OTR driver vs. Dedicated driver

K&B Hillshire dedicated: 50 hrs/week, $60K+ if you park the truck within 50 miles of certain facilities; $56K if you don't
11 on/ 3 off. Option to work days off whenever. 7 day week = $1335. Pretty easy job.

Only sucky thing is it's Midwest. Oh, and they won't pay for truck washes.

 

I am dedicated....same everything every day...if the receivers production slows I go OTR for a week...which I don't mind and usually make a little more. If the run gets cut then oh well...life goes on...company keeps me busy no matter what which is important.

 

Dedicated has one big advantage you know where you are going,,you learn where you can park and you get to know the people loading and unloading well enough to get in and out quicker that others,,dedicated generally gets you home more with predicable schedules,,if the pay is good dedicated is generally better,,

I did dedicated for years, local home every day for 4 years the OTR coast to coast for 9 years. 10 day round trip every two weeks and dealing with the same people on both ends,,

 

The difference between the two. In dedicated you get to lay the pipe more to the mrs vs a lot less in Otr. That can be very important to a lot and yeah the money is good and steady in dedicated where your miles could drastically change from week to week in otr

 

If I was a solo driver......that's all I would need to know.

 

anyone know of companys with dedicated accounts that run out western NC to west coast solo or team with reefer trailers?

 

Try Quest Global, Abilene Motor Express

 

Well, dedicated can pay more. But for the average mega-crap trucking company, it most often pays less. You get less miles and if you are paid CPM, you make less. It is as simple as that. Usually on a dedicated account there are a couple or handful of good timed well paying runs. These are reserved for the very senior drivers or senor teams. The rest of the drivers on the dedicated account are usually rotated between the 200-300 mile runs that take two or more days. That is what dedicated is about for these mega-crap companies.

What may be an advantage to a new driver is that the route is known and often easier. Hometime is sometimes more available. Most dedicated accounts require less actual truck handling skill and trip planning is simpler.

If you doubt your skill driving or trip planning. Try a dedicated account to hone your skills. Otherwise, go OTR for the adventure and the money.

 

Forgot the Local driver. We fool around with the OTR / Dedicated SO's... Dirty minds not that, Single Orders yes also the other too.

 

There is also "Local".

I run Chicago only. Maybe 20 different shippers/receivers. All of the clerks no my name, or at least my face and are glad to see me since I go out of my way to not be the regular nightmare smelly, slovenly, PITA driver.

Home every night.

Mikeeee