Who's been in my place?

For the kid side I cannot give a recommendation. However some regional accounts can keep you out for 7-10 days at a time. The best advise is to keep in contact with your wife while on the road that way it can make it a little easier till you get experience. I know some people have a good time with it and other don't like the lifestyle of otr/regional driving.

 

Hey there. I can't speak for trucking specifically since I'm a student myself. My kids are older now so being away won't be quite as hard as it once was. But I can tell you a little bit about what to expect since I was away on deployments when mine were that age. It will be hard. There is no way around it. At that age everything they do is a 'first'. First steps, first words, first time trying different foods, first birthdays, first time in 'big boy' pants, first day of pre-school, first everything. You need to be prepared to miss a lot of that, because even if you get home every weekend or so there is a lot that happens during the week.

Is it worth it? Only you and your family can answer that. In my case there are some things I definitely regret missing. On the other hand, I always knew that my kids and family were taken care of, well supported and safe. If driving will support your family then that is something that might be worth the sacrifice.

On the positive side the fact that you and your wife are discussing this a lot is great. If it's a decision you make together then you will both be more prepared to support each other in it. She can help you out a lot by making sure all those moments are captured (video, pictures, etc.) and you can share them together when you're home. (It will mean a lot to your son too. When he is old enough to appreciate it).

You can help her out a lot by understanding and appreciating that her 'job' is going to be just as difficult as yours. She's going to be a single parent for 7-10 days at a time and that ain't easy. And chances are she's going to have the responsibility of all the household stuff while you're away.

In any case make sure the communication doesn't stop once your out on the road. Make sure she knows where you are and how you spent your day, even if it's just the mundane boring stuff. And vice versa. It's the little stuff, phone calls, texts, e-mails, etc that will keep you connected and make it work.

That's the best advice I can give. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide!

 

I've been with Schneider for a few months. I have an 18 month old at home. I hate being away from him. Some days are harder than others but I gotta keep reminding myself this is only temporary. I haven't had any problem getting home. I stay out 2-3 weeks at a time. You're not going to make any money going home every week. From my experience getting home depends on a lot of factors. Do you have a good DBL? Is freight going that way? Are you taking the truck home? Etc. When I hit 6 months with the company I'm going to apply for intermodal or dedicated route to get home more. If I can't find a local gig with schneider I will look elsewhere. I'm not going to be a 4 day a month dad. Just not gonna happen.

My girlfriend doesnt like it. She says its not fair. I agree with her but I gotta do what I gotta do right now. Good luck to you!

 

I have a 17 year old and a 3 year old. My youngest is used to me being gone and I try to talk to her daily. My oldest and I keep in touch through facebook and her phone. I try to see her perform in her flag group any time I can. I saw her second to last performance of the winter guard season and she was so happy I was able to. You do what you can.

 

Well as a trainer for 28 yrs and things have changed to make it a little easier on both of you

here is just a couple of thing you need to do before you do this undertaking

1st you need a trusted friend (male) that can take care of house things while you're away (leaks car etc )

2nd buy phones that you can sent voice txts back and froth ( laptops with cams are awesome)

3rd at the first sign of stress from either always try to get home and work things out

4th be sure she has someone to talk to when you can't

good luck my friend

andy

 

I can help you out a little:

1. I did not do it with kids
2. H/T depends on a number of things including the account you are on and dm.
3. It was hard on me as my family is very close to each other. The key is communication. Like me, you probably have times where your allowed to call and times where you are not alllowed. Running night can be a pia as it can disturb these calls and timing of them.
4. Its worth it, you just gotta prepare your wife what shes in for. IE, learn not to rely on you except when your home. If the car breaks down, could she do things without you. You live in a good area for freight, so my advice is to geta job with a company like TMC who says they will have you home 46/52 weekends a year. Good luck.

 

Other advice I could throw in if there are other family members close to them that can and will help her out, this will be a huge plus. Also look into life insurance should be pretty cheap at your age. Look into term life cheapest for the best value, this way your family would be somewhat protect if something should happen to you. Just my 2 cents. It can work I did this dance in the Military and yes it does suck being away from family especially for a year or more straight. Do what you have to do for your family. Good luck in your pursuits.

 

Check some of the redi mix plants in your area, they are usually looking for drivers in the spring. A lot of them haul their own materials so with time you could move over to a end dump. They may even help you get your CDL. Make a list of local target companies and find out everything you can about the company and then walk in and talk to someone face to face about your goals. Talk to drivers and find the good and bad about the company and the right person to contact for a job.
The down side to construction related work is bad weather and winter time, but if you stick to it and outlast the quiters you soon find yourself nearing the top of the seniority list and working more.
Remember, there are a lot of drivers (myself included) that got into trucking without going OTR. Do your research and pound the pavement.

Good luck