My company called today and.....

[carlos64030]

They asked me to run locals for 'em. I haven't given them an answer yet. I really don't think I'm gonna take the job. For one, I can't see myself driving a day cab everyday. I still enjoy being out on the road which gives me a lot more freedom.

Just outta curiosity, would you OTR guys like to come in from the road and run locals so you can be home every night, or are you happy with the way things are now?

I've only been a driver for a little over a year now, and I still highly enjoy what I do. I'm about 90% sure that I'm not gonna take this position.

[Malaki86]

If my company paid our local drivers more than the current $8.00/hr, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

For a couple weeks I was running shuttle runs, with a 200 mile round-trip (did 2 per day). On percentage pay, I made $200/day. Not bad for an 8 hour day.

[bentstrider]

Local container hauling is what I'm doing right now to get some post-accident, experience in.

Pay's decent, but the traffic and politics of some of these yards I could give a toss about.
That and most of the drivers/staff at the company terminal/yard are ESL for the most part.
So, as soon as I get my 6mo's/1 yr in, than I'm ready to return to OTR!!

I say if you don't have kids and like the solitude that OTR gives you, than stick with it.

[Mr. Ford95]

Depends on the hours. If your going to be doing 8 hours everyday and the pay is good, take it. If your going to be doing a full day like your still OTR, I would stay away from it and stay OTR. Not worth the hassle of working 12-14 hours a day to go home and go straight to bed everyday. But that's my view.

[marylandkw]

I am a Local O/O but I figure what the heck, if you like OTR, Stick with it. Your company obviously likes you or they would not have offered you the position. Maybe in 5 or 6 years *IF* you get tired of OTR you could look into it again.

Contrary to popular belief, Local ain't no bed of roses. Is it better than OTR, in some ways sure. Is OTR better than local, in some ways sure. You just gotta figure out where you fit best and right now it sounds like OTR.

[Windwalker]

If my company paid our local drivers more than the current $8.00/hr, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

For a couple weeks I was running shuttle runs, with a 200 mile round-trip (did 2 per day). On percentage pay, I made $200/day. Not bad for an 8 hour day.

I did take over the local work at one company. They paid $10/hr. But in spite of being "local", I found myself gone from home almost as much, and it came out to less money than OTR. So, I didn't do it very long. Check the dollar figures before you sign on the dotted line. For that matter, if the job is open, why hasn't someone with more time in claimed it? Too little money, I'll bet.

[MartenDrvrCA]

Local container hauling is what I'm doing right now to get some post-accident, experience in.

Pay's decent, but the traffic and politics of some of these yards I could give a toss about.
That and most of the drivers/staff at the company terminal/yard are ESL for the most part.
So, as soon as I get my 6mo's/1 yr in, than I'm ready to return to OTR!!

I say if you don't have kids and like the solitude that OTR gives you, than stick with it.

Based out of the high desert?

[jd112488]

i think local can sometimes be tougher. still work 12-14 hours a day, add in commute, and in dinner and time with family and all you have left is 3 to 5 hours of sleep a night. i need more tahn that and you may get more as an otr driver...maybe not every day, but most days.

[GMAN]

I prefer otr to local. At least with otr you can get out of all that city traffic. Some people work hard to get a local job. If you are too tired when you get home to do anything but grab a bite and go to bed, then you really haven't gained much. Most people that I know seem to earn more money otr than local. My cousin's son works local pulling a flat bed. He makes about $900/week. He could do better working for me, but he prefers local. He has a daily commute of more than an hour each way. I don't think he is any better off than if he drove otr. He is wasting a lot of commute time and money on gas to get back and forth.

[BlooMoose]

i think local can sometimes be tougher. still work 12-14 hours a day, add in commute, and in dinner and time with family and all you have left is 3 to 5 hours of sleep a night. i need more tahn that and you may get more as an otr driver...maybe not every day, but most days.

I kind of agree with this. At my last job, it was leave the house at 5:45 am, fight for my docks and deal with the all the loading issues all day, head in, wash out the trailer, leave yard, pick up kids, fix dinner (you men may or may not have to do this part but as a mom, I do have to do this), during the school year it's do homework with kids or whatever other activity the school plans for them, baths (because my kids have to be threatened to get them into the tub), get the baby down (he's 17 months...kind of a late in life suprise for me....), get up and down with him all night...I haven't slept much since March of '07! I really can't depend on his dad to get up with him at night because he doesn't get up for nothing!

My situation may be different but I can guarantee you that there are more times that I wish I was OTR than not!

[belpre122]

I haven't slept much since March of '07! I really can't depend on his dad to get up with him at night because he doesn't get up for nothing!

Wow Bloo! Those are long, long days. I'm willing to wager that 99% of (us) tough guys :wink: out here couldn't handle that schedule for even a week!

You go girl!!

btw....lucky dog there 8)

[BlooMoose]

I haven't slept much since March of '07! I really can't depend on his dad to get up with him at night because he doesn't get up for nothing!

Wow Bloo! Those are long, long days. I'm willing to wager that 99% of (us) tough guys :wink: out here couldn't handle that schedule for even a week!

You go girl!!

btw....lucky dog there 8)

The dog part is right! He hasn't been lucky lately!

[bentstrider]

Based out of the high desert?

I'm based out of the desert, but the company yard is down in Montebello.
I'm usually given a load coming down, then going back up.
Funny thing is, I don't even have a personal car, so this suits me just fine.
I don't drive the rig everywhere though.

[MartenDrvrCA]

Based out of the high desert?

I'm based out of the desert, but the company yard is down in Montebello.
I'm usually given a load coming down, then going back up.
Funny thing is, I don't even have a personal car, so this suits me just fine.
I don't drive the rig everywhere though.

Oh I see.Ya im in your area as well.Do you have endorsements? You should try apex in adelanto,hi grade off bear valley in hesperia and robertson who is also next to apex.Heck even double eagle off 395 in hesperia next to pilot.

[Phantom433a]

If my company offered me a local job that paid me the same.....I would snatch it in a heart......course I'm done driving in 2 years anyway. I do love my regional linehaul job, but would love t be home more.

[carlos64030]

Well, I told my company that I wasn't gonna bother taking the job. I figured that I'd be giving up waaaaaay too much of my freedom if I accepted this position, plus I wouldn't be able to save as much money as I am now while being out on the road.

It's kinda funny and ironic, but the day before yesterday, I was in the office talking to two of the planners and they were both telling me that they had to let 3 of their local drivers off for that day because of work being slow.