Is going to the northeast mandatory for an OTR driver?

Driving in the NE, you must pay very close attention to truck routes...
And often when you need to leave them (or even turn into some shippers, even newer ones sometimes) means sliding the tandems or telephone poles, curbs, stop sigms, etc will be an issue...
i find that sticking to the qualicom directions to/from the main road/highway and the shipper/reciever usually will avoid the worst turns, or aleast have notes about them....brokered loads...watch out...
When they tell you to drive down a street, drive up into a empty lot, then back down a dead end street to alley dock into their dock...you are in for some fun...

That having been said, the low bridges of chicago, the hills Colorado....every place has their challanges....
Many times, many deliveries in the NE will get you a premium of some type, either by the mile or by the load due to the fewer, harder miles....so you can make it work and make a $$. Tolls for a company driver is usually ez pass....but can get into HUNDREDS OF $$$ per day (well, 100+$ pretty easy, more possible).
running the ne, you learn there is multiple ways to get from a to b...even the miles for each way can vary 10%, as can the tolls...
Judgement is needed...depending on the time of day the gw bridge can be ok, or a 4 hr delay compared to the tapp....
usually a local on the cb will speak up...so help is usually around....
We have all been there....

 

What's wrong with the Northeast? LOL.

Learned to drive in all those states, doesn't seem bad to me at all.

 

Exactly,me too

 

My first time solo was Columbus to Lima to Philadelphia to Baltimore to NYC to Buffalo to Boston to Philadelphia to Columbus. Sweaty palms a few times, but I drive wherever the freight runs.

 

The only thing I don't like about NJ is that whole "no left turns" thing.
For example, the Pilot in Mahweh NJ. Pull in, fuel, do your thing. Say you need to get back to the interstate. Wellll...you can't turn left out of the lot, you have to turn right.

I noticed a few exits off that highway were designated U-turn areas where you take the U-turn ramp, cross over the highway and get back on the opposite direction. My only concern is if it allows enough space for a truck?

 

Sorry but you'll never make it far in this business with an attitude like that. If you're afraid to drive in the North East, then you're not of much use to anybody. Afraid to drive in the snow? What about climbing and decending a mountain on a 2 lane road that you can barely fit a pick-up truck on, much less a tractor trailer? Ever driven in and around Atlanta, GA? Makes the NJ Turnpike look like an open race track .
Sorry but I just don't think you have what it takes to succeed as a trucker. You might want to think about dispatching. It's pretty much safe behind that desk and telephone.

 

Plenty of freight in the midwest,

stay regional,

no reason to go otr long haul.........

 

It's really the ultimate test of your manhood. Fight MMA? Piece of cake. Walk across Alaska barefoot? No problem. OTOH, drive an 80,000 pound vehicle in NYC? Only Real Men take that one on!

 

I was on am l.a. to Boston drop& hook dedicated run many years ago. You get a sweet gig like that and you'll learn to love the northeast