Companies That Offer True OTR Driving

I run solo and have been sent to California with loads from Kansas and Texas the only states I've not been to are Oregon, Washington and Maine and those 2 little areas they call Vermont and New Hampshire. Werner will send you anywhere you want to go.

JD

Matthew, I have a few questions.

How often do you request to be home?

Have you had an open honest discussion with your fleet manager about your desire to move about the country more?

If you are requesting to go home fairly frequently, that could be hindering you from getting dispatched on longer loads. It sounds like you are running well, but if you switch companies that could all be interrupted until you establish yourself with the new company.

Much of our freight these days is regionalized, but that doesn't mean you can't hit the lower 48. Your dispatcher needs to fully understand what it is that you are wanting. I would have a sit down meeting with my dispatcher and tell him what you want. He will either say he can't do it, or he will commit to making an effort to keep you on board by trying to help you with it. This is where being a Top Tier Driver can really benefit you. Usually a really desirable driver will be able to get some strings pulled on his behalf.

Most drivers choose to just look for greener pastures when they are dissatisfied, but it's almost always best to have a serious conversation with your dispatcher first before moving on to some other company. I think just about any reputable company who has a great driver needing some help with an issue like this will do what they can to help out.

I'm with Knight Transportation, and just this week after two days into a 2,280 mile run, I got preplanned on my next trip... 2,398 miles. That's over Five Thousand Miles this week!

Thank you to all the feedback. I normally go home once a month. Sometimes I'm out almost two months depending on how the wife is feeling.

I have spoke with my FM and was told that the company in general doesn't normally do long hauls. This is why i thought it was company specific and looking in to other options.

I was being asked to run dedicated for current company and once my FM heard about it she gave me a Massachusetts to Laredo run and then Laredo to South Dakota. That tells me they have them because when i inquired she said she was trying to keep me. I pulled reefer a bit and agree there was so many hours sitting. I think I'll talk to us Xpress again and look into CFI regarding last comment.

Am I asking to much to not do short hauls where your loading and unloading every day? That's a genuine question. Only been driving a year and might not have as much of a grasp on industry as I thought. I would like to spend 10 - 11 hours driving and then have a few to myself. Seems like I burn my full 14 daily and have to eat while driving with no time to myself but sleep. Is that just what I'm signed up for?

Welcome to trucking, Matthew. As has been said, these days most freight is more regionalized, hence the shorter runs and loading/reloading daily being more common. But longer runs ARE possible so keep your chin up and communicate your needs.

Am I asking to much to not do short hauls where your loading and unloading every day?

Yes you are.

It is totally frustrating and tiring to constantly feel.like you are at customers. I get it. It is equally as frustrating when you kmow there are long runs out there.

when i first started, i got the 1800 miles loads quite a bit. as time went on, i got tighter and tighter loads and ones that others can't make on time. From October to March, i had only two loads over 700 miles given to me by dispatch---both were in blizzard like areas so no one wanted them or drivers were shut down. My boyfriend at my company is a lease op and often goes west as a solo. His loads, both solo and team when he is training, have SO MUCH more time than mine. He often tells me.i wont make the appointments, I always do. But i rarely have time to get in ten hours ahead or take a 34 hour break with a load.

However, if i go into the terminal , i can pick loads going west. so a 2200 mile load going from MO to CA is possible and dispatch immediately turns me around. Easy 3k mile weeks there. i learned to request home time out west or at the terminal to get those loads.

i have been to all but SD. i team train from time to time and that is chaos coasr to coast lol My team.loads rarely give us down time either so i make my own.

I have seen drivers post here that regional means loads under 1000 miles and OTR is more. that is crap.and an unrealistic expectation.

My loads last week were 350, 181, 380, 877, 723, 199. and yes i was.at customers to to three times a day. it sucks. But it happens.

Going home once per month can limit how far away from home you will be sent. I usually go home every 6 to 8 weeks. My friend with CFI is on a run from El Passo, TX to Eastern NC. I think he said it was around 1800 miles.

Here are my loads so far this week. Yes, the same load is in both shots

Yea if say your handicapping yourself if you start getting picky on loads and show that your not willing to do the short hauls. The short stuff can be exhausting but it needs to get done. And getting it done is how you make money.

A snapshot of how my dispatcher had been running me and how I handled it.

Last week I did 5 loads (almost 6):

1422 miles, VT to TN. This was a carryover from previous week. Primes payroll is Tues to Tues. Picked it up Sunday and delivery appointment was Wednesday, but I delivered it late Tuesday. I got to the customer 31 hours early and got them to let me drop/hook early rather than wait to live unload the next night.

407 miles TN to GA. I had about 2 hr on my 70 but had some recap hours coming in at midnight. Used my 2 hours to make the pickup and get to a truck stop. Sat till midnight and then drove in for an 8am delivery.

248 miles GA to AL Had to sit till midnight again waiting on recaps. Then made this pickup @ 2 am and then make a 7am delivery.

339 miles AL to AL Had a bit of time left from previous load. Just enough to get me to this shipper. Made the pickup and sat in the shippers overnight parking area until midnight waiting for recap hours. Made delivery about 7am next morning.

882 miles AL to PA This shipper was my previous loads reciever. Was nice to drop my loaded trailer and then hook to another loaded trailer 4 parking spots over and keep rolling. This load was due in 2 days in Philly PA. Drove up to TN with the hours I had remaining. Then from TN up to the MD/DE line and sat a while waiting for my appointment the next morning in Philly.

I almost got this next load on this week's pay. It was a 458 mile run from PA to NC. I arrived in area of reciever 7 hours early. But reciever was a Walmart DC and they won't take us more than 1 or 2 hours early. My appointment was Tues @ 1500. Primes payroll cuttoff is Tues @ 1600. Walmart took forever to unload so this load got pushed to the next pay period.

On the plus side this was just over an hour from my house. While waiting for my appointment my wife and two little girls drove up to see me. Had a great time!

Later that night I was on my way on a 1319 mile run to MN...

That was 3298 dispatched miles I logged in that pay period. Almost 3756....

I just started with Prime (2 weeks solo) been on 2 loads of 2000+ miles plus some shorties in between. By shorties I mean ATL to PA or SLC to Portland. I know this will start varying as time goes on but it’s exactly what you’re craving. Run hard then chill near the 90 unless they can unload you early.

My first run was Springfield, MO to Cleburne, TX - Dallas, TX to ATL, GA - Kannesaw, GA to Hazleton, PA. Then Tracy, PA to SLC, UT - Ogden, UT to Portland, OR - Burbank, WA to Detroit, MI (am shutdown in Beach, ND til midnight when I get hours back).

I’m enjoying these runs while they last as I know it’ll only increase & I’ll have to adjust accordingly. Good luck with whatever decision you make. Stay safe!