So what is your LTL company paying?

Yeah the current job won't pay me extra to have it, so i don't bother. Now i take care of family, so being OTR would be difficult. I would love to just get an A class and get a regional or local job, but without OTR experience, it would be very difficult i imagine.

 

I wouldn't think that all I have ever done is local.... soda, beer, food, trash etc. There is always some local company that is needing drivers even the bottom paying company's should be paying more than your making now and its experience which in this business means a lot.

 

Having experience helps, but not being trained how to do the job is messed up. When I started at FedEx Freight (keep in mind I went through the new driver training program) I spent a whole 10 hour shift on doubles. Learning how the different dollies work, how to hook up and break sets, etc. Then my first week on the actual job was riding along with another driver, seeing how the ELD and handheld works, and learning what to do at the hub, meet points, other terminals. And knowing how to read the paperwork to make sure dispatch didn't screw up (like dispatching me home but with a trailer that should be dropped off at the hub). UPSF sending you out into the wild without any of that is asking for failure.

I have to disagree here, unless you have a family at home that makes it difficult to adapt, it's relatively easy to flip to overnights and stay there. I'm around your age and don't have any issues adapting to a night schedule over a weekend. On Friday I stay up for 20-22 hours, going to bed Saturday morning and sleep for about 8 hours. I do the same thing on Saturday/Sunday and I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go for my shift on Monday night. Hell, it's the middle of the night right now and I'm wide awake.

You don't have to go OTR in order to get a Class A. Like @Cardfan89, I've only ever done local and it wasn't that difficult. The main obstacle is probably going to be actually getting your license. I paid out of pocket for a school and worked part time wile taking a 5-week class, but there are plenty of companies that offer a dedicated training program to get your license while you work for them. The only catch is that the trucking economy has slowed down considerably and it may be difficult to find those types of jobs right now.

 

You're right, but many companies do want to see some OTR experience before they sign you on locally. Or some type of Tractor Trailer combination drive time under your belt. At least that's what i keep seeing for jobs that involve local with A-class license.

 

Not the ones that also offer CDL training.

 

I miss 3rd shift driving. I would haul metal castings for Jet engines and started around 8pm. Once i got done around 6am, i'd go home, sleep until noon or so and had the whole day to get things done before my next run.

 

Oh i totally get that. That's mostly why i became a driver to begin with. The most depressing thing to me is going to work when it's dark out and going home when the sun sets. At least if i had to do that in a Truck, i was still free to be outside and stop for food if need be etc.