Am I the ONLY one that actually wants to go OTR?

One of the top priorities I have with becoming a truck driver is to see the country. As much as possible! I know that from a Semi you are much more restricted than a normal vehicle and you can't just veer off to go see stuff. But, I want to experience going as many different places in our country as I can. I intend on getting me a nice big map of the United States and start marking off where I been and not really stop until I don't really have anyplace to mark off anymore. That's a significant reason I want to become a truck driver. But, it seems EVERYONE keeps wanting a regular 5 day home job, or similar. Fer God Sake's I held a regular Monday thru Friday 9 to 5 type job for 20 plus years. I am SO SO ready for something NOT routine!! Gonna tell my driver manager, send me places I haven't been yet. Long Island New York, Billings Montana, Los Angeles, Boston, Appleton Wisconsin.
Am I the only one that actually wants to travel to all sorts and sundries of different places?

 

I love the OTR life style... But some places I used to want to go, I no longer do... Traffic in a big truck sucks!

 

Not the only one...

I just quit OTR... and sort of not by choice lol.

 

I did 3 years OTR moving from a pre-trucking job I hated to OTR for 1 year. Then I went back to the pre-trucking job I hated. Learned to hate it again and went back to OTR trucking, but this time with my dog. I loved it until another company bought the company I worked for and changed the rules so I had to leave. I then worked on a regional job for 18 years where I was home nightly. I liked it, got my finances in order, but eventually got very bored. I started looking at going back OTR and almost went to Jim Palmer Trucking pulling reefers all over the USA. Instead I found a dedicated chemical HazMat tanker job that was OTR with out and back trips and a guaranteed weekly paycheck that was 40% higher than my previous job. I now put about $25k in savings every year and see the country. My OTR truck has free satellite TV and an APU.

With my first 3 years OTR I visited 38 states. In 2 years I have now visited 48 states, including FINALLY getting to see some of the Pacific NorthWest. I expect to retire somewhere in the PNW and give up this 90 degree/90% humidity Southeast. You have to make you happy. If you want to do OTR do it. I beg you to do enough research so you find a good OTR company that works for you. I've never had to stay out more than a week at a time. Some OTR jobs are terrible, have bad customers, pay little, and you never go home. Other OTR jobs are high-paying and treat you very well. Pick wisely, it's your life.

 

You can see enough of NYC and Los Angeles on TV/movies. They suck in a big truck. If you don't hate Atlanta now, you will in a big truck.

 

I think this is wrong career for you. in the 60's, 70's and 80's it probably would have been a good time. Things are different in all aspects now. Good luck

 

I hated local or regional trucking. Loved the coast to coast & border to border stuff. Never get tired of it.
You used the term, "driver manager", so who are you working for?
Port Saint John is a good location for some decent long haul trucking jobs.

 

Idaho and Montana, not just Billings, is awesome. Most of OTR is visiting one non-descript industrial park after another. They don't all look alike but truck stops and industrial parks are MOSTLY what you see. It's the time between the cities where you see the scenery of the USA. My pet peeve is people/family asking me if I've been to X when they see X on TV. I've been to dirty industrial parks in the same city or state as X, but I surprisingly never park at charming bed and breakfast on the Northeast during Fall or spend anytime on the beach during trips to CA or FL. I visit a truck stop or an industrial park that looks like any other truck stop or industrial park. It happens to be in San Francisco, Maine, Charleston, etc X 48.

 

BTW, I do figure in time I will get my wanderlust fed and I'll not be so energetic to go everywhere. I've got about 8 years left in me before I retire completely. I also know that there will be lots of difficult traffic and conditions to endure. If it was all easy and fun, where's the challenge? Also, I am actually in a spot where although I do have a home place, I have no recurring need to be there every two weeks or 2 months. I am setting out on this as an adventure. It will not last a lifetime, never intend it to. But, for the next few years I'm gonna wanna see stuff, get outside my comfort zone, live something not ordinary or routine. I've had enough of that for awhile. It ain't forever, nothing is. I had the same job for over 23 years. It was an absolute wonderful job in so so many ways. I was paid well, treated wonderfully, worked with amazing, inspiring people who became like family. However, the last 5 to 8 years was torture in many ways because I was so stuck and in a rut. Finally, it passed (you know, this too shall pass!). Anyway, thanks for the replies. I appreciate the feedback.

 

Care to elaborate?