I am a unemployed local class A driver wanting to go OTR

by Darrin
(Anderson,MO,USA)

I have a perfect driving record. This past September through Craigslist I had an opportunity to haul dry freight out west from St.louis with Roadrunner Dawes with no OTR experience.

I was driving for a contracted owner operator driver of theirs based out of Oklahoma. Long story short I was promised long miles and home time every 2 weeks. After they got me out there on the west coast they kept giving me LA to Sumner WA runs and nothing back out to St. Louis or any where else out this way for that matter.

Turns out all the teams were getting those "dedicated" runs. So not only was I not getting back home, I wasn't making the money they promised either. After threatening to lock the truck up at the San Fran terminal, they finally got me loaded up for St. Louis after 6 weeks of layovers and low mile runs out on the west coast.

I took the truck back to it's owner and moved on. I realize I walked into that one rather easily and there was a good reason why.

Looking back I also realize I was lucky to land the break and wish now I would've just stuck it out for the 6 mos. of experience. With all this being said, can somebody tell me how I can get into the business without having to go to a school to get a CDL that I already have?

I can handle a truck, the mountains, the paperwork and even the lifestyle, I just need a decent job that won't make a bunch of empty promises.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any help.

DC