"Trucking Companies do not recognize Pepsi as OTR" ?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by n8dwgphx, Aug 21, 2010.

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  1. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I run in, up to four of the following states, five days a week & off on weekends: La, Ar, Tx, Ok & Ms then back home every night with a day cab. I'm not sure that, this qualifies as OTR with a lot of OTR companies.

    I think most companies are looking for people who can take a load into any situation they dispatch you on. They need to be sure you can run from Phoenix to NY city & back into an alleyway in downtown NY City traffic. First, they want to know that you even understand how to get into downtown NY City. Personally, I don't. They want to know that you wont run across an old wooden bridge built in the 1870's like I saw in another thread on here. They want to know that you can run any given route they give you, not just a single run over & over every day. They want to know that you can run something besides a couple of lanes (routes). Speaking of lanes, most of us that run daily routes never see 8 & 10 lane roads/hwy's/streets in cities that we have to navigate. They want to know that you can back a 53 ft van into an impossible loading dock between two long nose Pete's.

    While I drive into people's back yards sometimes with almost unimaginable situations, my over all situation isn't going to qualify me with most OTR companies as having OTR experience at this current job. However, I do have experience as OTR because previously, we ran TX to Fl, up the coast to Va, over to Il to Kansas & back into TX for a couple of years. That was the covered area, not just the route. We would run anywhere in that south, s/e, east coast, midwest area.

    Personally, I don't think a log book is their defining answer to whether or not its OTR. I just don't think running 100 or 200 miles away from your terminal will qualify as OTR. The biggest thing I think they want to know is that you know the in's & out's of different states, cities, roads/hwy's/cities, DOT rules, some common sense & can adapt to situations out there whether in NY city or San Francisco, or some place back in the swamps of La that have limited roads or access. Sometimes how to get there when the roads aren't even on a map or GPS. Can you even go on that road with a big truck? They want to know that your experienced in driving in adverse weather conditions in Wisconsin during the winter months. When & how do you chain up? When does the law in that state require you to chain up? You need to have some knowledge of the mountainous area's & how to navigate those situations. There is a LOT of this that I don't know & would need to ride with someone for a while to learn this stuff... or go to a school or training etc.

    I'm not saying that EVERY company needs you to do these things but, some companies do. Again, even with me running 5 states, I'm not sure it qualifies as OTR with some companies. But, with other companies it may qualify if its a "local" route or a they just need you to run two or three lanes/dedicated routes.

    Hope this helps :)
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2012
    Grumppy, Sep 30, 2012
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  2. RickG

    RickG Road Train Member

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    The OP hasn't been here since August 2010 .
     
    RickG, Sep 30, 2012
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  3. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

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    Good answer Grumpy... right on the money. To the op, no worries driver, there are 10,000 carriers just like the one you applied to just waiting for your application and no I'm not being a smart arse. Just keep rolling, adding to your experience and keep looking. Carriers are all different. You are doing OTR , it's just not what THIS carrier wants.

    The irony here is a carrier would love to hire the driver Grumpy describes. 15 to 20 years OTR, good working knowledge of most regs and areas etc. BUT they don't want to pay for it.

    Good hunting....
     
    chalupa, Sep 30, 2012
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  4. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Maybe he hasn't but we are & there will be others who come along in the future who will or may need this question or situation answered.
    When a newbie comes to this board & asks a repetitive question that has been answered a hundred times, what do the old hands tell them? "Use the search feature..."
    So, now if a newbie OR an old hand, is curious about this subject, he has a thread with answers he can go to.

    Otherwise, why don't we just delete all threads started by people who came in here one time 2 years ago & now don't come in here no more?
     
    Grumppy, Sep 30, 2012
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  5. n8dwgphx

    n8dwgphx Bobtail Member

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    Update. yes I haven't been on here for years and I took all of ya'll's advice and waited at least 3 years before I left. I got about six under my belt now. Lots of 28ft city driving, 53fter runs to yuma. But the job was just to monotonous for me. Every day same stop, same fuel island, same place to eat, I was desperate for a change of scenery and a challenge. Chose a run to Las Vegas from phx driving a refer. Backing in to all those grocery stores were a challenge the first couple of days but all is good! Thanks !!
     
    n8dwgphx, Jul 16, 2017
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  6. Zeviander

    Zeviander Road Train Member

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    OTR is a different beast than working regionally. And yes, I'm sure many companies would consider less than a full-day's drive from home terminal regional (El Paso to Phoenix is just over 400 miles).

    OTR is about trip planning, meeting pick up and delivery appointments and planning upwards of a week or two in advance. It's about driving 11 hours a day for several days straight with very few stops in between. It's about living out of the truck and an entirely different lifestyle than just driving the truck and being home every night (or thereabouts).

    I can understand why some companies wouldn't consider regional work OTR experience, because it isn't. But then again, in today's day and age of a massive driver shortage (good drivers at least) they can't afford to be that picky. My company at least would rather they find a driver with a few months-years experience and no bad habits, and teach them what we want, than someone with 25+ years experience and think's their #### don't stink and knows everything about the industry.
     
    Zeviander, Jul 16, 2017
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  7. I am medicineman

    I am medicineman Medium Load Member

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    YEP.
    Pepsi delivery drivers are NOT in any way OTR.

    Maybe if you went 100+ air miles from home and bumped docks regularly.
    But delivering to stores and such does not even come close to what an OTR driver has to know and have experience in.
     
    I am medicineman, Jul 18, 2017
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  8. n8dwgphx

    n8dwgphx Bobtail Member

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    I am medicineman -Anyone with a CDL for 2 days knows about air miles. Yes a lot of pepsi drivers just deliver to stores, i.e Cirlce K's and such. But they also drive 53fters to grocery stores (bulk drivers), and a few OTR dedicated guys. And not to mention that its different in every city. Theres a guy in Alaska that drives turnpike doubles. You can't classify us all as Dbay case humpers.
     
    n8dwgphx, Jul 18, 2017
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  9. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    well you kinda are man if you lump cases. Doing food service i ran 1600 mi a wk going from binghamton ny and baltimore-dc area 2x a week. Most places don't consider that otr exp. And i had 48 with a 230in wb cascadia condo
     
    Brettj3876, Jul 18, 2017
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  10. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    I ran for Coca Cola when they first started Powerade. Mainly down to the Coke distributors in Florida, but I went to PhoenixAZ and KentWA several times.

    But then, back in those days, you didn't have all of these stupid titles like local and regional and OTR. I went where they needed me to go.

    If I were you and was wanting to go OTR, I would find a smaller company where I could walk in and talk to the owner and show him that I can drive anything on his lot. I sure as hell wouldn't go to any company that wanted me to ride with a trainer just to go OTR. You don't need any handholding. You just need the keys to a truck and a load.

    Luck in battle.
     
    TripleSix, Jul 18, 2017
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