The best choice for home time as a driver...

the first company that hires you...get your experience first, be choosy later

 

It shouldn't be impossible to find a company that will get you home weekends. Now granted "weekends" might not be Friday, Saturday or even Sunday but there out there. Just remember when your new you gotta play along first before you go along.

 

Chances are you won't have that luxury starting out. No matter what profession you choose, you usually pay your dues before you get the gravy. Since you are a student, I hope you researched before you decided to go to training. If you didn't, what ever the recruiter told you, that you wish to avoid, is only half as bad as the truth.

Most likely you are headed for three training months on the road with little or no home time. Most companies pay about $400 a week the first month and $500-550 a week for the other two months. Then the norm is one day off for each week out and most want at least 3 - 4 weeks out.

It appears to me that the industry is shifting to more regional hauling. Still there is not enough to go around. This will come with patience, hard work, experience and sometimes luck plays a part.

Many think local work is the answer. This is back breaking delivery work. It comes with long hours and six day weeks.

 

You're absolutely right.

I'm a new driver and working on my dues.

 

Be careful in your definition of weekend and truckings definition.

If you are thinking you will be home Fri at 1700 and casually leave 0700 on Mon you are in for quite a shock. Most like Boyd, McElroy, Hornday?........ consider 34-48 hours (read in Fri 2200 leaving Sun 0800 ) a weekend unless you arrange for "extra time off".

Most of those regional weekend home deal (Schaeffer, Schnider, Barr-Nunn, Averritt Express) will as well.

True weekend off jobs are like material suppliers like lumber yards and block companies. As well some of your" local" will be two days off not necessarily consecutive or on a weekend(think fill in bread route).

 

There are a couple companies out there that you drive for two, and home for one, that's weeks. And I know of one that has what's called a "flex fleet". I'm not sure about a student getting on those, but once your training is finished it's possible. You may have to have a proven track record.
There are dedicated opportunities as well, that would give you the traditional weekend off.
It can be done, but there's always a trade off.
These are the big companies, so use your imagination and give them a call.

 

Some places will start you on regional trips...
I run 550 mile (avg) trips...deliver after overnigting at a shipper, then do a pu and drive or drop and hook...depends on where in the country you live...
I do 90% of my resets at home...run hard all week...reset might be fri am to sun am...depends...could be midweek....
Regional miles tend to harder earned money....more deliverys, pickups, drops hooks, and traffic.....otr can be lots of highway....