Distance from terminal

It doesn't matter where you live. The only way you can get hired by a company is if you live in their "hiring area". The hiring area is typically their freight lanes where they move the most freight. It really depend's on the company and their policy. Most normally let you take it home if you live to far away from a terminal. However if you live close (typically about 100 miles or less) they would rather you leave the truck on the yard while on your home time. Then again it all depend's on the company and their policy. Hope this helps.

 

I drive for Schneider and live about 120 miles from the nearest terminal.
I used to be allowed to take the truck home, but with the rising cost of fuel (and perhaps a bad manager) I now have to park it at the terminal.
This is a bit annoying, because it required a better car than I had, so now I have car payments again (ugh..)

Anyway, if you budget for the gas money to travel to and from work, then it's not so bad, but make sure you sign on to a place that will run you enough to make it worth the time involved.

As a general rule, I would say if you're coming home weekly go with a place within 50 miles of the house, but if you're coming home every 3 weeks, to a month, then it really doesn't matter. To be honest, I find I get better miles leaving from home-time parling at the terminal anyway, and it's a little easier to get home on time as well, not guaranteed, but easier.

Look at it this way, you can spend the money commuting to a regular job, or this trip once or twice a month. It really does balance out.

So, in short... No, it doesn't matter how far you live, just have to be in a "Hiring Area" as Skunk_Truck said.

 

It is a matter of preference. If the job looks like it pays well and you KNOW you will be working for them till you retire, the terminal you get your truck from can be anywere.

Just keep in mind that if and when you turn in your truck (Quitting, Extended Vacations, Injury, Company goes out of Business) You will have to get all your gear home on a bus or have someone pick you up. Ever since that 2 day bus ride I took to get out to Iowa, I've never appied to a company that had a terminal more than 5 hours away. It's easier to get some one to pick you up if it's only going to take 11hours round trip.