Opinions on OTR vs Home Daily?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by D_Havens, Jul 31, 2012.

  1. dirtyjerz

    dirtyjerz glowing beard pouty kid

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    Playing in Traffic
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    Well arent we special. Lol lets not forget the Salem county people here.

    Back on topic, i enjoy local much more than otr. I start at noon and work 10-14 hours a day mon-fri so time at home is kinda screwy but i having a 6 month old it still lets me see him everyday. Otr would be fine by me if i was single with no reason to be home but thats not the case. To each his own and as long as your not dreading work everyday and making good money you doing ok. Its better than flipping burgers.
     
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  3. D_Havens

    D_Havens Light Load Member

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    I agree, if you like your job, that's all that matters. Just trying to dig into the why behind the what out there! Thanks!
     
  4. frago

    frago Light Load Member

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    Well i actually just got out of a local job i spent 10 years doing. We were paid mileage and kept log books. If you are paying drivers by the hour you are being taken advantage of without a doubt. I know every trick in the book in order to burn as many hours as possible and so does every other driver i know. I would say yes most definitely i would work for you as well as a hundred upon thousand more. Just tell me where to sign up. I enjoy driving 20mph below posted speeds , letting every truck in sight unload and load before me and seeking out traffic congestion.

    With all that said an hourly driving job is like winning the tracker motto with overtime.

    Tracker motto haha funny spell check. Trucker Lotto
     
  5. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

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    Paid by hour is more fair to the driver in IMO. There's maybe a bit of an attitude of "oh well, I'm paid by the hour so who cares how long it takes," but I don't think it's fair to make drivers sit at grocery warehouses (or wherever) for 2 or 3 hours and not be compensated for that. After all, you're doing the company's bidding by sitting there tending their truck and waiting for their load to be moved. You're not there because it's fun. Most hourly drivers just want to get the job done as fast and easily as possible too so they can go home at a reasonable hour. You're not gonna get rich anytime soon making $15-25 bucks an hour anyway.
     
  6. AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

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    PHX, AZ
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    I've seen so many cool things doing OTR, local is cool if you got a chick/dude/kid I guess but for a single person?? no way
     
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  7. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    West Monroe, La
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    I did read a few of the posts but I didn't read all of them, so if I repeat a post, I hope you will pardon me.
    I am home every night by choice. I won't have it any other way if I can help it. True, I don't make as much money as some of the OTR guys but, sometimes, there are some things more important than money. To me, its my family. If I didn't want to see my wife, spend time with her, I wouldn't have gotten married to begin with.

    I don't want to go otr but I don't wanna drive around town either. I run out of north La to east TX most days. Sometimes central La. I will run about 350 to 550 miles a day. I'm off on weekends.

    I dont like the multiple stops & having to hand unload some stops (some places dont have fork lifts) but, I'm home every night & off on weekends... & thats what's important to me. I wont say I wont ever go OTR but I will say..... I wont do it for long. I may have to drive a concrete truck but, I'm going to be home at night & weekends.

    Just for those who are wondering, I have done OTR.
     
  8. FatDaddy

    FatDaddy Road Train Member

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    Gloucester county here...born and raised 33 years in Swedesboro...miss home every day. And that is one of the things I like about OTR..I get through town about once a month. Sometimes only have time to catch a quick meal with my parents..other times can do a 34. I get bored easy..so being OTR keeps me from getting bored
     
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  9. Motownfire

    Motownfire Light Load Member

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    Nov 17, 2010
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    For the most part 90% of my hauls are out & back in a days time, every once in a blue moon I'm out over night. I don't mind the occasional OTR run where I will be gone a few days but having a family at home makes that not very enjoyable anymore. Back in my single days it didn't bother me to stay out for a week or three at a time.
     
  10. Wooly Rhino

    Wooly Rhino Road Train Member

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    Liberty, Missouri
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    I have given this a lot thought. I can tell you that over the road pays more, most of the time. But in order to tell you if it is worth it or not, I would have to see a picture of your wife. :biggrin_25519:
     
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  11. Elendil

    Elendil Heavy Load Member

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    Ottawa, IL
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    Started as OTR, but still was home every weekend (late Friday--left Sunday afternoon). Switch to tanker work for the same company. Was home everyday, but the hours were total crap. Many times started at 1am and got home at 5-6pm. Just enough time to eat and get 3-4 hours of sleep before starting it over again.

    Now I work for a major LTL carrier hauling sets between terminals and doing some dockwork while waiting for my return freight. I work nights most of the time but I work a pretty defined shift that leaves plenty of time for sleep, family time, and taking care of personal business. Plus I make way more than I did doing OTR or tanker work. I cannot see wanting to do it any other way from this point forward.
     
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