Tractor Supply Dedicated vs OTR Dry Van Eastern 37 States

I found it better on dedicated for consistent pay and hometime. Support shift was better.

pay was determined by the contract on the individual account, so depending on account it might take a hit.

so the question is what are your priorties?

 

then go otr. you can change divisions after 6 months

 

Dedicated seems to be the way to go if you’re not actually wanting to be gone for long periods of time. I’m on a dedicated and it’s very easy. Pick up pre-loaded trailer at the DC and delivery is about 50/50 live unload or drop and hook. I’m part-time, but the full-time drivers I’ve talked to are getting 2500-3000 miles a week, which I can believe since I’ll often get 1200 miles just in 2 days over the weekend. Also, at least for my account, it says home weekly, for the 34, but the full time drivers are actually back in their home area every other night and most go home instead of sleeping in the truck on those nights. I don’t know how other accounts are run, but it might be worth finding out more info.

 

I've done both a dedicated and regional OTR. If you need a compromise between home and exploration, plus to feel out which way you and/or the family may lean I recommend regional OTR. Dedicated you will see new places for the first time, then again soon after. Dedicated can get monotonous but predictability goes a long way with most. Regional will get you into new areas and new challenges and get you an idea of full coast to coast OTR. Each dedicated will have their quirks individual to the accounts. For example a Target dedicated in Penn. you travel same routes and play a shell game of drop and hook at each store you go to. Tractor Supply will be each store you have to learn which way their ramps are facing to back up to. But once you learn them it gets faster for you and a touch more laid back and less stressful. Until the usual murphy law gets applied.

 

I'll repeat 3rd shift support is far and away better on dedicated side than van truckload.

 

The "catch"....if there is one....is that you may end up with a super-jerk dispatcher (like I did) for the dedicated account to which you get assigned.

Also--as indicated above, you'll be running the same routes/stores, so you won't see the variety that you would if you go OTR.

But the pay in dedicated is more predictable, and consistent.

The dispatcher I had at that time for the Target account I was assigned treated me like I was a machine.

The story did have a "happy" ending, however---after I got booted off the team for refusing to run the ridiculous hours she tried to push--I simply went back to OTR/dry van.

Then after the requisite 6 months (as indicated/suggested above), I transferred into the intermodal division (which was a better gig, anyway).

I recommend that you stay out of intermodal until you get at least several months experience elsewhere, first.

That's one cool thing about the mega-carriers that gets glossed over/overlooked on this Forum--there are so many different accounts within the different divisions of a company like Schneider--it's like a trucking "super buffet" of opportunities. So you can switch between them every so often--without having to change employers. It's a great way to build up experience, and even/also with different types of freight--without having to actually job hop.

--Lual

 

in that case, you can use otr time as training. fuel is a major expense. drive like YOU are paying that bill. seek to maximize mileage. cruise the other threads and the o/o subforum. ask your questions but show respect and appreciation for whats offered. but search for the answers first, they are likely already answered somewhere here.

some guys get ####y and #### on those who would help.

bank as much as you can to build up a maintenance fund. critical to have a more than decent cushion.....

in the meantime keep the dirty side down and the shiny side up.....