum sooner. To be tossed into this amount of information at the very outset of your husband's trucking career probably has your head swimming. There's a lot to read -- both good and bad -- and most has varying opinions attached to it. It can feel overwhelming.

If driving is what your hubby really wants to do, he should stick with his training... but avoid even thinking about any lease deals until he has a couple of years experience under his belt. Also, since he probably won't have the time, I'd advise you to learn what you can by reading the boards here (and as you're doing so, you'll learn to separate the wheat from the chaff as far as information is concerned), and feed him as much solid information as possible. Trust me, he'll appreciate it. Your support is vital to both his sanity and his success.

Keep your chin up, desylverwyrm, and don't hesitate to ask questions. Folks here are more than willing to help.

Stay positive, and good luck to you both!

 

I agree . There's quite a few of them . But how many of them can you just walk in and get a job at with a year experience ? They don't have many openings .

 

Always better to go into any situation well informed.....that being said....he is where he is. Chin up and remember that in every situation the discontented seem to be the most vocal. Let us know how it goes. Best of luck to him, you and the girls.

 

There have been and still are drivers who got there start at CREngland. So, if that is where he went to get his start thats okay, all is not lost.

The important thing is, he has a job and is driving. Now you just have to mke the most of it. Don't get all worried and add stress. That will do neither of you any good and will lead to mistakes being made. Drivers have made some very poor choices while stressed out and ruined their career. This doesn't have to happen.

I am glad you have found this site, it will be a great resource for you and provide support as well.

If your hubby has access it would also benefit him. One thing he is going to want to do is avoid the failure funnel. That is when drivers surround themselves with unhappy and negative drivers, they get all wrapped up in it and start making bad choices and harder to succeed. If he keeps to himself or surrounds himself with drivers who are doing good and are happy his stands a much better chance at making it.

This is going to be what you both make it. Again, there are drivers who drive for the 'bottom feeder' companies and still do well.

Good luck to you both.

 

Lavender, I wish I could thank you several times for the above statement.

It's not only true with trucking, but life in general as well.

 

you would most likely do better to conact his dispatcher can qualcomm the truck and let him know he needs to contact you.

 

Its unfortunate that he wasnt able to do more research before being sucked in.

As for not hearing from him, hopefully he lost the phone or it died on him. If something major had happened the company would have gotten ahold of you. The hardest thing for you to learn will be to not sit there and worry the entire time he is gone. Get a copy of the coverage for his cell phone so when he says hes heading to some place you will be able to see what kind of service he will have on the way. Ask him to call you at least once a day, if he doesnt service and is laid over have him call collect and just say his name, city and state and then you decline the call (collect calls for even a few minutes are expensive and will break you really quick). That way you know where he is atleast and that hes all right.

Have him get a drivers rewards card for the truckstops he fuels at. You get a free shower with a 50 or 75 gal fuel purchase and points to use as $$ in the truckstop store and restaurant. I could eat at Subway or Arbys every other day for free just off fuel purchases. Stock up on groceries and entertainment (DVD's or books) for the truck at Walmart or the grocery store at home, not at the truckstop.

When he gets home, take a minute to meet the trainer and check out the truck, i know its cold out, but you already know hes spending alot more time with that person in that box on wheels. It will be a show of support and you wil see where hes spending all of his time. A couple of pics of the family to put up in the bunk will also help.

Let him get his time in to get the experience and get through the contract with the company. After that, he can look for a local job and you can go back to a somewhat normal life (no such thing as a normal life for a truck driver).

If he comes home one day and starts talking about buying or a lease purchase of a truck through the company, bash him upside the head and send him here. We will talk him out of it for you.

This will be the hardest thing the family will go though, it will either make you stronger or break you, which ever you let it do. Just remember, your not the first to go through this and wont be the last. For what its worth, me going OTR for a couple of years was the best thing that could have happened when it came to my marriage.