Job Opportunities That Are Not Otr
Topic 9265 | Page 1
Yes Jamie, there are other options besides OTR. You have your local gigs - food service, tanker jobs, and LTL to name a few. In fact, linehaul positions in LTL are some of the highest paying trucking jobs in the industry, and most get you home every night if not home most nights a week. However, your opportunities will be in direct relation to your area. Location is key. You don't have your area in your profile, so I couldn't tell you what you might expect.
Here's my thread on linehaul and LTL: LTL Trucking: My Linehaul Job
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
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.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
That's great info! Now, like I said, I don't drive a truck now, so could you explain LTL and line haul? My aea is central Ky.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
Line Haul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Jamie, click on the link in 6strings post to you. You will learn everything you need to about linehaul.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
I am not a truck driver currently, but am thinking about changing careers and I am just doing my research. I am 40 years old and have a wife and kids and have always been a home every night husband and dad, and I was wondering if there were really any job opportunities for non experienced drivers that werent over the road. I would really like a home every night or every other night trucking job. Is this reasonable or possible, or would I have to drive over the road for a while and then after gaining experience look for local jobs? Thanks for any help and info.
(This may never see the light of day as I was informed that my posting privileges here were revoked.... )
Jamie, I was/am in the same boat as you... Wife, kids, need to get home every day. . If you live within about 50 men's of a major metro area then your chances of finding what you are looking for are very good. Many of the types of companies that six string mentioned do hire recent cdl school grads. If you are in such an area then I advise that you research all cdl schools near you and choose wisely. Call the companies you are interested in and find out which schools, if a any, they will hire out of. Then, once you've found a good school, learn everything you can about truck driving... Work thru the high road program 2-3 times so you know it backwards and forwArds. Watch lots of videos/tutorials on variious driving skills... All wth the objective of kicking ass in driving school and getting excellent scores. The recommendations of school personnel will be important to getting the driving job you want. I recently went thru all of this... And was floored by the opportunities out there for new drivers. Some would be shocked by the jobs I passed on. But i was able to find something uniquely beneficial to me and my family.
Read this site regularly and follow their advice (or, at least most of it 😉). What you seek is possible!
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.
Over The Road:
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.
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.
Like you Jamie when I started I didn't want to be away from my wife and kids. While I was in school I did a lot of research before I got my license. Like 6string did ltl is a great place to look. There's a ton of them out there and if you're near any of them that you should definitely look into them. Another direction you can look into is food and beverage delivery. Places like sysco, coke, Pepsi will often take on new guys if they are hard up. So keep an eye on those. Beware with that type of job you will be working extra hard for your money. You deliver to ask kinds of different places and with beverage you'll be stocking the coolers. They make decent money but like I said they definitely work for it.
The key to staying local is being persistent. Call places, apply everywhere, and don't stop until you get that all important interview. Even if a place is asking for experience apply anyway. Worst they can say is no, but if they are in a pinch they may just take a chance on a rookie. Provided their insurance will allow it. Just remember you can go local right out of school so long as you really try at it and you live in a good area.
Good luck
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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I am not a truck driver currently, but am thinking about changing careers and I am just doing my research. I am 40 years old and have a wife and kids and have always been a home every night husband and dad, and I was wondering if there were really any job opportunities for non experienced drivers that werent over the road. I would really like a home every night or every other night trucking job. Is this reasonable or possible, or would I have to drive over the road for a while and then after gaining experience look for local jobs? Thanks for any help and info.
Over The Road:
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.