Even though I enjoy what I am doing and am learning so much every day, there is a down side to trucking. This will not affect everyone, but I wouldn’t be honest with all of you if I didn’t cover the tough part of relationships while on the road. Let me try to explain what I mean.
I started with my company’s two day orientation on the 2nd of March. I then spent 6 days at the hotel (at the company’s expense) waiting for a trainer to become available. The company puts two trainees in each room so I paid extra to have a room to myself. My wife was able spend a couple of nights with me. I have been on the road training since March 9. My trainer lives in Upstate Michigan. When he is on his home time I get to spend it in a cheap motel. Since it is paid for by the company I don’t have any say in where I am staying. Every three weeks he has three days at home. I spent three days waiting on him in March, and I’m doing my second set of three days now. I was able to spend an hour with my wife last week – she drove an hour and a half to meet me at a truck stop. I felt like a teenager – sitting in the back seat of my wife’s care in front of Wendys!
Since I’ve been on the road I have missed my birthday, the birthday of two of my grandchildren, the anniversary dinner for my son and his wife, and a few other family events. Not only that I have had to learn to text message! My long term romance with my wife has been reduced to phone calls, e-mail, and text messaging. Not only have I missed family events, but I fear that the daily routine I had before trucking is gone. I won’t be home in the evenings and weekends except for probably two days for every two weeks on the road. Truly this has become my new life. The only thing that makes this bearable is that my wife doesn’t work and can spend the time with me.
I have 68 driving hours left and my training should be complete in about 11 days – assuming we get good loads. It is my fear that one of two things will happen: there won’t be a truck available and I will have to stay with my trainer or take an unpaid leave of absence; or that I will be assigned a truck and be given two weeks on the road. At the very least I should have a week home first. I also hope I can “test out” in Fontana, California. This is my home terminal and is only 60 miles from home. Am I feeling sorry for myself, and perhaps a bit melancholy and bitter? I guess. Fifty five years old and I get so darn homesick sometimes I’m ready to quit! 
What’s the point to this dreary blog? Actually it’s simple. I just want all of you who are checking out truckin’ to know that there may be a down side. Of course these issues may not apply to you and if they don’t, then consider yourself very lucky. You will still experience living a parallel life compared to your “pre-trucking” friends. You will still feel like a nomad, always on the move and rarely in the same spot more than a very short time. Be informed of what you are getting into, do your research, and make sure that this is what you want before you invest a lot of time and money.
God bless. Farmer Bob
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How true. So many new drivers just do not understand and our stories will help all to see the trucking side. There is so much that a driver gives up. 3 days home (72 hours) out of 3 weeks of being gone is not enough time to do your “home stuff” again.
The dispatcher and others involved in the life of a trucker, go home at 5 and lets say from 6 to 10 to have a life Monday thru Friday. That is 20 hours and lets say 14 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Now we are up to 48 hours in 7 days. This is all time that you are not at home getting your things done. In other words, what these people do in 7 days is what you are to cram into your UP TO 2 or 3 days off. It is not possible. But yet you are to be thankful you are home and be ready to go at the appointed run time. My 48 hours home usually ended up to be 1 1/2 days.
Hi, Farmer Bob!
I’m one of those 4-wheelers, I guess. I’m Farmer Bob’s older brother. I sit in an office all day, and it doesn’t move from lane to lane. If I drive more than two hours, I’ve got to stop and take a break. I respect truckers, but I guess I wouldn’t want to be one.
I miss my brother a lot, now that he’s on the road. On the other hand, we talk much more by cell phone. I can count on hearing from him every other day, unless he forgets what day it is. He says that for a trucker, sometimes that’s easy.
Farmer Bob, I have to tell you your granddaughter’s third birthday party was real nice. Lots of your friends from church were there, and all of the little girl’s friends from Sunday School. Our brother and his wife, along with my wife and your wife, all had a great time. Your son barbecued some great vittles, and your daughter-in-law cut my piece of birthday cake extra large. … to make up for you not getting any.
We miss you here in southern California, Farmer Bob. We think about you a lot, especially when we are in 80-degree weather and we know you’re fighting snow drifts and puttin’ on chains.
We love you, man. You are awesome. You’ve dreamed of trucking most of your life. Your favorite toys as a tiny tot were Tonka trucks. Now you get to drive a full-size model. It’s good that you love it, ’cause you’re sure doin’ it!
Best of success, Bro.
Farmer Bob’s Older Brother
This was a very well put post. I’m sure it wasn’t the easiest to write, and who knows how many people will actually really read what you had to say. I mean really read and understand it. Sometimes I feel as if my blog steers people the wrong way, because my life isn’t like most. I don’t have a family of my own, I have very few friends, and I was never involved much in church, clubs, etc. However, after being out for 6 weeks now, I am finding that I miss the hell out of the few friends I have, my parents, my siblings, my neices, etc. If trucking does one thing for us, it shows us how much we really had back at home without even realizing it. If I actually had a wife and kids back home, I don’t know that I could do this.
If I had it my way, this post would be mandatory reading for all those interested in becoming a truck driver. For all you reading who are interested in becoming a truck driver, go back and read this post again. Read it two or three times. And fully understand what he’s saying. You may not think this will be an issue for you, but you could be wrong. A lot of others have been wrong before.
Great post Famer Bob. Keepin’ it real. Stay safe driver.
TruckerMike