Is OTR Really For Me?

Just throwing this out there for you - a lot of LTL carriers have no set in stone experience requirements and will hire 21 year olds. You might not see a lot of driving right away, but your first driving job could also be your career..

 

yes there is a good OTR company Watkins Shepard Trucking....any questions feel free to ask....




American Trucker

 

Man all the local jobs are suck ### jobs and they are driver unload.....you will work twice as hard for the same money as OTR. With OTR your out .... far away from home and all that wimpy stuff like home cooking and a warm house. OTR is not for sissies and tourist! The Road will change you Bro....it will, Living in the man cave, eating at TA Petro and Subways, running 500 mile a day.....Oh what a life!

 

What exactly is ltl trucking?

 

When I started driving 7 years ago my wife and I agreed we can do anything for a year. As it happened we only had to do 8 months before I got a local gig. (I did have to go OTR again for 5 months recently). OTR is rough but survivable. Manage your record, your health, and your money and you'll be ready when the right opportunity comes.

That said, I've known a couple guys who managed to never do OTR but that's less common. One worked for dump truck outfit till he got a year or so in. Another got a job as a spotter to start. If you can get something local with a reasonably good employer* go for it. (*you don't want a bunch of tickets for raggedy equipment on your record and if the boss vanishes one night verifying employment is going to be a thorn in your side for years).

 

"Less than truckload" ie the truck has loads from many different shippers to many different receivers as compared to truckload where generally the trailer has one load from one shipper to one receiver. Examples of LTL carriers include Con-Way, Fed Ex Freight, Old Dominion, and Yellow/Roadway.

 

A young guy like you shouldn't have a hard time w/ loading hands on freight.Try a local lumber yard,one of my twins got hired last year $14 per HR plus OT ,to start, delivering building supplies(got laid off when it got slow though) His twin brother got a union gig,w/ a distributor, delivering beer for $13 per hr,that was a hard job carrying full kegs up & down stairs,but he liked it while it lasted(laid off too).Now one of them went OTR w/ werner,to get one year in,in the hopes of eventually landing that elusive local job.I think he's been kidnapped by Werner,he hasn't been home since 1/3/11(maybe finally home time next week). But he really seems to be enjoying himself,posting pictures from all over the 48 states on facebook,his friends stuck here,in NJ w/ dead end jobs, are jealous,I can tell by the comments they make on FB.

 

So he's happy with Werner? He just has to get through training though and he'll be making better then training money!

 

Less Than Truckload. It's a common term used to describe the segment of trucking that uses a hub and spoke type system where shipments are consolidated by destination using a dock.

Companies like FedEx Freight, UPS Freight, Con-way Freight, Pitt Ohio Express, Southeastern, etc..

 

Yeah,he's got his hours done.Currently in a hotel in El paso Tx. paid for by Werner,while his trainer does 4 days hometime.He's got his laundry done,swimming in the hotel pool,gone shopping etc.w/ in walking distance of everything.He might go to a BBQ at trainers house today,to meet the trainers 3 daughters lol.He doesn't mind the wait,he's still getting paid to have a small break.Might test out in Dallas or Colorado,should find out soon.Nice to be 23 w/ no strings attached lol,the world is your oyster!