What is the difference between over the road trucking and local trucking?

If you’re interested in truck driver training, you may be curious about the differences between over the road and local trucking.

Each type of route a driver can make offers a variety of different experiences. Different routes can allow drivers to navigate diverse environments such as the scenic open highways of the Midwest, hometown roads of local communities, and even bustling cities. Two types of common CDL driving are over the road and local.

What Is Over the Road Trucking vs. Local Trucking?

Over the Road trucking, also known as long haul trucking, can be abbreviated as OTR. This type of driving can span across the continental United States and beyond. These routes may often be trips of 250 miles, or more. Some long haul truckers may drive upwards of 100,000 miles per year or more as an OTR trucker.

Drivers may be away from home for several nights, or even weeks at a time. Most commonly a CDL Class A license is needed for this type of driving. Trucks used for over the road trucking are usually specially outfitted for driving long distances. They often include a place for the driver to rest called a sleeper berth, and maybe even other amenities like a small refrigerator, television, and even a closet or drawers to store clothing and other personal items while on the road.

Local trucking, also known as short haul trucking may typically mean that the driver will be hauling equipment or materials for a certain job. These routes can sometimes be limited to a certain area. That means that the driver can be home most, if not all nights. Local driving may include delivery and dedicated driving positions. Dedicated driving positions involve a driver working specifically for a certain area or company, meaning drivers may have a sense of their route, truck weight, and destination in advance.

Depending on the type of truck, a CDL Class A or Class B license would be used for local driving.