Truths And Myths Of OTR

Hey Tyler, I agree with the others. Most of the time is on interstates. One of the things I have done with my first student, and will do with future students, is to take them down some U.S. and state highways through little towns to get them used to it.

On our second load, I had him drive a couple hundred miles on a U.S. highway when we could have taken the interstate the whole way. It was about the same mileage but definitely slower because of stoplights, turns, and lower speed limits through towns. I did that a couple other times as well, and had him drive through city streets and weird little roads to shippers and receivers.

Why? A couple reasons. First, after the pretrip and backing tests, there is a road test. In Missouri, that road test is about 25% highway and 75% city driving. He had done enough of that kind of driving that I wasn't concerned at all that he would pass the road test. When we got back to terminal , we focused on backing and that is actually what he struggled to pass. It's harder to teach that on the road, though we did practice. Once he passed it, they went immediately on to the road test, which he passed with a better score than I had when I took it. He'd had a lot of practical experience with that during training, so making turns, shifting in traffic, making lane changes in town, stopping behind the line, etc. wasn't hard for him.

Second, as the others have said, that's the toughest part of OTR. It's relatively easy to drive 600 miles in a day on an interstate with only a couple of times getting off to stop at a truck stop or rest area. It's a lot tougher to navigate little towns for 400 miles on a state highway or 5 or 10 miles on city streets because that's the best or only route to get where you need to be. If you can do that, interstate driving is generally a cakewalk.

Hang in there! Getting your CDL is just the first hurdle, and probably the toughest for most people. You can do it.

Tyler; I had that worn out feeling yesterday after driving at least six hours out of NC, through VA, WVA & Kentucky...ALL interstate. I-64. Twisty mountains.

You are gonna feel so good when your company sends you through some little town & you drive it like the pro you are. Or when you go through some back roads you've traveled before & again, you handle it like the pro you are.

People think Drivers eat at great places. Well, sometimes yeah. Most of the time no. I've lost 45lbs, but it's okay. I'm healthy.

People think you become a Driver, you see the country and make lots of money. Yeah, I was also in the Navy where people said I'd see the world and have a girl in every port. Truth is, you'll see lots of roads, distribution centers, shippers & yes, some amazing sights. Like a break in the clouds at sunset after you just negotiated one of those small towns in the snow.

Be safe, remember why you're doing it and enjoy the scenery.

Good luck!

Hey buddy. You know we went to the same school, so I know what you're doing. Trust me, the very short experience that they're giving you in school will put you ahead of the game compared with most other trucking schools. Some schools actually do the disservice of just staying on the interstate. The night driving you'll be doing is also very helpful in preparation. After having some time out here to meet different drivers and talk about trucking school experiences, you can rest assured that your school is doing a great job in preparing you - in spite of their occasional hollering ;)

You also don't have to feel like you're not cut out for the job because you're getting tired in truck driving school. That's normal. It's exhausting. The job's exhausting. I remember during my first week of training, I was bushed after just 2-3 hours of driving. I also had to go to the bathroom - a lot. You'll learn to manage your drinks, and your body will get used to the long hours behind the wheel. And not all driving is equal in regard to exhaustion. When I'm driving at night on a hilly, windy road, it's a lot more exhausting than daylight on a flat highway. Rain at night is also taxing.

You'll learn your limitations soon enough. I can run 640 miles a day and knock it out, as long as I'm getting my rest. Proper rest, and even how you adjust your seat will have an affect on your endurance.

As far as the OTR thing, I understand what you're thinking about. I still wonder sometimes what it would be like, and then I stop day-dreaming and remember I have a wife and two beautiful children at home that are waiting for me. You have the option to pretty much pick whatever kind of driving job you want, simply because of your location. After being out for only 3-5 days at a time when I first started, trust me, you're not missing much by not going OTR. But to each their own. I understand why some folks do it. Some folks also don't have a choice. Some do have a choice and still choose OTR because that's what they like - even if they have a family at home. To each their own.

Knowing that you have a family, and that you have plenty of options to stay close to home and earn a great living for that family ( a hem..... LTL ), I think the smart thing to do is to forgo OTR and stay at home with your family. But ... if you do choose to go OTR, you'll have to stay in touch and I'll live vicariously through you, just without having to be homesick

Oh, and btw, running linehaul I also am on the interstate the majority of the time.

Thanks all for the insight and the kind words. School will be ending this week and I still have a lot to figure out about the future. Love reading all the advice and experiences fellow drivers have been through.