Dont go OTR if you have a CDL

Some people actually enjoy spending time with their kids and wives.

 

I make twice that working half the hours.

 

See, that is the thing about it. You might be making $7-800 a week OTR, but after all of your expenses, what is that really? I understand why single people with no kids would go OTR; But with kids, and the availability of Local jobs that pay decent-good, why would you miss out on your kids growing up?

I tried it for a month, when I could get over missing my kids, I LOVED it.. but I couldn't ever truly get over missing my kids.. Sure, I don't make very good money now, but I only have a year experience.. and money isn't everything. Getting home after a 12 hour day, feeling like crap because my Dispatcher is an idiot, walking in the door, and the kids screaming, "DADDY".. wouldn't give that up for the world.

Sorry if I went off a little bit there, been having a bad couple of days, and trying to explain to myself why I put up with it lol.. Dispatchers are bold face liars, and idiots.

 

I think everyone should drive over the road for a year its a good learning expierence theres money to be made you just have to play ure cards rite it takes a special person to make it in the industry thats why 90 percent of people who get there cdl dnt make it past a year

 

Warren Ohio eh.. Im down in Leetonia.

I've made it past the year part. I've gotten plenty of job offers for better money, just don't want to take a job, and get stuck out on the road. They are local jobs, but I've heard so much of this bait and switch talk, it makes me nervous.

I think you can learn just as much Local as you can OTR. Most days I put anywhere from 250-500 miles on the single stack mack attack. I have to trip plan, to get from one place to the next. The only thing you are doing, that I am not, is sleeping in your truck(I do that too sometimes lol.. Im an early bird, and end up getting to places before they open.) I run in 4 or 5 different states, and do a LOT of city driving.. actually, a lot of my driving is through cities. Also, you may back your truck once or twice a day.. I do it atleast 15 times a day, if not 30, and in some of the smallest holes you could imagine, built for 4 wheelers. I've gained a lot more knowledge from this local job, than I did OTR. Dealing with the same things, but more.

 

My comment had nothing to do with u I was talking about new drivers just coming into t
he industry

 

Well then it did have something to do with me, because I only went OTR a month before I left and went local.

And sorry, doesn't seem like it's been that long that I have been driving.. so I still consider myself a new driver I guess..

 

I only lasted a year OTR. Wasn't cut out for the life. Wasted what little money I made on truckstop trixies, load locks, chains/binders which mysteriously kept disappearing and took heavy losses in down time after contracting salmonella by stupidly believing TS burgers are safe to eat. Switched to short haul where I spent 6 hours a day loading/unloading for FREE since the company PLOOF (those cheap sobs) didn't pay a dang dime until after 3 hours wait time. Hauled cantainers up and down the coast for % pay, did the math and realized I was making about 7-8 bucks an hour for my time. Went local P&D/hourly pay and started making $1200+ a week with OT and lumper pay and sweet little extras like when Publix paid drivers $50 for being on time. And I saved a ton of money by having a regular local GF which is something few OTR drivers can keep around for long. Hows that Zep song go? Open my front door, hear my back door slam... lol yea man. FOTR.

 

Thats about where I am at.. getting paid $8-10/hour for my time. Just trying to put my time in, and pay my dues I guess.

 

You enjoy doing your job don't you?

I also enjoy what I do. I wouldn't want to be ltl because i know I wouldn't like it. I like otr. You like ltl. Its what works for us.

Id rather take a lower paying job to be happy rather than a high paying job where I'm miserable.

If I ever went ltl and could make as much as you right off the bat then I would do it for about 6 months. That would give me time to save up for my own truck. When i bought my own truck id quit ltl and go back otr either with my own authority or leased to a carrier.

You do what works for you, ill do what works for me. As far as seeing your family, I'm looking for a otr company that will get me home every week. There's a small outfit out of Georgia that will take me on when i get 2 years of experience but I also have to be 25. So ill have 4 years by then.

I like to see my family and friends but I also enjoy seeing the country. Mainly the southern states along i10 and i20.

Ethan