My wife keeps asking me to ask you guys

There are many companys that will allow your wife to ride with you, some make you wait 30,60, or 90 days first, so you have time to get use to your job. They usually only allow one rider and if it is your child most require them to be over 12. If you take a child then you wife would have to stay home.

Dogs Some will let you, some will also require a deposit, taken weekly out of your check to cover any damage

Pay, Company freight is down, do not expect more then 30,000 the first year, but keep your record clean and do not job hop for the first year and you might be able to find a better job later on that would pay better and get you home more.
Some companies have hiring freezes, but with no experience your probably looking at Swift, CR England, Prime,Werner to name a few. Which one is better, not sure depends on you and what your willing to put up with. Best option is read on here about these companies, or if you live near any truck stops, go talk to some drivers.
Most drivers have laptops and have aircards, or use the WiFI at truckstops for a fee, not sure of the cost.

CB's are common, good for traffic, weather updates. Sometimes needed at shippers to contact you when you have to wait on a load. Having an intelligent conversation with other drivers, one in a million.

 

This was not answered accurately. You might expect $30,000 GROSS with a GOOD companies . The companies hiring inexperienced drivers aren't good companies . If they were good companies they wouldn't have the high percentage of turnover that requires them to keep hiring .
It's hard to say what the annual pay for a newbie is when most of them don't last a year . As far as weekly pay goes there are many members here complaing about $300 - $400 a week earnings .