Picture this: instead of driving OTR for days on end, you could be home with your family in YOUR BED every night?
The truth is, the benefits of hauling locally sometimes outweigh the benefits of over the road trucking.
If you’re tired of long hours on the road and you’re ready for a change, keep reading. We’ll give you a list of the pros and cons of OTR vs. local hauling!
The Pros & Cons of OTR and Local
Mileage & Schedule
Over the road truck drivers get to travel across countless states. For some OTR drivers that’s part of the appeal.
They might get the experience of the open road that local drivers don’t.
An over the road driver has plenty of time to be alone in their cab for hours and days on end. If you prefer long hours of alone time, over the road trucking might be the better choice for you.
Still, over the road truckers know that driving long hours and ending up far from home can be stressful. OTR truckers may not see their families for weeks.
Over the road drivers usually work longer hours too. While a local trucker will usually work a standard 12 hour workday, OTR drivers know that they might have to drive late into the night to meet their deadlines.
Home & Away
Local drivers get to experience a lot more time “at home”.
So, if you want to spend more time with your family, local trucking is going to be the better option. Some OTR drivers might prefer the cab of their truck, but the living situation is cramped and can get uncomfortable.
And if an emergency happens at home or someone needs your help, you probably won’t be around if you’re driving over the road.
If you’re worried about looking after your friends and family, local driving should be a serious consideration.
If you’re driving locally, you’ll generally drive a maximum of 500 miles in a shift. That means you’re not in a different state or thousands of miles away when something comes up—you’re at home where you need to be.
We get it—there’s something really appealing about driving on the open road.
But who doesn’t want to sleep in their own bed every night? There’s really no feeling like laying your head on your pillow at the end of a long day.
Even if you love driving over the road, it probably feels great when you finally get home and go to sleep in your bed.
The places you get to see while driving OTR are great, but you have to ask yourself if those places are worth missing your family for days or weeks at a time.
The Dangers of OTR
Whether you’re driving locally or OTR, trucking is a dangerous job. You always have to keep an eye out for wildlife, pedestrians, and most importantly all the other drivers.
It’s unpredictable, and car drivers usually won’t be as cautious as truck drivers.
Still, over the road driving can be especially dangerous. Besides the other drivers you have to look out for, the roads themselves can become a nightmare depending on where you’re headed.
Knowing the roads matters, and you might not have experience with America’s more treacherous area, depending on where you got your CDL training.
The truth is, driving in a flat state is difficult enough. And if you start driving through more mountainous regions things can get complicated.
Especially for less seasoned drivers, driving the icy I-70 through the Rocky Mountains or any other mountain highway can get uncomfortable in the blink of an eye.
Local truckers usually won’t get the worst of it on the road, because they’re driving shorter, less dangerous roads.
Getting Paid
After all, the paycheck you’ll use to support yourself and your family is what it’s all about.
With OTR driving, you’ll usually make slightly more than a local trucker, depending on where you’re driving.
Still, local drivers have the benefit of working a predictable schedule. If you can’t or won’t drive OTR when you’re needed, you could lose hauling opportunities or your job altogether.
Try Local with JFW Trucking
If you’re still on the fence about driving local or OTR, give us a call.
JFW offers competitive pay and benefits, with the added bonus of being close to home.
Percentage Pay
What is percentage pay for truck drivers anyway?
Percentage pay is a ‘Pay-by-the-Load’ style of pay.
Drivers make a % of the amount that each load makes!
So, the more efficiently and safely you can haul loads and perform your duties, the more money you can make for yourself and your loved ones.
What is hourly pay? And how does it look as compared to percentage?
PTO & Benefits
Paid. Time. Off.
Driving with JFW means you can receive attendance-based PTO that activates the day you start working!
Plus, the PTO accrues for every day you work your scheduled hours.
Every employee earns PAID days off that can be scheduled and used down the road. The earning accrues for each day you show up to work for your agreed-upon hours. That’s it!
Quarterly Bonuses
At JFW we take safety seriously. So, if you’re driving with us and have no safety rule violations for the (3 month/yearly) quarter, you can expect a bonus based on what you’ve made in that period!
Benefits/Retirement
JFW offers its employees Health Care, Dental, Vision, Retirement Accounts (with 2% matching), Geico, and many other plan options to best suit your needs as an employee!
A Better Way to Work
At JFW, we strive for superior service, and we need talented drivers like you to join our team.
That’s why we offer great pay, benefits, and a modern, well-serviced fleet of trucks for our drivers.
As a family-run business, we understand that to be the best, we need to offer the best support. So, if you’re looking to make the switch from OTR to local, or you’re looking for a professional, comfortable work environment, give JFW a try!
For more information about JFW and/or application information, visit our website.