Comments By Plumcrazy Preston

Here is a good question:

For all American drivers combined, what is the percentage of drivers for:

1. OTR? 2. Regional? 3. Local?

What is the turnover rate in each category above? Is OTR the least-desired category for the drivers themselves and the toughest for carriers to fill positions for? My theory is that railroads and cargo planes handle much of the long-distance freight. Even so, is OTR driving still in the highest demand for these three range categories of motor freight?

Aren't log books only required for interstate commerce? I figure many local jobs will be intrastate only.

Where do you come up with this? It's not factual.

There is an exception to the ELD rule for a small number of local jobs. Drivers using this exception must be done working within 14 consecutive hours, must return to their original starting point, and must remain within a 150 air-mile radius from their starting point.

Another important thing to realize about most local jobs is that they aren't entry level jobs. They almost always require experience.

I would hope that some employers would be sympathetic to older people who might seek local driving due to age considerations and understand that the long-haul stuff/sleeper crap is generally for the young and the bold.

You are silly, and naive. Employers don't hire folks based on their sympathetic leanings. I guess I must be old and bold, but I am sure not lazy. I love the over the road lifestyle.

You will more than likely need some OTR experience to land a local driving job. Your career will benefit from that experience too. You better starve yourself for a couple of years before jumping into this career. That one year of OTR experience you are going to need is likely to ruin your health. That nasty food those toothless waitresses will be serving up at the truck stop is gonna cause you to balloon into a blimp and clog your arteries so bad that you won't be able to get any sympathy from those folks that are hiring for local jobs. I just don't know how you are going to do this. There are just too many barriers for you.

I love all the comforts of home. Sleepers really ain't my style. What if I were to have documentation from my medical doctor to submit to prospective employers stating that he recommends a local position over an OTR position for health reasons and/or psychological reasons? Employers might have to be careful.

I do have a couple of pluses in my favor.

Perfect driving record, no points. No DUI. I don't smoke. No tobacco use. No criminal record. No drug record. No alcohol record. No registered sex offender. I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I think if I do try to get into this racket, I would try to pound the pavement hard to find one of those rare exceptions to get a local job as a rookie. My credit score is about 675.

I don't want my mind and body destroyed over the hardships and bad dietary practices of OTR life. Going into crime-ridden places like New York City, LA, Chicago scare me to death. I have arthritis, aches in my old bones, I need my comfy home bed most every night. I don't want to fart around with having to find parking overnight.

When I say "log books" I mean the legal requirements of recording HOS by any methods.

Oops, i forgot...

I love that radio commercial I once heard for a freight carrier that stated "We have no sleepers in our fleet." I'm therefore a "Day Cab Dreamer".

Are local driving positions with carriers tougher to get than OTR positions?

Depends on where you live. If you are near a large city then there are probably lots of local jobs available. The hiring standards for local driving jobs are usually higher than for otr jobs (as they should be, since local driving tends to be more challenging than otr). They usually require one year of class A driving experience (driving a tractor-trailer). So in that sense, yes they are tougher to get. However, local companies are, more and more, hiring inexperienced CDL holders and training them "their way." I had multiple offers from local companies when I finished CDL school.

What is the typical work schedule of a LOCAL driver?

I work 5 days per week, and average 11 hours per shift. I know guys that do four 12 hour shifts per week with extra work available if wanted. I would say 5 days a week and 55-60 hours is about typical.

What is the greatest distance from home traveled on the job for a LOCAL driver?

As far as one can go and return before their clock runs out. About 300 miles or so.

Some megas like Schneider offer local positions too, it's not just the local mom-and-pops. Some also offer dedicated routes. Not having to go all over the nation into unknown territory would seem more comforting to me. Sticking around southwestern states like Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Louisiana and Kansas doesn't seem to bad for regional. The weather is favorable most of the time. No serious mountain driving or severe winter driving usually. Being based in Texas and driving regional even would keep me out of the nastiest places in the Lower 48 to drive, Lalaland, CA and the Rust Belt. I gather regional usually doesn't extend beyond three state lines. There is still that nasty sleeper and those nasty choke-n-pukes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI9fq6XOkKM

Are local driving positions with carriers tougher to get than OTR positions? What is the typical work schedule of a LOCAL driver? What is the greatest distance from home traveled on the job for a LOCAL driver? Are there plenty of good Local Driving opportunities in Texas right now?

Maybe I can help, I drive local with a mid-sized company of about 90 drivers.

Yes, most carriers want 2+ years experience otr.

I work 3am until I get done. Sometimes i get done earlier and sometimes later but I have to be parked and off the clock by 5pm.

All depends on my schedule for that day, anywhere from 300 to 550 miles. I am in either Atlanta GA or Charlotte NC and sometimes I am in both on same day.

Don't know about Texas.. Don't live there.

What experience level do they want for entering a REGIONAL position vs OTR? Could REGIONAL be a good stepping stone to get to LOCAL for an old fart? I don't feel I have the stamina for OTR.

Are local driving positions with carriers tougher to get than OTR positions?

Depends on where you live. If you are near a large city then there are probably lots of local jobs available. The hiring standards for local driving jobs are usually higher than for otr jobs (as they should be, since local driving tends to be more challenging than otr). They usually require one year of class A driving experience (driving a tractor-trailer). So in that sense, yes they are tougher to get. However, local companies are, more and more, hiring inexperienced CDL holders and training them "their way." I had multiple offers from local companies when I finished CDL school.

What is the typical work schedule of a LOCAL driver?

I work 5 days per week, and average 11 hours per shift. I know guys that do four 12 hour shifts per week with extra work available if wanted. I would say 5 days a week and 55-60 hours is about typical.

What is the greatest distance from home traveled on the job for a LOCAL driver?

As far as one can go and return before their clock runs out. About 300 miles or so.

I am now in my mid-50's and consider myself "too old" for that OTR s_hit. I consider life in a sleeper at my age to be a hardship. I would hope that some employers would be sympathetic to older people who might seek local driving due to age considerations and understand that the long-haul stuff/sleeper crap is generally for the young and the bold. Being a service Veteran I might get some slack there too. Yes, I would be willing to train the company's way to get preferential close-to-home employment.

Aren't log books only required for interstate commerce? I figure many local jobs will be intrastate only.

So you've moved to Texas now? Didn't like Idaho?

It all depends on the company and the route.

Still at Fort Sill, Oklahoma until wife gets out. We are thinking about buying a house in Austin metro area after army life. Idaho real estate is too expensive now and the place is mountainous. Lower altitude is better for my asthma anyway. There is a beach in Texas even along the Gulf of Mexico!

Texas is largely flat and wide open so driving a rig there should not be so strenuous.

I'm actually serious this time. If I go for this CDL gig I think local will work the best for me. it's not all about the money. I want to eventually settle around the Austin metro area and maybe buy/build a new house there: with plumbing winterized, of course, for those rare deep freezes. I read Texas local driving averages $54K/year. Often local company drivers are unionized too. No being far from home, living in cramped sleepers and dealing with crappy truck stops for meals. No worrying about finding overnight parking. There is also an element of safety and comfort in driving close to home. No horrible places like New York or Chicago or LA if one lives and drives locally in a state like Tx. No sleeping in dangerous areas overnight. No log books! No getting broke down in some remote place, desert/mountains in adverse weather. No expenses of living on the road. No groatie TS restaurants. For lunch I would just pack a small portable cooler daily with sandwiches and a thermos of soup. Have breakfast and dinner at home!! Shower at home nightly too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvHYPEdXMMo