Long-Haul vs Short-Haul Trucking: What’s Best for You?

Long-Haul vs Short-Haul Trucking: What’s Best for You?

Oct 5th 2022

The need for truck drivers has skyrocketed all over the world, exacerbated by the pandemic. If you’re considering taking this opportunity to join a fleet, you have a decision to make: will you be a long-haul or short-haul driver? In this post, we break down the differences between long-haul and short-haul trucking so you can decide which is best for you.

Short-Haul Trucking

Short-haul truck drivers, also called day drivers, typically drive within a certain range from their company’s home base. This means that most nights, you’ll get to return home and sleep in your own bed. Because they’re making deliveries that take no more than a day, short-haul drivers also get more consistent work hours, meaning their breaks are more consistent.

Here are the benefits of short-haul truck driving:

  • Easier to spend time with family
  • More consistent work hours
  • Easier to take care of health (diet, exercise, sleep)

Long-Haul Trucking

Long-haul truckers make deliveries all across the country, and they usually make several stops before returning home. This means long-haul truckers can be gone from home for weeks at a time, even a couple of months. However, they also get paid a bit more for their hard work.

These are some of the benefits of long-haul trucking:

  • Higher pay
  • Get to see more of the country
  • Good job security

Which Is Best for You?

Is long-haul or short-haul trucking better for you? Only you can decide, and you can always change your mind later. In fact, some drivers with families recommend doing long-haul trucking for a few years because of the higher pay, then switching to day driving to be more available to their families. If you don’t have kids or aren’t worried about starting a family, then you can choose based on your preferences.

As you get started trucking, one thing you should do right away is switch out the driving seat in your cab with a replacement semi-truck seat from GRA-MAG. Most semi-truck seats are worn out and do a poor job of protecting the driver’s spine from road vibrations. Our aftermarket seats let you adjust the seat dimensions to fit your body, and they do a great job of absorbing road vibrations.

Call or email us today to find out which seat is best for your needs.