Over the Road Whoas

Don't

 

If you are ex-military (with an honorable discharge) -- you will likely handle it just fine.

A sense of adventure & a true appreciation for the open road will help a lot, too.

It's a good situation for loners, &/or people who like working alone.

You will be alone -- A LOT.

Thus -- an aptitude for thinking & problem solving independently will come in really handy -- as well.

It's NOT A GOOD PLACE for those who need lots of feedback and/or hand-holding.

A good trainer...with the right carrier....will go a long way....to setting you up for success.

-- L

 

-- L

 

Look into a dedicated account for a customer that allows overnight parking on their property. Have a microwave or air fryer on your truck. Don't waste your money and health on truck stop slop. Don't feed the lizards. There are probably 3 trucks out there for every legitimate parking spot, so if you can't sleep at the customer, don't wait until you're about out of hours to look for a spot.

 

This ☝️

The two accounts most companies will always have open are dollar stores and OTR. Dollar stores because of the physical labor involved and OTR because of the time spent out. They can't keep those positions filled. Regardless of your experience level, there will always be a company willing to hire you for one or both of those. Dedicated and regional, on the other hand, can be much harder to come by.

As a new driver, there are a lot of companies willing to hire you. But after the first one does, that number shrinks until you gain experience. This is why I caution new drivers to avoid OTR if they can. You have a little leverage when you first start out. But you lose it once you go with your first company. Why risk wasting that leverage on an unpopular account that will still be available to you regardless?

 

I've never seen OTR driving as a daunting task. Take it one day at a time. Look forward to delivery at the consignee and being paid.

You're largest expense will be food, and can be mitigated by having a refrigerator. I could still save money even with spending $40 a day eating out. No woes, no worries.

 

Just focus on the one thing you are doing while you are doing it. You can't do more than one thing at a time and pay careful attention to it. Not paying careful attention will end OTR driving for you. Once you see that you can find bathrooms as needed, get fed, get fuel, get sleep, etc it becomes easier. I found the more things I could provide for myself the less stress I felt.