Truck drivers sharing cabs, and companionship, with their pets

George Hatch and Amanda Smith transport goods in different provinces and have never met, but they share a common trait: they are paid to hang out with their closest friend while on the job.

Nyx is a trained psychiatric and cardiac alert service dog belonging to Smith. She is a two-year-old, 75-pound black Labrador and Anatolian Shepherd blend that ensures her safety on trucking trips. Tucker, a German Shepherd/Irish Wolfhound cross who joined Hatch after his previous dog retired, travels to Pennsylvania with him.

Both truck drivers cannot fathom driving a truck without their dogs.

Smith says, "You will actually look forward to going to work every day if you can do it with your best friend."

"I speak with my service dog constantly. When passing by, people must believe I am insane. However, her mere presence is most beneficial."

According to a survey of 500 U.S. owner-operators conducted by Truckstop, half of them travel with their pets for emotional support, and 46% would contemplate a different job if they were unable to do so.

Fleets and pet policies

Fortunately, pet policies are being adopted by an increasing number of fleets, according to Jessica Mata, driver recruitment and retention manager at Wellington Motor Freight.

She explains that the transportation industry is beginning to realize that having a pet in a truck is no different than having a passenger, and that fleet management does not face any additional challenges or issues by permitting pets in vehicles.

We would not be willing to risk losing a driver due to the absence of a companion policy. Mata states that [having dogs] does not prevent [drivers] from performing their duties safely and professionally.

Smith and Hatch concur that truck stops and customer facilities are generally pet-friendly, despite Hatch's assertion that some chemical factories and agricultural facilities may implement restrictions due to concerns about potential disease transmission affecting their operations.

Nyx, for instance, receives a great deal of affection from facility employees, and Smith even purchased a safety vest for her so that people can identify her outside the vehicle.

"They [the people] are extremely accommodating and joyful. The presence of a dog genuinely improves their mood. Multiple security officers have approached me and asked if they can pet her. "She's happy, her tail is wagging, and everyone adores her," Smith says.

Michael Robinson, vice president of safety, compliance, and driver development, explains that CAT takes customers' pet policies into account when planning loads and assigning drivers to routes to prevent drivers from having to abandon their pets at the gate. Based on driver feedback, they also update information about facilities, such as truck stations, in their internal Isaac systems.

Pet-friendly companies and recruiting

Existing pet policies can be a determining factor for drivers to join CAT, says Robinson, who adds that at least 10 percent of their truckers travel with canines or cats.

CAT, Wellington Group of Companies, and RST Sunbury are a few examples of pet-friendly fleets. According to Carriers Edge, the competition's organizer, other Canadian fleets, including Challenger, Erb Group of Companies, and Kriska Transportation Group, permit canines.

Mata says that Wellington does not even require a security deposit. However, drivers are required to sign a waiver stating that the owner is solely liable for the animal's behavior and well-being. The waiver also requires drivers to maintain current vaccination records for their canines, copies of which are kept on file.

Approximately 20% of Wellington Motor Freight drivers travel with their pets. And George Hatch is one of them; he has been a fleet driver for four years.

Even though driving with his first dog was initially a practical choice because he was unmarried at the time, when Hatch got Tucker he knew he was selecting a trucking partner. Before committing to him, he took the puppy on multiple car rides to ensure he would travel well and conduct appropriately.

"He had to maintain composure when I crossed the boundary in both directions. Because you cannot attempt to cross the boundary while your dog is barking and acting irrationally."

Cleaning and locking

A cordless vacuum is capable of resolving minor issues, such as dog fur. And wiping the dog's muddy feet during the rain could be an inconvenience. However, these are minor roadblocks compared to when your dog locks you out of your vehicle, according to Hatch. He always carries two pairs of keys for this reason. He learned the lesson the hard way.

"Dogs like to jump around and are unaware of the location of the door latch. And I have been locked out of my vehicle an uncountable number of times. Therefore, I always have one key in my pocket and one in the vehicle."

Tucker remains in the car while Hatch checks in and completes paperwork. During the summer, the key must be in the truck so that the A/C can continue to run; Hatch would occasionally leave the window open for Tucker when he was nearby.

Escapees

Tucker leapt out of the window for the first time into the yard a few days ago.

"He has never attempted to leap out of the truck because the windows are seven feet high. It is well above my head, and I am 5 feet 9 inches tall... Now I know not to leave it open when the truck is parked because he will leap out."

Tucker has also mastered the operation of automatic windows.

"He is aware that if he presses the switch, the window will lower completely. However, it's a true pain in the rear when the temperature is minus 20 degrees. "All your air is sucked out the window because your dog just opened it while you're driving at 60 miles per hour," says Hatch.

Since they are on a dedicated route, Tucker and Hatch have a well-established routine and divide responsibilities when Tucker is not opening the windows.

Strathroy, Ontario, to Lebanon, Pennsylvania, is a nine-hour drive, and they always stop midway to eat, refuel, and take walks.

In addition to providing company and keeping Hatch active, Tucker's presence functions as a deterrent against potential break-ins. He believes the presence of a vigilant and well-trained dog in the vehicle reduces the likelihood of theft at truck stops. Therefore, he walks Tucker around the truck stop every night before going to bed.

"If someone is looking, I'm hoping the odds are in my favor that they won't choose the truck with the giant German Shepherd inside."

Service dogs

Amanda Smith and Nyx have a distinctive relationship. The two discovered a unique method of communicating and understanding one another's requirements and behaviors. As a psychiatric and cardiac alert dog, Nyx's job is to alert Smith when she is about to experience an elevated heart rate or PTSD-related anxiety symptoms.

"As soon as I put her safety vest on, she knows she's working."

Since the standard day cab has a shift stick between the two seats, when Nyx initially came from behind to alert Smith, she would knock the truck transmission. However, according to Smith, RST Sunbury was always accommodating and hospitable to Nyx. Because it was hazardous for her to alert me, they removed one of the only automatic trucks in the chip division and replaced me with that driver.

Nyx was less than one year old when she began traveling with Smith, but she learned many things on her own.

She usually gets Smith's attention by nudging her elbow and pushing her arm forward. If Smith is excessively focused on the task and does not respond, Nyx will continue to push her hand until she barks.

"If I'm having a really good day and there aren't many flare-ups, she'll sleep in the bunk in the rear. However, if I'm a bit agitated, she paces back and forth between the front passenger seat and the rear, where she lays down.

This makes it simple for Smith to distinguish alerts from attention-seeking behavior.

"When she's hungry, she'll whine, and if she wants something, she'll make various noises, but she doesn't typically come up and push me."