Does Living Near A Terminal Allow For More Hometime?
Topic 24561 | Page 2
A company requiring trucks to be parked at a terminal is pretty strict and would be an important detail to know ahead of signing on with said company. Considering “the road” is our office I hope that is a rare exception. One would assume it is easier to “park” your truck or at least the carrier should make it easier to park where it is convenient for drivers considering drivers have to be responsible for the vehicle, have limited time at home, have difficult time as it is parking a large vehicle, etc. Living near a terminal would be paramount.
As I have spent valuable hours researching this new career there seems to be a lot of petty rules that make it seem pretty inconvenient to drivers that are basically giving up their lives to make money for the company and provide for their own families. However, I do understand the liability involved. Hopefully, as a driver proves him/herself responsible that the company will allow more freedom. Is this how it works out there? Thanks for the post.
I live 543 miles and three states away from my home terminal. I'm home every weekend, when I want to be. I do train new CDL holders, so when I have a trainee with me, I tend to stay out much longer, but that's my choice to do so.
As others have said, the only advantage to living near a terminal is decent parking for your personal vehicle and for your truck when you take home time... Unless the company you go with requires parking the truck at a terminal. Then, you'd definitely want to live within a reasonable distance.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
A company requiring trucks to be parked at a terminal is pretty strict and would be an important detail to know ahead of signing on with said company
Companies who mandate this will only hire within a certain radius of the terminal.
at least the carrier should make it easier to park where it is convenient for drivers considering drivers have to be responsible for the vehicle, have limited time at home, have difficult time as it is parking a large vehicle, etc
This is a business. It isnt about driver convenience. My company does not let me take the trailer home, so parking bobtail isnt a huge issue anyway.
As I have spent valuable hours researching this new career there seems to be a lot of petty rules that make it seem pretty inconvenient to drivers that are basically giving up their lives to make money for the company and provide for their own families
Every company/industry will have petty rules and they are usually about lawsuits or profit margins. I have not come across anything that is unreasonable. They own the $200,000 truck, so they get to tell me where they want me to park....if they want to.
An example of parking at a terminal is Averitt. My friend gets home every weekend with them, but the truck must be parked at the terminal.
As a totally new person who has only done research...maybe you shouldnt try to pick apart policies. Honestly, not only will it drive you nuts but it can distract you from your goal.
Bobtail:
"Bobtailing" means you are driving a tractor without a trailer attached.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
When I was at Roehl, drivers that were going to take their hometime within 75 miles of a terminal were required to park their trucks at the terminal.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Thank you for the honesty. I will keep it positive and take the advice of the people like yourself that know the ropes.
A company requiring trucks to be parked at a terminal is pretty strict and would be an important detail to know ahead of signing on with said company
Companies who mandate this will only hire within a certain radius of the terminal.
This is a business. It isnt about driver convenience. My company does not let me take the trailer home, so parking bobtail isnt a huge issue anyway.
Every company/industry will have petty rules and they are usually about lawsuits or profit margins. I have not come across anything that is unreasonable. They own the $200,000 truck, so they get to tell me where they want me to park....if they want to.
An example of parking at a terminal is Averitt. My friend gets home every weekend with them, but the truck must be parked at the terminal.
As a totally new person who has only done research...maybe you shouldnt try to pick apart policies. Honestly, not only will it drive you nuts but it can distract you from your goal.
Bobtail:
"Bobtailing" means you are driving a tractor without a trailer attached.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
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I think it's beneficial when it comes to getting home on time along with local/dedicated opportunities.