Take Time Off !!
The biggest demand that comes with driving a semi-truck is time. While I am enjoying the job, it takes a lot of my personal time away that I had with my family when working other jobs. Not only does it take personal time away from my family, but it takes my own personal time away as well.
I get five days off every four weeks. So I end up out on the road about two weeks at a time before I get time at home. While I can ask for specific days off, they are not guaranteed, except for a couple of times a year. When days off are not guaranteed, you can have a load to deliver on the day you were supposed to be off. When this happens you have to be sure to point it out so you can get your days off rescheduled. Normally they will reschedule them immediately after the days off you had originally requested. I did ask for guaranteed time at home for my wedding anniversary so my Wife and I can spend our anniversary together.
I get a ten hour Department Of Transportation (DOT) guaranteed break after I have worked for fourteen hours and/or driven eleven. Now you try to eat dinner, take a shower, sleep for at least 6 hours, and then get up and eat breakfast before the ten hours is up. There is not much time to read a book, get onto a laptop connected to the internet, watch any TV, or do much else that one would like to do with their personal time.
Once the ten hours is up, the cycle starts all over again. Pretrip the tractor and trailer and back on the road again.
When I come home for my time at home, I normally have a "Honey-Do List". I have to say the list is much smaller now since I complained about having to work the entire time I am at home and not being able to enjoy myself. Normally the things on the list are things that she cannot do herself and/or she is not sure of how to do. She is getting much better at not giving me so many things to do, especially since I indicated the time at home was meant more for she and I to spend "Quality Time" together.
I have to admit the my Wife has adapted pretty well to the situation and has been doing a lot of the things that I used to do around the house. I am proud of her for handling the home front as well as she has. I would also like to take a moment to thank both her Mom and Sister for being there to help her out and support her when needed.
Right now, it is Halloween night, begger's night, and my Wife, her Mother, and Sister are handing out candy while I am working on this blog. It is rainy here in Ohio tonight, so I am not sure how many ghouls and goblins will show up.
I get five days off every four weeks. So I end up out on the road about two weeks at a time before I get time at home. While I can ask for specific days off, they are not guaranteed, except for a couple of times a year. When days off are not guaranteed, you can have a load to deliver on the day you were supposed to be off. When this happens you have to be sure to point it out so you can get your days off rescheduled. Normally they will reschedule them immediately after the days off you had originally requested. I did ask for guaranteed time at home for my wedding anniversary so my Wife and I can spend our anniversary together.
I get a ten hour Department Of Transportation (DOT) guaranteed break after I have worked for fourteen hours and/or driven eleven. Now you try to eat dinner, take a shower, sleep for at least 6 hours, and then get up and eat breakfast before the ten hours is up. There is not much time to read a book, get onto a laptop connected to the internet, watch any TV, or do much else that one would like to do with their personal time.
Once the ten hours is up, the cycle starts all over again. Pretrip the tractor and trailer and back on the road again.
When I come home for my time at home, I normally have a "Honey-Do List". I have to say the list is much smaller now since I complained about having to work the entire time I am at home and not being able to enjoy myself. Normally the things on the list are things that she cannot do herself and/or she is not sure of how to do. She is getting much better at not giving me so many things to do, especially since I indicated the time at home was meant more for she and I to spend "Quality Time" together.
I have to admit the my Wife has adapted pretty well to the situation and has been doing a lot of the things that I used to do around the house. I am proud of her for handling the home front as well as she has. I would also like to take a moment to thank both her Mom and Sister for being there to help her out and support her when needed.
Right now, it is Halloween night, begger's night, and my Wife, her Mother, and Sister are handing out candy while I am working on this blog. It is rainy here in Ohio tonight, so I am not sure how many ghouls and goblins will show up.
posted by RickSmith | 5:26 PM
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