Why does the industry feel compelled to send all new drivers OTR?

It's all supply and demand. As a former carrier, a new driver presents a huge risk. A driver with two years experience has become comfortable driving the truck, and the megas acted as the filter for the careless and lazy. The main shortage in this industry is at the entry level position due to the high drop out rate of newbies. Another note is that regional positions typically require a lot more backing and maneuvering on a daily basis. The risk factor goes up tremendously. Now we can realistically talk about cost. The insurance rate for a zero experience driver is 3-4 times that of a driver with 2-4 years experience. No one wants to pay $20k per truck for insurance.

 

1) Many times it in the insurance carriers that require OTR experience. Why? They probably had some egg head calculate statistically significant accident data with drivers with OTR in their past having lower incidents.

2) Regional and day driving jobs are mostly taken by experienced drivers and there is no shortage. Sleeping in ones own bed every night, is a big plus to many that have been in the game a long time.

3) It is not completely unheard of to get a regional/day driving job from day one. It will be harder to do, but it can be done. Visit the place in person, sell yourself to them as a great prospect and give them a callback. Ask them the best time, never first thing in the morning or early afternoon(these are times when they are super busy, or dealing with problems, like losing money to a breakdown).

Good luck

 

I don't believe in this driver shortage. Just another lie created by the government. Professional, experienced, on time, clean drivers.... probably in short supply.

 

otr is much easier work actually then local or regional
it is the otr lifestyle most cant handle
i would never drive local too many deliveries running around cities in circles
regional is problematic for many getting miles
200-300 a day delivery and pick up your day is shot

i get a 2300 mile run out and one back decide what time of day to drive as long as i am on time to delivery
seems much easier to me

 

One reason why is on dedicated and regional accounts there is very little tolerance for late loads and things.. these accounts are important to companies.. and they dont want new drivers messing up or losing an account. .

We have some accounts that new drivers can get on and some that a driver has to meet certain qualifications.. like no late deliveries, no preventables, and such...

 

I don't think there's a shortage of drivers, but if there is, it's a shortage of perfectly compliant, obedient, robot drivers.