Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

Im actually kind of amazed at how many LTL guys I've met that never drove OTR. I only did 6 months on the road but it was quite an experience. Hats off to the guys who do it year in and year out.

 

Hey guys maybe you can settle an argument for me. First it's almost scary the amount or lack thereof of the knowledge the vets I work with know about hours of service(senior guy thought it was a 36 hour restart). I know how a 70/8 day clock recaps on the right day. But on a 60 hour clock how does the recap work ? Thanks in advance

 

This reminds me of an old thread where someone mentioned to get a local job you needed OTR experience. Really? I know of NO local outfit that requires any OTR experience. Why on earth would they?

 

Same as 70/8, its 60/7. It depends on if your carrier runs weekends or not.

 

A lot of them want some commercial driving experience, not necessarily OTR experience. And of course there are some local outfits that will train a person, under certain circumstances.

 

OTR isn't for the money, it's the lifestyle. Some of us are hobos lol! I made about the same as I make in ltl but I did work longer hours for it. For me it's like a retirement kind of job. You get to visit new places and meet new people, see some beautiful country. The job is secondary to me. Of course on a dedicated run it's difficult to do those things but if you have the time you can. Sometimes a break down or weather let's you kick back somewhere nice and check out new places. People go into OTR thinking they will make good money and then want to be home every night. It's not that kind of job and you need to like to travel to do it, can't be worrying about mama and the house.

Some of the best times I had were on the road, good times out there especially in Texas and Tennessee!!! A few more years I'm gonna buy my own truck again and just drive and kick back. I'll pick and choose my loads and try to go to places I want to visit. Maybe I'll take the wife with me every once in awhile too or the kids. A couple years from now my youngest will be graduating and I'll have no need to be hanging around all the time. I'll just try to clear 800 a week and I'll be happy.

 

My experience... 4 days OTR... with a lease operator for a mega carrier ( transam )
when he said he made $150,000 the previous year, I crap you not, was off the truck within 2 hours.
Swinging through my home state and 46.4 miles from my home is a truck stop, Pulled the I have to pee routine and grabbed my go bag. Told the trainer I was done and keep trucking, My buddy lives 5 minutes from truck stop. Walked to his house at 0h dark thirty and he was just leaving to go drive UPS feeder. Slept on his couch and later that day had the girlfriend at the time pick me up.

$150,000 he probably did make GROSS, But knew right their, The fella is slaughtering the log book and drives over 100 hours a week, just to make $150k knew this wasn't for me.

No thanks, happy with 60-80 a year. It's a job not a lifestyle, Never regretted having ZERO OTR experience.



USELESS INFO



HAHAHA forgot to mention. On the DAC. Says will rehire and I was rehired by them last year, thankfully ABF hired me before i could make travel plans back to oalthe,kansas. I was a mess last year fed up with trucking ( 7 year itch ) lol

 

Yes sir, A lot of local outfits, My experience pound the doors and research. tough first year or so and then they see EXPERIENCE in anything is pretty much a shoe in with zero driving/criminal/ all endorsements.

Funniest things in life, Been turned down by mega carriers( swift, jb hunt, england, crst, and hired on with local great companies.


2nd stint at ABF present day. My luck is over, Would like to try fuel hauling though lol

 

Oh god Swift won't hire you, your life won't be the same without their awesome 401k and pension.