February 3, 2024
What Truckers Wish Friends and Family Understood
The world of trucking can be challenging to understand for those outside of the industry, especially for friends and family members. There are some parts of the job that truckers wish everyone understood and are worth discussing to improve relationships at home and on the road. If you’re a trucker, share this with friends and family to help them better understand the career. Those with truckers in your life, pay attention because positive support is essential.
Truckers Don’t Always Know When They’ll Be Home
Among the questions truckers hear from family members, “When will you be home?” takes the cake for most frequently asked. There isn’t always a set schedule for long-haul drivers, especially for owner-operators. In a perfect world, there wouldn’t be any traffic or drop-off location delays, and all deliveries would be made on time. If this were the case, it would be much easier for truckers to know precisely when they’ll be home. Along the way, unforeseen circumstances often delay a trucker’s return.
Truckers want friends and family to know that they also like to make their runs on time, collect the money, and head home, but they’re not lying when saying they don’t know when they’ll be home.
Understanding that a trucker doesn’t always know when they’ll be home will save arguments and turmoil within a family; when a trucker does make it home greet them with love and affection because they missed you as much as you missed them.
Weather conditions can also add delays, making for longer trips. Road closures and re-routing due to harsh winter weather happen often. Busy holiday seasons also add to uncertainty for drivers due to heavy workloads.
No, Truckers Wouldn’t Rather Have a Desk Job
When people say trucking isn’t for everyone, it’s certainly not for those who prefer a desk job, and vice-versa. The open road is a trucker’s office, and they choose to look at the beautiful roads of the US rather than a computer screen or cubicle.
Having few coworkers also benefits truckers who prefer to work alone or with minimal people. Some drivers work with a partner, and besides dispatch, that’s the only coworker a trucker must deal with. With drop and hook trucking, contact with warehouse or receiving workers is also minimal. A desk job may seem simpler, but it may not always be the right fit.
For Some Truckers, Home Time Just Means Home Time
It may seem like trucking isn’t a physically taxing job, but ask any roadster, and they won’t fail to mention the aches and pains they may experience when sitting for long periods. Just like with any job, there are aspects of trucking that can be tiring, and coming home after a run is when a trucker can unwind, spend time with family, and get some rest before hitting the road again.
Not every trucker wants to come home with plans for socializing or activities, which is essential for friends and family to recognize. Sometimes, home time means enjoying being back home with the family or simply kicking back, relaxing, and watching a game on TV.
If you’re a trucker, help friends and family get to know you and your career so they can better understand and support you.
Follow our blog for more trucking news and highlights, and check out our employment opportunities and requirements if you are interested in a trucking job.
Other Recommended Readings from Our Blog:
How to Find Work as Owner-Operators
