A Question About Whether A Different Home Base Makes A Difference For An OTR Trucker
Topic 30536 | Page 1
Yeah, the Air Farce has one. Using their Indoor Voice, "Let's Call It A Day!" I'm half kidding! The USAF always gave us a ride when we needed one, and I always heard their bases had outstanding golf courses.
Terminal location in relation to home of record does not really matter, except in FL (south of I-4), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Freight is moving everywhere. The closest I've had a terminal has been more than 200 miles. I always get home, and always have a dispatch when I leave.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Bwahhhh hah hah! Yessir. Let's call it a day indeed. Thanks for the reply Pack Rat.
V/r Gabe
Yeah, the Air Farce has one. Using their Indoor Voice, "Let's Call It A Day!" I'm half kidding! The USAF always gave us a ride when we needed one, and I always heard their bases had outstanding golf courses.
Terminal location in relation to home of record does not really matter, except in FL (south of I-4), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Freight is moving everywhere. The closest I've had a terminal has been more than 200 miles. I always get home, and always have a dispatch when I leave.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Yeah, the Air Farce has one. Using their Indoor Voice, "Let's Call It A Day!" I'm half kidding! The USAF always gave us a ride when we needed one, and I always heard their bases had outstanding golf courses.
LOL PackRat, I'm gonna need you stop picking on the AF. 
And yes, we have some of the best golf courses, dining facilities, hotels AND POOLS. 
Terminal location in relation to home of record does not really matter, except in FL (south of I-4), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Not necessarily true. I live in a ...... not great area. The nearest truck stops are the 4 in Gary Indiana and I'm not allowed to park there (for good reason). The nearest free safe spot would be 50 plus miles away, or I could pay 200 a month for storage for 5 or 6 days a month while on hometime. Im sure my situation is unique but having a terminal close is important to me because it's cheaper to drive to a terminal than pay a rental fee.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Thanks for the welcome information/insight! That is good to know. I started the process today of getting information from some different carriers. I used the tool on the site to send the condensed info. blurb out to Recruiters/H.R. I felt that the from the two quick responses that I got back, I would go with the one that called. The information that she offered seemed similar, competitive, worthwhile, for somebody like myself whom is looking to break into the Trucking world. I've seen long ago, and heard fairly recently that Gary is a rough place and down on it's luck. I had a buddy in the Army who was from near Gary. That said, I worked with plenty of guys in the service from the Midwest, including Indiana, that had quality work ethics for sure. Thanks for weighing in good Sir.
V/r Gabe
Terminal location in relation to home of record does not really matter, except in FL (south of I-4), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Not necessarily true. I live in a ...... not great area. The nearest truck stops are the 4 in Gary Indiana and I'm not allowed to park there (for good reason). The nearest free safe spot would be 50 plus miles away, or I could pay 200 a month for storage for 5 or 6 days a month while on hometime. Im sure my situation is unique but having a terminal close is important to me because it's cheaper to drive to a terminal than pay a rental fee.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
CFI has two terminals in Texas and a dedicated account out of Waco. They also offer paid CDL training.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
When I drove for Schneider, they had (in addition to what you’d call terminals) gazillions of trailer drop lots. Often in the most obscure places. Those were also available to park your truck for hometime. I’m thinking many of the larger carriers have similar setups.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Knight Transportation, where I just got my CDL , has a terminal in Hutchins, which is on the southeast corner of Dallas. Millis Transfer, who I considered going with, has a terminal and CDL school at Burleson, up 35/35W from Waco/Temple. Raider Express is located in Fort Worth, Stephens in Dallas, Yellow Freight in Dallas. I'm sure there are others in the DFW area.
As for being close to one's home terminal - I cannot answer that except to say that, for me, it was either 350 miles to Dallas or 290 miles to El Paso. I chose El Paso because it is an easier drive. I'm hoping I can park the truck somewhere in the Midland/Odessa area for home time. But it's only four hours home if not.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Thanks for the info. Big Scott. Appreciate it. V/r Gabe
CFI has two terminals in Texas and a dedicated account out of Waco. They also offer paid CDL training.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
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Greetings one and all,
I really enjoy and have really enjoyed this blog. What a wealth of information! Fascinating answers to questions that run the gamut? Yessir! Humor intertwined with knowledge? On the daily. Thanks to those who spend so much time benefitting the newbie, would be, wannabe, and old salt alike. It would be dishonest to start firing off questions as I've not read countless answers over the preceding several years. Old School and Errol as well as countless others have written many truly in depth responses to myriad questions. Broke the questions down Shotgun Style and six ways, or is it seven, from Sunday, to say the least.
I retired from the Army in 2010. I've noticed there are quite a few fellow military retirees on the Forum. Hooah, Ooh-Rah, Hooyah, and....Does the Air Force have one of these? Air Force Hooah! Papa Pig has written some good stuff for sure.
Here is my question: I currently live in Southern Oregon. My family will be doing our best to be heading Texas way ASAP after I graduate trucking school with one of those carriers that offer training. Will it be easier to get a lot of work/runs in an area that holds a lot more population, and I would (assume/presume) Terminals(TX)? Also, I know from my consistent reading of this blog that the big companies all probably have relative plusses or minuses, but that success or failure mainly resides in Trucker work ethic/effort/knowledge/cooperation. We plan to relocate to the Temple/Waco area? Are there certain carriers that would be a better geographic fit than others, regarding work?
If this question has been asked and answered before to anybody's knowledge, please kindly point me in the right direction. Don't want anybody having to re-invent the wheel on my account.
V/r Gabe
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.