Off Time Options

I think Roehl hires out of Northeast PA and they have a terminal in Bensalem down near Philadelphia.

They used to have some kind of 7 on/ 7 off or 14 on/ 7 off schedule if I remember correctly. However, like a few of the previous posts said, you'll most likely be leaving the truck at a terminal and slip seating if you want extended time off.

If you're not dead set on driving OTR and want something local or regional, NFI has a lot of work out of Pittston as does JB Hunt. I believe both have home daily options in the area. Also both hire with minimal experience, but think NFI is more picky with where you received your training.

 

Roehl does have a yard right up in Bensalem, First town north east of Philly right off the turnpike . They do the 7on/7off and 14/7 there in the van division. Some guys love it others don't , I personally don't see how anyone makes any money on the 7/7 thing, that is literally a part time job ........

And it all depends on the company if you keep the truck for longer than a few days or not. I take a week or even 10 days off like I did back in June , and the truck stays parked right outside my front door ......but other companies want them in the yard or at a secure location ........

 

You'll likely quit within the first year. You see trucking as an opportunity to be a paid tourist. You're not and you are going to be highly disappointed.

 

Hometime, pay & benefits are all that matters. Truck make model does not matter as view from drivers seat is always the same.
Check with employers and see what they are offering. Don't take the first job out there as they are starving for drivers. There is good reason the same companies have been hiring daily for decades....they suck!
You are not put on this earth to make shareholders of trucking companies rich. Choose wisely.

 

Book your flight with ChocoTravel. Here's an ad featuring a few stewardesses:

 

I think to agree.

However. I wuv military history and museums etc. There was a museum of air in Polk City Florida off I-4 west of Orlando. There were times I stocked up on steaks and what not to grill while hanging out at their gate on 40 acres of grass a few days off in beautiful florida rather than endure a ice winter time off at home. I learned so much about aviation there. It really evolved me past what I little flying I did with 152, 172 and Archer Warrior type planes before that.

Because of the wonderful people in Polk, I plan to spend the 500 necessary to take a flight on either the B17 or the B29 when they come to Little Rock Adams Airport to visit each year. I look forward to that.

Trucking is very very very intense. But after 3 months coming into spring, I take a couple days off in Savannah, hop on the tour boat go out into the ocean a little bit to remain true to my baltimore maritime roots. It's nice to enjoy. Sometimes a steam train work in Nevada Northern training for 1000 dollars fee to drive a small 4-6-0 steamer with about 200 ton of freight cars a few miles or shovel coal and fire the engine. Or perhaps visit Lancaster PA and eat my way across that wonderful dutch city for a week.

But.... Horse, Saddle and then me last. Trucking first. Always. But when time off? I'll pick a place nice somewhere in the USA and simply go enjoy the local offerings. Then it's back to work.

 

looks more like a wedding hmm

 

If you want the best chance to see the fun and warm places you should get with a reefer oufit that hauls produce. Then again, solo produce runners are a dying breed. I've had some fun RV style time off but it's very rare. You'll most likely be "vacationing" in places like one of the Jersey service plazas for 34 hrs because you burnred up your 70. Been there done that. Learn how to take sink showers, they'll be a lifesaver more often than not.

 

What level of pilot certification do you have? Maybe two months ago I delivered to a small town in Ohio and next to the warehouse was a residential airport community. Instead of garages the houses had hangars attached to them and instead of driveways they had taxiways leading to the runway. It was very interesting, aviation is a great hobby for those with very deep pockets. I stick to R/C planes.

 

Right now nothing at all. Seriously. I am not anywhere near what FAA requires to formally be a pilot. I spent 6 months ground schooling during high school a dear friend who was working really hard to get his pilots license. Night after night we read the material, transferred it properly broken down into a loose leaf notebook and continued on as the school study homework got more intense into several hours a night 5 nights a week. This was back in the early 80's where Camp David was the only restriction other than Mount Weather and Raven Rock in a particular box of sky near G'Burg to practice stalls etc in.

Literally a off the books shade tree, I suppose in the old tradition where lessons learned was passed down and taught. My hands are horrible in piloting you find me needing literally a 40 ton weight tied to that poor 152 when she is flitting between 300 above and 300 below assigned altitude of only 2000 feet. It's a form of weakness on my part. I need heavy something to be stable. really light planes turned out to be rather a challenge to hold steady, trimmed out only need a finger in good air. But landing is ok taking off needs work. Basically Im just a really basic bottom weed that's not really polished at all. If I want to finish the formal licensing process it might not be a private pilots rating, it might have to be a sort of a sport license where I can use a ultralight in good weather. A puff of breeze is enough to push those light air craft around. So I worry about it.

What I discovered skills in is map navigation, stack of radios DME etc Toss me into the sky, wait a bit and then ask me where we are. Give me a minute or 5 and I will have your answer while you orbit Particularly when Dulles Controlled airspace (A upside down wedding cake that goes to 6000 feet then 12000 then 15500 (Above that is washington center's territory, where dragons and big jets roam. We stay around 3000 or so. Once in a while we'll take her to 14K but thin oxygen limits our endurance that high. is not too far away or KBWI, a really intense airport.

Post 9-11 has really changed things. You really cannot do what we did for decades prior to 9-11. Rent a plane, gurgile fuel into it, pretrip circle, check papers, logs, gripe sheet, fuses, magnetos, prop, fuel water, trim tabs all control surfaces etc etc etc etc etc. Then you have to ask mother may I from Washington Center while still tied to your chain hooks. File a plan and wait for approval. Things have really changed.

That's ok. There is a good airfield in Searcy and I intend to progress where possible before I really get sick. The Medical will be my big challenge. I don't know yet what will happen. It's in the hands of God. I cannot fly very well, but I can navigate that should be worth something to somebody. You think? It's really difficult to build a future when you are required to leave trucking behind as a way of life. Most people probably skip and play through life happy go lucky and never struggle or battle. But I don't skip and play much. I do my best to.

That's my story. It's really ... basic. But one of these days Lord willing i'll sit down for formal lessons and see where we go from there.