Which Company?

Topic 2432 | Page 1

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William.W (Polky Bill)'s Comment
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Out of all the big OTR companies out there, I have major troubles deciding which one I want to drive for. I have looked really strong upon J.B. Hunt, Navajo, Swift, Prime Inc., Schneider, Yellow, and many others. All of them are so appealing in so many different ways, it's just purely unbelievable. LoL. What I'm looking for is something with good miles, good money, and decent hometime. I understand, and love the fact that I am taking part in one of the most important parts of keeping the world alive. I'm proud of the idea. I hope I can find what I'm looking for. Advice and ideas are always appriciated and needed. Thanks!!!!

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Ray F. (aka. Mongo)'s Comment
member avatar

Hey another okie from down the turnpike. I am going to Prime Inc next month. I picked them because they are fairly close to home, have decent cpm and once I have a year with them the school is completely paid for. Plus it is minimal out of pocket expense up front.

Maybe I will meet you up here on Grand lake sometime.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

CPM:

Cents Per Mile

Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.

William.W (Polky Bill)'s Comment
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I sure do hope so. It is really nice knowing that I have other people in my exact shoes. LOL.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Dave D. (Armyman)'s Comment
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I drive for Navajo. At Navajo you get a day off for every seven days on the road. I believe that is the standard across the board. After training, you start off at 30 cents a mile. Home time is okay. You have to put it in a week in advance at a minimum, but I recommend two or three weeks if you want a specific date.

I would recommend that with any company.

Dave

Brett Aquila's Comment
member avatar

Hey William. If you want good home time you'll want to focus primarily on dry van or flatbed hauling. Those two types have the best home time opportunities. Flatbed may or may not pay just a bit better than dry van but you'll earn that extra money for sure.

But a lot of companies have options for getting home on weekends. That's about the best you'll normally do straight out of school. One company, Roehl Transport, has some crazy home time options:

7-On/7-Off Fleet

Exclusively from Roehl, our 7-On/7-Off Fleet drivers drive seven days and then they are home for seven days at a time. If you choose a 7-On/7-Off Fleet, you’ll have 26 weeks a year off. You must be fully rested prior to dispatch. Space in the 7-On/7-Off Fleets may be limited in some areas of the country.

7/4-7/3 Fleet

Getting more miles is a key feature of our 7/4-7/3 Fleets. When you join a 7/4-7/3 Fleet, you’ll drive seven days, then be home four days, then you’ll drive seven days followed by three days of home time. That’s an average of 120 days off and mileage goals between 95,000 and 105,000 per year. You must be fully rested prior to dispatch, and space in the 7/4–7/3 Fleets may be limited in some areas of the country.

14/7 Fleet

Roehl’s 14/7 Fleets are unique options that combine the mileage goals of a 7/4-7/3 Fleet (between 95,000 and 105,000 per year) with the extended home time of a 7/7 Fleet. You’ll drive fourteen days and then be home seven days. Space in our 14/7 Fleets is available in limited areas, and you must be fully rested prior to dispatch

.

Now keep in mind - you get paid by the mile. So if you're on a 7 on / 7 off fleet you're going to make about $17k-$20k per year. Not many people can live off that.

But there are plenty of companies that can at least get you home on weekends. Take a look at our truck driving job listings for some great ideas.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

William.W (Polky Bill)'s Comment
member avatar

Thank yall so much for the great advice and the job listing.

William.W (Polky Bill)'s Comment
member avatar

I drive for Navajo. At Navajo you get a day off for every seven days on the road. I believe that is the standard across the board. After training, you start off at 30 cents a mile. Home time is okay. You have to put it in a week in advance at a minimum, but I recommend two or three weeks if you want a specific date.

I would recommend that with any company.

Dave

How much a year is that?

guyjax(Guy Hodges)'s Comment
member avatar
double-quotes-start.png

I drive for Navajo. At Navajo you get a day off for every seven days on the road. I believe that is the standard across the board. After training, you start off at 30 cents a mile. Home time is okay. You have to put it in a week in advance at a minimum, but I recommend two or three weeks if you want a specific date.

I would recommend that with any company.

Dave

double-quotes-end.png

How much a year is that?

Can't answer that. Thats .30 cent per mile. Miles vary. All depends on the miles you get for the year.

Dave D. (Armyman)'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

I drive for Navajo. At Navajo you get a day off for every seven days on the road. I believe that is the standard across the board. After training, you start off at 30 cents a mile. Home time is okay. You have to put it in a week in advance at a minimum, but I recommend two or three weeks if you want a specific date.

I would recommend that with any company.

Dave

double-quotes-end.png

double-quotes-end.png

How much a year is that?

double-quotes-end.png

Can't answer that. Thats .30 cent per mile. Miles vary. All depends on the miles you get for the year.

.30 times 2,500 miles times 50 weeks might get you a rough estimate for high end, which would be $37,000

.30 times 2,000 miles times 50 weeks for a low end gets you $30,000

So you might be looking at around $33,500.

Dave

William.W (Polky Bill)'s Comment
member avatar

Ok, thanks man!!!!!

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Choosing A Trucking Company
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