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I drive what you could consider locally and I think the Best perk if you ask most people is the home time. I'm home most every day and all weekends and holidays. I get to drive a big truck and be home with my family! How can you beat it.

Another plus to local is the majority of local jobs pay hourly which I'd another big bonus. No need to worry if you're going to get your mileage every week.

Biggest drawback I would say is I don't get too see as much of the country as I would like. I drive the northeast corridor so I haven't seen anything west of PA and nothing south of Maryland. But the way I see it I'd when my kids grow up I can always transition to otr if I so wish. That's my two cents

Yeah it's good to be home every night.

Hello all what do you like better driving a big rig locally or over the road and why?

Aren't most truck companies going to be all automatics soon anyways? Saves money on fuel cost.

Anyone on here know of a truck company that will hire someone that doesn't have any truck experience and has a valid class A license for 3 years? Seems like I have to go back to some truck school for a refresher course but any companies that don't require that and just hire me??? Thank you

This has been asked many times, maybe there is a Thread/Section on this...

Hi turbo Dan i will look thanks for your response means a lot :)

Anyone on here know of a truck company that will hire someone that doesn't have any truck experience and has a valid class A license for 3 years? Seems like I have to go back to some truck school for a refresher course but any companies that don't require that and just hire me??? Thank you

Tim are you sure they meant 240 hours at the refresher course? Was in school with a guy who had 5 years otr and he had been out of driving for 3 years. He had to take a 40 refresher for the company he was going with.

Either way 30 8 hour days seems a bit excessive for someone who has already passed the course.

Hi there, well I don't have any experience, I got my cdl a few years ago and decided not to use it but now I want to use it.

Why do some trucking companies want you to go back to driving school if you already have your class A license but never used it? Even when some trucking companies have a student training for drivers who need training but you have to go back to a driving school? I don't understand it.

I don't think it's so much about the trucking companies requirements so much as insurance requirements.

I'm not sure. Thanks for your opinion. I applied to a trucking company and since I had my cdl class A license and it's valid but I never used it I would have to go back to some approved trucking school for 240 hours and maybe I would be hired. Then if I'm hired I would have to go with a trainer for 240 hours or so then I'll be able to go solo. My question is doesn't going out with a trainer for 240 hours enough? That's what I don't understand.

On top of that, local driving is not considered OTR experience. So a driver who has been local for 2 years will still most likely have to go through some form of training. Though the training is usually shortened. Every company handles it differently.

I know this isn't what you were asking but it's just additional information,

What's the difference in driving local verse otr? It's still the same tractor trailer but obviously different truck name, I don't know some things doesn't make sense to me.

This is another thing that is controlled by their insurance. If you have a CDL but never used it for X amount of time, they assume you forgot a lot of things that were taught to you. So a refresher course is required to "get you back in the game".

Also, when you get a CDL through a private school, most companies still want you to go through some form of training that they provide.

The only people who simply get their own truck after orientation are the folks with recent CDL experience (usually 1 year).

Hello Daniel B isn't that what a training phase in some trucking companies when you go out with a mentor for so many hours??? That the mentor trains you?

Not necessarily as we're new operators. Now for someone who has a few years of experience with a good track record they waive most of those requirements. We still have to prove ourselves in the industry but as so many have mentioned, once that hurdle is cleared, the sky is the limit.

No I'm not talking about someone with a few years of experience I was talking about someone who has a valid cdl but never used it.