Will two years local driving experience be enough for other companies?

Youll be just fine. Just keep your record clean.

 

Yeah, you're good to go. Wait until the baby gets here, then change companies if you want.
An OTR company will give you a little refresher, then you're on the way.
Take a look at Carter Express for the future. Terminal in Romulus.
Auto parts out of Laredo, Texas and also has local. Probably pretty good for a family man.
Carter Express, Inc.
https://carter-express.com
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I don’t think you’ll have a problem at all. I did the same many years ago. Main thing is your safety record. If they hesitate for a split second, hang up, call the next Company on the list. You shouldn’t need to beg for a Job. It should be the other way around. Remember, one split second hesitation, goodbye, Click!!! Lol

 

Also if it can be worked in your cards. Try for hazmat double and triples tanker. That way you have more to work with , and there not to hard to get.

 

If you like the company you're with, they'll probably work with you to let you switch divisions.

 

Depending on what you are doing local, it probably is more challenging, skill level wise, than an OTR guy. I've done both, and I find city work and local small road deliveries with full sized rigs to be way more difficult than hustling down the freeway for days at a time. I'd take a 20% pay cut to stay local vs. OTR, especially if I had a young family.

 

The driving is different. With local you are moving more slowly but more concerned about using space watching for everything that goes with city driving, like pedestrians and bicycles especially after dark. On the interstate you are looking further ahead and worrying about failed merging and tire gators and construction, and other stuff like deer or the black dog.

For reefer drivers the black dog is a big one. Sometimes he runs across the street. Sometimes he stands on two legs and waves at you as you pass saying, "you better pull over for a nap, dummy."

 

Like I said, I've done both. It's not like local guys don't run sections of interstate daily.
2 years local, with the odd run from MI to KY, and a good safety record, should prove no problem for the OP to get a job OTR.
You are absolutely correct on the "black dog", though, that is one area that OTR guys have a more difficult time than local.

 

Being in Lansing, possibly consider calling JBS. Plainwell, MI Beef Plant. They use local and regional drivers. Not much in way of True OTR though. You could do both from there...local one week and regional the next...just work with dispatch. Daily rate Pay...not paid per mile....no load on a work day, still paid full rate.
You can work 5,6,or 7 days....any day off you want EXCEPT Mondays....Mondays are big delivery days.
Assigned truck....probably a sleeper unit. Only a few day cabs at Plainwell. Meijer in Lansing is daily loads. Early appointments...but run daily...also Holland, Kazoo, Zeeland, Goshen IN, Detroit Area, Chicago area, etc. Empty always goes back to Plant.