There’s no doubt about it: truck driving can be a lonely occupation. Though the solo trips aren’t always a bad thing, it can be taxing to spend so much time alone with your thoughts. If you are leaving a spouse behind, it can add even more stress. Time with your family is limited even if you both work 9:00-to-5:00 jobs. Some drivers only have a few days a month to really connect and spend time with their family.
That’s why more and more spouses are starting to join their significant other on the road. With the current truck driver shortage, many drivers have been logging extra miles and hours to help their companies meet the demands of clients. Though this is great for bank accounts, it adds stress to relationships with those left behind.
Driving with your spouse could significantly reduce your living expenses, while allowing you to take on long-distance higher paying jobs. And the biggest benefit is that you can spend additional time with your spouse. This can be an ideal scenario for women that have not been in the work force recently.
Spouses don’t function as just company either. More women than ever are attending truck driving school so that they can team up with their husbands. By team driving they can earn more money. According to Women in Trucking, the average female truck driver is 52 years old. Usually by this age, the kids are grown and husband-wife teams can more easily leave the home to run the roads. In 2013, 7% of truck drivers were female and that number continues to rise.
Many spouses give life on the road a chance in hopes of creating new adventures for themselves and their partner. While single drivers may take on more local deliveries so that they can stay close to home, driver teams can both travel further from their home base and see more of the country.
Of course, for those new to the trucking industry, the lifestyle change can be quite a shock. The small living quarters leave little room for annoyances that can be easily overlooked in a larger home. Additionally, the loud environment of the truck, the smells, and the cramped spaces to perform typical daily tasks can take a toll on anyone’s patience.
Having a second set of hands and eyes on the road can be beneficial to both drivers and the company they work for. The truck driving industry is becoming both simpler and more complicated than it was originally. Though technology has made reporting easier and more accurate, stricter security and increased paperwork and detailed logbooks have added a lot of work to the shoulders of truck drivers.
Having a partner in the rig can help make navigating large cities easier, communicating with dispatch a breeze, and handling repairs less stressful. By both partners obtaining a CDL license, income is secured. Team drivers are a major benefit to companies, as they can deliver loads faster with shorter turnaround times.There are a variety or reasons that a truck driver’s spouse may decide to join them on the road. From the fiscal benefits to strengthening relationships, the open road provides different appeals for every couple.
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Bay & Bay Transportation is a trucking and transportation company headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. We offer jobs to experienced, motivated truck drivers that have vision that align with our mission of quality services, safe actions, and consistent results. Company drivers and owner-operators interested in working for us are encouraged to apply online.