Local Trucking Question

I don't think it makes any difference. Local companies just look for X amount of driving experience, usually with a class 8 tractor.
Tanker MIGHT get you a local fuel job easier, but you'll probably need at least 5 years before someone will hire you for fuel.
Tanker companies also tend to have more regional positions than the others. Not local, but usually home more.

 

How much driving experience do you have? To be honest, if you're just starting off, I think you really need to pick the most simple thing to start off with.. dry van, namely. You've got enough to get down just with driving the truck, that you really shouldn't have to deal with other things, such as flatbeds or tankers, on top of it.
The other part of it's going to be, what exactly do you want to get into when you start driving local? A lot of local companies don't have the benefit of training programs. Granted, a major OTR carrier might have some local jobs and be able to train you on them, but a lot of companies will require you to have experience with what you're working with.. flatbed companies will want flatbed experience, etc. So, if there's a local flatbed company you've been eyeballing, keep that in mind.

 

You do not have to have otr experience to get a local job,....

Have you applied for any local jobs??

Many local food, beer, booze, distributors are less concerned with your driving and more concerned with your costumer service and sales skills,...

 

I don't know where you're from but if you're near a good size city then tanker experience would be best for gasoline. Anytime a job takes extra triaining alot of times it pays off. Of course just about all gasoline companies want experienced drivers but there are a few that hire new drivers out of school. I like tankers and would drive nothing else. I like working in the city because it's exciting and the time flys by. But that's me. There's others that just want to get on the road and go. If you limit yourself to one type of driving then your chances for finding happiness goes down. You'll need to decide what you want out of a company and what goals you'll need to satisfy yourself and maybe the wife if you have one.

I started out OTR and glad I did it. I've done regional line haul and then finally local at home everyday. Each move was a step upward plus I gained more experience with different types of trucks. When I got to my last position I had 10 years experience with a spotless record. If I didn't the company would not have even looked at me. So plan your career if this is the life you want.

 

Ain't that the trurth. I have ZERO OTR experience but yet I have 13 years experience.

 

You do not have to have otr experience to get a local job,....

You sure about that? I am in the same boat. I don't want to do OTR, but everybody here locally wants that magical one year experience because of insurance BS.

 

Read my post above yours.

 

Danny, a lot of it has to do with just being in the right place at the right time. Yes, there are local jobs available for folks with no experience. SOMETIMES. No, there are no local jobs available for folks with no experience SOMETIMES.

In this business, as in life, there are very few hard and fast rules. Sure, it is better to have the experience. But there are a LOT of local jobs that don't require it. Aggregate hauling/construction work comes to my mind, because that is what is (was before the economy) big around here.