Dont go OTR if you have a CDL

I have to agree with at least the premise of this post. For a new driver, a local job is probably the best way to go, providing of course you aren't joining the industry on the misguided notion that trucking is some kind of paid sight seeing adventure. The advantages of a local job are numerous as long as you get with the right outfit. Another benefit to newbies taking local jobs, is that the rest of us don't have to share the interstate at 3:30 in the morning in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a blizzard, with some greenhorn who's trying to stay awake and not crap his pants at the same time. I would feel much better knowing that ALL newbies were driving local, but that's just me.

 

This makes absolutely no sense at all.. So local drivers don't ever touch the interstate, or ever drive @ 3:30 in the morning? They are on the same roads as you, at all hours of the day.

 

alot of drivers cant go local as they have a bunch of issues. alot of drivers i see apply to go otr are broke and desperate.Thats why the BFI's can take em, trick em into leasing and they get negative paychecks.

Alot of people think driving a truck is their saving grace and that couldnt be any further from the truth. Some many regs.

It takes 40 hrs to fly a single engine plane and there arent as many rules as driving a truck.

 

Local driving is not for newbies. It's one thing to pull a truck down a highway all day, it's another ball park to drive in a city environment all day. There are simply too many variables at play and throwing a newbie into the mix is just a accident waiting for a place to happen.

Also, CountrySausages comment is incorrect. My division of the Post Office runs 24/7/365 regardless of the weather. Even if the roads get shut down, authorities have no jurisdiction to shut us down and we still have to run. Even while Katrina hit the Post Office remained operational. Not a single piece of mail was lost either.

 

i have had my cdl for 10 years 8 years class B 2 years class A. i have never been OTR.. and make 20$ a hr running Local. but i guess i shod be working at McDonalds

 

I enjoy my 600-700 paychecks every week running otr. No offense but y'all can have that hourly pay ltl stuff. I like what I do

Ethan

 

i have never seen this. i run M-F starat at 4:30 to 5am work 10 - 12 hrs a day same route all the time

 

Hence the keyword: "Almost"