OTR Truck Driving Jobs - Living Behind the Wheel of a Rig
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OTR Truck Driving Jobs - Living Behind the Wheel of a Rig

By: Jim Arnold

The majority of people in today's job market find balancing work and home lives challenging. With the suffering economy many breadwinners have to decide to take a second job or spend quality time with their family. Those who have (over-the-road) OTR truck driving jobs face this quandary all the time, especially with currently high fuel prices putting the squeeze on take-home pay.
So, what’s it really like out there on the road? Many things are common for a fleet driver and an independent driver.
You sleeping hours will be spent inside your truck for most of the time. Trucking companies will only put you up in a motel if you experience a breakdown and you have to wait a long time for repairs. Some will put you up in a motel at any time if you want to stay, but the money comes out of your paycheck. An independent carrier must remember that the more you spend on a motel room means less money you can spend on other things on life, like your mortgage.
Make peace with the fact that you are going to be buying all of your own food when you are out on the road. The costs can really add up if you eat at restaurants every day, even if you frequent truck stops that cater to OTR drivers. For use in your rig, there are a variety of mini-refrigerators and cooking appliances. Reduce your expenses by taking some food with you. In either case, keep all your receipts for food purchases in restaurants and in grocery stores. To claim your meals as a deduction at tax time you will need them.
How much driving is required in order to make a good salary? A report with no scientific basis indicated that 2850 to 3200 miles a week should spread the bills with some extra. A lot depends on what kind of freight you are hauling, what company you are driving for if you are a fleet driver, if OTR truck driving jobs companies offers any fuel savings incentive programs, and so forth. To get an accurate mileage figure, these are just some of the things that you must take into account.
If you were able to land a drop and hook job you should be grateful. No hassle or mess, and goodbye. You can do the loading and unloading yourself, or you can find someone to do it for you, but this would slightly cut into your profits. Before you accept an OTR truck driving job, there is something to consider.
When planning your finances you need to remember that your income is going to change from week to week and month to month. Depending on the amount of freight being moved, the actual mileage will vary. You can go from “bored silly watching the grass grow” to “insanely, dementedly, absolutely crazy busy” in a short time. This does make it more difficult to plan things with your family, however it is reality.

Article Source: http://articlenexus.com

James W. Arnold owns the website at OTRTruckDrivingJobs.org and has been an Owner Operator and Fleet Driver, driving semi trucks for more than a quarter of a century. ------------------------------------ otrtruckdrivingjobs.org

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