Local Jobs

alot of times you'll get more rest regional, and make more too, yup you may get home every night to eat, maybe shower, but even though it's "local" it's still trucking, and on top the long hours, figure in your drive time back and forth to your local gig, and the gas you'll burn doing it too.

 

Local for me is the only way to go, still truckin, and home at night to spend time with my wife and daughter.

 

I don't know about your location but I can tell you about most of the western gas haulers. There are some companies that will hire drivers out of school but those are the companies that no one wants to work for once they get the experience to move up. There are only a few but the pay will be alot lower than the others and sometimes the equipment is kind of shabby. They're safe but the inside of the cab is trashed. It's hard to stay in business hauling gasoline if you don't play by all the rules. There's just too many liabilities. So they are safe and reliable. Don't get me wrong here and think it's not a good opportunity because these types of companies will open the door to the great jobs.

I'll break it down how the west runs.
First you have the "Common Carrier" they are the ones that will haul anyones product and they are the ones that will give new drivers a shot. They are the lowest pay.

Then you have the "Dedicated Carriers" they haul just for one company but for many companies. I know it sounds crazy so I'll try to explain a little better. A Dedicated Carrier might have one truck that hauls nothing but Chevron gasoline and another truck may just hauls Exxon gasoline. You'll see these tankers with the name of the brand on the trailer like Chevron and then a different name on the cab door. That might say Dave's Petroleum Products". You'll never see a Chevron trailer unloading in a Exxon station so that's why they call them dedicated carriers. Those companies pay better than common carriers and are a little harder to get hired on. Good benefits and all around good companies on a whole.

Then you have the jackpot, The Major Oil Companies. Those are like Exxon, BP,Shell,and more. Their pay is way above the normal. They have the best benefits and you hardly see a driver quit and after a driver is there for 20 or so years they retire millionaires. I've seen it more than just a few times. I took the golden handshake and retired early and when I went out I had three different retirement accounts. A company retirement program. Then two different investment programs where the company would match a certain amount with each program. I invested in company stocks and when they split 4 times I was happy. These jobs are the hardest to get. Drivers do not leave and every driver around is always trying to get hired on. It's a goal well worth going for because if you're waiting and working for a dedicated carrier then you're making good money and gaining the expereince the majors like to see.

It all starts with the bottom companies just like anywhere else. But if you're willing to go where the jobs are you can make it if you keep your record clean and build a name for yourself. Hauling gasoline is a small community and if you're in an accident or roll one over everyone knows. Good luck and don't stop trying no matter what anyone says.

 

I agree with this statement, its very true. I once drove over the road but didn't get home enough. Then went local and still not home enough. Drive six days a week. Drive an hour to get to work an hour back home sleep about 5 to do it again. Got more rest over the road than i do now. Make fair money but never home to enjoy my wife over life

 

Hogwash...I meet drivers daily who totally by-passed the whole over the road fiasco....

What do you want to know?

Try driver staffing companies for a starter...or staffing companies...temp agencies...just for starters...

Try Amerigas, and or other local class B hazmat positions...

What else do you want to know?

 

Yep, no need to go OTR if you don't want to.

The statement about getting more rest is true.
Some local companies use the 70 in 8 rule and work you that way not like a production worker 40 a week off on weekends.

 

Local log books look totally different than OTR log books...

Meaning log books for 'city' drivers...where they don't travel no more than 150 miles away from base, and return to the same terminal they started from...

I'll take a photo of one tomorrow...
I've never seen one until this week...
They're so much simpler than OTR log books...

You basically just write 'start' time and 'finish' time...and that's it...

I'll show you one tomorrow...

 

What local log books? If you run within the air mile restriction you dont need to fill out anything other than a pre-trip sheet.

 

I dont know what hes talking about local log books. Ive been running local for a long time and our log books look the same as anyone elses.

To the OP, it is very possible to get a local job right out of school.

There is alot of bad information being passed on that it is impossible to get local jobs without going over the road. Alot of guys I work with have never done a day of over the road!

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ttention-all-rookies-wannabes-local-jobs.html