do they have OTR LTL jobs?

No, you don't have to be elite. Just a clean MVR and decent CSA. Job history gots to be decent though. I think having doubles exp is the big key for the top LTL's cause some don't train so you'll have to start at a lower LTL company then move on. Time of the year is key especially, hiring times is around April thru summer is when they get pretty desperate. 1-2 yrs exp is what most require. I got canned from my last job around April got hired with LTL the next week. It isn't a top paying LTL company, started at .40cpm now I'm up to .46cpm in 1.5 years. The big dawgs LTL's wouldn't take me or didn't call so had to grab this job. But I'm pretty happy and it's easiest driving job I've had. No cameras, no elogs either. Just got to get used to nights, oh well, it's transport industry open 24/7 not no 9-5. If you got a year I'd get a doubles and hazmat and start dropping apps everywhere.

 

Probably the only time you're going be true OTR'ing it with a sleeper cab and set of LTL trailers would be the team trucks. The team trucks are used for expedited freight since they can keep the truck moving 20+ hrs a day theoretically. And that would probably never be with triples since most states don't even allow them.

 

Yeah an LTL gig is as much "right place right time" as it is anything else, since turnover is low and they never do much hiring in the fall or winter due to the cyclical nature of the industry. (My theory is that LTL freight is closely correlated with the construction industry and the businesses that support it, and everybody knows construction is seasonal.)

 

I know a couple of Holland drivers that leave sunday nite and return home fri. nite/sat. morn. Yes they get motels nightly but inreality its as close to an OTR
position as i know without teaming.

 

its all furniture. Crumby work too if you'll pardon my candor - I did it for a few months out in the Northeast for a few months, and that's all I could stand.

They basically stuff a 53ft trailer full of sofas or cased goods and send you out on a delivery route with 10-20 stops in some certain part of the country. It's basically an OTR P&D job except you never really pick anything up save the odd return here and there. Pretty brutal trying to hit some of those mom and pop delivery stops with a twin screw sleeper cab and long-box...way too much high stress driving situations for my liking, driving an OTR rig around lost all the time trying to wedge yourself into these small places. Part of the fun of going out on the road is loading heavy and watching the scenery roll by, but doing the furniture delivery gig you don't really get any of that relaxation time.

 

I beg to differ

 

It's more about being in the right place at the right time. Finding an opening is the hardest. But believe me if you have a clean record and they need someone, they are not gonna turn you down because you haven't been driving since the wheel was invented. I've asked around my terminal and most guys had only been driving for a little bit before they were hired, some not even Class A.

A little doubles/triples, local delivery or forklift experience will help you A LOT MORE than having been driving OTR for many years.

 

I disagree. It is not just a matter of allowable weight, it is also about being able to expedite the process of segregating freight based on its final destination. I have run many trips with half empty double/triples that could have easily been consolidated.

If I run from terminal A to terminal C, but have to make a quick stop in-between at terminal B, it would be easier (and less time consuming) to unhitch one of my trailers destined for terminal B than to break my set, strip the freight, and rehook and move on to terminal C. Again, it is not all about weight, it is also about efficiency by keeping the freight moving and labour costs down.

 

I have seen lots of ltl otr driving jobs. In fact I ran from Los Angeles, CA to Carlstadt, NJ every week in teams for 4 years. It was the same yard and drop and hook, turn and burn. Back in the day when you could really drive a truck! Had an 18 speed Pete with a 550 CAT running 80 mph! Made that run in 44 hours each way. Those were the days!

 

What company was that? I wouldn't mind that bid at all and truck. At least until 2015 anyways