Is it possiable to get a regional job starting out?

Sure I can if I pick it start regional with USX or I can go OTR.

 

Welcome to the TTR Forum. It seems some companies are putting new drivers in regional driving positions. Just be aware that miles are money and you will usually run less miles in a regional job.

You need to research and find out what the important questions are. You can make an above average living but you will make sacrifices that other jobs don't require. Read the "good companies" and "bad companies" section on this forum and get an idea of what company you want to work for and what kind of trailer you want to pull. Don't just go to school and then try to figure out where to go.

I don't know your financial situation. Don't take training from a company if you can afford it or get it with financial aid. You will be their slave for up to year. If you leave they will trash you DAC and credit record. Check out your local community colleges and employment office.

Just know that most training and trucking company recruiters will do nothing but lie to you. They will let you talk about what you want and then tell you what you want to hear. Trucking is about moving freight to make money for the company. Your home time, family, paycheck and everything else comes second.

It is not like any other job. Local is usually backbreaking delivery work 10+ hours a day, 6 days a week. Often you unload dozens of times a day or you are a salesman. In my area most dump truck jobs pay less than a good factory job. Regional is lots of loading and unloading time, fewer miles than OTR and not as hard as local but will wear on you and push your HOS limits. OTR is out 3 - 5 weeks with 3 - 4 days home, less manual labor and more miles.

You'll probably have to pay your dues before you get the gravy job. Weekends off, if you are lucky enough to get something like that starting out, may be home Thursday afternoon and leave Saturday night or home Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Loads deliver on Monday early and you leave in time to get them there. Often your home time will be in the middle of the week.

Regardless of your driving choice, after school you will go through company training. For OTR this can be six weeks to three months with little or no home time. The first phase is usually $400 a week and the second phase is $500-550 a week. Some pay less. One company pays 12 CPM for training.

You don't want to wait around too long after training or you'll have trouble finding a job. If you get out before you have a year in, when you try to come back a few months later you will find they want you to start over.

One last thing, if you have anything that makes you less desirable than your competing job applicants, a phone or in-person interview will often bring the best results. Even if I am the best candidate I will choose face-to-face if at all possible and phone if not. Sure you may have to fill out that online application but that isn't the best way to get a good job. You have to do something or be someone who stands out from the crowd. Do regular follow-ups by phone on the jobs you really want.

 

Most starter companies can get you sign up for a regional without doing otr but its both almost the same home time.Also your only out as much you want but most companies required a min.of days out,most are 14 days out with 2 days off also being home all the time doesn't make you money.

 

Most companies will be happy with you being out for 2-3 weeks. If you're looking for regional because you think OTR will require you to be out longer than that then I think you're a bit missinformed.

I personally don't like regional and here's why. The closer i am to home, the more I want to GO home. If I'm making a stop 100 miles from the house, then I find myself trying to figure out how to get home. That's probalby just me, but I do much better and make more $$ when I'm not anywhere near the house.

 

Try leasing a trailer from a big scrap metal company and run crushed cars and stuff. couple of loads a day and your usually home by 6 every night. Im out of ct and i run a steel curtain side for Metal Management but the truck is O/O. Usually the truck can make up to $600+ a day which is not to bad and like i said, home every night.

 

My son started out with a local job hauling beer, he's 22 now, his 3rd year with them and so far he's made $29K the first 6 months of this year.

 

Con-way Truckload has a midwest regional deal
I think the midwest regionals do better than the Texas regionals.