What keywords do I look for besides local?

Whenever your a newb in LTL your an extra (in most cases) but that can be VERY different depending on the company and even the specific terminal your out of. When I drove for NEMF there was me and I think 5 or 6 others that were extras. Everybody above us was running on bids so they showed up at the same time everyday and worked their shift. Many also drove the same trucks. Me and the others called in every morning to see when to come in, which was depending on the linehaul trucks showing back up from the last night. We always had work M-F just our show up times change might be 7, 8, 9 or 10. Some companies may not need you everyday, but NEMF didn't work that way. Gotta check on stuff like that. It seems pretty easy to get on linehaul when your new, but daytime linehaul (sometimes called shuttle) is all the senior guys in most cases. THAT'S a good gig!

 

I appreciate your goals, I do. However, it is highly unlikely and I'd say practically impossible to be a local driver with a schedule that you want.

First off, it's not easy to be local without experience. It can happen- I have only ever been local.

As a local driver you can expect for the most part to do a lot of city driving. That's almost the bulk of my day. San Francisco all night long. And if you do get hired locally, expect nights.

LONG hours are the name of the game locally. I average 12-16 hours a shift. As a trucker, working 8 hours a day is not enough to support a family. I rely on OT after 8, double after 12. That's just me... it's expensive out here.

I did a lot of rural non-city stuff after I got my CDL which was an advantage because I didn't have a lot of stuff to run into in cities. BUT, most major cities need local drivers to fill that high demand and that's where some people put in that sacrifice not to go OTR. You'll make more locally in my opinion.

Just my two cents.

 

Hauled wastewater out of the mountains. Mostly big county commercial jobs.

 

It was septic hauling. Not nearly as bad as you'd think. I enjoyed it and got a better paying job after a year. Unfortunately, you've gotta work a weird schedule sometimes to go local to make money. That's my situation now on nights. However, a spot just opened up and I'll have a start time around 4-6 am and do 55-60 hours a week. Pretty excited about that. Just gotta put in your time.

 

I'm doing regional/dedicated for over 15 years. It depends entirely on where you live & industry & trucking companies serving that customer. My company hires new CDL holders. No OTR experience required. The way we do things is send the same truck/driver to same customer each day at same time. So you aren't lost more than your first trip to a customer. The driving is simpler. It doesn't pay as much as OTR. You should check your area or find an area & move there.

Previous OTR experience is no longer necessary for all local work. Driving a yard truck, switcher, or hostler rarely requires any OTR experience. It can be hard work & may be long hours in a rough riding truck with no A/C.

 

I might consider moving for the right position. Very few good opportunities where ive been living in the Upper Peninsula which is a big reason I got back into OTR.

 

Sounds like you should like into tankers