can my husband and i take our one year old on the road with us

by kitty
(south Carolina)

Me and my husband thinking about driving together will we be able to bring my 1yr old baby on the road with us

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Aug 04, 2014
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starstarstar 		Probably Not NEW
by: C.S.

Unfortunately, unless you are a privately insured owner operator who is working under their own authority, I doubt this will happen. Most major carriers restrict riders to ages 10+ at a minimum, some limits are as high as 12 or 14.

Besides that, you need to carefully consider whether it's even a good idea, for you or the baby.
Babies, as I'm sure you know, require a lot of work. From your post it sounds like you plan on team driving. This will be impossible with a baby. Team truckers usually roll 24/7. One trucker takes their 10-hour while the other drives, and vice versa. How will you possibly have time to take care of a one year old while teaming? Answer: you won't.

Additionally, even if one of you were to drive solo and have the other as a rider taking care of the baby, it's going to be INCREDIBLY hard. Really just a bad idea. Babies need constant entertainment, regular healthy meals, undisturbed sleep and a safe, large environment they can explore. You will be lucky to accomplish any of this on a moving semi. Your baby will need to be strapped into a car seat at ALL TIMES the truck is moving, and when that time can top 10 hours a day frankly it's just not feasible, or even fair to the baby.

What happens when your child has a high fever and needs to go to the doctor, but you've got a load on a deadline five hours away?
What happens when your husband is driving through rush hour traffic in D.C. and the baby is screaming, crying, and distracting him to the point he is risking an accident?
What happens when your baby is not learning and developing properly because she never has the opportunity to play like a normal child? (It is unlikely you will find playgrounds or even a grassy area at most truck stops).

Trucking is a difficult, strenuous, nomadic lifestyle. It is not the kind of lifestyle you should force on a baby, and I don't see it working out well. Could it be done with success? Probably, with the right tools and a vast amount of disposable income. The chances are much greater it won't work out for you. My recommendation would be for one of you to stay at home with the baby, while the other does solo trucking. I know it is not the answer you want to hear, but it is reality. Rethink this, and when your child is older and school age reconsider bringing her along with you.
Aug 01, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Taking a Baby On The Road
by: Hervy

Kitty in short, the only way to find this out is to ask your trucking company.

check this page for information and comments on taking a baby with you on the road.

Taking Riders Over the Road

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