Is OTR After Schooling The Only Option?

Its all dependent on who you got as a driver manager, the fleet your on and honestly a lot of people just arent cut out to be self starters which is what trucking requires. They blame the big carriers for lack of loads, but also will sit in their trucks and wait for loads come to them.

 

channelingmyself, rubberducky68 gave you the best advice so far...by far. If you are able to swing it , go to a community college that offers CDL training. You'll get better training , and more than likely they will have some sort of job placement assistance available to you. There is a good possibility you can get something regional or maybe get on with an LTL company , you may have to work the docks some at the latter, til a driving position comes open, but you will be working and building seniority. Good Luck! T

 

Regional is still considered otr if they cannot guarantee you be home everynight dont forget anything over 100 one way in my state requires a log book and once you run outta hours your stuck..However there are lots of local jobs out there all depending where you live over my 22 yrs I go on and off the road depending on mine and my wifes moods but like every other driver has found out most local jobs pay poorly with little or no henifits those local jobs that pay well are hard to come by because they are highly sought by drivers with lots of exp or connections.So be prepared for lower pay and harder work if your set on being a local driver..

 

The Budwieser distributor I worked for delivering beer localy would train guys to get there CDL's. That might be another option for you. They also distibuted wine and some craft beers and Bud wouldnt let them be on the same truck so they delivered the wine out of box trucks. The wine guys only got $10 an hour though, I don't know if you could make it on that. They would train on the weekends for there CDL.

The only bad thing with that is it's very hard work. If it doesnt work out for you and you decide to go over the road alot of companys won't count that as experience. So most otr companys will look at you as having your CDL but no experience and no school.

If you go to school I know JBS has a few terminals in your area. I really don't know much about them except they have nice trucks.

 

Are you serious that is all a warehouse worker makes in Mexico? No wonder your people have a strong hold on the shipping/receiving sector in the states. Even at $9 an hour they are high rolling compared to those south of the border.

 

Kids to mine are teenagers now but I stayed local for yrs because of them..