Husband wants to go OTR

I love the job, I always say I get paid to say good-bye, that is and always will be the hardest part of the job for me. Well not always the kiddo is become a little less of a kid and in the next few years will be going to college, then my wife will return to the truck for more togetherness and less goodbyes. Maybe even more money, but she will have to go back through school and will be my first and last trainee, so far 40 trainees between my first and last.

 

Yeah it's tough being away from your kids the most. I have a 3 yr old and she tears me up everytime I leave to go drive my big blue truck. If he can get through that for awhile, then it might be worth it. I work for the same co. that (trucker's wife) husband works for and as long as you can get the freight, you can get a decent paycheck...that's not even a guarantee anymore at all. Be careful of all those great promises that recruiters make and under no circumstance get talked into a lease! Most schools let you know what co's hire from them and then just start checking them out on the internet or go to a truckstop and talk to a few guys...Some of us are nice.

 

only a FEW..... most Co's that hire students don't know or care about a PTDI cert.

 

I went back to OTR after a 23 year break. Its hard to get used to being out for long periods time, after driving local and home every night. OTR means you live in a truck and sometimes it can be lonely and frustrating, its not to bad when your busy, but a 34 hour reset or waiting for loads can be hard to get used to at first.

 

My dh just recently got his cdl, and started driving solo in January, so far he has NOT made very much money at all, we are behind one everything, and it is NOT good at all, I have no transportation, no washer, and every single thing is extremely hard, he keeps saying things will get better so far I have NOT seen it, I have three dc at home, one ds in Iraq, and the stress levels here are extremely high, I don't say anything to him 99% of the time, but in my opinion he would probably be doing a whole lot better bagging up cans and taking them and cashing them in based on the majority of checks I have seen so far. I have had to borrow money to pay bills, and basically everything is very hard.

I don't have a job, (because I have NOt transportation, and there are no jobs in this area, no one is hiring there have been lots and lots of companies laying off or just closing down here.)

We have insurance now is about the best I can say for what he is making, he says thinks will get better, other people who have been driving for years have told me things will get better so far I have NOT seen better, maybe it will but I doubt it.

The only reason I really see for him to stay driving is because it seems to help his stress levels to be away from this area, as we are currently still waiting for a trial for the boy who killed our oldest ds (this was a hit and run, the driver was known to have been drinking, at a local bar, but is not charged with being drunk because they did not catch the driver fast enough?) It's been two years since that happened, still no trial and that person is still driving, (a car not a truck)

Anyway, if your dh can find a job local where he is home it will in my personal experience and opinion be better for you, your baby, and marriage as a whole.

But if he can't hopefully the economy will improve soon and he will get a lot better pay than what I have seen so far. At any rate even if the checks are not too great at the moment maybe at least you will have good insurance.

And it may keep good work history which is also important if you want to be able to get another job somewhere sometime.

Also if you have transportation, a washer, family or friends nearby, and or a job of your own that is all helpful, it is extremely hard and not good if you have no transportation, no washer, and no one that you can really call to get anywhere you may need to go, especially if you do not live within walking distance of anything, which I don't.

But maybe things will get better, eventually, I do have a friend who comes over about once a week to take me to the mailbox and to run errands, sometimes I only go every two weeks depending.

So far on average my dh has been staying gone five to six weeks at a time, and is only in for one or two days occassionally three days, once he was in for four days. (this is not good on any marriage imho, especially if you have ever had any kind of "issues").

It is also very hard to communicate effectively about how things are really going at home while he is gone, because you don't really want to worry him while he is driving, anyway, imho just getting started into truck driving right now at this time, is just something to do if you have run out of options (such as no one hiring in your area or fields of work you can do,) you can't move somewhere to find a job, (for whatever reason) you need insurance, you don't mind extremely long separation, you believe you can trust each other when separated, you are able to stock up on groceries both in the truck and at home BEFORE he leaves.

Anyway, right now I may not be the best person to say how your family will adapt to your dh being gone, because so far I have not seen very much good about it, but there was already a lot of stress here before he went on the road, and imho his being gone has only compounded the problems, but it has made some things easier too.

Anyway if he decides he wants to do that, for your sake I hope that you have plenty of family and friends nearby that you can visit or you can visit or something you can do besides just be at home the majority of the time with no way to do anything that you may really want to do, (it is stressful to be at home continuously with dc who all think you should be able to just take them some place, when it is not possible for us at this time, but maybe one of these days), also I sincerely hope the economy improves a lot because at the rate it's going at least here, pretty soon, we will not even have a place to live.

But I have been told things will get better eventually so maybe they will, my dh is also paying off the schooling he had (that is taken out of his check by the company, I forget how much that is so that is also another reason he has low wages, I think) eventually he'll have that paid though.

I'm not real happy with my dh being away so much, but things will work out eventually, I suppose. And when the car is fixed and we get a new washer that will ease off a lot of the tension around here, plus I am planning to try to find some kind of job after I get transportation, and as soon as places start hiring again, we will be moving from where we are so maybe another area of the country will have better employment opportunites for me.

If your dh can find a job where he is home every week that would be much better in my opinion.

 

All of these posts, (except the ones focusing on your 48 hour comment) are very worthwhile, and well thought out, and true. The hardships this life brings to families, (especially young families) are, to some, not manageable. This is a very tough, potentially, very costly decision you two are going to have to make. Please note, (strongly emphasize) TWO.

The above post, from Stillwater, is the most coherant, and puts forth the real burden the family still at home will be subjected to. You, the home family, will actually be carrying the biggest burden. You will have all the duties of the home front, plus learning how to support your new driver, both emotionally (which will require you to hold issues back from him on the phone) and mentally, as he is going to have to feel comfortable with his choice of not being home for extended periods of time. Also he will need to have nothing but the work he is learning on his mind, his concentration of the little things we do that make up the big picture. Driving a truck is doing a hundred little things, repeatedly, at the same time, and nothing stays the same from minute to minute. So concentration is imperative, one can't be drifting off worrying about the family at home. This sounds harsh, but to be a good, safe, driver, that is the way it is. After your shift is done, then you can worry about the home issues, but in the morning for next shift, home gets put on the back burner.

Money is the biggest issue. If you are working that can help, but daycare costs are enormous, and he is not going to be making any income through the school period. After school, he gets hired onto a training company, he will be getting from 350.00 to 450.00 each week, after taxes, some of that he needs for his meals and snacks while out with his trainer, and the rest (which won't amount to much) will be for you and the baby...if you can move home with your mother till he gets settled in as a solo driver that can be a great factor. But if not, as Stillwater eluded to, she is borrowing to keep her household going.

I was a trainer/Mentor with Swift for 13 years, of the students that were on my truck, I can remember many that did not return to the truck after their first 10-14 days out with me. No it wasn't me, it was the issues st home, the babies, mama hated being alone, the money wasn't there, or they found out in that first session, they just weren't cutout for long haul.

Please be very careful, and thoughtful together in making this decision. It is a wonderful lifestyle, if you are cut out for it, and if your family can put up with it. The positive side, you don't get to argue face to face as much, so some marriages are still intact because the "old fart" isn't at home, he is out on the road, and not under foot.

The only other advice I can offer, is, go down to one of the truck stops near home and talk face to face with some truckers, solo truckers, husband/wife teams, lady truckers will give you a real appreciation of what you are contemplating...but ask some questions from those who work it for their life...that will be your best information source. Don't be afraid to ask some really personal, pointed questions...some of us can be gruff on the exterior, but remember a lion is just a big pussycat!

Good luck in your decision!

 

Thanks to everyone here for their advice!

I've been a little suspicious of what most of the schools are saying. My husband spoke with someone at MTC, and they say that they can guarantee whichever company he goes with will give him a minimum of 2300 miles. He has spoken with several schools, and he believes from speaking with them that he will make about $600-$800/week (after training). They've also said that they have excellent benefits (currently he has none) and that they work really hard to get him some home time.

I am working full time, and we have no family support. So I am concerned about him being gone all of the time. And our 1-year-old is a "Daddy's girl", and even when he leaves for work now she just sits there and cries.

I really appreciate hearing everyone's opinions. I wanted my husband to hear info from actual drivers, and not just the schools.

 

Ask the recruiters if pay is so great why drivers keep quitting . The main reason carriers keep hiring is to replace drivers that quit after 3 months because they couldn't pay their bills with their $300 -$400 a week paychecks .

 

Over my almost 15 years of driving I went from below 20,000 a year, to 21,000 my first year back when 21cpm was the starting pay, to 70,000 a year. So you can make good money out here but it comes at a cost. My Daddy's girl was 3, and was not happy at all with the change, but none the less my wife was able to stay home and home school her up to high school level, and at nearly 18 yrs of age it looks like she is doing fine. she understands why I had to do what I had to do. The alternative was both her Mom and myself working 40-70 hrs a week and probably getting just about the same amount of time with her having to work a full and part time job. Although I have missed some concerts and a few special moments in my daughters life, I have caught some of them. My wife has become much more independent, which in my eyes is a good thing, that way she is prepared should the good Lord call me home unexpectedly. I love my job and I love that my wife was able to be a stay at home Mom to raise our daughter with my somewhat limited help. I love the fact that we were able to home school her on the truck for a few years and teach her to swim at motels, and teach her geography in a real world. I love the fact that in a few years as my daughter goes off to College my wife will be able to return to spending time on the truck with me, seeing the country I love.
Although that 45,000 to 70,000 dollar a year pay looks good keep in mind you are in many ways running two households, his OTR expenses can run $100-$700 a week depending on how conservatively he spends his money on food, education and entertainment (toys for the downtime, (tv, laptop, online college, satellite radio, gps, cooler and/or freezer, cb, game console, etc.(nicotine and gambling) ). That pay, starting out is going to be in the vicinity of 30,000 to 45,000 per year. The drivers, in a normal market (miles are down 10-20%), quitting over only sending $300/wk home are probably maxing their cash advances out and having to much fun, fun is okay in moderation, but they have to keep in mind part of the reason they are out here is to send money home. Some people find they just can't deal with the absence of home, some don't spend enough on the fun stuff and go stir crazy first time they have spare time on their hands while they wait to get hours available to work.

 

Well a lot of these posts are right on the money...but at least there is some money coming in.There is no way any recruiter or truck school can tell you how many miles you can get when you are the road. Every day is different and sometimes you are in a city that doesnt have any freight moving that day...so you have to wait till you get a load, sometimes hours or days. So, how can you be guaranteed miles. Now usually I don't sit too long but it happens. I avg 2000-2600 a week but that's where I live (west coast) and I hear a lot of people have it tough back east. My co hauls for a lot of major corporations and that is good too..basically I had no choice but to be away from my family and hit the road to get to the bigger picture...Local job. That will be awhile and there is no guarantee at all..I will do anything to support my family and bring home some type of paycheck....I used to make $55,000 a year and then some,but the auto industry put a damper on that..thanks.