Three lanes, three very different lifestyles. Here is the honest trade-off on each.
Home time is the real trade-off
Local drivers are home daily, regional drivers are typically home weekly, and OTR drivers are out one to three weeks. Pay generally rises as home time falls, though busy local LTL work can match regional pay.
Freight type differs too
Local work involves more stops, more customer contact and often driver-assist unloading. OTR is usually no-touch with long stretches of highway driving. Dedicated accounts sit in between with a fixed customer and repeatable routine.