I am looking for a trucking company that understands the needs of family men. I am wondering if any companies that provide free training are good about families going on trips with drivers. What is the typical amount of vacation time a year for truckers. Can I chose the amount of vacation I take. I understand that the first year won't give way to much time off. I'm wondering if my kids can be with me on the truck in the summer.

You will find it difficult to find any carrier who will allow children in the truck. If you are involved in an accident their insurance may not cover them. Some insurance companies actually prohibit passengers being in the truck as part of their insurance policy. Some of the larger carriers have policies you can purchase for one passenger, such as a spouse. Some will allow one child as long as they are of a certain age. Usually it is about 16 or 18. Most will not allow smaller children for safety and insurance reasons. As a footnote, if you have an unauthorized passenger in your truck you could lose your job.

Trucks are no place for children anyway. Visit some truckstops and you will see this.

Most company's have rider restrictions. I have seen age 10 and up, age 13 and up,age 18 and so on. Most say immediate family only They are all different you will just have to ask and make a list priorities and put whats most important to you on top. Pay, home time, riders etc..etc.. As far as vacation they all seem to be different also.

The answer is a small yes. Usually something along the lines of one week per year a driver's with a non-union company. Max at four weeks but may take five years or more to get there. Union companies are probably different, I'm sure a unionist will come along with that info. BOL

And most companies that allow children riders say 1 rider at a time and also limit it to the summer months when kids are not in school.

I spent that last 4th of July and New Year's Eve on the road. I bring the party wherever I go, so I don't worry about being home. Of course I am single.

Keeping your dispatcher in the loop will ensure your hometime.

TMC's policy is 1 rider at a time, immediate family only. You must inform TMC you wish to have passengers and they'll charge you a small fee for an insurance rider policy.
Vacation time here is 1 week=1year 2 weeks=2years 3 weeks=10years.

Any specific questions feel free to PM or call me anytime.

Celadon allows 1 passenger at a time (not sure of age requirements). The charge is $7.00 per week for the insurance.

Vacation there is 1 week & $1,000 per every 30,000 dispatched miles after the 1st 30,000 miles. I'm about 10,000 miles from my initial $1,000.

There is a trucking company out of Sidney Ohio that has paid vacation for company drivers. They wouldn't allow you to take young kids with you I'm sure and I don't know their rider policy- wife, yes. kids, I dunno.

Anyway- it is Continental Express. NOT the Continental Express out of Arkansas. This one is out of Sidney Ohio and a much smaller company. The way they work is that you get your weekends off- usually ony 1 or 1.5 days per week- but if you stay out for 2 weeks they'll give you a little more. But you pick the week you want vacation. Then, every 13 weeks, they give you a paid week off. They take the average of what you make in the previous 13 weeks and pay you that amount.

It's possible they don't do that anymore- we worked for them probably 10 years ago.

They won't train you as far as school goes, but if you have completed schooling they should have a trainer to take you out on the road. And it will be a trainer with some real trucking experience- not some guy who graduated trucking school 6 months ago.

Continental Express Inc
10450 State Route 47 W, Sidney, OH
(937) 498-2100
1-800-497-2100

See if Craig Fissinger still works there in recruiting. They are a small outfit. But I will warn you- they will really work your @$$ off. They deliver to grocer receivers. When we worked there they did not pay for lumpers- which meant WE had to unload the trailer most times. I hear they may be paying for lumpers now.