It's a Team's Life
How Long Do You Stay Out?
A common question that truck drivers are asked is “How long do you stay out or away from home?” For us, it is about every three months and then we try to stay home for at least two weeks.
Every situation is different and each driver has to figure out what works best for them. We like to stay out longer so we can stay home longer. The truck always comes first and we schedule routine maintenance while we are at home and if the truck needs to go in the shop we would rather be at home. When we have the truck caught up and ready to head back out on the road again we then can relax and enjoy our time off.
Staying out for long periods requires planning as I need to know what bills will come due and also what attire we need. When the seasons change we need our coats or our summer clothes in the truck. We also have to plan for our pets and that they have enough flea and tick medicine as well as their shots up to date. We also plan around when our DOT Physicals are due, drivers licenses need to be renewed, TWIC cards need to be renewed, important family events, and when possible a vacation.
We have stayed out for longer periods of time when the freight is really hot or we have gone home earlier when the freight is slow. Nothing is set in stone except going home for Christmas. Going home too often cuts into our revenue stream and waiting too long to go home cuts into our peace of mind and stress level. It is no fun to get home and be totally exhausted mentally and physically.
When we were in an OEM Sleeper we usually stayed out for six weeks at a stretch and that seemed like a very long time. Now with our ARI Sleeper even after four months, we are still comfortable.
The best part of being an owner-operator is being able to plan our schedule and change on a dime if we need to.
Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.