OTR Truck Question

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Lanky7369, Apr 8, 2017.

  1. Lanky7369

    Lanky7369 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 22, 2016
    Maysville, KY
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    Hello all, I am a new CDL A Driver...With experience. I am retired Army, and I have held a CDL A before back in the 90's. Plus I was a Bulldozer Operator in the Army and so I hauled my own equipment and drove a lot of places (Germany, the Middle East, etc.)


    I just went back to CDL School in Oct 2016 and am working a Regional Job that I have to unload freight box by box onto rollers, this job also has extreme backing involved.


    I want to go OTR and money or home time is not my biggest concern. I want to find a company that I can get into a truck that has space to live in for 3+ weeks at a time. I am 6'5" and the truck I am in now I can barely stand up and turn around in. I would like to have a space that I can sit and play my PS4 Pro or watch TV and then pull down the bed and sleep. (I have seen a Western Star truck like this, but I know I won’t get something like that unless I can buy it myself)


    With SOOO many different Companies / Options it is going to be a pain to contact each and ask. Plus a recruiter may tell me X and then when I get my truck it be Poo.


    Is there a way to research this without calling each company?
     
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  3. Coolbreezin

    Coolbreezin Medium Load Member

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    Jun 11, 2016
    Florida
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    When I ran OTR I went with USA Truck and Marten Transport. Both companies are good in my opinion. Avoid ANY team companies. Theres not enough room in there for people at all. I dont believe its the company that you need to find to get the truck you want. You need to explain to the recruiter of your height and that you must have a double bunk truck. Get it in writing. Its still no guarantee, but at least its not hear-say. To be honest, youll probably start with a POS truck thats on its last leg. Eventually youll get into the truck fits you. Good luck out there. Take a lot of pictures.
     
  4. Razorwyr

    Razorwyr Road Train Member

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    Meridian, Mississippi
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    I'm not sure how many do it now, but when i got started, companies would put the type of trucks they used on their website, including how big the sleeper was. You should be able to just read through a few websites, make a list of who you're thinking about, and then check reviews of the company to narrow it down to your final choice.
     
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  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
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    Don't just talk to recruiters. Talk to drivers with trucks for a given company. The big condos are the ones you want. Perhaps Volvo 780's or possibly the KW T2000 Studio or the Classic XL or similar from freightliner. You seem to be a pretty big boy so it should be obvious to everyone you require space.

    When you talked about playing TV atari games (Bear with me Im past 50...) in the sleeper you need to consider a large inverter installed by a dealership to the truck with permission from your company a bonus would be allowing the inverter to stay with the truck when you are finished trucking so that it will go to a sleep apnea driver to help. That was what we did with ours. You do need a inverter that will output a wave acceptable to computer devices. Not all of them will do it.

    Trucks today are not like the ones you had in the 90's However... you will likely get a beater. Until you demonstrate that you are a veteran which I think you wont have any trouble once you break the rust off. But don't bug the company man for a new truck just yet New truckers tend to get beat up equiptment to protect both the trucker who is new and the company who has gotten it's money's worth out of it. So if something happens to it... it's not much of a loss.

    Today's companys can fire you so easily should you scrape a telephone pole making a right turn. You can literally rub it, jiggle the traffic lights above and a city man makes complaint with your unit number to company and you are fired. That is one scenario. To illustrate.

    There is no point in telling you about all the things you can get into in trucking, you already probably have a pretty good idea what you want. Go for it.
     
    G13Tomcat Thanks this.
  6. Suspect Zero

    Suspect Zero Road Train Member

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    Burbank, IL
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    Put your location in your profile, it mat help with getting suggestions.
     
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  7. Lanky7369

    Lanky7369 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 22, 2016
    Maysville, KY
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    Strange, I have tried 4 times to add my location and DOB onto my prifile, I hit "Save Changes" , but it wont save them.
     
    x1Heavy Thanks this.
  8. Lanky7369

    Lanky7369 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 22, 2016
    Maysville, KY
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    Finally got it to save.
     
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  9. ExOTR

    ExOTR Windshield Chipper Extraordinaire

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    Fort Worth, Tx
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    Can you take a truck home? Or do you need to park it at a terminal?
     
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  10. Lanky7369

    Lanky7369 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 22, 2016
    Maysville, KY
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    I bring my tractor to the house and park my trailer in a well lit lot.
     
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  11. 8thnote

    8thnote Road Train Member

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    Aug 12, 2013
    Chattanooga, TN
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    The Volvo 780 has a couch and table that converts to bed. I believe Abilene out of VA runs the Volvo 780s. There's several recent threads about Abilene on here.
     
    x1Heavy and ExOTR Thank this.
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