Sometimes I Really Miss The Open Road
Topic 529 | Page 1
I say do what makes you happy. Good luck!
Yeah, that's why I always tell people that if they're looking for a new career but they're not interested in the travelling lifestyle then it's probably better to look somewhere other than trucking. The perks of the travelling lifestyle are what make it worth doing.
Local driving to me is not fun. It's a huge headache, really. Like you said - monotonous. It's a chore. The hours are so long and the job is so exhausting that all you really do when you get home is eat, shower, and sleep. And you're working weekends - that's really the pits.
My favorite type of driving, once I had seen the entire country about 100 times over, was regional. I liked being gone during the week and home on weekends. That way you get to enjoy the travelling lifestyle and make better money while still being off most weekends to do what you want at home. You don't get quite as much time at home as you would like - usually 36-48 hours - but it's a pretty good compromise overall.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
The perks of the travelling lifestyle are what make it worth doing.
Yep, you said it Brett. The trucking lifestyle is unique and difficult in it's own way, but carries with it rewards that don't come any other way. I've seen the sunrise in Searchlight, Nevada and the sunset in Laredo, Texas only because I was an OTR trucker. I was able to have a really honest conversation with my wife about a week ago about how I'm just not as happy doing local stuff as I was a year ago. Yes, I was gone for periods of time, but I got home for every major holiday. I got home for Memorial Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc. Plus, I took 4 days home time in Phoenix last year and bought my wife a plane ticket so we could have some time out west together. We were apart sometimes, but we also had some really good times enjoying the traveling lifestyle. I think we're going to do some more talking and I'm going to do some soul-searching over the next 30 days or so and see what I come up with. The traveling life is definitely not for everyone, but for me, the adventure of trucking and traveling are worth the hardships. There is truly nothing else like it.
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.
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Now that I've been driving local for about 5 months, I sometimes find myself missing the sights and experiences that only come with being an OTR driver. I saw some truly unique and beautiful places last year. From the mountains of West Virginia, to the red desert of Arizona, to the California coast; it's a great, big, beautiful country out there. Lately I've been wondering if I was happier waking up in a different place every day or if I'd rather get home every day. With my schedule of working nights, I don't get much time with my wife anyway. Right now I'm off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so weekends are still work days for me. Sure, the money is good and steady, but I have to say that local driving can get monotonous. Same roads, same docks, same work every day. I'm thinking about looking into maybe the regional Intermodal fleet. That would get me some longer runs and I think it still pays pretty decent. I have the phone number for a manager on that fleet. I may give him a call and post what I find out. Stay tuned...
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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.
Intermodal:
Transporting freight using two or more transportation modes. An example would be freight that is moved by truck from the shipper's dock to the rail yard, then placed on a train to the next rail yard, and finally returned to a truck for delivery to the receiving customer.
In trucking when you hear someone refer to an intermodal job they're normally talking about hauling shipping containers to and from the shipyards and railyards.