OTR Drivers Stop Wasting Your Time And Effort!

The money is there and so are the hours. My CDL school instructor did it. He had one of the physical jobs with 12-14 hour days, 10 days on/3 off. After 11/2 years he was tired of the routine and quit.

Here are some things I heard from some folks from a town near Minot ND.

The money is good. The work can be hard and boring. Even though the money is good, the cost of living is very high. A 2/1 apartment goes for around $1100 or more. There are very few places left to put your RV/5th wheel, etc..... if you find one, the space is going to cost you plenty.

Here is a sad social fact they told me. The oil companies came in and bought hotels, motels, apartment complexes etc.... unfortunately rates that were reasonable for senior citizens were raised to the amounts mentioned above, BY THE OIL COMPANIES, and these folks on fixed income were forced out with no where to go locally because of the OIL BOOM. A real economic boom for some but a social disaster for many.

FINALLY someone who knows what's going on around here haha! I work in Ross it's located west of Minot about 65 miles. cost of living and housing are expensive however most companies PAY for your housing and some pay you up to $30 a day for food! but you are right the social life sucks out here. as I mentioned earlier this is only good for a few years to make some real money and get out.

stay safe

Schneider is the best of the wors! it's only good for 6 months to year just to get your training. you will be pretty much a local driver up in the crazy traffic in NE! been there done that. if you are looking for something long term I suggests you try a smaller company. I was based out of Indianapolis I spent most of my time in NE. infact I have a friend he was based out of Dallas and he still spent most of his time in NE! they give NE to the rookies because the experienced drivers refuse to go up there. and that's where the lack of miles come!

Okay, I'm gonna give one last stab at countering this misinformation, and then I'm done with this one. I really wish we had more independent thinkers in this industry. If anyone reading this is interested in Schneider and is being swayed by these silly remarks about them, please try and use some critical thinking skills instead of just falling in line with one malcontent's very limited experience with them.

Schneider is a huge company, to claim that they will keep you in the North East so you can't get any miles is absolutely ludicrous. If all the Schneider rookies were stuck in the North East we would be seeing nothing but orange on the highways up there - they are that big. I spend a lot of my time in the North East, it's not because I'm being punished, it happens to be because there is a concentration of the population up there, and therefore there is a concentration of freight there - those two factors go hand in hand. To claim that the experienced drivers refuse to go there is also nuts - experienced drivers understand what I just said and they do their fair share of time in the North East. I've never had any problems getting plenty of miles when I'm in the North East. Sure it's more challenging than running across Wyoming, but this is the stuff that separates the men from the boys in this business. You've got to be able to handle it all when you are an OTR driver - it's the kind of stuff that shows who the professionals are - the cream is always rising to the top.

Here's another little bit of common sense that flies in the face of these disparaging comments against Schneider or the over the road trucking industry. Do you not realize that trucking companies make their money by turning miles with trucks that are loaded with freight? You can not come up with a single rational reason to support this idea that they are trying to keep you from getting any miles unless you first look in the mirror and figure out what it is that you are doing wrong. If there is one thing these trucking companies want happening it is that they need those wheels turning. We get messages on our qualcomm all the time encouraging us to get our loads in early in the morning so we can get a good re-load, there is freight all over the place sitting there waiting to be delivered and they want to be able to give you something good, and if you think Schneider is just sitting around twiddling their thumbs and leaving miles on the table you are very misinformed about the way this works.

Let me clarify that I don't work for Schneider, but I do know how all this stuff works, and I also know what happens to the drivers who just don't seem to understand the way the game is played. Producers get rewarded, they get raises, they get more miles than they know what to do with. I don't care what trucking company you work for, if you have been "getting er done" in a way that is making a real difference for you employer there are people there in the planning department that know your truck number and are looking out for you to keep you moving. This is true no matter where you work, including Schneider.

I can relate to some of what Big H is trying to say. Although I think his delivery could've been a little more tactful, I think one of the things he's trying to communicate is that OTR companies pay low for what is required of the drivers. I agree. But it's all about perspective and preference. My perspective? Better opportunities exist besides OTR jobs for drivers that want to maximize their income and also be home as frequently as possible. And that's actually not just my perspective, that's a fact. Problem is that those opportunities aren't as available as OTR jobs, depending on where you live. Where perspective comes into play is that some drivers don't look at all the waiting at shippers and receivers, the hooking and unhooking of trailers, the trailer washouts, the pre trip inspections, the securing of loads, as being "free trucking," i.e. not being paid for doing work. They count it as "part of the job." That's their perspective. Their preference might also be living on the road, the lifestyle, the experience of being an OTR trucker. To each their own. There's lots of happy OTR drivers and they have my respect. Personally, I'd rather be home with my family and make the most amount of money that I can while away from home, so OTR is definitely not my preference.

To respond to another post in this thread in regard to local companies requiring OTR experience, you'd be surprised how many will consider a student driver - you just gotta try. The requirement of a year OTR experience to land a local job is not as prevalent as it used to be.

I am a rookie driver and am already making more money than what OTR jobs pay experienced drivers. I don't say that to brag. I share that so that other prospective drivers know that they have other options besides OTR, and those other options pay very well. I work for a LTL company and started a thread sharing my experiences with the intention to spread the word to other drivers (rookies and experienced) that you can make more money, be home more frequently, and not have to "settle" for a lower paying OTR trucking job. In that same spirit, I think Big H is trying to say the same thing. Again, some OTR drivers wouldn't look at it as "settling" at all. And I'm happy for them. Making the most amount of money is not everybody's goal, some just like the experience of driving and getting paid for it.

Six String, I don't necessarily disagree with most of what you just said. I think you have got to realize that your situation is quite unique due to your location. There is a tremendous volume of LTL work in your area. That is why I would pretty much disagree with this statement:

Better opportunities exist besides OTR jobs for drivers that want to maximize their income and also be home as frequently as possible. And that's actually not just my perspective, that's a fact.

While that may be a fact in your area, it certainly is not the case in most parts of the country. I'm thrilled for you to have gotten that job, but you have got to realize that most rookies with zero experience can not step right into that type of opportunity - it's just not available to them. You have a tremendous volume of LTL work in your area, and because of that the demand for drivers is very high. Those stubborn old laws of supply and demand are in your favor in your location.

We just simply try to point new inquirers into the most well established and predictable path to get their foot in the door of the industry, after that the door of opportunity is wide open to them.

Your comments on perspective are right on. I happen to love the over the road lifestyle, and having already made and lost several fortunes in my lifetime, I'm doing what I do for much more than just the paycheck. When one has the option of doing what they enjoy without having to be so consumed with the concern of how much money they are taking in I find that they can and usually will end up getting compensated very well for what they do in spite of the fact they are just out there having a great time.

Old School - thanks for reiterating what I already mentioned about being in the right place. I certainly don't want to mislead anybody considering a trucking career that they could land a high-paying LTL job right out of the gate. Location is certainly key. I thought I made that clear in my post. But if that option is available, then there's no reason to disagree with my statement that you quoted. We're actually saying the same thing my friend.

Six String, you did a fine job of making your point, and you are exactly right - I was just re-iterating. Sometimes if you don't people may not really get the point that you were making.

In my first nine months I've gone from 28 to 40 CPM and my monthly miles have gone from 8500 to 11000 per month. Started in one of the oldest trucks in the fleet and in April, got the keys to a brand new truck.

Prove your worth to the company you are with and they will reward you. If not, get your year experience (which in itself is extremely valuable) and move on.

Yep. Truth.

Schneider is the best of the wors! it's only good for 6 months to year just to get your training. you will be pretty much a local driver up in the crazy traffic in NE! been there done that. if you are looking for something long term I suggests you try a smaller company. I was based out of Indianapolis I spent most of my time in NE. infact I have a friend he was based out of Dallas and he still spent most of his time in NE! they give NE to the rookies because the experienced drivers refuse to go up there. and that's where the lack of miles come!

Okay, I'm gonna give one last stab at countering this misinformation, and then I'm done with this one. I really wish we had more independent thinkers in this industry. If anyone reading this is interested in Schneider and is being swayed by these silly remarks about them, please try and use some critical thinking skills instead of just falling in line with one malcontent's very limited experience with them.

Schneider is a huge company, to claim that they will keep you in the North East so you can't get any miles is absolutely ludicrous. If all the Schneider rookies were stuck in the North East we would be seeing nothing but orange on the highways up there - they are that big. I spend a lot of my time in the North East, it's not because I'm being punished, it happens to be because there is a concentration of the population up there, and therefore there is a concentration of freight there - those two factors go hand in hand. To claim that the experienced drivers refuse to go there is also nuts - experienced drivers understand what I just said and they do their fair share of time in the North East. I've never had any problems getting plenty of miles when I'm in the North East. Sure it's more challenging than running across Wyoming, but this is the stuff that separates the men from the boys in this business. You've got to be able to handle it all when you are an OTR driver - it's the kind of stuff that shows who the professionals are - the cream is always rising to the top.

Here's another little bit of common sense that flies in the face of these disparaging comments against Schneider or the over the road trucking industry. Do you not realize that trucking companies make their money by turning miles with trucks that are loaded with freight? You can not come up with a single rational reason to support this idea that they are trying to keep you from getting any miles unless you first look in the mirror and figure out what it is that you are doing wrong. If there is one thing these trucking companies want happening it is that they need those wheels turning. We get messages on our qualcomm all the time encouraging us to get our loads in early in the morning so we can get a good re-load, there is freight all over the place sitting there waiting to be delivered and they want to be able to give you something good, and if you think Schneider is just sitting around twiddling their thumbs and leaving miles on the table you are very misinformed about the way this works.

Let me clarify that I don't work for Schneider, but I do know how all this stuff works, and I also know what happens to the drivers who just don't seem to understand the way the game is played. Producers get rewarded, they get raises, they get more miles than they know what to do with. I don't care what trucking company you work for, if you have been "getting er done" in a way that is making a real difference for you employer there are people there in the planning department that know your truck number and are looking out for you to keep you moving. This is true no matter where you work, including Schneider.

This

Schneider is the best of the wors! it's only good for 6 months to year just to get your training. you will be pretty much a local driver up in the crazy traffic in NE! been there done that. if you are looking for something long term I suggests you try a smaller company. I was based out of Indianapolis I spent most of my time in NE. infact I have a friend he was based out of Dallas and he still spent most of his time in NE! they give NE to the rookies because the experienced drivers refuse to go up there. and that's where the lack of miles come!

I agree 100% with Old School in countering this. It's 100% BS. It's not that I don't believe Big H was stuck in the Northeast all the time - that's easy to believe with his lousy attitude toward almost everything. I very much doubt you had a great relationship with dispatch and I'm sure it was fun for them to keep you pinned up there in the Northeast until you finally moved on to another company.

I drove for several large carriers over the years and I always had tons of miles and went all over the country. If I wasn't getting the miles, dispatch took care of it. If I was pinned in the Northeast for a few days dispatch would take care of it.

And in fact the larger companies are the ones with all of the perks, not the smaller companies. The large companies have the big national accounts for everything, big financing behind them, fancy equipment, and benefits like having a medical practitioner to speak with or even a marriage counselor free of charge. So to say you should look for a small company for something long term is total BS. Just ask the hundreds and hundreds of drivers who have their picture on the wall at Schneider National with millions of miles and decades of experience with the company. They'll tell you a large company can be a great place to spend your career.

Not every company is good for every region or area. The way one can check is by checking the highways in your hometown. You should be able to figure out how many trucks from a certain company are present. In my city, I see lots of Swift, Knight, Averitt, and Crete.

Over the road is usually only just the beginning. It is a stepping stone towards other opportunities. I am pretty sure that I will not be over the road my entire career. However, I would like to be over the road until I have seen and experienced enough.

Over the road is usually not the problem, but the type of trailer/load can make a difference. I assume that Flatbeds and Reefers have more down time than dry van.

Any wages that are $2000+ are great for me. Maybe, this is because I already was able to pay off my home which reduces my expenses. All my personal vehicles are paid off. Before, I went to trucking I had made sure that these things are paid off so that I don't have to worry about these things too much.

Even if I get tired of trucking, I still have enough experience if I want to become a freight broker or freight agent.