What are "Practical Miles"?

Ah - so they are NOT paying zip to zip - they're paying city to city

 

Well .... yes and no. Depends on what your definition of "to" is.

They charge zip to zip to customers, always.

They pay zip to zip to the driver, provided the city name is differant. Most disallow "suburbs". The actual "city" name has to change. Unless you are getting hub miles.

 

sure -=- but we all know what they charge th' customer has little, if any, bearing on what they pay the driver.

So, it's city-to-city, with the city location being defined as the main Post Office for that city. (more or less, and hub mile calculations if needed)

 

The hub of your truck (that thing with numbers sticking out from the end of your axle in the middle of your wheel) has an odomoter just like your speedometer has.............

If a company was to pay "hub miles" they would be paying for every inch you drove........

 

Technically, no. Depending on the company, they may have stopped paying you at the state line, 30 miles back down the road.

Whatever they pay you. You can bet what you actually drove, was further than what you were paid to drive.

Few companies pay for all of it, or close. Unless they pay hub.

 

Practical miles:

<image of man holding arms out, hands as far apart as possible> Well, it's practically a mile!

 

As has been mentioned already, how they determine miles depends on the company. ALWAYS good to get that right up front when inquiring for employment, and, as always, get it in writing beFORE signing on the dotted line.

There are companies that pay mileage from load origin zip code to destination zip code.
In say, Los Angeles, that would tend to be pretty precise because there are so many zips in the area.

Now, in a smaller big city -- or a rural area, that could be a larger area. So, if you had multiple drops or pick-ups, you could be driving quite a few more miles than your paycheck reflects.

However, the, IMO, better companies not only pay zip to zip, but also include "additional p/u and/or deliveries" pay with the mileage pay. I drove for a company back in the 1990's that paid $35 for each additional drop after the first.
ALSO, if a customer tells you to back into door #1 -- then changes their mind and tells you to move it over a door to door #2 -- that constitutes additional p/u or delivery, as per the contract the customer signed which mere dock workers aren't always aware of --and each reloation is charged to the customer.
If they were nice, I let it slide.
But if they were jerkin' my chain, I collected my due.
I had one jerk dock worker that had me change doors three times. Show me the money. (About $70 an hour)

OH,
BTW ---- Imagine this example ---
I once had a load of furniture that originated in Los Angeles, and finished in Texas -- after stops in Arizona. All totaled: 36 stops.
Of which I collected $35 for 35 stops.
It took me about 3 1/2 to 4 days to do it -- all at Penny's stores, mostly in malls -- where I conveniently spent the nights and saw a movie during my 8 hour (then) break.

Miles paid, if I remember correctly, were around 1,300, on top of the drop pay. Weekly miles that week were around 2,900 --> 3,100 as I recall.
Let's just say I had so many $$$ signs in my head that I worried about crossing the scales.

I don't really like multi-drop loads, but something like that to an OTR driver can be a challenge to take and a money run to boot.

I probably should mention that the company I mentioned was NOT a large Big truck truckin' company. They ran 25 to 35 Big trucks at any given time -- company drivers and independent contractors (I/C's).
Don't expect the bottom feeder companies or starter companies to match that.
BUT, you should know that those companies ARE getting that additional drop pay, and pocketing it for you -- in THEIR pocket(s).

A large truckin' company was paid $200 to have the driver (me) unload a 53' trailer -- of which I received $35 -- and it took me 8 hours. No mileage pay that day.
Expect that with the larger companies.

 

zip code to zip code sucks! Thats what I run and I get screwed out of miles all the time, but whatever, every company has their faults

 

If nothing else, Nicki, chalk the company you're presently driving for up to payin' your dues. Do the best you can do, keep your PROFESSIONAL Driving record CLEAN, and bigger and better doors will open.

Keep a good attitude!
Hang in there.
And rack up some experience.
I think you'll be glad that you did.