If you're considering a career in truck driving, you may be wondering whether to pursue local trucking jobs home daily or go the long haul route. While each has its own unique set of benefits, it's important to understand the pros and cons of both to make an informed decision. Here's a closer look at what local and long-haul truck driving each has to offer.
Local Truck Driving Advantages
Local truck driving home daily offers many advantages over long haul jobs, including:
- Home life. One of the major benefits of local truck driving is that drivers are able to return home each day after their shift ends, making it easier for them to maintain commitments outside of work. While this is especially nice for truck drivers with families, it is beneficial for all drivers, regardless of relationship status.
- Health. In addition to nurturing relationships, you can also nurture your body. Truck driving can be hard on a body without proper care. Local truck driving home daily allows you to not only eat healthy, home-cooked food regularly but also to join a gym. While local drivers get in and out of the truck more often than long haul drivers, the sedentary lifestyle of a truck driver needs to be balanced by a fair amount of exercise, both cardio and weight-lifting.
- Flexibility. Additionally, local drivers tend to have more flexibility with their schedules. For example, if you know you need a Wednesday afternoon off three months from now for a dental cleaning, you simply tell your supervisor. A long haul driver, on the other hand, has no idea what state they will be in three months from now, let alone next week.
- Training. Local drivers often don't need special licenses or endorsements like those necessary for long-haul truckers.
- Expenses. Furthermore, since they rarely travel far from home, local drivers can expect fewer expenses than long haul drivers who must spend weeks on the road away from home, spending money on carryout food, hot showers, and the occasional hotel room.
Ultimately, both long-haul truck driving and local truck driving home daily present unique opportunities for earning a living while on the open road. Each has its own set of benefits that should be taken into account when deciding which type of job is right for you. Whether you choose local or long-haul trucking depends largely upon your lifestyle preferences and goals, as well as your willingness to travel away from home for extended periods at a time.
