HOME IS WHERE THE TRUCK IS: An interview with my driver.

On the road there are obviously hours to kill so I decided to interview my driver so you can all get to know him a bit.

The Details
Name: Mark Griffin
Age: 48 (older than me!!) birthday is in April
Hair/Eyes: blonde with silver highlights/sparkly blue
Hometown: Norfolk, VA (born) , Virginia Beach (grew up)
Kids: Tyler (23, lives in Colorado, is a auto mechanic and is married to Ariana who is a cosmetologist),Griffin (20, lives somewhere in NC we think, no his name is not Griffin Griffin. He has his mother's last name)
Awesome step dad to: Andrew (22, lives in Zebulon NC, prepping to become a professional driver as well) Adam (21, attends Western Carolina University, studying elementary education)

The Favorites:
Football team: Washington Redskins
Food: steak
Color: blue (see truck color)
Hobbies: watching tv, riding roller coasters and building things

The Interview

Q1. How long have you been driving?
A1. I went to school in August of 2016. I was a company driver until April 2017 when I made the switch to owner/operator and bought my truck.

Q2. What made you decide to become a professional driver?
A2. Well, there wasn't much else I could do to make a decent living (due to hip replacement and back injury in 2013). I always thought about doing it but had kids at home so I could not leave them.

Q3. What is the hardest part of the job?
A3. Time management. Making sure I shut the TV off early enough to get enough sleep.

Q4. What do you like the most about your job?
A4. Well, it used to be the solitude (laughs hard at his joke, slaps knee) Just kidding. I love getting to see the country. Every part looks different. Some people say mountains are mountains but that is not true,

Q5. What do you like least about your job?
A5. TRAFFIC (said with great emphasis) and being stuck somewhere without a load.

Q6. How has your wife being on the road with you changed things?
A6. Now I have someone to talk to and I don't have to worry about stopping to eat and losing time. I don't have to go back to NC every 3-4 weeks now either.

Q7. So nothing negative?
A7. No, not yet. (laughs at his joke, again)

Q8. Before your wife was on the truck were you lonely? How did you deal with the solitude?
A8. I don't think I was lonely. I don't mind being by myself . I talked to you (me) on the phone A LOT. Watched TV.

Q9. What advice would you give to new truck drivers?
A9. Stay on top of your planners to keep the loads coming in. Keep your driver leader in the loop so he/she knows what is going on. And learn patience. You will need A LOT of it out here on the road.