There are many great things about driving a truck for a living, such as the freedom of the open road and the chance to see the country. The job does have its drawbacks, however, such as loneliness, boredom, and fatigue. It can also take a toll on a marriage, as spouses may go weeks or even months without being able to spend time together. One way to help with these problems is to form a husband and wife trucking team. This solution isn’t for every couple, however. So let’s look at the pros and cons.
Pros
1. The most obvious one is the chance to drive more miles and thus make more money. A husband and wife can drive twice as much as a single person in the same day, so long as one rests while the other is behind the wheel. This incentive alone makes the option attractive to many couples.
2. Loneliness disappears when you have someone beside you. And it opens up opportunities for more fun activities along the route, such as picnicking together in scenic spots. Family members back home will enjoy seeing pictures of the two of you enjoying yourselves while on the road.
3. It can prevent some of problems that come with other team-driving situations, such as dealing with sleeping quarters and personality conflicts. After all, if you’re committed to spending the rest of your lives together, hopefully you’re compatible enough in temperaments, personal habits, etc. to get along while driving.
4. By avoiding many of the physical and mental stresses that single drivers often endure, husband and wife team driving can be a healthy choice. Truckers are often plagued by problems like depression, sleep apnea, diabetes, and obesity, due to the rigors of being on the road. While we don’t want to encourage nagging, having a partner who’s committed to you and your physical and mental well-being sounds like a positive to us.
Of course, such an arrangement isn’t for everyone. Here are some of the problems that you might run into:
Cons
1. You might actually have less time together. This may sound odd, but if one of you sleeps while the other drives, then you are actually going to be apart (if only by a few feet) most of the time, unless you arrange your schedule very carefully.
2. Team trucking can be great when both drivers love their work. In many cases, however, one spouse may live for being on the road, while the other can’t stand sitting in a cab day after day. Also, driving an 18-wheeler takes a lot of skill, and if one spouse is more adept at it than the other, conflicts can arise quickly. None of us like back- seat drivers; imagine having someone beside you criticizing the way you pass vehicles, back into loading docks, or shift gears—all day long! That could lead to arguments or more serious issues between partners.
3. Too much togetherness? While most spouses truly love each other, some find it difficult to be together all of the time. Being separated by work actually helps some husbands and wives to appreciate each other more. The time apart gives them time to pursue their own hobbies and interests, and have a chance to miss each other. But being together 24/7 may drive you crazy. You might discover your partner has habits you can’t stand, gets grumpy on the job, or has personality characteristics you never noticed before. A husband and wife trucking team that ends up in divorce court might have fared better if only one spouse had taken up professional driving.
Family Built Business
Families that work well together often go on to build great businesses. That’s exactly what happened with TruckingOffice, which is a father-son partnership. Between my trucking experience and my dad’s programming abilities, we were able to create a software suite that’s ideal for running a top-notch brokering firm. But don’t just take our word for it; sign up for our free trial, and see for yourself!
Is Trucking Right for You?
We’ve talked about the pros and cons of a husband/wife trucking business. Now, let’s look at whether trucking is right for you in any way at all. Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking about hitting the road as a CMV driver.
Reasons to love it:
- Adventure. You’ll meet new people every day, see new sights, and never know for sure what’s around the next curve.
- Freedom. Few jobs offer the sense of being in charge of your day the way trucking does. Working for yourself, making the right or wrong decisions, and finding solutions to problems go a long way toward making you feel in control of your occupation.
- Paid to travel. Of course, it’s hard work and can be dangerous, but what other job will pay you to travel?
Reasons to hate it:
- Loneliness. Hours and hours of sitting alone in a cab across miles of desolate highways can take a toll on your mental wellbeing.
- Time away from home. Trucking can limit the time you spend at home and leave you regretting the decision to become a driver.
- Stress! Simply stated, trucking is hard. Rules, regulations, safety, break-downs, DOT audits, logbooks, late deliveries, reports, and more can create loads of stress for drivers.
At TruckingOffice, we wish you the best in whatever you decide about business and trucking.
Your funny I teamed trucked with my spouse for 5 years the only times you really see your spouse is when your out of hours,broken down or getting a much needed shower or real meal,Thanks Petro for serving a decent meal.The money is good but inmates have larger cells.It is very difficult for anyone to team hats off to all who do and thanks to all the solo truckers to.I learned to appreciate every thing moves at some point by truck God bless truckers mechanics and truck stops everywhere and even a few dispatchers too.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I was considering teaming but after writing out the pros and cons. My marriage would not thrive in that environment. Maybe on occasion we can hop in the truck for travels though.