Here is the deal.12 guys in my class 9 plan on going local 2 want to go otr and I'm still not sure what I'm doing.I just want to know how many of you guys went to driving school with the intent of going local right out of school?It seems like where I'm at (bay area ca) there is alot of local gigs for rookies fresh out of school.My instructor has already lined up local gigs for some guys ranging from $14-$16 per hour.Would you guys take the local gig or hop on with an otr company?Any advice or opinions would be great fellas.Thanks.

 

It depends on what you want.

If you want to be home every night and can deal with city traffic all the time or most of the time then go local.

If you are wanting to see the country and spend most of your driving time on the open road then go OTR.

There is no easy answer to your question.

One thing to keep in mind. Most OTR companies will not recognize local driving experience so if you go local and later on decide to do the OTR bit you will be considered a rookie.

 

If you're getting $14-$16/hour out of the gate local than I'd say go for it because that's more than you'll ever make running the road. The only reason you can make $50k in OTR is that you're working double the hours and living out a truck.

Besides, if you don't like local then OTR will still be hiring. They're ALWAYS hiring!

 

I have a local/regional gig. Every weekend off, when I go out of town I stay in hotels.

You'll make more in the long wrong working local if you put your time in, than most company drivers OTR.

All depends on the gig though.

 

Go local. That way you only have to adjust to driving the truck and not the whole lifestyle of living out of a truck and being away from home. Then once you get used to driving a truck, you can go otr and will only have to deal with the lifestyle of being on the road. I would think this industry would experience less of a turnover rate if many started local and then went otr. Reason being is I think alot of new drivers get so overwhelmed by the whole thing of driving and being away from home, they just throw the towel in and quit. With local you only have to get used to driving that truck. Its just that local, you have to be able to back really good and handle that truck well. Then, after a few weeks, you will end up going to the same places mostly, then it becomes alot easier. In the end though, if you plan on driving for a while, you may eventually want to try otr. I think every driver should experience it, you will see more of this country in 6 months then you would ever imagine and its worth it. Just be sure to leave a 2 week notice and in good terms with your current local company so you can go back. Me being a local driver now, I do sometimes miss the days of all day driving on the open road, especially on nice sunny days

 

i went local out of school. in a way I'm glad cause i got to learn how to maneuver the truck in a city environment. I made good money 28K in 6 months but am now otr making a lot less and liking it a lot more. In a way I kind of regret going local cause as mentioned above these otr companies won't consider it. However when I went to do my road test at otr company, they were at first going to just send me out for a couple of weeks to learn logs, mountains etc. The guy couldn't believe how well we (me and friend from school and local job) drove.

But it did make for a much more pleasant training period. I can't learn and think what I'm doing with someone screaming move this way or that way. So when the trainer saw that I could drive and back up, we got along just fine. Don't get me wrong I'm no super trucker, but after learning how to back up in little tight places in the city, these distribution centers out here, well it's like backing up in the space of a football field.
I
So really it depends on what you want. If it's all about the money right now then go local, we all know from coldfrosty mug how much better the pay is local, but like i said I did it and am much happier making less and being otr. I do believe the money will come in this eventually by the way.

One final thing I had a chance to go with a car hauling company right out of school, a big company too, but I didn't want to learn how to drive and haul cars at the same time.

 

Hey thanks for the advice and your opinions guys.I dont think im cut out for otr at least just not now.Love the home life.Im gonna go ahead and go local.My instructor tells me of a few different local driving gigs around where i live that are more than happy to take on a rookie.Beer trucks,soda trucks,grocery reefers,sand and rock haulers,and believe it or not there is a few gas tankers around here that will take us right out of school.I always wanted to drive a gas tanker and it looks like i will be able to do that right out of school(if i choose to go that route).Any advice on the gas tankers for a rookie?Thanks again for the advice and opinions fellas.

 

uturn said it right, but, keep in mind most companies recognize otr as experience. Plus it is a whole new way of life. It seperates the, well otr from local.

 

Gas tanker might not be too bad, I would kind of question why they are hiring rookies though. All the companies around here require 1-2 yrs experience.

sand and rock hauling etc will be very seasonal so unless you have something lined up for the off months (unless you live in a warm climate I don't remember seeing where you are from)

Most of the grocery distributors pay well I believe, beer trucks and soda trucks won't pay as well as a lot of the jobs out there.

I'd look at foodservice stuff if you want to make good money right away, but you will be working harder.

If you can afford to make a little less money to start out with get a LTL job like Conway, USF, Old Dominion, Yellow, etc. After you put your time in you'll make good money.

 

get one of those union local jobs.you can take a vacation and drive accross the country.you probably would fly next time.