Frank and Stephanie Rebelo have ventured to 40 countries together in the last nine years, sharing their adventures through their joint Instagram account, which showcases selfies from locations like the sand dunes of Dubai and the Brazilian coast.
However, the Rebelo couple isn’t comprised of social media influencers or travel photographers; they are truck drivers.
Known collectively as The Trucking Couple, they boast around 30,000 followers across Instagram and YouTube. The Rebelo’s belong to a growing group of truckers who drive alongside their spouses. Team drivers can travel twice as far as a solo driver, earning over $100,000 annually.
With an ongoing driver shortage and continued supply chain issues affecting the American economy years after the pandemic, the demand for trucking teams is at an all-time high.
Insider engaged three trucking couples to learn how they have managed to maintain and even strengthen their marriages while transporting goods across the nation. “In the beginning, I wish we had an eject button in the truck,” remarked Robert Holmes.
Experienced truckers turned owner-operators Deb and Del LaBree advise couples considering trucking together to first spend a long weekend confined in a small space. “Even prisoners have larger cells than a truck,” Deb noted. “If you can survive that, you have a good chance of trucking together.”
All three couples agreed that the initial six months driving together involves a significant adjustment. Alongside mastering the skills needed to drive an 18-wheeler for extended hours, couples must adapt to this unique dynamic in their relationship. “You have to really like your partner,” Frank emphasized, “since you’re basically in an 8-by-10 space together 24/7 for ten months each year. It’s essential to learn how to handle disagreements.”
Fighting while your spouse operates an 80,000-pound vehicle is ill-advised, and the Rebelo and LaBree couples noted the lack of any real separation between work and home life, aside from a thin curtain dividing the front seats from the sleeper area. “You can’t just slam the curtain shut,” they shared.
