Regional Truck Driver Jobs
Regional truckers cover a larger area than local delivery drivers, but not quite as much as long-haul drivers. You might drive from Washington to New York, and then carry a load to Boston before bringing another load back to DC. Generally, a regional trucker covers something like 1,000 miles of territory around his home town. These middle-distance routes have become more prevalent in the past few decades as several national companies have moved to a regional distribution model to shorten lead times and save money on shipping.
Schedules
Regional truckers generally have more predictable schedules than long-haul drivers, but there is still some unpredictability. You might spend 5-6 days on the road and then have 36 hours at home. Your home days won’t always be Saturday and Sunday, but having some time in your house each week ought to make it easier to maintain relationships and keep up with your home, yard, and kids (if you have them).
Labor
Regional trucking jobs can involve a good amount of loading and unloading. Although some people may not like the labor, jobs with a significant amount of unloading usually pay better than straight driving regional jobs, which will help boost your income.
Considerations
Before you accept a regional trucking job, be sure to take a close look at the equipment you will be driving. Make sure you get a chance to examine the fleet. The trucks should be well-maintained and clean. If you can see visible problems from the exterior, you will know this company doesn’t spend the time or money it should on maintenance, which means you will be forced to deal with downtimes and repairs.
Also make sure you are clear about the compensation package, the number of miles, and the average weekly miles per driver. A thriving company with lots of work will be able to keep you busy year round. A struggling organization will have low miles per driver, which means you’ll make less money and you could spend less time working than you want.