Dealing with missed family time

My first Thanksgiving on the road was it for me. Sitting in a Denny's at the Pilot in Maryland. Turkey sandwich. Looking at a few other sad faced drivers doing the same thing. My kids were small back then. That's when I really started to look for something with better hometime.

 

It's gone. No point in crying about. Last time we saw each other as family was 15 years ago. Par for course. And even there had some rough edges to deal with I was not the kid they raised once.

 

Money isnt everything life is about. Find something local and enjoy your family while you can.

 

Small portions rather than a full-on feast at the Denny's. I don't have a family of my own or anything like that. But nothing beats cooking in my own kitchen and kicking back on the couch. Did enough of the long-haul thing to get the experience and then find something more stable.

Only long-hauls I do now are personal road trips. I run into these other drivers who are pushing 60 or 70 years of age and often wonder how/why they decided to stay on 48-state long haul for so long.

 

When I started dating my girlfriend 6 years ago (maybe wife someday) she lived in NC and I was in PA. I was in the oilfield and would drive down for 5 days every 15. When I moved her up here I was living in hotels for the oilfield so she never saw me. Last 2.5 years I was home everyday as I was in Management. Came back out here in February and she is fine.

It helped she was a single mother and used to being alone. Her daughter was ok with it to as she only sees her dad 3 times a year.

I miss the dog more than anything.

 

The kids were alright, they didn't have issues with me being on the road, the wife didn't either


But the dogs, that was what hurt.

The kids would call me up at least twice a day.

The wife I would talk to maybe three times a day.

But I tried to teach th dogs how to use the phone and all they did was slobber all over it.

I missed birthday parties, confirmations, those worthless graduations when they went from elementary to junior high and a few other things but they didn't give a crap, they knew what I was doing was for them.

 

Trucking “should” be the career for the man at the bottom. Unskilled labor. It “should” pay well enough that his wife and children don’t want for needs, AND that his children get a step up in the world by adulthood.

Everyone in America has had a 50% pay cut the past fifty years. So that 60k ought to be 120k. Stuff would cost more; but the artificially-high prices of homes, education and medical would fall by half or more if existing laws were enforced. Made in America means it ain’t cheap. But it lasts. Clothing, shoes, cars, etc.

The money available to set up newly-married children with a house down payment. Etc. Skilled work training.

Truck drivers have worse health and die earlier. So, yes, the time away should be compensated.

33.3% of the gross isnt unfair. Were that to happen one could expect serious other changes. The industry would be different.

The ideal America is where families own a business. Farm or hardware store. Truck firm or commercial contractor. Point is that it can be sold at the end. To younger family or whomever.

Political freedom is economic freedom. They are the same thing.

In the meantime, try to find the JOB DESCRIPTION that best suits your being a driver. Let the rest fall into place.

An unhappy driver ain’t long for this world.

The compromise I’d try for is to live close to married brothers and sisters. Those men to have your back while you are gone.

.

 

Why not try something different? Local or regional. If the money or home time isn’t what you expected, Long haul will always be available. Leave on good terms, only way you’ll find out for sure. The less regrets in life the better.

 

Doing pretty good since I kicked the ex-wife to the curb.

I was always home for Christmas I don't care about the rest of the holidays.