Should I OTR

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by bigessfour, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. bigessfour

    bigessfour Bobtail Member

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    Mar 17, 2018
    Lamar, Colorado
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    I took advantage of the Troops to Truckers program when I was retiring from the Army. Basically, if you had a comparable vehicle on your Military Drivers License, you could take the written tests and avoid the driving portion and receive your CDL. I have a Class A CDL with every endorsement. Hazmat, doubles/triples etc. I also had a Top-Secret Security Clearance in the Army I am currently driving a local grain truck and the elevator pays me $15.00 per hour, and I have 2 years experience. I've been considering going OTR and I know there is more to it than I think there is. I'd love some advice from you experienced drivers on that idea. Thanks in advance.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Your secret clearance is worth holding on to but theres not very much out here that relies on it. Maybe a outfit in the Texas Panhandle that hauls decommissioned nuclear componets down to the gram if necessary and another that gets into Bullion and other things with the Fed Reserve money system.

    OTR Trucking is managing your time to get to a appointment across the USA if necessary in any weather. Managing the 70 hours left to be legal and never allowing dispatch to push you to not be legal. Many people cannot hardly get to the doctors appt on time across town...

    It is also managing your expenses. Do not go out there OTR for less than .50. Keep in mind that they paid .35 or so for decades because most people don't know it is such low pay.

    Trucking has changed for the worse in some areas. You will find yourself micromanaged for enforcement or firing for the smallest stuff with the wrong companies. On the other hand if you chose carefully and ran with first class operations you will not suffer the abuses common in say grocery and cold storage.

    I am sorry I cannot give you a compass so to speak, If you are thriving on that 15.00 a hour and so on and happy there in the area, stay there. If not? You might not do so well out on the road.

    If you hold security clearances, your future is not OTR trucking. It lies closer to the NSA for example.
     
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  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Henderson, NV & Orient
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    Dairy Farmers of America in Greely might hire you.
    Some of us love OTR and running coast to coast and some hate it and don't understand why some of us love it. Any specific questions?
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
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  5. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Western Distributing Transportation Corporation, Denver,CO www.wdtc.net counts your military driving as experience.
    Types
    • Solo - Longhaul
    • Team - Longhaul
    • Local/Regional
    • Shag/Yard
    • Towing
    • Rollback
    • Enclosed Transport
    • Gravel
    • Lowboy/Equipment
    Requirements
    • Minimum of 3 Years/300,000 Miles (Verifiable) OTR Driving Experience
    • Military Experience vs Mileage Experience Applicable
    • Good MVR/Safety Record + 25 years of age
    • Class A CDL
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
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  6. bigessfour

    bigessfour Bobtail Member

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    Mar 17, 2018
    Lamar, Colorado
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    Just wonder about the home time, what it's like to work with dispatchers, how do you get paid etc.
     
  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Hometime depends on the company policy. I don't have a problem working with dispatchers; I just take whatever they throw at me even though sometimes I don't like it. If I get fed up, I'll change companies. I keep it in perspective; I don't own the company and I'm not in management; I'm a driver and have other options if I disagree with company policy. With my attitude, I'm usually one of the top moneymakes for myself in whichever company I work for. I'm a vet also and keep the same attitude now; if I wanted to be the boss, I'd go to OCS. Same in trucking; If I want to be the boss, I'll acquire more education and start working in the office.
    You have some good options where you're located. Those I already posted about, plus Groendyke Transport just north of Denver and Navajo Express in Denver.
    Navajo has several options, such as local/regional/OTR and even have a route pulling doubles.
    [​IMG]
    Groendyke Transport is a tanker outfit:
    [​IMG]
     
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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Here's some more options to consider:
    W.W. Transport - Denver - think they haul dry bulk flour
    [​IMG]
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Trimac Transportation - Loveland & Greely

    Solo | Local | Pneumatic
    Earn up to $62,000 with Local/Regional Work
    $3,000 Sign- On Bonus


    Requirements:

    • Valid CDL-A License
    • 1 year verifiable tractor trailer experience
    • No previous driving record involving consumption of illegal or intoxicating substances in the past 10 years
    • Not involved in a major preventable accident in the past 3 years
    • No more than 2 highway convictions in the past 2 years
    Military Driving Experience
    You served our country faithfully, now come join us in serving you and take advantage of your skills and let’s continue serving together.
    Please visit our Military Transport Path page.

    Loads of work
    • Hauling dry bulk products - Cement and Fly ash
    • Running 1850 miles per week
    • One weekend day off per week
    • 10 - 12 hour shifts
    • $1,000 Referral Bonus
    • Apply in person Monday -Friday 8am to 4pm or call to schedule an appointment.
      2600 2nd Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631
    • [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
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  9. Fold_Moiler

    Fold_Moiler Road Train Member

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    Do you want to go otr or do you just want money?

    It’s about to be construction season. Get on with a paving company or something.
     
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  10. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Dispatchers determine heaven or hell in terms of loading. If you are a bad driver (Which I don't think you are...) dispatchers like to give out enough rope until you quit or are fired for cause. Payment is through direct deposit via a satellite message detailing your gross, withholding, netpay and your designating how much to send to direct deposit (Home bank checking) and how much to draw as cash on the comcheck banking system at the truckstop fuel desk or credit union or FDIC bank.

    And therin lies the problem. You need and want a certain amount of work to maintain profitablity and thrive on this, and some times different times of the year will have slow freighting with no miles. And thus no money, at the amounts you can live on. And on top of that you want a certain amount of cash or credit (Or both) enough to get yourself home from anywhere in the United States at a moment's notice.

    I hate to be difficult but trucking is feast and famine with a certain amount of inflationary decay in your income year over year.
     
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  11. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Most convenient way to be paid is direct deposit to your bank or credit union.
    Look at the average annual pay in trucking, not the monthly/weekly pay. For example, during slow months the paycheck may drop some, but after the slow months you make up for it, so in the end, you've made the same annual pay.
    The tanker outfit I worked for; one of the chemicals was acid that's mixed in asphalt. During the severe winter months when road repairs/construction slows down in certain parts of the country, I'd pull a dry bulk trailer hauling flour, which is food. People eat year round. I'd haul loads of flour to places like Bisquick in Kansas City or other bakeries around the nation. There would still be liquid chemical loads year round to refineries all over the nation or places like Fuji in Phoenix. It was just the acid loads to asphalt plants that would either slow or stop.
    Refrigerated freight doesn't slow because you're hauling food. For example, during the holiday seasons, when other type freight slows, refrigerated freight picks up because people are buying extra food for meal celebrations. During Christmas, New Years, 4th of July, you might haul truckloads of hams, then not see another ham for months, but will see plenty of meat and other food loads.
    When I pulled flatbeds, the winter months could get slow for some companies, but the one I worked for had some contracts hauling for companies that exported to other countries. Construction materials might slow, but then we'd haul to the ports in California or New Orleans and other places, with maybe bull dozers & road graders going to China or huge commercial air conditioners going to Saudi Arabia are two examples.
    You'll see some strange shipments pulling reefers. One of my sons got his cdl in the Navy Seabees then pulled reefers when he got out. He'd haul seafood from Florida to California, then haul other seafood from California back to Florida. The same with tomatoes; Florida tomatoes to California, then California tomatoes back to Florida.
    It's a great career!
     
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