2 years Experience / Why

Try some of the local LTL companies if they have terminals in your area. Most have no set in stone experience requirements and you'll be home everyday.. I had 1.5 years of OTR but there are 15 year drivers and new drivers here that have never driven another truck.. Just a thought..

 

we all gotta put in the time at sub par companies somewhere and it sucks. i actually started out with core-mark, who delivered goods to gas station and small mom and pop gas stations. were home a lot and got good pay but ya gotta wanna work due to the fact you running up ramp with 2 wheeler all day but hey, you home a lot and dont work weekends. otherwise you gonna have to take it up the pipe for 6 months to a year....the life of the trucker...and if you have a wife????? well, you will not see her much if you want to get into trucking...you cant avoid the long time out, it how you make money or you will become one of the people here complaining on how a company wont get you home. try local, cement truck, or get back in to roll off with waste company as well...stay off the road and save your marriage

 

They changed thier mind AGAIN?????

I guess it depends on what time of year ao mooncycle with them..... Let me know about Watkins? thx

 

Start on a dock with an LTL company and move into a driving job that way. You'll be home every night and make more money

 

From what I've been reading, if you're married you can always bring your wife on the road with you. And if you're just starting out and can last the year or so then you can always apply for something local with more hometime. I don't see how a strong marriage will be ruined as long as both husband and wife understand what it takes. Now if kids are involved and the wife/husband can't go on the road then I could see a potential problem.

 

speaking from the wife's perspective....it can be hard, even when you understand what it takes but because you understand ...you get through it. My husband drives OTR & I go weeks without seeing him. One thing that helps is a good unlimited everything cell phone plan. Also, I work....when we stay busy the time apart doesn't weigh on us as much. It is the down time, the waiting time, the holiday spent 1000+ miles apart...these are the times that are hard on us both. The times when he is burnt out & needs some home time & some companionship (not some lot company)...he thinks about a local job or something else but around here, options are few that will pay as well. We have talked about me going with him, even team driving since our kids are grown. We have some things to tie up here at home first & then that may be the route we take....best of both worlds. He makes twice what I make on my job so...changing careers for me would not be an issue. Home time wouldn't be an issue then cause we'd be together. Get home to see the kids around the holidays, etc......as long as we could handle all the together time...lol. He has driven solo for a lot of years....that may be a bigger test of the strength of the marriage...lol.

 

I have been looking into different companies ever since I decided to get into trucking. Six months, twelve months and two years seem to be the milestones in trucking. But the one thing that seems to open up more choices then any other is your location. I live in a large metropolitan area that has an abundance of trucking jobs with as little as 6 months OTR. I look at it this way; spend 6 months doing the trucking boot camp then decide what direction I want to head. Six to twelve months OTR will give me experience in different driving situations. There is even a possibility that one of the larger companies will give me what I want six to twelve months down the road.

 

i can see places wanting year of experience they want to make sure that your not gonna wreck there truck makes it hard for the new guy however. what i don't get it why with a lot of company's they want your exp to be otr and don't count local

 

OTR trucking is a lifestyle - and it doesn't agree with a lot of folks. They want your experience to be OTR because they want someone who knows what they're getting into, and don't want the expense of hiring someone who is going to quit in a few weeks.