Pulling containers

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Ga400, Jun 24, 2011.

  1. Ga400

    Ga400 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 28, 2010
    Atlanta ga
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    i might start pulling containers soon for an owner operator can anyone tell me what its like and how much pay should i expect,how many do i have to pull a day to make decent money,he says he would start me out at 40% of the profit and later when i get the hang of things he says he will give me 50% i have to pay my own taxes does this sound like a good deal to jump on
     
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  3. Jordon

    Jordon Bobtail Member

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    Jun 21, 2011
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    Sorry to break it to you but container freight is the lowest paying freight there is and if you're driving your own truck, the pay can be bad. If you're driving someone else's truck the pay can be dismal. Who is this owner operator working? What's the average trip length? How many times a day are you in the container terminals? Where are the terminals located?
     
  4. rockee

    rockee Road Train Member

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    Unless you know what he is getting for the load it's pretty hard to say whats what, and when you say "profits", does that mean after he has deducted everything that he can? If his "profit" is $200 on a load and it takes you 12 hours to do that one load, not a good deal. Does the % take into consideration lack of benefits?
     
  5. Diesel Dave

    Diesel Dave Last Few of the OUTLAWS

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    Hesperia, Ca.
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    If your a newbie and trying to get experience, don't expect much pay and LONG hour's. WELCOME to the world of trucking!!!!
     
    okiedokie Thanks this.
  6. groundpounder

    groundpounder Road Train Member

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    agreed......bend over and grab your ankles son..

    You would be much better off working for company with a set pay scale, bennies, 401k, etc...

    you need to think long term if this is seriously what you want to do for a living..
     
  7. Ga400

    Ga400 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 28, 2010
    Atlanta ga
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    Company horizon lines palametto ga just found out I'll be in out the terminal at least 3 times a day
     
  8. Gears

    Gears Trucker Forum STAFF - Gone, But Not Forgotten.

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    I did some containers a couple months ago. As far as the work is concerned, it's pretty simple. Just make sure the chassis are in good repair. As far as pay, as an O/O, you get paid by the mile and then for every "lift", drop, hook, liveload, etc.
     
  9. Heart of Dixie

    Heart of Dixie Light Load Member

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    Aug 2, 2009
    Chelsea, Alabama
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    Hope you like: bad tires, missing lights, overweight loads, 14 hour workdays and low wages. I tried as an o/o for three months, bout starved to death working six days a week and with a paid for truck. It came down to feeding the family or doing maintenance on the truck (but not in the same week). You can probably do ok if you have a very, very low cost of living
     
  10. striker

    striker Road Train Member

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    Denver, Co
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    well, now that you've heard from the peanut gallery.

    I've pulled containers as a company driver for the same company for 13.5 yrs, so let me chime in. Most O/O's are paid either by the mile or as a percentage of gross (in my area (Denver) O/O's are paid a percentage of gross, depending on the company between 70% and 95%. 70% is for the guy who buys a truck and relies on the company for everything, 95% is what my company pays, but we require our O/O's to be independent and use the company as a broker service, hence the 5% broker charge.

    As a driver for said O/O, will you be paid by the mile? by the drop? or by the hour? or as a percentage of what he gets? If he's paying you by the drop, you'll be broke in no time. If it's a percentage what he get's paid, depending on the amount, you might be okay, if it's by the hour you'll be alright, if it's by the mile, you'll be broke.

    Yes, expect long days, container hauling is probably the easiest trucking job, it's pretty much a true 99% drop/hook (in 13.5 yrs I can count on one hand the number of loads I have been forced to fingerprint), detention pay is common.

    Now, the downside, long days, junk equipment (although getting better), blowouts (getting better), railroads, steamship lines, ports, longshoreman, stevedores, dispatchers, customers.

    Also, you said your pulling for Horizon Lines, or that is who the truck is leased to? Horizon Lines just paid a $45 mil. price fixing fine and is facing Chp. 11 reorg. bankruptcy, expect them to cut pay to drivers and owner operators as a result.
     
  11. Working Class Patriot

    Working Class Patriot Road Train Member

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    Wherever and Whenever...
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    You're better off hauling MT "Cans" on a flat returning the "Cans" back to the ports...More money hauling MTs.....

    I haul them from Denver to Oakland or Long Beach...
     
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