West vs East - Which do you prefer driving in?

Even though I now live in the northeast and deal with the cluster ---- daily, the west is the best! Ran OTR for years when I lived in Colorado and loved it! If I wasn't married I'd be out of the concrete jungle and heading for the left coast in a heartbeat. I'd take the desert, mountains, prairies and plains any day!

 

I hate traffic like a fat kid hates broccoli. Spent a solid two years deriving from South East to north east. Had every mile of 85/95/81 memorized. To maximize miles on the east coast you've got to plan your day around traffic, whereas west of the Mississippi you can just roll. Parking is a lot more plentiful. Views are better.

I'd be content to never see NYC, Philly, or other northeastern cities again. A lot more peaceful west of the Mississippi.

 

I worked for May for two years. It was a good company when I left in 2012. They also have a reefer fleet that runs all 48. I had great miles on that fleet. Western 11 wasn't bad either. Try to get brook for a DM. If you work hard she will give you miles.

 

I drove for May hauling reefer/ all 48 when I lived in Colorado. This was several years ago, but I never had a problem with miles. I'd often go from Utah ( I was out of the Layton terminal) to Oregon, then to Minnesota, then down to Georgia or South Carolina and then back to Utah. 3,000 miles or more per week easy.

 

I drive a lot Southwest on into California. I like it much better than driving East. Parking is also available much later in the day than East, which usually fills up rather early.

 

The 48 state was pretty good. It would work like this. Get a load from Washington, California, oregon etc to usually Georgia or Pennsylvania, sometimes Ohio. Then you would bounce around out there for a week or two doing 600 to 800 mile trips, then a trip from the east to AZ or Los Angeles usually. Western 11 is great too. Little less miles but running the west is much more wide open and you're always close to home.

 

They will probably run you like crazy while they have you on salary, but that will be a good way to get familiar with their lanes. You may have a drop off in miles when you go cpm because you're competing with the salary drivers. Just stay in communication if you have an issue and protect your license and it'll be all good.