Solo Driving: Worth it?

When I first started driving, I heard that same bullcrap line about not being able to make any money staying "close to home". I've done the whole "OTR" thing where I'm only home a day or two per month, and I've done the "home every weekend" deal, and I've done the "local" thing.

I've NEVER taken a pay cut to come off the road and work locally. Even within the company I started driving for, I made better money on a dedicated run that had me home 4 nights per week than I had been making driving OTR and only seeing the house a night or two per month.

It's not all about how many miles you can rack up...it's how much you are being paid to do it.

 

That's correct only if you believe it. I'm home 3 nights a week and make more money than I have ever made in the previous 9 years of OTR.

It's easy too. Texas to Columbia Md. Leave Monday deliver and reload on Wednesday and get back Friday with 2900 miles. The next week might be Texas to So Cal on Wednesday and reload back Texas for a Friday afternoon delivery. That's about 3000 miles.

I like OTR AND I like to be home. I made it work. All you need is a company that knows what their doing and recognizes why drivers quit and FIX IT for the better of their bottom line.

 

I love solo. I'm capable of running 4k miles a week with the right dispatcher. Pay is great, don't have to worry about hearing the other guys snoring or smelling is nasty farts all night (only a problem if you sleep up top, heat rises ya know) among other things. I was born to drive. I live in my truck for months on end because that kind of life appeals to me and I don't like sharing my living space with anyone that's not putting out. That's why I stopped being a trainer, ok half the reason.

Really at the end of the day you have to ask yourself this:

1: What do I want from my career.
2: where do I want to go with my career.
3: What is best for my family.
Lastly.

4:WHAT IS BEST FOR ME.

 

4000/70 is 57 mph...but we all know you can't drive all 70 hours...you've got to have time shown for fueling, loading, unloading, pre/post trip, etc. So, when you factor in that other line 4 time that you have to show, you'd have to average 62 mph or better for all miles driven in order to come anywhere near 4000 miles in a week. Now if you have a truck that will run the speed limit, and never run into any problems, and stick to the interstates for every mile you drive, it is possible (but not likely without speeding and a little creative logging). If you're driving a company truck governed at 65 mph, you aren't running that many miles legally.

 

Yep you have to show line 4. If you know how to work the system and I'm quit sure you do you have to show 15 minutes for pretrip, 15 minutes minimum for ld/unl and 15 minutes for fuel. If you're unloading and loading once every two days that saves you 30 minutes a day. If are running E logs and no how your particular system worlks you make make time with that. I knew my system would allow me to go over 6 minutes after every quarter hour and as long as I changed duty status to 1 or 2 within that 6 minutes the current 15 minute quarter would not count against my 70.

I admit, you will work your ### off and beg for a break after a month of doing that but that's what hometime is for. I'm out here to work that simple. In about 4 or 5 years that mentality will probably change for me but for the moment let's get er done.

 

With whom do you run and where can I find this company? lol

 

Were in Dallas and the trucks have to park at the terminal. There's really nothing special about this company. The reason I like it is because it's round trip freight and of course one yard is nice. All you have to do is go and knock on doors. You won't find the best jobs advertised.

 

If you're single and enjoy the road.

Hell, go solo. You can take time off anywhere, with "some" companies. You'll meet all kinds of people, and see parts of the U.S. that nobody else gets to see.

The money isn't as bad as some make it out to be either.