Husband and wife team truck driving jobs offer a number of benefits, such as higher pay, more time with your spouse, and the opportunity to explore the country with your loved one. There may also be a number of drawbacks that present themselves as couples spend long hours on the road together.

A typical solo truck driver is continually dealing with traffic, subpar food, boredom, and fatigue. All those hours behind the wheel can make a driver lonely too, which can really take a toll on a driver’s mental well being.

To combat that loneliness, many drivers will bring their dogs and families along for the ride so that they have company. What’s really made the difference for many truck drivers is when both spouses earn their CDL. This allows drivers to partner with their spouses and make the drives together as a team.

Read on to learn about the benefits and drawbacks to husband and wife team truck driving jobs.

Benefits of Husband and Wife Team Truck Driving Jobs

The most obvious benefit to a husband and wife driving together as a team is more money. A team of drivers can drive twice as much in a single day as a solo driver, so long as one drives while the other rests. This makes them in high demand by some carriers as they can potentially make deliveries in half the time. Additionally, some carriers are willing to pay a premium for husband and wife driving teams to deliver their cargo.

When drivers team up with their spouses, it may alleviate many of the conflicts that are associated with other team driving scenarios. Some of these issues that other driving teams may confront include sleeping quarters and personality conflicts. Spouses who drive together are usually more in sync about communication, driving style, music choices, and especially sleeping arrangements.

Teams of drivers who are not married may have a steep learning curve when it comes to communicating and getting along. If a driver and his or her teammate don’t get along, the long days on the road can seem exponentially longer and lonelier. And driving alone can be an exceptionally lonely experience. When married couples drive together, they both benefit from having someone they love and trust to talk to. They work together to navigate cities, keep records together, and communicate with dispatch. Driving together can also be great for relationships; togetherness on the road may help husbands and wives remain close and eliminate the strained relationship that typically results from just one person being away for long periods of time.

Husband and wife team truck driving jobs can encourage the couple to enjoy their time on the road together. They will be more likely to be active together during their downtime and may make time for sightseeing in towns and cities across the country as they make the drive. In addition to generally being more active, married couples may avoid some of the health issues that typically affect single drivers like depression, diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea. The open road can be a lonely, stressful place, and drivers who team up with their spouses may see a reduction in risk for these issues due to having pleasant company.

Husband and wife teams that work well together tend to find a lot of success, as work never feels like work, but more like time well spent.

The other benefits to husband and wife team trucking include enhanced safety, shared responsibilities, and flexibility, making the experience much more worthwhile. When it comes to safety, having two experienced drivers in the truck can lead to safer driving on the road. The duo can share the responsibility of monitoring weather conditions and navigating in bad weather, finding alternate routes if traffic is congested, and helping maneuver challenging situations. Having someone else to ensure safety remains paramount can also reduce stress and pressure and potentially prevent accidents, making it a more enjoyable and safer experience.

Additionally, when it comes to sharing the responsibilities, one partner can handle the paperwork, communication with dispatch, and route planning while the other drives. This can make drivers more efficient and less overwhelming, potentially increasing the number of jobs the husband and wife team can complete. Lastly, husband and wife driving teams have greater flexibility when choosing their routes, and schedules. They can discuss and decide on the best route, what stops to rest at, and make the experience more personalized and enjoyable. After all, what’s better than traveling the country with your best friend? 

Drawbacks to Husband and Wife Team Trucking Jobs

While many couples may enter into husband and wife team truck driving jobs with the mindset that they’ll get to spend time together, they may be shocked to learn that they actually see each other less due to opposite schedules. When one member of the team is behind the wheel, the other is likely sleeping in order to maximize the number of miles traveled.

Additionally, the togetherness of sharing a truck cab may actually wear on the relationship of husbands and wives who drive together. Some may find that they despise being together all the time, or that their partners have habits they cannot stand that they’ve never noticed before. Others may learn that they actually appreciate their partners more when there’s some time apart and they’re driving separately. While many married couples can drive together without issue, there is the risk that some may find it difficult to be together all the time.

Another drawback to driving as a team with your spouse is that the long hours on the road away from home make having a family difficult. If the married couple has older children that no longer live at home, it may be more feasible. Couples with young children will need to find long term childcare, and couples who want to start a family may be wise to put that plan off until one of them is no longer driving.

Team trucking works well when both drivers love their work, and may be a disaster if both are not on the same page. One spouse may love being on the road and the other may find sharing a cab claustrophobic. If one driver is more skilled at handling the 18-wheeler than the other, conflict may arise and the situation may devolve into arguments and criticisms.

Another drawback to consider is if the husband and wife team has young children or wants to start a family, the demands of team truck driving can make it challenging to find the balance between work and family life. Finding suitable long-term childcare arrangements or postponing family plans may be necessary, but it is not a possibility for everyone, so it’s best to consider your current situation and your life goals with your partner. 

Tips for Husband and Wife Team Trucking Jobs

Now that you’re considering driving with your husband or wife, it’s time to start making a plan! Below are some tips for making this partnership lasting and successful! 

Open and Honest Communication: 

Open and honest communication is critical to a successful partnership, especially when on the open road together. Be sure to discuss your expectations, preferences, concerns, etc., with one another to ensure you are on the same page and can respect the other person’s boundaries, which may be a bit different than usual, given the truck’s size. 

Establish Roles and Responsibilities: 

Establishing the roles and responsibilities of each person will help foster open and honest communication and prevent any miscommunications on the road. Things to consider include who drives when, handles paperwork, communicates with dispatch, sleeps when, and more, depending on the needs of you and your partner. 

Be Patient and Understanding: 

Spending long hours together in a truck isn’t easy, so it’s vital to be patient and understanding with one another. If your partner needs space, give it to them and be aware and respectful of their boundaries. And remember, it’s normal to have disagreements! 

Respect Each Other’s Space: 

When in a truck, respecting each other’s personal space is essential. Create designated areas or times for both to be alone, recharge, and give yourself some time. This time can prevent irritation, claustrophobia, or unrest.

Learn from Each Other: 

Embrace this unique opportunity to learn from your partner share tips, insights, and experiences to make the adventure more enjoyable for both of you! 

Call TDI for Husband and Wife Team Truck Driving Jobs

For the right couple, team truck driving can be a lucrative and fun career that allows you to see the country while spending time together. If job security, independence, and traveling the open road with your spouse sounds like an excellent career, you should both earn your CDL and work together as a team. At Truck Driver Institute, you and your spouse can get your CDLs in fifteen days and then hit the open road. We also provide competitive tuition rates and have a job placement program with a 86% success rate. Husband and wife team drivers are in high demand by our carrier partners.

To get started, all you and your spouse have to do is select one of our eleven campuses or contact us today!