Trucking is an exciting career with many opportunities. Although there are many benefits to being a truck driver, such as freedom on the open road and seeing new places, there are still negative sides like loneliness and boredom. Truck driving is also difficult for your marriage. Being away from your spouse for days or weeks at a time makes it challenging to have a happy and healthy marriage. Thankfully, truck drivers have the option to team drive with their spouse.
Forming a husband and wife trucking team can be a great opportunity to spend time together and travel the United States while making good money. Now, like any other job, driving with your spouse has pros and cons. Keep reading below to find out if team driving with your spouse is right for you.
Pros of Team Driving with Your Spouse:
Faster delivery
Due to the FMCSA’s hours of service regulations, truck drivers can only drive up to 11 hours a day. Any driving after 11 hours will result in a penalty and a bad safety score. Truckers on average will drive up to 55-60 miles per hour. After their 11 hour shift, that adds up to a little over 600 miles a day. When you drive with your spouse, you can drive more miles. While you are finishing your 11-hour shift, your spouse can be resting and getting ready for their shift. This allows drivers to complete more miles a day, which in return leads to faster delivery.
You won’t feel lonely
Driving alone can lead to developing mental health issues later on in your trucking career. Studies show that depression and anxiety are some of the most common mental health issues in drivers today. Team driving with your spouse eliminates feeling lonely on the road. Having your spouse with you on the road gives you someone to talk to and enjoy your daily activities with.
Make more money
A single truck driver makes less money per mile than one whose team drives. Why is that? Well, with two drivers, you are completing more miles each day, and therefore you reach your destination much quicker.
Cons of Team Driving with Your Spouse:
Difficulty getting along
They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and that is true. It can be difficult to get along with your spouse when you are in a small space for weeks at a time. You may find yourself wanting alone time to pursue your hobbies and interests. When you decide to team drive, you give up the possibility of any alone time in your truck.
Lack of sleep
To make team driving work. Your spouse will have to rest while you complete your shift of driving. Sleeping in a truck cab, especially if your spouse is noisy, can be difficult. As a truck driver, it is essential to have a good night’s rest before hitting the road. Getting the right amount of sleep is not only good for your overall health, but it also makes you more alert and cautious when driving.
Check out our blog 5 Tips to Help Truckers Stay Awake on the Road.
Harder to find trucking insurance
If you decide that team driving is for you and your spouse, you might have trouble finding a commercial truck insurance company that will write your insurance. When you team drive, your truck never stops. Therefore the truck is at risk for higher exposure to accidents. Your truck is also more liable to having maintenance issues, which can result in getting violations.
Conclusion
Driving with your spouse has many pros and cons. Our advice to you is to take a look at the pros and cons and determine if this is the right career path for you and your spouse. Trucking with your spouse can lead to many great memories. Share with us your team driving experience in the comments below.
