Hours and schedule for a newbie?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by chovy, Jan 21, 2022.

  1. chovy

    chovy Bobtail Member

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    Considering getting CDL in California and wondering what a typical work week looks like. Someone told me you have to wake up at like 4am everyday. Not something I’d want to do. But if hours were flexible that would be ideal.
     
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  3. Rugerfan

    Rugerfan Road Train Member

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    This will come off fairly rudely so I apologize, but if you can’t do the early mornings and going from days to nights and then back to days, then truckin isn’t for you. OTR your schedule will most likely be all over the place depending on the line of work you choose
     
  4. chovy

    chovy Bobtail Member

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    What is OTR?
     
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  5. silverspur

    silverspur Road Train Member

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    OTR= over the road
    It's just time away from what you call your home base.

    If you get up 0400, you can work a few hours and then take a power nap if you need it. Treat every trip assignment like an adventure unto itself. As long as the load gets there safely and on time you can snooze on an ultra comfortable mattress on a moment's notice, any safe place you can pull the truck over.
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2022
    John Joel Glanton and tscottme Thank this.
  6. Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

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    Don’t listen to him. Trucking is easy money. Work 6 or 7 hours a day. YOU pick when you want to drive. If the customer doesn’t like your schedule, “F” ‘em. Tell ‘em they can take their crap when you get there or you’ll dump it in their parking lot. It’s tough love brah, but sometimes ya gotta let them know YOU are the captain of your ship, not them. Savvy?
     
  7. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    You get assigned a trip, some call it a load, that has the appointment time to pick up the load and an appointment time for the delivery. You have to decide when to sleep, eat, shower, and fuel at some companies.
     
  8. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Like silverspur said OTR is Over The Road it's irregular route, long-distance trucking. You won't know where you are going next, but you can be sure everyone will blame you if THEY are late doing their job.
     
  9. chovy

    chovy Bobtail Member

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    Jan 21, 2022
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    Is it like you get to pick which loads you want or they just order you around and you have no say in it.
    The issue is I’m not a morning person at all. I will occasionally wake up super early but due to sleeping disorder it’s not reliable.
     
  10. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    There isn't a typical week for most truck driving jobs. There are jobs working at any possible schedule you can imagine. If you have a schedule you need to work the way you make that happen is working for a company that has that schedule. You will not be adapting their schedule to fit your preference.
     
  11. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    If you are a company driver, and that is what you should do for the first year, your dipatcher will tell you which load you are getting. You can tell him/her what you would prefer, but they assign the load to you. If you own the truck or pay the bills for the truck some companies will let you pick loads from a load board. It would be foolish to enter a new industry for you and you to pay the massive expenses for a truck before you know anything about the industry.
     
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