OTR not for me. How Do I get into LTL, Linehaul, FedEx, etc?

Oh I agree OTR isn't for everyone. Wasn't disputing that. But OP is saying it is waiting. Waiting will always be a part of the job. Plus if he's consistently sitting 12-34 hours. Something is seriously wrong.

 

The waiting is the company causing it, not the driver.
Waiting for me was ok as long as I knew in advance and received detention pay, plus know to have some food in the truck. Never had to wait that long though.
Those line haul jobs usually pay better than OTR, plus you're home every day or almost every day.

 

Agreed. That is why I didn't blame him. But someone's screwing up if he's sitting that long.

 

Well....we don't know if it's a constant thing. It's really not that relevant. Fact is, it's a hurry up and wait industry, and folks are not necessarily patient, and I'm not even saying the OP is impatient, I don't know him. Just for some people, to sit and wait at Tyson for 10 hrs may be painful as detention pay isn't as good as driving pay. OTR is unstable because of that, particularly in the reefer division at times. You'll see as you gain more experience. I give no cares to delays. I'll order some chinese to the truck and take a nap. Now OP's trainer could be using that down time to practice backing, or teaching non driving stuff about trucking. It's a lot to learn about this industry that ain't centered around driving.

 

Sometimes it's the shipper. I've gone to this place in Boonville, AR that ships out mainly loads for Walmart and they have to be most disorganized and slow shipper in America. I was there 16 hours once. Got paid though. Then there are other shippers that don't start picking the order until the truck shows up, their excuse: "Drivers always miss pickup appointments." The latter instance, I'll say the company needs to plan better.

 

Well you applied to Davis, and they are regional..that's the in between and they pretty much stay south; or if you go somewhere like Swift or Schnieder that has dedicated runs. They may pull for Walmart, Dollar General, or what have you. They ain't running all over the place. Hell you could probably get a dedicated run somewhere without having to leave Florida, can't really say. I've just heard of drivers living down there who do ok without leaving Florida. Chinatown gave you some ideas to try and if none of them are a go, do the year and then see what happens. A year comes and goes, and the whole playbook is opened up then!

 

If you don’t want to sit, you should haul fuel. Load and unload yourself

 

lol yea i remember all those thoughts and dreams i had during my first 6 months. At the petro round table. I getting 6 months and going local. home every night. weekends off and day shift.

 

You can't leave the truck during a multihour wait? That's brutal. Here I am thinking I'd be unfolding a commuter bike & riding around. LOL