Question:
I have looked at alot of the post here and on other sites from people wanting to get into trucking and it surprizes me how many do not know what they are getting into so here is my take on it.
It really does not matter what company we talk about all you are is meat in the seat. the way you get good runs are to make appt. times no matter what it takes. never turn down a load no matter where it is going. In the 4 years or so that i have been driving i have been to some of the worst places new york city, chicago, LA just to name some and for people that live near or in them it is not that bad but to be from alittle town outside richmond VA it is a shock .the most inportane thing is never get on a dispatcher bad side.
Now lettes look at driving your away from home no one you can trust waiting in line for a hour for a shower going to bed in a bed that is always moving . Parking at a shipper and just getting to sleep and a have a cop wake you up and tell you that you cant park here and there is nowher to park. Getting aload that is 600 miles and they give you 3 days to get there or give you a800 mile run and tell you to be there in the morning.
And finllay pay you drive a 1000 miles and only get paid for 900 or you wait for aload for a day free in the middle of nowhere or a company tells you to run the most direct route unless it is a toll road and if you run the toll road it is on you.
I hope this has put alittle light on the side of driving that no one has talked about. It is a very hard way to livealways missing thing at home because you are a 1000 miles away waiting on a load that might load today or tomorrow

Answer:
You sound very negative... and if it was THAT BAD as you make it sound.. why are you still doing it?? and question to you is.. you dont think every JOB has its bad sides and down sides to you gettin pissed or stressed?? i currently work for DHL as package delivery driver. And i am wanting to drive OTR with my wife. I can tell you that how shitty is it to have to drive 400 miles a day but in circles in the same route everyday? get to a pick up and it not be ready and you have to leave and come back. everything you do is in a time frame on when it has to be there.. so you have 10 stops in this neighberhood but you can only have time to drop 1 off then you have to drive 20 miles away and then have to backtrack later?? constintley dealing with customers mad on why there box is late? damaged? and you have to be a nice smiling person.. wearing there uniform?? working 12 hours a day and only gettin paid for 8. and only making about 19k a year?? so anyway EVERYJOB has its bad sides...

Answer:

Why would you want to drive OTR? it is exactly what youdescribe in your current job, only on a bigger scale.
Show up for your load, only to find it isn't ready yet, so you have to sit and wait for it (unpaid) - can't go anywhere else, stuck locked to a loading dock for however long it takes.
Then after waiting many hours, you are now behind schedule and have to make the decision to either be late (and suffer the consequences), or sacrifice several hours of sleep to make the unload time and stay on your dispatchers good side (so you get good loads in the future).
Constantly dealing with customers mad about why you are late, or why the freight is damaged, or who see nothing wrong with taking all day to unload your truck.
To say nothing of workig 14+ hours a day and getting paid for 8.
Plus, you are never home but for a few days a month or less, which leaves no time for a social life, hobbies, etc.
Yeah right, OTR is so much better than your gig.
Answer:

Could be. He will be living the proverbial vacationing vagabond
"lifestyle"(snicker) of the mobile homeless on the open road.
Answer:
Anything is better then 19k a month and i wont be driving in circles around the same city. And my wife will be with me driving also. driving for a delivery company like ups fedex or dhl is alot diffrent then otr.

Answer:

It will be different cities.
Answer:
Your correct. They pay better, have better benefits and a real retirement plan.
You'll be driving circles around the same old highways. It's fun at first but then it becomes a job and the newness wears off.

Answer:
Ok dude, you must work for a bad carrier, as for not being able to find parking, I deliver in residential areas ONLY and have been bugged by the local PD once, and he appologized for waking me and making me move (complaints from neighbors about me idling in 15 degree weather), so to your not finding parking.......BOOHOO!

Answer:
Try managing a kitchen full of crackheads and slaving over a stove 65-70 hrs a week, or drive and deal w t/stops, no parking etc and take home about 150 -300 more aweek.........theres good and bad to all jobs just know what to expect.
You find me a person who doesnt gripe about their career .................I bet even porn stars have gripes