48 states trucking. good or bad?

It's a personal choice. I wouldn't do anything other than 48 states. I've done local & regional & hated both. Regional, you may get more hometime, but if you're sitting at home, you're not making money. I have a wife and children, so I did what was necessary to make the most money. Also, preferred travelling the whole USA and seeing the different states; never got tired of it.

Regional, of course, the average run will be shorter. Sometimes you may waste a day getting loaded, then waste another day getting unloaded, for a 200-400 mile run vs. 1000-1800 mile run doing OTR, so that cuts into your paycheck on those shorter runs. That's mainly with reefer or van; not so much with flatbed or tanker.

 

Yeah What he said! 30 years, I would go with that!! ^^^^^

 

From what a have heard not done reagenal you get less miles and more sitting I ran the country for a year with Swift I loved it got lots of miles and made great money but he is right its by choice some dont care to make a lot of miles I did and I ran 3000 miles or more 80% of the time.

 

How much money do you want to make? how much do you love sleeping @ your home?
Every driver is different. What do you NEED to do?

Have to have a goal. Many aspects of trucking, Will meet many drivers discussing Pros and cons

Follow your gut

 

This was great to read, since I am leaning toward Swift for my first driving job. I want the lifestyle of an OTR trucker, and I want to see the entire USA, and Canada would be nice as well. I just don't think I would be as happy with a regional or local job, especially if it were driving the same route over and over. I don't want to be tied down anywhere, at least for the next few years. I don't want the mundane. It would be nice to get those miles, but that is not my main concern. It is the lifestyle I covet.

 

Remember this. You will see the nation, but out of a WINDOW. not being negative on OTR.

Or

Do the "mundane" local and fly to destinations actually experience things in the nation.


Good on you for having a goal. many pros and cons. follow your gut and check back with us

We all have stories, Just have to weed out the negatives.


EDIT: Forgot to add. If anyone tells you that they are a Expert in Truck Driving, They are a liar. Always new things to learn in this trade.


_ Happy trucking mate

 

You have a family you care about and need to be home at least every 5-8 days? might think about regional. No family, want to see all the sights before the roads get jammed up more than they already are? go OTR48. many or most "regional" jobs have a lot of idle time and difficult to make appointments and they figure more frequent home time is an excuse to offer less money.

 

48 all the way. Though I was never classified as regional but it seemed like it with many of the companies I drove for East coast region. Nothing west of the Mississippi, and it would get old fast. That is one of the reasons why I never stayed at one company long my first 5 years. I call around appling and when they said nothing west of I35 I said Bye. I wanted to go westward see what was beyond the horizon. Not Brakes lights on I 95

 

47 states is better if you remove New York.