longterm lifestyle questions

1. xm/sirius radio is available and they have audio books you can check out at the truckstops.

2. thru trial and error. this is a judgement call that can be made by only you. you have to totally trust this person aandd be able to live in a space smaller than a jail cell. the vehicle is moving 20 hours a day.

3. not easy. you can have a woman in every town you go thru if you choose. otr trucking is not a job, it is a lifestyle. esp. when somebody is new to the business. otr companies only usually give and are only required to give you 34 hours at the house and most of the time you can push it to 40-41 hrs. not alot for a social life.

 

One of the fringe benefits of road driving is being able to listen to your favorite audio. This would not be possible in a job that was not solitary, or a job requiring a higher level of concentration. Over the years, I have enjoyed the talk-radio programs: Bruce Williams, Sally Jesse Rafael, Dr. Laura (The National Nag), and now the Diane Rehm Show. Occasionally, I would receive a book-on-tape as a gift, but I have never rented one the way they are exchanged at Cracker Barrel. I listened to "A Man In Full", and "Into The Wild" a true story that is now in the theaters many years after I listened to it.

 

Number one is easy.

Number two is a judgement call. Some people can never team.

Number three is very hard. When Mike went OTR, I couldn't stand it. I'm not content alone. I've raised my kids and didn't want to be home alone. So I went with him for three months and we enjoyed it. Missed home a bit but it was good. Couldn't afford to keep doing it, though, so came back home, I went back to work and Mike got a local job.

The life of a wife/significant other to a long haul trucker is VERY lonely and VERY hard - a lot of women aren't cut out for it, some are great at it. Just like navy wives, you know?

It will be easier if you're already a trucker when you meet - then the lifestyle is there from the get go so you don't get used to being together all the time.