Definition of OTR???

[jd112488]

mine is a guy that does not sleep at home. whether it is in hotels or in the truck, or one night or more. that means i am otr, i sleep in the truck every other night now, and next week when i get back to fed ex, i will sleep in the truck tuesday nights and thursday nights. as for the guys that work with snowman at overnight, uh, i mean BUSTERBLUE...the ROAD drivers, they are otr if the sleep away from home. local means local...home everyday. not trying to start a fight here, just wondering what everyone else thinks.

[MartenDrvrCA]

mine is a guy that does not sleep at home. whether it is in hotels or in the truck, or one night or more. that means i am otr, i sleep in the truck every other night now, and next week when i get back to fed ex, i will sleep in the truck tuesday nights and thursday nights. as for the guys that work with snowman at overnight, uh, i mean BUSTERBLUE...the ROAD drivers, they are otr if the sleep away from home. local means local...home everyday. not trying to start a fight here, just wondering what everyone else thinks.

I wouldnt classify you as OTR,probably more along the lines of regional.But if it makes you feel more like a manly trucker calling yourself an OTR driver than go head.

[Double R]

My defintion of OTR:
Irregular routes and unpredicatable hometime(be it 5 days out or five weeks out)

jd112488, what you do I would consider more like regional and /or dedicated.

[Evinrude]

OTR to me is a combination of a couple things. Being away from home and getting paid by CPM or %.or any other way of getting around not paying overtime for excessive hours.

OTR= Over time Ripoff

[Snowman7]

I would think the industry defines OTR as multi state irregular route. Technically were all "over the road". My job classification is "road driver" where I work. Road drivers go hub to hub 300-600 miles a run and usally returning to the same location. City drivers are classified as "local cartage" and they do P&D. I agree you have to spend at least a couple days a week away from home to be called OTR.

[knobs]

ok here's how i see otr. otr is when you drive most of the 48 and are out for at least 2 weeks. regional is where you are out maybe 1 week but home a couple of days in the week. dedicated is mostly the same route and maybe out a week but could be home every few nights and local home every night.

[Drew10]

Since a thread was started for this...I copied my definition from "Finally out of OTR" thread and brought it over here to add to the mix.

OTR...Common Carrier. Irregular Route, Irregular Freight. Distance of haul would not be a factor. Short/Medium/Longhaul. Xcountry or regional

The emphasis and fundamental definition is Irregular Route, Irregular Freight.

[golfhobo]

Since a thread was started for this...I copied my definition from "Finally out of OTR" thread and brought it over here to add to the mix.

OTR...Common Carrier. Irregular Route, Irregular Freight. Distance of haul would not be a factor. Short/Medium/Longhaul. Xcountry or regional

The emphasis and fundamental definition is Irregular Route, Irregular Freight.

Sorry, Drew.... not looking for a fight...... but, it is more complex than that.

There are MANY companies that haul under contract to specific shippers, on "regularly" scheduled routes that go clear across the country nonstop before delivery. Then, the companies pick up produce (usually) or something else that will bring the driver right back to his home terminal. A week or two at the most before getting home.

What you describe, has aptly been called "hoboing around" picking up short loads from all points inbetween A and Z. But, it is MOSTLY the mega-carriers that do this. Why? Because they have more trucks to "feed" than they can get contracts for.

Medium to smaller OTR companies quite often haul for a few major contracts, to mostly the same places all over the country, and then get their drivers home to do it all over again.

But, these runs require many nights in a row on the road, sleeping in the sleeper (or motel) and thousands of miles per week.

I know that there are many drivers out there that never know from day to day where they are going, or when they will get home. But, they may spend NO MORE nights on the road, or drive more miles, than the OTR drivers that go coast to coast every week.

Like I said, it is a complicated matrix that defines OTR. But, I would say that anyone who sleeps in his truck MORE than he sleeps at home qualifies. Be it regional, dedicated, longhaul, or linehaul.

Those are just some of my thoughts on the question. Local is local! And there is nothing wrong with the "wusses" that do it! But, pretty much everything else is in some way considered OTR.

If there is a stretch of ROAD between you and your home, and it is still there when you wake up in the morning in your sleeper (or motel,) then you are OVER the road.

One more part of the matrix. You said "common carrier." Not always true. Many companies have their own fleets, and they are called Private Carriers. Consider Bernhardt Furniture here in the south. A private fleet of trucks, whose drivers haul furniture to, I suppose, ALL 48 states. Probably "regular" runs for these drivers who "bid" on them. But, they are out for days, maybe a week or two at a time. They may sleep in their trucks or not. I don't know. But, they definitely cover alot of asphalt! They are definitely OTR drivers.

So, as I said.... the matrix is complicated. Not ALL OTR drivers work for "common carriers." Not ALL drive "irregular routes," or haul "irregular freight." And, not ALL of them have no idea when they will get home.

What they ALL have in common, is not being at home every night. Which is the definiton of a "local Wuss!"

[bigtimba]

I haven't been home since February. Dedicated OTR.

[Jumbo]

I haven't been home since February. Dedicated OTR.

Your home just called. Milk is sour and you left the bathroom light on.

[GMAN]

I thought we covered this before in another thread.

In any case, local is where you are home every night. You will usually make a lot of pick ups and drops, but could just go out about 250 miles or so and then head back to your base. The key is whether you can get home every night. There could be the occasional over night stay, but that would be a rarity.

Regional is where you run primarily in certain area, such as the Midwest or Southeast. You will still be staying out as you would long haul but will likely be able to get home a little more frequently. It has nothing to do with whether you run dedicated or irregular routes. It has to do with where you run. For instance, the Midwestern region could be Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. It could involve even more states depending on the company. Most carriers define their own regions, if they have them. Regional is still considered otr by most, but not long haul.

Long haul would be considered where you could run all 48 states. You may or may not run them, but you could. Some may consider this otr, but I look at regional and long haul as the same thing. Long haul would get home about every 2 weeks or so.

There are some carriers who could have more regions where they run, especially when looking at the larger states. For instance, Texas is a very large state and could be considered a region in itself. There are some who rarely get out of the state. I have known of some who primarily run from Dallas to Houston and perhaps San Antonio. They rarely leave the state. Another might be Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. You could likely run those states and earn a good living. You won't be home every night but could probably be home weekly, providing you live in one of those states.

[Roadhog]

I started out driving mostly Reefer, with occasional Tanker, Van and Flatbed trips. Now I'm driving just Flatbed.

During local Harvest, I would drop off the long haul, and drive local. Making runs between the Fruit Processor to Cold Storages...keeping the Plant freezer emptied for the incoming harvest. I'd also haul the fruit in, pulling double flats...or shuttling empty fruit totes and tanks. then after a few months of that...it was back to long haul.
(we'd be paid hourly for the local)

Winters, I'd do coast to coast and Canada, going into most every State except North Dakota. Spring and Summer...lots of East Coast.
Fall...lots of local runs.

I quit grocery, and been doing only flatbed for the last year. That has me 70% intrastate/30% Regional interstate and Canada.

As a Reefer driver I was paid percentage, plus whatever else I could manage to supplement my income, like doing my own lumper work, and holding dispatchers/brokers to their word.

Now in Flatbed, I am paid hourly...with an additional CPM for when I drive. I am doing my own loading and unloading, as well as some shop work as needed to fulfill my driving responsibilities. I'm home everyday, with occasional overnight.

I'm actually working two jobs, to keep the same income I had doing OTR. I'm working as many hours, doing much harder work, but I'm home most every night now. I'm so exhausted at the end of the day...I wonder if I'll be able to add Bow Hunting Deer to my new "lifestyle." At least longhaul, I was spending less money, no extra commute time and expense, and didn't have as much laundry to always need to do...and the list of home chores, by virtue of increased hometime. Can't say one method of OTR is superior over the other, but I like long haul the most. I need hometime for now, but I see myself in the future doing the long haul again...and hopefully in the terms, I've learned I need. Knowing me...I'll get the terms I want.

I have always defined myself an OTR driver...whether I run a daycab or a conventional, and get home every night, or do extended.

[GMAN]

I'm actually working two jobs, to keep the same income I had doing OTR. I'm working as many hours, doing much harder work, but I'm home most every night now. I'm so exhausted at the end of the day...I wonder if I'll be able to add Bow Hunting Deer to my new "lifestyle." At least longhaul, I was spending less money, no extra commute time and expense, and didn't have as much laundry to always need to do...and the list of home chores, by virtue of increased hometime.

So much for local paying more than otr.

[Snowman7]

So much for local paying more than otr.

Figures, the guy lives at the freakin north pole. Eskimos can't afford to pay much!

[Double R]

I'm actually working two jobs, to keep the same income I had doing OTR. I'm working as many hours, doing much harder work, but I'm home most every night now. I'm so exhausted at the end of the day...I wonder if I'll be able to add Bow Hunting Deer to my new "lifestyle." At least longhaul, I was spending less money, no extra commute time and expense, and didn't have as much laundry to always need to do...and the list of home chores, by virtue of increased hometime.

So much for local paying more than otr.

You do realize that it also depends on the area that one lives in. Around here local pays just as much and in some cases more then OTR but some of the local jobs are also a joke becuase of pay. Around here if you want a good paying local job you better:
A)Be willing to work as an extra until you can get in full-time(Union shops)
B)Be willing to unload the truck yourself

So, in reality, local can pay more in some places and less in others.

Once again, TO EACH HIS OWN

[Snowman7]

What they ALL have in common, is not being at home every night. Which is the definiton of a "local Wuss!"

I got your wuss right here Hobo. :wink:

I've seen the OTR characters who hang out at the truck stops and I've seen local drivers. The wuss would be the steering wheel holders wearing the baggy shorts, wife beater, and flip flops while playing video games waiting for the shower.

[Roadhog]

Yoose guys beat me to it... :? ......eh.

Pay is less up here, and I am also at starting wages.
But yeah, I am making the money by working two jobs. I have more expenses by living at home, instead of out of my truck. Commute to work isn't bad...12 mile drive dodging only a few Deer. But cost me more of my wages and my time for the extra commuting...how many local guys add up their extra costs?
I have a more social lifestyle with more hometime too. OTR I generally conserve a lot more.

One job pays me $13/hour, but very flexible in letting me work full time at this new job, and give them what I can. Full benefits. Looks like I'll do mainly local heat treat part runs, after I clock out at the other job. There are longer runs though, like yesterday I ran a load of steel parts to Ohio, with a backhaul of parts to repair from the same customer... Chase Brass & Copper. Time and a half on anything over 8 hours. That trip takes me 14 hours, and a hour to unload when I'm back.

These businesses I'm working for are 1/4 mile apart, and both Bosses and I are longtime friends.
Company no.1 is an Extrusion Tool company. (Tool & Die)
Company no.2 is a weldment company. They weld up patented parts for the auto industry, and Harley as well as government military contracts. The owner has patents on many designs of his.

Both companies have employee's who have stuck with them for 25+ years...so that tells you a lot right there.

Great equipment too. My new rig is an '07 KW T-600 conventional (coffin sleeper) 35k miles on a 475 Cat twin turbo, fuller 10-speed hooked up to a 42' covered wagon. They pay me $14/hour base pay and add CPM for my driving time, which will boost my drive pay to about $16-17....depending on the miles.

I have made an average of $1000-1200 a week driving Reefer on percentage for quite a few years, and as I mentioned, my duties varied. Another thing about boondock companies...we take whatever we can get. We have some stable consistent contracts though. I hauled a lot of frozen fruit nationally for the local Fruit Processing plants, and hauled a lot for Sara Lee...frozen pies.

Again...absolutely great equipment. I always drove brand new Peterbilts, set up with APU's, and new Great Dane Reefers with those whisper quiet Thermo-Kings. Beautiful company embroidered jackets, and treated very well, best of everything...as you'd imagine a small family company operating. Again, guys I grew up with, and often best friends with one of the Bosses.
But we worked hard at driving...usually out 2 weeks, and we played the game smart. No Daisy's need apply.

OTR to me is a combination of a couple things. Being away from home and getting paid by CPM or %.or any other way of getting around not paying overtime for excessive hours.

Indeed. I'll never work for irregular-route mileage pay again. What a hosejob!

Mileage pay only makes sense in a dedicated linehaul operation running between terminals. That's truckin' the way it was meant to be...you just drop, hook, and go. None of that waiting around for hours and hours, dealing with consignees, p&d, getting lost, and all the other time-wasting garbage. Leave that to the guys in daycabs and short-boxes on the clock getting paid for their time.

Like when I took a load to the University of Chicago bookstore. 2 hours stuck in Chi-Town construction traffic, got lost due to a detour and almost hit a bridge...finally get to the place and trucks lined up everywhere. Had to wait 5 hours to get unloaded. Sent in my empty call and waited another 2 hours for a load....then more gridlock rush-hour traffic. Finally got out of that mess and fueled up at the *****hole T/A in Gary, IN for free...then out of hours and parked for the night.

So that's what...12 hours of work for $30.00 of detention time? Are you kidding me? What other industry gets away with so blatantly abusing their employees time/labor?

I'm not gonna let some two-bit motor carrier jerk me around like that anymore. No way, Jose. For now on it's clock-time with overtime after 8/40....anything else is uncivilized.

[jamesinge]

Would say Local gets paid by the hour and OTR the mile. Distance no matter , where you sleep no matter. Over the Road does not mean long distance or sleeping in a truck for petes sake.

[bigtimba]

Your home just called. Milk is sour and you left the bathroom light on.

1. Milk is bad for you. It wasn't my house.

2. Can't be my house. I would have been outside looking for a tire.