Should i gain experience OTR before i go into LTL?

If you can get on with ABF go for it! One month of training is good. P&D is Pickup & Delivery or more appropriately plenty of docks!

 

The reason I said P&D would scare most new guys isn't because it's more work.
You'll be backing maybe 20 times a day in spots that aren't exactly meant for a big truck to be in. It could be stressful.

 

LTL is easy and you won't have to ever sleep in a truck again. I love it !! I get to see my family and I make more money than OTR

 

Another positive is that you'll learn backing quickly since you'll be backing trailers all day long !

 

Yeah, but im a open deck. I do everything from 26' single axle to tadum flat with moffet, 48 skate, and 48/53 van. 90 percent in the moffet or 48 skate. But yeah i like it. Did otr, the wife hated it, been local most of my 17 plus years

 

Your way off. Your confusing ltl with line haul. Thats just part of ltl. Many ltl drivers have differant stops daily, deal with many customers daily and have many time commitments daily

 

That's very true. I've only ever done line haul so that's just where my mind went ha

Especially as a new guy many companies will have you on a relief/on-call schedule now that I think of it.
Good point there I didn't think of.

 

Go LTL ASAP.

OTR is a "lifestyle" that requires a commitment and understanding that you'll spend MANY hours in the truck without compensation. Sure, you'll have the guys that will say, "nobody tells me when to drive, I don't drive at night..." blah blah blah and to some that's worth the trade off. Also plan on being away from home for weeks at a time.

LTL is a "job". They'll tell you when to start and you'll most likely have to adhere to a strict schedule because a majority of the freight is "just in time". Most linehaul runs at night and the company will expect you to be rested and ready to bang out 600 miles in all types of weather. The P&D side runs in the day and you'll be required to make multiple (20-25 in some cases) deliveries and pick ups.

I spoke of a "trade off" earlier in my reply. That trade off is $$$$. Senior linehaul guys at quality companies make BANK, 100k/yr and up. P&D guys are all well in to the $20+++/hr range (UPS Freight I believe is closer to $30, depending on the contractual supplement). P&D will get you home every night.

Good luck.

 

At Averit you need 6 months in Truck Load first. Then you could go into LTL. If you see any LTL jobs open for new guys or even at 6 months ask yourself why other guys haven't taken them already. The year I have been here there are two City driver jobs open in Charlotte. Nobody there is crazy enough to touch them. There is a reason for everything.