Need Advice From Owner Operators Please

If you would do this ASAP, first and foremost, you will learn SO much..... and a day may be only the tip of the iceberg:
a.) what he hauls; what kind of trailer; what it encompasses for him to get loaded (pump? tarp?)
b.) why he doesn't often have time to chat, or overthink things, in the course of his day.
c.) why you DO care so much about him, when you walk a day in his shoes.

Best wishes, gal. You'll be a trucker's wife yet, if you so wish. Mine's trucker tough, comes with the territory!~

 

I fell for one of those company jobs that read (home every night),I got home in time to eat,shower and go to bed. That becomes very stressful, you have no life from Monday to Friday and God forbid you have some hours left then you will be working Saturday.

 

Yes, we ALL have, probably, at some point. Better to be OTR in that sense; been there, done that. If her man is an O/O, however; he's got more discretion. Depending on his experience, and what he pulls, and whether or not he's leased on or has his own Authority...... could go many ways.

 

The "A" part is really what you have to learn. Loading and unloading can be a major part of your man's day, depending on what he hauls. When you talk to him, ask him:

a.) Do you pull a van (often called a box), a reefer (refrigerated van), a tank (which is what I pull), or a flatbed (often called skateboard.)

b.) Depending on answers to the above, what product actually goes INTO or ONTO each type of trailer, changes the paradigm yet again. (ie: with flatbed, there are SO many different types, and products, for instance RGN's are usually for Heavy Haul guys... the construction equipment you see on the roadside during this CRAZY construction season of the year.) Tanks have variations as well. He may haul anything from food grade, to Hazmat (ie: gasoline, diesel, bleach, caustic chemicals, and the like.) Reefers, he may have frozen or fresh foods, swinging meat going to processing, beverages, many things~ (think, WalMart...) Then again, I almost forgot.... cattle or pig haulers.... for all we know, he may haul animals going from farm to process. There are SO many variables~!

There are SO many variables; for you to REALLY be a part of his "world" as it pretty much is, being a driver, I'll stick with my original advice. If this relationship really is valuable to you, you need to learn his life, for a few days. It's NOT just holding the wheel, floating a gear, and the like.

Thanks for the comments on my wife; I'll pass those on~! She's a teacher, awaiting the year's end so she can accommodate me a bit this summer; she's learned to love it.

Best wishes, once again~!

 

You are welcome; any time. Study up, gal ~!