Lurkers!
Topic 2590 | Page 5
Welcome AL !!!!! and since ya posted, ya silly man...you aren't a lurker anymore !!
We're glad to have you here, tho...and we'll answer anything you ask...and you can post whenever the idea moves you...
Glad you are here !!!!
Well I just wanted to say this site has so much information that it will help make an educated decision on my future ! It looks like I will have a forced career change in my near future and after reading through all the info here this may be the direction for me to take ! One question is on average how long would I have to drive OTR before I could expect to get regional or dedicated route ? This a great site thank you all !
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
Well I just wanted to say this site has so much information that it will help make an educated decision on my future ! It looks like I will have a forced career change in my near future and after reading through all the info here this may be the direction for me to take ! One question is on average how long would I have to drive OTR before I could expect to get regional or dedicated route ? This a great site thank you all !
All depends on the company. Sometimes you luck out and get on one right away and sometimes It Can Take A Few years. All depends on if they need another driver on that account.
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
Alright, here goes; lurked for awhile, signed up to take advantage of the BEST Truck testing online. Thank you Trucking Truth, all real testing went about as well as a guy can hope for.
Graduated from a Community College program that is well respected in the midwest. I have 2 firm offers from big companies and am waiting a couple more days for 2 smaller companies to invite me to orientation.
Seems like this is the scary part. I will commit to one of them by Wednesday morning and I'm really worried about making the right choice. I have over analyzed CSA scores, pay scales, benefits, etc, (at least what the recruiters tell you), and now suffer from info overload.
But, Hey, I'm out of the shadows!
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
First...to Jimmy Welcome !!! And depending on where you live in Oregon, there are quite a few trucking companies that run the I 5 corridor. That is, of course, if you don't mind running 55 mph...I don't mind it in CA...but not sure I could stand it for a steady diet, having run all 48, and know that there are higher speeds out there for trucks. BUT...there are companies that you can go with,, that may put you into a regional , or dedicated. The I 5 is a heavy route for trucks..
Now Guido....I'm really glad you "came in out of the dark"...lol Altho we don't mind anyone who utilizes the site for its educational values, and doesn't fell the need to post...Its here to help people get into trucking...the chit chat, posts, joking around, and general brotherhood aspect is purely a side benefit !!! The only way that you can pick the company is find the one that offers you what you need, and you feel the best about. Don't take the recruiters word as gospel...they are in it for the numbers and the money that the numbers pays them. Do diligent research....and ASK US !!! we don't know them all...but theres alot of drivers on here that have driven for alot of companies... We will help you in any way we can, tho.....we enjoy that.... So WELCOME !!! and enjoy TT
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.
Welcome aboard Jimmy and Guido!!!
Jimmy, Guyjax is right. The length of time it takes to get a regional or dedicated route will depend on the company. There are some companies that will put you on a route like that straight out of school. Others will make you put in 3-6 months OTR before they'll let you qualify for one of those positions.
But if you'd like to get home more often there are plenty of companies that can get you home on weekends straight out of CDL training. Focus on dry van and flatbed companies. That's where you're going to find the best opportunities for more home time.
Guido, don't sweat the decision about your first company. It isn't nearly as important as most people expect it to be. You can turn solid miles and make a decent living at any major trucking company out there. They all have plenty of freight for their best drivers. And besides, once you get 6-12 months of safe over-the-road driving under your belt you can switch to any of about 100,000 companies at the drop of a hat. So don't sweat it.
The biggest thing is to figure out what type of freight you'd like to haul and how often you'd like to get home. That will narrow your choices considerably. Then from there just pick the one you feel suits you best and go for it. You'll do just fine.
We have a series of articles on How To Choose A Truck Driving School and we also have a section in our Truck Driver's Career Guide on choosing a truck driving school. Have a look through those articles and our career guide to get some advice and insights into the process of choosing a company to work for.
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.
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
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.
We have persuaded 9 lurkers to come out of the shadows so far. It is AWESOME! I am looking for lucky number 10...who is it gonna be? I am glad this topic has had such a great response. I am sure we were all lurkers at one time. I know I was! I feel like this is a good thread for people to make their first post. Sometimes they are not ready to create their own thread. They also do not have to be alone because this thread has brought together all of the other new people. I hope it continues and becomes a great place for people to say hey and introduce themselves. I just want to say welcome and thank you to the 9 lurkers and future lurkers. We are glad to have you out of the shadows and part of the TT family. Goodluck and stay safe out there!
Ok, so I'm going to be lurker #10..... I've spend a couple of months reading this site....and working on the testing section..... I'm turning in my notice at the present job today so Central Ref. can call my boss (I wanted to warn the boss before he got the call).
Now, tell me.....is this just plain crazy for a 57 year old lady?
Ok, so I'm going to be lurker #10..... I've spend a couple of months reading this site....and working on the testing section..... I'm turning in my notice at the present job today so Central Ref. can call my boss (I wanted to warn the boss before he got the call).
Now, tell me.....is this just plain crazy for a 57 year old lady?
No ma'am it isnt. Special K doesn't post much anymore but shes 53 and quit her job to go to Central. Shes experienced the first year blues but overall I dont think shed trade it. Now Im only 30 and had lost my job at the time I choose to be a trucker but its been quite a learning experience for me. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Now Ive been told its cause I gor diesel in my veins lol Being a lady trucker is different in a sense than being a man out here so If you have any questions or need advise just let me know
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.
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I'm a lurker...been lurking for a few weeks. I signed up yesterday. I'll keep lurking and listening to others before i start axin my questions