Otr to local. Night shift??

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Slim51, Jun 21, 2018.

  1. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

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    If the variance in day to day working time is an hour or less, then pick your poison, if you aren't a night owl already, don't try to be, saw too many guys do night's for a month or less and quit because they're just no good at nights. Also my "short nights" (10hrs including 45 minute commute) had a habit of turning into 10-12 hrs, and the long nights (12-14 hrs with 5 minute commute, my brother lived 5 minutes away so crashed at his place every other week) could be 16-18 hrs...

    Granted this was flatbed and the loaders were unreliable at best, so ymmv, basically, I didn't get any more real home time doing that, so I'm back otr again.
     
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  3. AlexFromMD

    AlexFromMD Light Load Member

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    My honest recommendation is keep doing what you’re doing. Local driving you have to be prepared to burn out your 14 and you’ve got 10 hours to post trip your truck, get all your stuff in your car, drive home, eat, shower, sleep through the day with 3 kids in the house, wake up, drive back and do it all over again. I drive local night shifts but I live alone and I still occasionally envy drivers who can park and and take 2 steps to their bed in their sleeper berth. You actually have really good home time now for an OTR guy. Just my opinion.
     
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  4. Slim51

    Slim51 Light Load Member

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    I like starting early morning now, as in 2-4am. I have run over night and didn’t have any issues really. Driving in the dark gives me that feel of being alone that I like. Like being in the woods in the winter... lol.
     
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  5. Slim51

    Slim51 Light Load Member

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    I sure do... thanks for the advice. Although from what I understand, this guy runs 12 hr shifts on his trucks, so maybe the 14hr day would be less likely than other places. And I believe I have an option to run nights or days at this point. I’ll know more this weekend.
     
  6. Jazz1

    Jazz1 Road Train Member

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    Depending on your location linehaul gets home daily, as does food service and dirt merchants
     
  7. TankerP

    TankerP Road Train Member

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    Been driving night local for 20 years now. From kindergarten to 11th grade, I took my kid to school in the mornings and then picked him up in the afternoon. It was really tough. He is now in a SoCal University with a double major and a GPA of 3.88. I can honestly say that I made the right choice and would not do it any other way. Since I was the one who took care of my kid’s school arrangements it freed up my wife to take care of her own career. Last year she made 2.5x more than me.
    You gotta do what you gotta do.
     
  8. Slim51

    Slim51 Light Load Member

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    Closest food service is 1 hr away, linehaul 1-1.5hrs. I’m pretty #### rural...
     
  9. some other trucker

    some other trucker Light Load Member

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  10. CrappieJunkie

    CrappieJunkie Wishin' I was fishin'

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    Anyone can become a night owl, if you train your body to do so. That is what I did.
     
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  11. De Trucker

    De Trucker Medium Load Member

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    Ever think of moving to where you'll have opportunities?
     
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