The Good and the Bad of Local Trucking

The local Trucking industry has its good and bad, like most things. Below we will look at the most common trucking Jobs in the trucking INDUSTRY. We also list Owner Operators that get hired on as IC’s (independent contractors) or get leased onto a Carrier. We will also list the Pros and Cons of Working Locally in the trucking industry.

Since the start of the trucking industry, the decision of Working Locally vs. Over the Road is a question truckers have had to wrestle with. Many time sacrificing money for the chance to spend time with family.

Type of Trucking sectors in a Local Market.

  • Dump Truck
  • LTL
  • Intermodal
  • Ready Mix
  • Fuel Haulers
  • Local Reefer

For those contemplating a decision about Local trucking, we list the pros and cons.

The Pros

  • Home daily: If you value family life, local trucking is a no-brainer.
  • Pay: one of the biggest misconceptions about local trucking is pay. This can be true in some sectors, especially if you have no experience. Still, depending on your market, company truck drivers can make well over 25 hr in major metropolitan cities, while an Owner Operator can gross over 5k a week. There are exceptions to this rule, as we state below.

The Cons

  • Local Traffic: If your not a fan of traffic and you live in a big city, you’ll want to reconsider the local trucking gig. if you work in a sector that pays by the load and not per hr, you might be losing out on some money during peak traffic times.
  • Seasonal Work: Many of the local trucking jobs are seasonal, especially if they are construction-related. so, you’ll need to save during summer to survive during winter.

Should You stay local?

Whatever you decide to do in the trucking industry, it is best to be equipped with all the knowledge available before choosing to stay local. It has its perks, but make no mistake, It also has its own set of issues you should be fully aware of before deciding on local work. Different drivers excel in different sections of the industry. Find out what your own strengths and weaknesses are and make your own choice accordingly.