Thinking about going husband/wife team

You're thinking right...just limiting your scope a bit on the tight side. Neither of you have any experience, so most any of the training companies would be what you want to do your "shopping" or comparison list from. You don't say where you reside, so which companies have "close" terminals makes it hard for us to help you, or steer you in any specific direction.

From what I have noticed, Schneider (like many others) have gone to a more regional configuration, and not that much coast to coast. Try looking at Covenant (really promote a family environment), Swift, but (IMO) stay clear of CR England and CRST.

 

Go to your profile and tell us where you are, That would help Chinatown from bursting a vein in his neck trying to figure out where you are, I just think anyone that doesn't do that anymore is not very friendly as there will be a need to the future to set up a bed and breakfast for truckers as we are really getting tired of sleeping in pee lots, But that is a whole nother thread all together, but seriously we won't show up at your door asking to borrow a pair of tin snips, Or a glass of water. It helps us help you. Thanks.

 

check out this thread
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-trucking-company-here/219051-farm2fleet.html
NoCoCraig and his wife started like you
and are O/O now
you can pm them for advice

 

You don't have to be near a terminal to work for a company. Some companies do have a certain radius or will specify "reasonable distance." You're really stuck up there in the boonies!

Watkins & Shepard
Schneider Bulk
Schneider National
U.S. Express
Panther Expedited Services
Conway

 

Husband & Wife here, we work at US Xpress. Doing good here. They have a terminal in Ohio & Illinois that would work for you.

 

WAIT a minute. I am still hung up on the.. your with your wife of 25 years & you get along perfectly? we just celebrated our 25th or 26th year, this year or last, can't remember, don't keep up like my wife. (glad she never comes on this forum) but we do not always get along, & almost never perfectly. I hope your getting along so well, is not changed by teaming together. if my wife drove, I could never sleep. when we travel in our car & I get sleepy at the wheel all I do is let her drive & in just a few minutes of her driving I am wide awake & so is all other drivers nearby. all kidding aside. that would be great if it worked out for both of you.

 

I would say what company that hires you would depend upon your requirement for home time since you live WAY up there in Michigan. Are you planning to sell everything you own and live in the truck or are you keeping your house, cars, etc? If you plan to keep all that stuff don't expect to see it much because of where you live and expect to have a harder time finding a carrier that will hire you, again, because of where you live, it will be really tough to get you home regularly, again, if that's something you require. You're in a tough spot because 1) You don't even know if you like driving truck, 2) You don't know, most importantly, if your WIFE will like driving a truck, 3) You don't know how your relationship will fare when crammed together in a very small space for days/weeks on end, 4) You don't know how each of you will handle training with strangers, apart from each other for the required amount of weeks (six to eight) before you can get back together to team up, and 5) You're in a pretty bad location for trucking companies.

I am in no way trying to dissuade you from thinking about this path, not at all, just asking some realistic questions. I do recommend paying for the truck driving school yourself if you can afford it, as opposed to going through a company sponsored CDL program, you have better options that way if said carrier really sucks. On that note, don't get too hung up on any reimbursement programs companies offer to those who pay for their schooling themselves either because as soon as a company starts to reimburse you for your schooling, that's it, if you leave them for another carrier before you're fully reimbursed, you get no more reimbursement from anyone.

My wife and I are planning to team together in a Class B expediter truck once child support obligations are taken care of. We have 10 great years together and cannot wait to get out on our own together. But, I have my Class A and she has her Class B already so we already know the trucking business so to speak so we know what to expect. We also plan to sell everything we own and make the truck our home getting the occasional motel room when even a 100" bunk gets too small, because it will, no doubt, so we've thought about other options for when that time comes.

 

Schneider might be the best choice for you because they haul so much out of the paper mills in the U.P.