When Keith felt the nudge to get back into trucking, he asked his wife Tonya if she would ride along. Together, they’ve crisscrossed America, making memories and seeing the sights. They’re more in love today than ever, even if Keith gets on Tonya’s nerves now and then (wink wink). Today, Tonya supports Keith from home as he trains the next generation of professional truck drivers at Nussbaum. In Keith’s words – “she’s my biggest supporter, the love of my life, and I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else.”
Join us for a heartwarming conversation as Keith and Tonya share about their life on the road, how they found Nussbaum, and Keith’s journey to becoming a trainer. Press play today!
Quotes
“I came home one day and asked her, if I decide to go back over the road, will you go with me? And she said yes. And I said, well, that’s what we’ll plan on doing.” – Keith
“My mother and stepdad drove a truck, my dad drove a truck….growing up, my mom was a truck dispatcher for the steel mills up by Lake Station, Indiana.” – Tonya
“We live in a little community called Possum Trot, Kentucky.” – Keith
Saige [to Keith]: “Describe Tonya in three words.” Keith: “she’s sitting too close.” Tonya: “I won’t punch you in public.”
“She’s my biggest supporter, she’s my love of my life, and I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else.” – Keith
“I think everyone should have to go into the military, they should have to work fast food or a restaurant, and they should have to be a truck driver. Those are the three occupations that don’t get the respect that they deserve.” – Tonya
“When she was with me, we would stay out for eight months at a time.” – Keith
“We were together literally 24/7….we were on the exact same schedule. And everybody – I don’t care how much you love your spouse – there were days where I would say ‘you need to sit up front, and I’m closing these curtains because I’ve got to have five minutes to myself.’” – Tonya
“Just to clarify, I didn’t get on her nerves at all” [chuckles]. – Keith
“If anyone knows us, they know that is totally untrue. He gets on my nerves every day” [laughs]. – Tonya
“Everything that Caleb [Nussbaum recruiter] said was the truth. Everything that he told us came about. That was nice – to not feel like you’re being fed a story….everything he told us was right on the money.” – Tonya “He [Caleb] told me, ‘Keith, if there’s anything when you go through orientation that’s not like I said, you come get me, and I’ll go into the orientation room and see what it’s all about.’” – Keith
Links
Possum Trot, Kentucky (number 11 on the list)
