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Can a trucker's full time passenger get good sleep?

My husband is considering trucking. I'd like to go with him. I'm disabled with fatigue issues - sleep apnea, depression which shows up as fatigue all the time. I really need my sleep.

Do you think that as a non-driving passenger, I could get good sleep? Or would noise, movement, and my husband coming in and out of bed for short naps instead of full nights of sleep, make it hard for me to sleep?

Comments for Can a trucker's full time passenger get good sleep?

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Mar 06, 2017
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Being able to sleep
by: Hervy

There is only one way to find out really. I have no problem sleeping as long as I trust the person driving.

Some people talk about not being able to sleep well while the other person is driving.

It depends on you really.

Granted some roads are so bumpy that it might take getting used to for you to fall asleep. Once you try it for about a week, it will be easier.

Who can you take on the road

Driver Rest

Jun 04, 2013
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Thanks!
by: Anonymous

Thanks for your comment. :)

Jun 03, 2013
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Hours of operation
by: NickV

Its really quite complicated and I drive locally now so what I am about to say maybe some of the vets on here can correct, I haven't worked a log book in two years but here we go. There are 4 lines you can be on, Off duty, Sleeper Berth, Driving, or On Duty. Once you move onto a On duty or Driving line your 14 hour day starts.

You can only drive 11 of these 14 hours including atleast a 15 minute pre or post trip (looking over your truck.) There is also a rule called split sleeper time which I am not very well educated on and have never felt comfortable doing cause I just don't understand it. Once your 14 hour day is up you must take a 10 hour break, now what you do in that time is up to you. Some guys like to drive at night that way there are more spots at truck stops when their shift ends in the morning plus less traffic at night, some cant stay awake at night and drive during the day, and sometimes you don't have a choice in order to make dead lines for load deliveries or pick ups. Depending on which way your man decides to go he wont be thrown into this fire of information, he will most likely have to go through a school and then go out with a mentor for a month or so. It sounds like a lot to take in and at first its really system overload but 6 months to a year in, this will all come second nature.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into how things work. Hours of operation are really important especially now days with d.o.t. really coming down on drivers. Any thing else please feel free

Jun 03, 2013
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Thank you!
by: Anonymous

Thanks for your feedback! So, as far as what I've read, the math game figuring out when you can sleep ends of meaning that you sleep a few hours here and there at any time of the day or night that works, instead of sleeping 8 hours at night. Is that right? What if you can't sleep when you need to?

You can't take ambien if it's just for a few hours... what do you do?

Jun 02, 2013
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Counting Sheep
by: NickV

Not to sure about how serious your sleep apnea is but I have a pretty severe case. I sleep with a CPAP machine. Make sure that when you go, to get a adaptor for your machine if you have one. Sleeping on the truck takes some getting use to.

At first you probably wont sleep much but when you get use to it, its great. There were times when I got off the road and I couldn't sleep in my bed cause I was so use to the movements and sounds of the truck. I was working for a company that only did team driving meaning the truck was always moving. I would do my 11 hour shift then my co driver would do his and we would just switch back and forth. As far as him taking naps during the day I would have to say that's probably not going to work to well.

As truck drivers your mandated by law a certain amount of hours to drive each day. There are log books you must keep to show proof of your driving time, sleep time, labor hours and so on. In order to get your loads on time and prepare for receiving loads its really a math game with your hours. So in the long run you as a driver sleep really only when you have to.

Its not the most paid job so when the wheels can legally turn with a load on back, that's what you do. I hope this helps and if you have any other questions feel free to ask. Goodluck to you

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