what the pros and cons of each one?

It's a matter of personal preference . If home time with family is important regional is better . OTR lets you see the country more and longer hauls mean less loads and less BS at docks . The IRS perdiem deductions are pretty generous . Would you really spend over $30 in food ? OTR gives sizable deductions at the end of the year . I've done both - prefer regional . My runs are dedicated so I just come home when empty . No deadhead or waiting around for loads . This allows me to make more in 55 hours than I used to make in 70 . I rarely work over 60 hours a week . All my restarts are at home . But that's another thing about OTR . With today's gas prices the less trips driving between home and the terminal mean more savings .

Agreed as above............If you want to see the country go OTR. If that is not important and you want to be home more often go regional.

I notice you are a student. If you are just starting out it will be difficult finding regional work unless you know someone who can get you into a company. Local co's. and regional usually want experience min.1 yr OTR or related.

Alot of people do OTR for experience then look for local or regional. It all comes down to your personal needs and wants.
Personally I love OTR. I spent 20 years working local being home every day, but now older things are taken care of and I wanted to see the rest of the country. This is what I needed and wanted so it works for me.
I go out for 4 weeks at a time and then go home for 7 days. Twice this year used that time and have taken trips to places that I have seen on the road and did not have time to stay.

Good luck starting out. Take your time in your decission. Don't just jump at the first offer. Use the information from the wonderful people on this site to help you get the information that you don't get from a
recruiter so you will be happier starting out.

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Just my few words-----or not................J

Life is too short, try to enjoy it.....
Maybe we should drive buses

I'll take local over regional or OTR any day.....

I agree. I would rather be paid hourly for all of my time. If you are paid by the mile, then be happy to work for free at times. I want to be home with my family. Daily plus weekends is more than I can say for most. But, it is what you prefer to do do. Good luck to all of you.

Well pros to otr is more miles, get to see the country, cons you sometimes never know which way you will be heading or when youll see home

Pros to regional is you get really familiar with the roads in the region you run and start to not have to look at the maps, and you start to get to know the people at the docks going to the same places and usually know where your gonna go from where you are delivering. Cons are short mile runs, extra stop offs on a run, and start to get bored with certain areas or the region.

But I have run both 48 states and am now running midwest regional and I like midwest best, but thats just because I hate the east coast with a passion, a huge passion!!

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Keep them wheels a spinnin, and the beavers grinnin, IM GONE!!! East bound and down..............

I like OTR. And would probably run it if I were still young with no kids. Albeit, the kids are grown now.

Regional has a lot of benefits, other than hometime. I actually work less, and make more.

Work Less, has a different definition for some. Cuz I do have to bust my ### sometimes. But on the average. I only drive about 40-50 hours a week. Stay out overnight for 3-5 nights. Sometimes I get home through the week. It varies.

The Per Diem loses aren't that bad for a regional driver. Especially with the liberal tax rules regarding it. You actually get to claim some of those days. Where as you would not, as a local driver. I've only lost about 30% of my available PD claim by going regional.

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I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

I will be starting school sept 22. I am retired draw a pension also bored and spend more than i get in pension. I am 59 years old in good health. otr would not be a big deal to me as no kids at home wife dont work she can join me if she wants. at the school the guy signing me up said companies would drool over me.. i think he was the only one drooling. Anyways what is the feeling of you seasoned drivers about old farts getting into this ?

asked my instrutor what was the oldest guy to take the class he said there was a guy of 70 or 80 just wanted to get his cdl.
Thank you all for all info. it very helpfull.

I know a lot of people who got into trucking, after retirement. Most have the advantage of being able to tell a company to shove it were the sun don't shine. So it lends itself to better treatment from the get go.

If they smell blood. You're no better off than the young guys coming in.

You guys, could easily become paid tourist They won't place unreasonable demands on you. And you could do a bit of sight seeing, or just goofing off during extended downtime.

Many times, older drivers will be offered short line or local jobs. While seniority does count, too some companies. So does stability. And they see that in older newcomers. It's on your application

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I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown