My Story

No i react appropriately. The anxiety comes more before entering than during a city. Its getting better. A few more weeks and I be alot better. Ty man. Going back to springfield tomorrow 3 days pad time test on Saturday, wish me luck

I am back at campus, tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday going to backing bookcase a pad. Friday drilling the in cab and city driving practice. Saturday test day.

Kj don’t forget what u were taught in safety class. Heavy rain, snow, ice, fog and heavy congested traffic—slow down. Take ramps at half the posted speed. U probably had a lease trainer. They have a special set of rules. 1. Drive 65 at all times to make money 2. Drive 65 to save fuel (totally inaccurate) 3. Drive 100 miles out the way to avoid toll 4. Never touch the brakes they cost money 5. Never run with lights on in the daytime, they cost money 6. Never use the wiper fluid it cost money Lease drivers claim to make more money than company , if so they dang sure CHEAP! I’m company I run at 58 mph, I run between 2700 to 3200 miles per week. It’s all about time management. Time management is the way to make money.

I just want to go lease to get my home time. Don't want to have it were its close to home time and prime sends you opposite of were home is. Honestly I'm prolly only going to fulfill my year and find somthing local, till kids are out of house then might go otr agian, but who knows might change. I knownalot if local jobs don't pay as much as otr, but its still better than what I came from in a factory. I don't want to get rich, just have enough to have the family comfortable. I got 8 years till youngest turns eighteen. I might then bust my ass till I retire,im 43 now as long as health allows to dot standards I can drive alittle past retirement age. But for now one step at a time. Who knows might like this place to much to leave. I know my first year im going to be out more i got that got to pay the dues, but you think with all the drivers prime has they could be frontrunner to have a change in time out and time at home. Every week there is new people in orientation. I know some don't last but sooner or later there's going to be a high influx of employees, unless the turnover is bigger than i think( im still new to this industry might be wrong)

Going lease most likely will not result in you going home more. In fact it'll likely be the opposite. If you take a month off you're still on the hook for the truck payment and insurance. Most companies will get you home the day you need to be home as long as there's freight going there. They understand hometime is precious to drivers and the last thing they want to do is have a driver quit due to hometime. Hopefully other drivers jump in with their personal experience regarding hometime as a company driver.

There's many local jobs that pay less than most OTR make, but there's also a lot that pay more than your typical OTR driver makes. Local is a whole different animal though. Numerous stops, heavy traffic with close quarter maneuvering all day and possibility of handling the freight whether its hand unload or pallet jack are just a couple of the challenges you'll face which is why we always recommend a year of experience. I've worked 2 local jobs. Both jobs I've averaged 12 to 14 hours a day starting anytime from midnight to 4am. Yes you'll be home daily but you won't necessarily have more time for family. It isnt uncommon for me to need to decide between sleeping or spending time with my family. I'm usually crawling into bed before they eat dinner so I can get enough rest to be fit for duty the following day. Many local jobs also go off seniority. Being the low guy you may get the worst routes, denied vacation requests, working holidays/nights/weekends, mandatory OT etc.

Of course there are jobs such as P & D that have more "normal" hours that allow a better work/life fit while still making great money but those are harder to get into.

I understand all that, I'm just thinking out loud, I would never take a minth off. Like if I want a week off. I would save uo money to cover cost if the lease pkus to oay bills for that off week. I was thinking of take off every other weekend if possible. But I haven't even gotten my license yet nor learn the system of running frieght. I will adjust my goals as the lifestyle warrants. I might even go company at first. My trainer wants me to stay tnt till Feb to learn to drive winter but in all honesty my family's finances would hurt. I wouldn't be the only rookie to come out of tnt and drive in winter. If its bad that I dont feel safe im parking it, not going to do it.

Lease? OMG! Say it ain't so!

Worse decision you could possibly make. Don't do it.

Does Company really offer anything? Got to go where they tell me have to take every load they give. What will sell me on comoany though is insurance and benefits.

KJ I don’t think you are looking at company vs lease in the correct perspective.

What you mentioned above is known as forced dispatch. True lease operaters are not force dispatched. You can say no to a load. Do you understand what happens then? You go to the bottom of the list of trucks in that area. You may very well be sitting for several more hours and or days making nothing.

You mentioned hometime. You better check around every lease driver I have spoke with makes comments they can’t afford to go home. They also tell me they have to team or train to make any money.

Those comments are consistent no matter the company. You want to go home and make some money. Go company. Kearsey has all the numbers to show you what you need to know.

Take a look at this article old school wrote When to become O/O or Lease . I know Kearsey has done a few videos om her YouTube channel about leasing showing settlements from her friends