What's the attraction to OTR in 2023?

I run dedicated Sun evening-Friday, am home every weekend, and get paid a salary of $1400/week (take home $1150) with decent benefits. I’m based in Dallas, and take loads to places in a ten state area. Some weeks I drive a lot of miles, some not so many, but it doesn’t affect my paycheck.

 

People crap on those short loads. I never understand why because those miles add up too. The beauty of short loads means you'll get empty early. Sometimes you'll get empty that same day. Some drivers don't understand that you may have to push the envelope sometimes. I had one not long ago that went from Cold Spring, MN to Springfield, IL. They gave me 2 days to drop off a load that wasn't even 600 loaded miles. I took a chance and checked in. While sitting in the dock, I communicated to dispatch that I was getting empty early. They asked what time I'd be empty and minutes later had a run going out to Colorado, with a load of potatoes going to South Carolina coming right after.

 

It happens. Look at it from the dispatcher's point of view. If they get a driver they can trust, one who'll make a real effort to do a good job, they'll go out of their way to keep that driver happy. If you want to run hard and they know you'll make your appointment times they'll pile as much work on you as you can do.
The whiners, the truckstop campers, the daylight only drivers, and the terminally lazy get the scraps. As bad as things are right now you don't want scraps.

Caveat...the dispatcher I spoke of is a good dispatcher. If you're running hard and doing things right and your dispatcher doesn't recognize and respect that...get another dispatcher. Or company.

 

Wow, you guys paint such a rosey picture. Who wouldve thought, just doing basic "adult things" like getting the job done instead of slacking were exemplary qualities.

Then again, im not really surprised, thats one of the big reasons im trying to get into trucking. I cant stand picking up the slack from lazy/incompetent coworkers and not getting anything out of it.

 

I work around a bunch of company drivers that are all paid hourly and home everyday. It amazes me how much some of the complain about certain loads, like it all pays the same so what is the difference?!?

 

If I didn't have a family and didn't really enjoy pooping on a familiar toilet I would probably go OTR in a heartbeat

 

Haha, thats the biggest drawback i see in OTR, strange toilets. Its just a much nicer experience when you can kick off the boots and pants and relax.

 

When you're brand new you're always being tested. You may not know it or feel it but it's happening. It might take a while to start standing out from the rest but eventually they'll notice you.
Don't expect to be catered to or treated like anything more than a guidance system for a truck. That's actually a form of freedom. Get the information, grab the load and go. As long as management is civil, that should be enough. If you want to be popular, go to work for the fire department.
Just don't start thinking that you're indispensable. There's always another ambitious driver looking for a top spot.

 

Other than getting it there on time every time, what helps you stand out? Do regular updates like eta and asking about the next load help, or does that make you look like a pita? How about "unloaded, taking 10 hours, ready to reload at X time?"

 

Getting loads to appointments on time, the vast majority of the time--and also, no accidents/incidents (don't hit A-N-YTHING--except when you bump a dock)--with those, then you're pretty much "golden".

Some carriers will make some sort of contest or incentive program to try to get you to use less fuel. Depending on the carrier--that can be yet another way to be a "standout".

-- Lual