Whether driving together in the truck, being the wife of a driver, or a couple that are both involved in trucking but running different routes, finding the balance in a relationship when you are a trucker, can be challenging.

Take the relationship of Johnny and Libby Uselton, who met in 2013 when both ran drop and hook and often showed up at the same Fort Worth, Texas distributor. That is when Johnny first noticed Libby, who would often walk around the distribution center while waiting on her trailers. She also noticed the trucker with the gorgeous eyes and beautiful smile, “The Wranglers didn’t hurt either” says Libby, “And I knew he was all cowboy” she added with a laugh. The meeting in 2013 led them to not only marriage but a partnership where they run as a team for a major retailer in Texas.  While they love being together on the road, there is a certain respect that needs to be implemented especially when both had lengthy solo careers spanning nearly 19 years. They will tell you they had very different styles at first and were used to doing things their own way, but over the years they have established a compromise, and playing off each other's strengths, run more efficient as a team. The ability to pick each other up when the other is down and just being able to be together on the road has been beneficial to their careers in trucking. Both will tell you that driving as a team has made their lives on the road so much better and that listening and being patient with one another are key in making their relationship work so well.

It is often said that absence makes the heart grow fonder – and that is certainly the case with Thomas and Misty Miller. They have been together for over 27 years, 22 of which Thomas has been a truck driver. When he first started out, Misty admits it took some adjustment to be apart and find a balance – but she had plenty of experience since her father was also a truck driver, so she relied on her mother for advice. Even though some days Misty felt like a single mom raising their two girls, she always knew Thomas was a phone call away and that he would always try to be home for the important events. Over the years they also have made sure to schedule time for just the two of them, so when he is home she will change her normal routine to make his time at home special. Although she considers herself very independent she did make a point to say it is important to make your driver feel that he is still needed at home. “I took it upon myself to fix the lawnmower one time,” Misty recalls with a laugh, “and when Thomas got home I realized by the look on his face that maybe I should have left that task to him.” If she had to sum up what has made their relationship work so well it is communication, and to realize that although you miss him, he misses you too. Make sure to have that give and take in conversation and don’t make it all about what is going on at home.  Misty says she often jokes that they probably would have divorced if it weren’t for trucking and that she sometimes felt that Thomas would pick a fight right before he left to make parting easier. But at the end of the day Misty says Thomas is still the love of her life, and although being married to someone that is away for weeks at a time can be challenging, she would be lost without him.

Stephanie thought that she might not ever meet anyone that had her same work ethic or interests until a friend who was a dispatcher had a friendly guy with a G.I. Joe haircut and baby blue eyes show up at her office one day. Greg Klang told her that he was looking for a companion on the road and considering a dog, but really would rather have a cat. She immediately thought of her friend Stephanie, who is also a cat lover and drives with her cat Fred and decided that the two of them should meet. Greg worked hard to win Stephanie over as she had high standards for a relationship. “I also wasn’t so sure that anyone could live my kind of ‘crazy’” said Stephanie. But he was very patient and very much aligned with what Stephanie wanted out of life. Together now since 2003, they both work for CFI and although they run different routes they try to be home on the same week. They talk several times during the day and make sure to text each other when they arrive safely to their destination. Stephanie says that they often pass each other on the highway and will honk and wave, but sometimes they are running the same route and do have opportunities where they might see each other on the road. When they do have time off together they make sure to schedule a date night and realize that this time off the road is special so they both try not to pick on the small stuff and make the most of their time together.    

The common thread with all the drivers, who are all members of the RoadPro Pro Council, was patience, communication and understanding and the importance of making the most of your time together. While they all admit at times it is not always easy – having someone to talk to at the end of a long day on the road has made their lives better.