Why do most mega otr carriers want you gone so long?

That's not the way I remember it. The way I remember it from the late 80's or thereabouts, for 48 state truckload guys, the carrier made no mention of how long you may be out. It may be 2 weeks or it may be 2 months, "just depends". And this was just understood as part of the job.

Wasn't until around the mid 90's when carriers started attempting to assure maximum requirements pertaining to expected days out. Long ago, "regional fleets" at 48 state carriers were not even heard of.

 

I would not recommend a CDL with auto restriction, but every month that passes it's less of a real restriction as autos are everywhere. Yeah, a restricted dtivet will miss out on some very good, but very hard to find jobs, but those jobs are not going to new drivers anyway. If I had an auto restriction, I would likely only pay/train to remove it for a specific kob offer that is much better than general OTR work. It's trivially easy to avoid getting the auto restriction before you get your CDL, but after you get a CDL it's money, time, & a re-test at DMV.

 

an auto restriction prevents you seeking allot of local jobs, a very large percentage of local companies have a mixed fleet of autos and manuals, most of these companies arent going to put a new driver in their latest and greatest automatic trucks. hojnowski has a 100% manual fleet, serafini is a mix of both (i think allot of companies are)

personally i like shifting.

 

But what about personal life?

 

Because corporations are stupid. And this is a perfect example.

They see in their records that when drivers quit, it usually happens during home time. So they use their idiotic corporate "logic" to conclude that the DECISION to quit ALSO happens during hometime. The next "logical" conclusion is that it doesn't matter how you treat them when they are on the road, as long as you don't let them get home. They have no way to "see" that the decision to quit during home time is usually made earlier, during the process of being mistreated and ignored while on the road.

Long story short, a corporation doesn't view a human any differently than it views a cow or an ear of corn, because human thoughts and feelings don't appear anywhere on the corporate balance sheet for the corporation to "see." We are just another commodity to be harvested.

 

What about a personal life? If I want to have intelligent and engaging conversation, I find I have to talk to myself. I'm the most charming person I'll ever know.

Another effective option? Asian massage parlors. Hell of a lot cheaper than trying to hit up the local loose women at the lounges.

 

Sounds like a very lonely miserable life... People need relationships..

 

Been there done that and got the t-shirt. Just finished paying off the one before.

OTR driving and relationships don't coexist unless you don't mind wondering who she's banging this week.

 

Abilene has an all auto fleet and hires rookies with no experience at all. Still only 1 day off for every 6 out though.

 

I saw an interview with the man who has tested the highest IQ in the world. He said there is one problem with that. "You live alone."
Knew a guy who was a registered genius. He had his own little custodial company. Did custodial work at night. To avoid people during the day. He couldn't take their chaos.
I'm not suggesting any truck drivers are geniuses. There are some pretty intelligent people out there driving. These people live alone. In rooms full of people, they are very lonely. Out away from people and their self serving chaos... they don't feel lonely at all. They are well suited to truck driving. I can speak from personal experience.