What's It Really Like To Be OTR?

Why did you dislike local?

 

It's a meat grinder with the same routine 24/7.
Same old customers, same old tired jokes in the break rooms, same old traffic jams. Give me the open road any time. I love the solitude of pulling reefers and all that night driving. Dim the interior lights in the truck, fresh thermos of coffee, favorite music on all night radio. Love it. Different state & different town almost every day. Love it.

 

What I think a lot of new drivers don't see coming with OTR work is the days and days of solitude....and also, the hours.

With OTR duty....you will go for weeks without seeing anyone you really know.

I've gone for days without talking to anybody, face-to-face.

OTR work is a good job fit for people who are either loners....or who like to work mostly by themselves. No hand-holding. No micro-management. No boss standing over your shoulder looking to see if you are actually doing any real work.

Trucking is designed for true adults.....who can do the job....day-in and day-out....with very little to no hand-holding and/or supervision....and very little to no interaction with co-workers.

If you require lots of interaction and/or feedback while working....OTR (or trucking in general) will not be a good fit for you.

Also: regardless of what carrier you join, you will daily work with 2 clocks:

• One is an 11-hour clock....it's for drive time.
• The other is a 14-hour clock....it's for on-duty time.

Thus--you can see by the above that CDL work (whether it's OTR, regional, or local & home-daily) is A LOOOOOTTT of hours. EVER-RY DAY.

Truck driving is NOT a 9-to-5, or 8-to-4....and then go home gig.

And yes....if you get a job that is OTR or regional....in most cases your employer will look for you to sleep in your truck. At the end of your shift. On a daily basis. For days, or weeks. Until you come off-duty for home time.

Think about it....

-- Lual

 

Lol what

 

On the other hand, it does not need to be long hours every day.

In this job the truck is my home. Me getting home for a few days a month I consider as a visit, but I really live in my truck.

Nearly always I manage to run recap hours between home times.
That means an average of 8.75 hours per day of total on duty time. With live loading and/or unloading that can mean some longer days, but seldom over 12 hours for me. Usually 8-11 hour days because more often it is drop and hook.

Not a good lifestyle if one is a very social person, but I am more of a loner.
I have time to kick back each day to cook a good meal and watch some shows, play some games.
Trucking, for me, is a very relaxed lifestyle.

 

So.......what is your plan?

 

See, thats why i think i will like OTR, live the vampire life and get left alone to get the job done.

 

OTR is a dream job! Travel the country and see the sights, set your own hours. The best part , a girlfriend in every town!
I say go for it! I thought that in the 70s and guess what ? It still ain't that way.

 

It is only a dream job for a select few.

 

Outside OTR. Having to show up to work isn't bad enough. They have to send you home at the same time everyday! Oh the Horror! Even Reefer Madness is better than that.
.
Right now I'm home for two weeks. Do this four times a year. I have far more quality time at home now than when I worked here.