Profile For Brian B.

Very well could be because I dorm remember it being like this. I enjoy trucking but when they hired me I was told that I would be home early on Friday and leave out Sunday night. That is the most frustrating part. I'm considering getting my hazmat and trying to get on with a local fuel company. Having a family and trucking is a game changer for me. I don't mind being gone but I do want to be home for quality time. Thank you for your reply. Helps a lot

The "they will take your early" bit is kinda common too. I always get places really early... sometimes taking my 10 hr at the customer so I can roll out with a full clock.

I left for one customer later than I normally would cause they refused early didn't have any parking and was watching my 14 clock. FM messaged get there they will take you early. I fight rush hour traffic to get their 2 hours early... "your compnay knows better. Your appt is for 7... u ain't checking in til 7".. now the problem is no where to oark

This is typical stuff that you might have forgotten while off the road. Good luck and drive safe

First of all I'm new to this group so hello everyone! I drove otr years ago for a heavy haul company. I was single and had a blast. I came off the road for about 10 years. I worked local driving jobs. I recently came back to otr. I work for TMC. I haven't ever worked for a big trucking company before. They promised me I'd be home every weekend because I do have a family. They haven't exactly lied about that but my home time has been one day. I have a new fleet manager that tries and I'm trying to work with him but today is my last straw. I drove to hours to new london Wisconsin to be loaded. My appointment time is for 5 this evening. My fleet manager told me to go ahead and get there early so I did at eleven this morning. They told me they spoke to the company and told them they would not load me early before I even got here! This load is going to Houston supposed to be there Friday morning. If I don't split this load (which really pays good) with another driver I won't make it home this weekend. I'm sitting here not getting paid for today. Just frustrated and needed to vent to someone that understands this.

You hit the nail on the head brother.

OTR isnt for everyone, and I personally dont think its much more than a stepping stone. You can make it a career if youre willing to lose your family, have no life and be in solitude forever.

Thats what OTR was for me and I dont see me going back anytime soon.

But here's the problem, theres two kinds of local jobs; one that pays terribly with super hard work and one that pays well thats easier physically but requires more skill.

If you quit now you can land a local job it wont be a good one. I suggest you stay with it out a full year and then apply. I work for a local tanker company in CA delivering gas to gas stations and I work about 10-12 hours 5 days per week then i get 2-3 days off. The money is great (hourly) but they wont hire 8 months, they just lowered their requirements to 1 year down from 2.

Theres a lot of BS with OTR, but stay with it man youre almost there. I did it for 3 years I think you should be able to handle 1.