Food for thought

I think you have no real idea what otr driving is like. Don't mean that in a harsh way, just saying. If you want to "explore the country" take a couple months off work and do so

 

I don't think its a bad idea if you want a little more predictability to do a dedicated account to start with.

you can always choose to go OTR at a later point if you want.

 

As a rule, local drivers make a LOT less money than OTR. That's not written in stone, but it's more true than not.

OTR drivers get a lot more miles, and hence experience behind the wheel. But it's mostly highway miles. (Google maps, a good GPS and a road atlas will get you almost anyplace).

OTOH, local drivers get lot's of city driving experience, probably a LOT more backing and difficult maneuvering experience than OTR. I back into a dock maybe 3 times a week most weeks. Local drivers do it ten times a DAY.

Pick your poison. Driving is a lot harder than you think because driving is the LEAST of it. Backing, customer service, communication skills and stamina are the name of the game.

Good luck to you. I've done local and OTR. I'm doing OTR because there is no way in Hell I'm driving a CMV for $14-$15 an hour, which is what most local pays in my area.

 

As far as the income goes...go dedicated not local. Pay is often more and you do not have the expenses of OTR and keep in mind dedicated team is even better with high miles.

 

I almost spit out my drink I laughed so hard! What????? I guarantee the local dedicated job I have now and the one I left last year pay a heck of alot more than most OTR drivers. Sorry, your comment is quite untrue.

 

True and false. Dedicated here makes less than otr. Even local dedicated. So it depends on the company you are with.

Schneider local intermodal doing crosstowns makes more than regional intermodal.

I made more at sysco doing local than otr.

See, each companies different.

 

Very true...especially if that person works for smaller companies vs the megas.

 

What are you talking about. A lot of local guys make over 80k a year, some over 100k. I made 50k my first year out of school in a class B local. $18 an hour with time and a half after 40 hours in a class b. Most class a guys get over $20 an hour, some get $30 an hour, and there are a lot of hours. You are getting screwed.