I don't want a lot of home time

Most OTR companies want to see the truck thru the yard at least once every 90 days just to make sure it still has all the fenders and doors.

 

It's just driving, right?

Hey....this should be a piece of cake!!!

-- L

 

The countless times we’ve all heard that.

It’s just like being on vacation, right?

 

I done a lot of research myself before I got started and I was thinking the same thing I'd just live in the truck. Well it worked out for me but I ain't got nothing so I ain't missing nothing.

There's a lot of things that you just won't realize until you get out there. These companies would replace every driver with a robot in 2 seconds flat if it were legal and they could save 2 cents.

Dispatchers get things wrong constantly and cause problems for the drivers, yet the driver gets blamed for everything because he's not in the office and is easier to replace.

There's never any where to park. There's no where to go the bathroom. There's plenty of food at the truck stop, but it's marked up 50% and rarely healthy options.

If you think you're going to get to choose when and where you go, think again. If you think you'll make more money than you did before, think again.

If you want to be single, ditch all your bills, and make a reasonable amount of money after 6-12 months, then you might like it. But it's hard, very hard, way harder than most people would ever think. And stressful. Always in a hurry to go nowhere fast so some other bozo can get his stuff.

Oh yeah and most people on the roads think passing you and then slowing down is a life goal.

 

nah, not dumb I’ve looked too. Some companies are flexible if you negotiate and explain you want long stretches. Just gotta ask upfront.

 

Just make sure that you choose a company where you'll accrue PTO time as weeks go by.
I haven't been home in over 4 months myself. The days will run into one another as you spend so many months out and you won't even realize that you've got paid some weeks. A fleet loves a dedicated road warrior, but don't be afraid! O confront them about missing money. Make sure that you choose a company that offers Mental Health Insurance as well

 

Lol, yup, I thought that too before I started driving, then I got brutally humbled by the road LMFAO!!

 

Driving a big rig will require:

• The work ethic of a freight train (even for dry van duty)
• The patience of a grandfather clock
• Sometimes very quick thinking is required to save yourself from an accident -- even with good situational awareness
• Resourcefulness -- can you think like MacGyver?
• A sense of adventure -- "he who dares, wins"
• A "gearhead" mindset
• An ability/preference for working alone -- are you a "Lone Ranger" type?

It's definitely not a world for sissies...or the faint of heart.

 

How healthy being a driver is or is not, is entirely up to the driver.
You dont have to turn into a 500 lb sleeper sloth.
Not that difficult these days to take care of yor diet and exercise. Nothing keepong a driver from taking a walk and smelling the proverbial roses. I stop several times a day to get out and walk around, still covering about 600 miles a day.
I also carry food in the frig I can prepare, like steak and eggs. I use a electric skillet, microwaves for reheating vegs.
Its allup to the driver, stop blaming the industry.