Why I went with LTL

Discussion in 'LTL and Local Delivery Trucking Forum' started by YepLTLisbetter, Mar 30, 2015.

  1. YepLTLisbetter

    YepLTLisbetter Bobtail Member

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    I was an OTR driver for almost 6 years so I've been there. I enjoyed my time going OTR, I was able to see 48 states and meet people from all walks of life. Other then the low pay compared to LTL, my quality of life has greatly improved since taking a job where I'm home everyday. I can workout, grill meats and produce from local growers and enjoy life.

    The LTL company I'm with is disorganized and they love to micromanage. Drivers are all unhappy and morale sucks. The equipment is subpar and maintenance sucks. But you know what? Voluntary turnover is 2%. Drivers know the OTR alternative or starting over at the bottom of the board with another LTL company. My first 3 years I made 35k, 31k and 48k but I stuck it out. I was on call 24 hours a day 6 days a week. Last year it paid off and I made 71k. This year I should be around 80k working around 48 hours a week. Home daily and off weekends starting Saturday AM and ending Monday night.

    If you worried about not working the first couple years with an LTL carrier then get a weekend job or something. I always have heard I can't afford it. Really? You can't afford making 10k less for a few years? You would rather work OTR for 20 years making 55k a year (if you're lucky) rather then LTL making 75k? That's a 400k difference and I can guarantee the benefits are better in LTL. If you are thinking about it, just do it you will thank yourself later.
     
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  3. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    Preaching to the choir. You know this is the LTL /Local forum ?
    Wrong audience and useless information:biggrin_2559:

    Awesome story bro, tell us again...









    Welcome to TTR
     
  4. YepLTLisbetter

    YepLTLisbetter Bobtail Member

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    Where do you think the LTL prospective drivers go? To the OTR forums for info?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 30, 2015
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  5. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    They go anywhere but here. It's our little shack in the woods with a welcome sign hanging on the tree.

    Appreciate the information, rustle jimmies, post your experience in the new drivers section or experienced.. OTR folks love us LTL / Locals lol
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 30, 2015
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  6. Tall Mike

    Tall Mike Road Train Member

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    Shaggy, am I welcome here ??

    I do LTL long haul..LOL


    guess I'm just one of those guys who just can't decide, long haul or LTL....


    so I do both.. :smt082
     
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  7. bigdogpile

    bigdogpile Road Train Member

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    What's LTL longhaul 😧
     
  8. Tall Mike

    Tall Mike Road Train Member

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    Less than trailer load of the long variety... :thumbup:


    I leave out of our yard with as many drops as they can jam into a '53 foot reefer and still be somewhere near legal weight....An average trip can have 10 or more drops and the reload back can have a couple picks..

    I leave northeast PA for the deep south, Florida, and Texas......Gone usually just short of a week then right back to the house..

    Paid by the mile (off the hub) and by the drop.. :)
     
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  9. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    OTR drivers I thought hated LTL drivers and you know who they hate even more then LTL drivers? People like me Food Service Drivers oh and beer truck drivers (something I've also done.) OTR drivers and super truckers hate with a passion side loader beer truck drivers they don't even consider them truckers. When I was at the beer truck company I would help out this driver on the Sandusky, Ohio route (good route) and we would go to Ceder Point and then some other stops and then a truck stop down off of route 2. We would be wheeling in tons of cases of beer as fast as we could off of a little 14 bay side loader They just give us looks, but they also stayed out of the way and the looks were more of "Huh, who wants that job."
    002.jpg
     
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  10. 2Girls_1Truck

    2Girls_1Truck Medium Load Member

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    Let's be fair: you don't really believe that you can speak on behalf of literally millions of people, do you? I'm an OTR driver and your summary of how OTR drivers feel doesn't apply to me. I don't really think you speak for the majority (still millions of people) either.

    I don't look sideways at delivery drivers, or hate them. In fact, I schlepped pallets out of the side and tailgated loads at a job for a year. It was the height of the recession and jobs I wanted were basically nil.

    I don't envy LTL or local drivers. I did it, I found it mind-numbingly boring and I felt like I didn't want to go to work and couldn't wait to leave when I was there. Since we were hourly, it felt like I was on a salary that really had no potential to increase no matter how hard I worked. I didn't care for driving a daycab and sharing a truck with the day/night driver.

    I prefer to live out on the road and when I take my days off I am not thinking about work and actually look forward to going. When I was home and driving LTL I used to see the highway trucks rolling and wish I was going, too.

    Doesn't make one job better than the other, it just means that different people like different things. I like this thing and you like that thing. Simple. No animosity whatsoever, in fact I am grateful so many guys want to do that work so I don't have to! Try it sometime.
     
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  11. YepLTLisbetter

    YepLTLisbetter Bobtail Member

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    The OTR crowd seems to be a bitter bunch, and it has gotten much worse the last dozen years. It's sad really, but they are doing it to themselves.
     
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