Tamera and Todd Sturgis say ‘Trucking is Glamorous’

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Updated Sep 23, 2016

Is trucking glamorous?

Think about that for a moment. Go ahead, we’ll wait for you.

So, yes or no? Trucking: Glamorous or not?

Todd & Tamera Sturgis at the Great American trucking ShowTodd & Tamera Sturgis at the Great American trucking Show

Tamera and Todd Sturgis say trucking is not just enjoyable and a good way to earn a decent living, but truly is glamorous. This husband and wife team hauls air freight for a small independent firm, and thoroughly enjoys what they do. Talk to them or follow them online and that comes through loud and clear.

You may know already Tamera and Todd. They’ve been driving together for the last 23 years, and spent two seasons on the cable TV reality show, “Shipping Wars.” They were “He’s With Her,” and created a hotshot operation just for the cable TV reality show.

And, now they have a Facebook page called, yes, “Trucking Is Glamorous,” and may well be back on television sometime soon.

Their outlook about the often hard, always demanding, sometimes dirty business of over-the-road trucking is not starry-eyed or overly naive. It’s what this couple truly believes.

Tamera: “Trucking can be a difficult lifestyle, and a lot people only see the negative side of it. So we wanted to showcase the beauty in it, the romanticism. Yeah it’s tough. It’s not always glamorous, but it’s all about attitude and how you look at it and how you respond to things. Things are always going to go wrong so you have to respond with a good attitude. So we have a lot of fun with our page.”

Tamera shows off their connection to CumminsTamera shows off their connection to Cummins

Todd: “We also post the day-to-day of truck driving, so people can see, so friends and family can see what we do. We might hit an awesome barbecue place. So we work this day-to-day job but also get to experience amazing things. We’re trying to let people know about the brighter side of trucking.”

But they’re doing more than posting great pics and videos on Facebook from their trips across the country. They’re also making the most of the opportunities they have created for themselves, and sharing it with others.

Spend any amount of time with Tamera and Todd and you’ll understand their outlook and why they might have their own TV show. (While they cannot be too specific about the project, they do say they are optimistic.)

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But, optimism is not just a social media meme or a slogan written on a chalkboard for this couple who met in 1993, drove together starting in 1994 and got married in 1995. (Their anniversary is Friday.)

Instead, it’s a way of life for this couple, who also profess their Christian faith, especially the idea of “grace,” and not the prayer some say before meals. In short, they want to live fulfilling lives, ones not disrupted by things and people over which they have no control. And, for that they express thanks.

Todd & Tamera on “Shipping Wars” (A & E photo)Todd & Tamera on “Shipping Wars” (A & E photo)

“Every day you’re going to get four-wheelers cutting you off or not knowing how to merge,” said Tamera. “And, if that irritates you then you’re going to spend every day irritated. So you have to let that stuff roll off your back. Once you understand that and have that grace, you can go through your day and really focus on the beauty around you and not just the little irritants.”

As his wife speaks, Todd smiles knowingly, getting ready to make a confession.

That was how he used to be, said Todd. He used to get upset, sometimes even angry, when someone else drove badly around him, causing him to brake hard or made a quick adjustment. Then, by the time he settled himself, there would be another incident and his unhappiness would spike again.

“I would be upset all day,” Todd said.

Todd’s “Aha!” moment came when he realized the situation was not just about him. While he came to understand his behavior was not good for his emotional or physical health, it also occurred to him it was not especially enjoyable for Tamera.

Todd also came to appreciate what might be going on for the other drivers.

Todd & Tamera at GATSTodd & Tamera at GATS

“I had no idea what that four-wheeler is going through,” he said. “That’s a real human being behind the wheel.” The driver could be having a bad day. They might just have lost a family member to cancer. Todd adds, “Who knows what was happening for them?

“Understanding that helped me,” said Todd. “I don’t get upset at that anymore. It’s made my days better, made my life better. Five times a day I go without getting riled up. Life’s just better. That was the shining light for me.”

Together, Tamera and Todd agree that your attitude about such things is all you can truly control.

“Don’t give that control over to somebody who is passing by you that you’re never going to see again,” said Tamera.

This husband and wife duo also seems especially compatible when it comes to the day-in-day-out routine of driving; they complement one another.

Tamera SturgisTamera Sturgis

When each was asked what the other was best at, here’s what they said:

Her on him: “Todd is a planner. He knows when the traffic is going to happen. He knows when we have to leave to avoid it. He knows the roads to take. He also does the paperwork. He is meticulous and thoughtful.”

Him on her: “She’s best at driving the truck. She is flawless. She decided she was going to become an expert and backing and she is. She is better on the ice and snow. I’m from a small town and she’s from Anaheim (California) so she does all of the city driving, and I navigate.”

Conversely, she wishes he did a better job of taking care of himself; relax more and be more conscientious about what he eats on the road. He thinks she could work on her navigation skills.

But, on this they can agree: they have fun doing what they do, and while they work hard, trucking really remains glamorous for them.