A few years ago, I had a move that was going to keep me inLos Angeles over Christmas. Barrett offered to fly me home and back so I could be with my family for Christmas day, but with the kind of schedule I was on, it was just too tight. Barrett called another driver, Mike, who lived in the LA area and asked him if he’d invite me over for Christmas dinner. I knew him a little bit and I thought it was nice of Barrett to do that so I agreed.

Mike’s son picked me up at 6:00 in the morning and when we got to the house, Mike was already cooking. It turns out he’s pretty well known for his cooking. He was cooking dinner for his parents and family as well as for his parent’s friends who lived in the same retirement community. We spent the day out in his backyard roasting turkeys, pheasants, and ducks. By the time we ate that night, we were pretty hungry and tired of looking at birds. It was a pretty intense day. He didn’t put me to work, though. I don’t think he wanted me to mess with his food.

I assumed I was going over there to spend the day and maybe watch a little football. We did that and so much more. He was such a generous guy, all around. They even insisted that I spend the night there. The whole experience was a lot of fun.

Rich R., Barrett

Being a van operator sure beats working a lot of other jobs. I’ve done this for so long and I have so much freedom out here. You can pretty much live where you want, in whatever part of the country you want. You can set your own schedule. If you’re hooked to a good agent that’s got a lot of tonnage and some good accounts, you can make a decent profit and a good living.

Hands down, Suddath and United are the best out there. I started with United, and over the years you get to know a lot of people in this business. You meet people who drive for a lot of different agents and different van lines. They’ll talk about how well they’re doing and the grass always looks greener, right? So you might switch and it works out for a while, and then it doesn’t and you end up going back. I’ve been around the whole horn with it and United and Suddath have everyone else beat in this business. When the economy gets tough I can understand why people looking for a mover might look for someone cheaper, but they lose out on service. I think we have the best drivers because the quality drivers gravitated toward United where they’re appreciated more for the extra things they do.

When I hear, “This is the best move we’ve ever had,” I feel good about it. It makes a difference when you can think you’re doing something for them no one else can. One of the big perks of the job is meeting new people all the time. You meet people from all walks of life. You move everyone from retiring mailmen to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to sports stars. I spend a lot of time during inventory talking to my customers and getting to know them a little bit. They get to know me a little bit and I think it puts them at ease. You realize you’re putting everything these people own for the most part on your trailer and I think when they get to know you, you’re not just some mover who works for a carrier, you’re Mike who lives in the Florida panhandle and has two kids. It puts them more at ease when you drive away with everything they own.

Mike J., Suddath

There are so many gorgeous places across the country. The most beautiful part of the country for me is the upper rim of the Grand Canyon, Interstate 8 between Mexico and California.

If I can arrange it, I also like to stop and see the redwoods of northern California. It’s tough to get through there with a big truck but I’ve been up there with a short truck many times. The New England states like Maine and New Hampshire are beautiful, too, even though the roads aren’t made for big trucks. I even like parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota because you get all four seasons. The winters are cold, sure, but the summers are so nice, especially near all those lakes and wooded areas. It’s a lot better than riding where there’s flat nothing, like Nebraska. You look forward and backwards and there’s just nothing there.

In the winter, the stress level goes up 100%. On a coast to coast job, you never know if you’re going to hit a snowstorm in Chicago and of course everyone’s got a schedule to keep. You watch the weather a lot so you can be aware of what’s ahead and reroute moves to avoid severe weather. You could be in Williston, North Dakota and it’s -40 and then in Mesa, Arizona and it’s 110. You learn how to dress and hydrate and stay ahead of the game.

I was with another agency for 17 years prior to coming to Barrett. One of the big differences with Barrett is that I don’t have to fight for my money. With the other agency, man, I fought for every dime. Barrett people are good people to be with and work for.

The secret to being a van operator is flexibility. You can expect one thing and it turns out to be completely different. You might think the load is going here but then it needs to go there. You can’t get bent out of shape just because it’s not what they said it was. Life is short, enjoy it.

Jerry I.,  Barrett

It takes a very strong woman to marry a mover. Orders change. You try to make plans for holidays or anniversaries, but it’s hard to make plans for some things very far in advance.

Early in our relationship, I took my wife out on a trip and showed her exactly what I do on the job. That helped her gain a better understanding and appreciation for what I do. She understands the physical and the mental part of the job. She knows how it takes a day or two for me to unwind after I get home. She reads me so well. The day before I leave for another trip, she’ll say, “You’re already inTennessee, aren’t you?”

We’ve taken several trips together and she’s become part of the business. She helps oversee how everything goes. I’ve got a good thing going with her.

She’d probably go with me all the time if she could, but she can’t for a few more years until our last two kids are grown and gone. Her plan for after the kids are gone is to get a truck with basically an apartment in the back and then just go. When we’re on the road and she sees a place she likes, she’ll write it down or make notes about a town we don’t have time to stop in. For me, I’m thinking of kicking back a little, spending more time at home and not working so much, but maybe we’ll do a little of both.

We live in North Carolina, near Raleigh. It’s nice because I like to hunt and fish. But our favorite part of the country is the Pacific Northwest. I told my wife I’d move to Montana in a minute.

We tend to find great places to eat on the road, too. I love sushi, and in Fife, Washington, near Tacoma, there’s a great sushi place called Sapporo Sushi and Roll. When I’m in the Ellensburg, Washington area, I also make sure I get to Buds Steakhouse. It’s next to the Flying J truck stop, just off Interstate 90. And if you’re in Junction, Texas, take exit 461 off I 10 to Coopers Bar B-Q and Grill. Best brisket in Texas.

Mike H.

My van is like an RV, too. It has a bathroom, shower, sink, full size frig, a double bed that folds up like a murphy bed with a breakfast nook under it, and a microwave/convection oven. It’s nice having your own shower if you’ve ever had to stop at a place with 20 showers for 100 drivers and they aren’t cleaned very often.

It’s a little harder to find places to stop than years before, but if you plan your routes well, it works out. I don’t park in unsecure areas. I make sure I know where I’m going and where I’m going to park.

My wife, Diana, has driven with me off and on over the years. She now works in the office at Barrett, but when she rode with me, she’d make a lot of meals and we’d eat better than when I was on the road by myself. I’m a big boy and have to stay active and avoid bad munching.

I like Sirius/XM Satellite radio, too. It’s nice because you can plug in a station you like and listen to it for the next week or so. It doesn’t fade.

Chuck S

I always listen to Satellite radio while I’m driving, mostly Prime Country and the old 70’s music.

I like to carry a bicycle with me to get cabin fever out of my system. It just depends on what part of the country I’ll be in and what the weather might be like. I always enjoy Seattle for bike riding. North Dakota has some nice bike paths. Many cities are making some very nice paths, but I usually just get on the bike and go.

My truck is essentially an RV, all self contained. It allows me to eat a little better because, with a full size refrigerator, I can grocery shop and make good choices. I know some guys who religiously grill every night. My wife makes quite a bit of food from home that I’ll take with me. It’s easy just to pop something she’s made in the microwave ─ quick and healthy.

Pat M.

Sometimes it’s hard to eat well on the road, but there are a lot more healthy choices at truck stops now than years before. Avoid the fast food and you’ll do all right. Metro Truck Stops are good. They have good salad bars, fish on the menu, and less fatty meals overall. Good parking. Good fuel. Their shops are also handy if I need to make minor repairs on my truck. Travel Centers of America is good, too. They have a good online directory.

Loading and unloading a haul can be a good workout, but I stay in shape by taking long walks, too. Many truck stops now have fitness rooms and I can round out my exercise with good equipment.

Once I’ve had some exercise, showered, and had a good dinner, I relax by watching TV and movies. I also listen to quite a bit of Sirius/XM Satellite radio. My favorite station is the Jamie Foxx channel called the Foxx Hole. His comedy is a great way to end a day.

Bill H.

When my twin sons were old enough, I took them with me on summer moves. If we had a layover someplace, I’d park my truck, rent a car, and we’d take a little trip of our own. My kids have seen Mt. Rushmore, they’ve been through DC , and have been to the Grand Canyon with me. It was a lot of fun.

I took my boys one at a time. We’d be gone 2-4 weeks, come home for a few days, and then I’d take the other one with me. It was kind of pot luck where you’d end up but back then, I was running coast to coast and with coast to coast you always had a fair amount of dead time between one coast and the other.

In this job, you do miss a lot of time with your kids while they’re growing up. But now my kids have pictures and say, “Hey dad, remember this, when we took that riverboat ride on the Mississippi in St. Louis?” Or, “This is when we went to the Grand Canyon.” When you do things like that with them it makes it a little easier.

A nice thing about my schedule is that I may be gone for three or four weeks, but when I get home, I’m taking eight, nine, ten days off. So, while I wasn’t home every night to see my boys before they went to bed, when I did get home, I’d be there for a good week, long enough to do things with my family 24 hours a day. That right there gives you the freedom to do some things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. At the end of the year, I figure I have just as much time off as the average guy with a regular job, maybe more.

Mike J.

I sleep in motels all the time while I’m on the road. It can get expensive, but I can often get a corporate rate. Repeat business will often get you a cut rate, too, sometimes $35 or $40 a night. And they’re nice places, like Quality Inn and Hamilton Inn.

I give out a lot a of referrals so once I asked a place if they’d give us a deal if I could get them about nine guys every other night. They agreed. Word like that gets around to a lot of drivers and can be a good deal for everyone.

Mike B

One of the nicer things about the job is the repeat customers you get to know pretty well. It’s great to be requested by a customer who trusts you.

There was a pilot for the Burlington Northern railroad that I moved six times in about six years. It wasn’t a huge move, maybe about 7,000 pounds. Because he was a pilot, he had to live where they needed the plane for corporate employees. It got to the point that he’d throw me his keys, hop in his car and say, “Lock up when you’re done.” He wouldn’t even be there during the move.

Tom C