OTR, or long-haul trucking, is the abbreviation for over-the-road transportation. These are the people who have traveled the whole length of the 48 contiguous states, with many of them having done so. We will go into more detail about how OTR drivers vary from their regional and local colleagues in a few important areas later. OTR drivers, on the other hand, are essentially a unique kind of truck drivers that are on the road for weeks or even months at a time.Many types of freight including fresh vegetables and cargo arriving at our nation’s ports from overseas must be transported from either the west coast or east coast long distances across the country, sometimes more than 3,000 miles, and the average distance for a typical OTR load is around 1,200 - 1,400 miles. These are the primary loads OTR drivers transport.
OTR drivers typically work as either a team of two drivers or as a solo driver. Despite traveling the same distances, single drivers sometimes need six to seven days to get a load from one coast to the other, but OTR teams may do so in around three and a half days.
How much money do OTR drivers make in comparison to those in their local and regional areas? Well, that depends on a variety of variables. OTR drivers often earn more money than their competition since they travel greater distances and spend more time on the road. They can be paid per the mile, a percentage of the line haul income for a load, or a percentage of the overall revenue for the load.
Regional drivers often make less money than OTR drivers because to their shorter routes and weekly or biweekly hometime.
Local drivers often get hourly compensation, which, depending on the business, might result in much lower income than that of OTR and regional drivers. However, drivers that deliver specialized cargo, such as dangerous goods like gasoline, may make more money than OTR and regional carriers.
Here are the figures:
More so than local and regional occupations, OTR trucker positions are in continual high demand, so if job stability is a concern for you, OTR may be the appropriate choice. Another thing to think about before becoming an OTR driver is that compared to locals, OTR truckers have a slightly different work-life balance. You are qualified to drive after you have 2.5 years of CDL experience, a spotless driving record, no accidents, and a minimum age of 25. This significantly sweetens your chances of becoming an OTR driver.
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