Regional Over OTR?
Topic 26554 | Page 1
Hi there Joel, getting a regional job where you are home for the weekends or for a 34 hour restart shouldn't be a problem at all. There are many companies, especially the larger ones who have a lot of regional and dedicated opportunities even for brand new drivers with a fresh CDL. Be sure and get with the recruiters and they will be more than happy to discuss these with you. Best of luck.
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.
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.
Joel, one of the best ways to get home on weekends is to go with a flatbed job. Maverick, TMC, and McElroy all offer this opportunity. I'm sure there are others, but that will give you a starting point.
Thanks for the reply’s so far. I’ve heard flatbedding is in a league of its own when it comes to truck driving, but you make it seem like a challenge worth pursuing old school. Thanks again.
Joel, one of the best ways to get home on weekends is to go with a flatbed job. Maverick, TMC, and McElroy all offer this opportunity. I'm sure there are others, but that will give you a starting point.
Old School could you be more specific as to why a flatbed job would get me home on weekends, please? Its not i don't trust what you're saying its just I'm curious as to why, thats all.
appreciate it.
Flatbed freight is a little easier regionalized, and most flatbed receivers are not open on weekends. Both TMC and Maverick have this down to a science. Even if they pick up freight that delivers out of a particular region they have drop yards conveniently situated so they can drop a loaded trailer there and arrange for another driver from that other region to pick it up.
You don't have to be a flatbedder if you're not interested, and I would discourage you from it if it wasn't something that attracted you. There are certainly other regional type jobs, but that doesn't always equal being home on weekends. You need to be very specific when speaking with recruiters. If you need to be home on weekends, you need to get that settled at the start of your conversations seeking employment.
I always recommend you make a commitment to an OTR job for one year. It will help you tremendously as you start your trucking career. It will provide you with the foundation and experience you need to be eligible for many of the regional jobs requiring experience. If you and your young family could manage that for one year it would certainly help you get off to a great start.
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.
Appreciate your reply Old School. I'm perfectly ok do to flatbed trucking, regionally, and i understand going OTR would provide a solid foundation from which to start from, to get the nescessary experience required for some of these regional jobs out there.
Personally me and my wife had discussed going OTR, but thought it would be too much on the family to have to deal with. i mean i haven't completely dismissed the idea, but i haven't even started trucking school yet, so i will see how things materialise and plan accordingly, i guess.
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.
Hey Joel, I went thru Roehl's get your cdl program. And I was able to be put on a dedicated regional account. (Currently 6mths in.) I would suggest you talk with the recruiters and see what they offer. One thing I would caution about regional is my home time swings wildly. Some weeks I am home on Friday afternoon and others I am getting home late Saturday night. Just depends on freight and customers getting me unloaded. Just some thing you need to be prepared 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.
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.
Please keep in mind, you need to specifically ask the recruiters what "regional" means. it doesnt necessarily mean "home weekends" and it might not be a "weekend" but a 34 hour break which basically feels like 1 day.
My ex was regional and ran everything east of Denver. Got a 34 every other weekend at home. regional simoly means the area in which they run, not necessarily "close to home".
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.
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So I have a young family, and from what I can gather being otr for weeks at a time can be detrimental to the family. I would like if possible to do regional , and hopefully be home on weekends. So one of my questions is how easy is it to get a regional job nowadays once you get your cdl and you are ready to apply for companies?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.