No Touch Freight

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Nuttinlikeanap, May 22, 2008.

  1. Nuttinlikeanap

    Nuttinlikeanap Light Load Member

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    HI

    Is there a possibility of being a New Trainee Drivier and avoiding freight handling? Can u avoid freight and also be home on weekends?

    thanks
     
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  3. Lurchgs

    Lurchgs Road Train Member

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    Feb 13, 2008
    Denver, CO
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    There are companies out there that proclaim 'no touch'. I've not worked for any of them, of course. I know I've talked to a couple recently... I think one was Stephens Transport - but I didn't keep notes on it, since it's not an important consideration for me.

    Werner comes to mind - not that I'm recommending them, of course - as I think they are 100% drop an hook. I could be wrong, you betcha.
     
  4. Nuttinlikeanap

    Nuttinlikeanap Light Load Member

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    HI Again

    I was under the impression that OTR drivers used lumpers to move the freight the vast majority of time. I would hate to drive 9 to 10 hours then end my day by lifting boxes for a couple of hours.
     
  5. truckermario

    truckermario Road Train Member

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    Most of the big companies don't require you to touch your freight for about 90% of the time. The rest is usually covered by lumpers. It's very rare that a customer will ask you to break down a load or assist. Tell them to shove it. You don't get paid to do that(well you do, but they don't have to know that).
     
  6. im6under

    im6under Heavy Load Member

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    transport america, almost no touch, and the touch part is not unloading by hand, they have lumpers for that. touching is counting the boxes, securing the cargo type thing. I never finger-printed a load for them.

    knight transportation, zero-touch, my neighbor drives for them. says he loves it but you don't get paid all your miles in city driving. I've read alot of belly-ache about them on here... he says that's just guys whining, drive the truck and know your gonna get screwed on city drop mileage and everthything else is good to go.
     
  7. honor roll

    honor roll Road Train Member

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    there are alot of companies out there that are no touch
     
  8. roadkill4512

    roadkill4512 Medium Load Member

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    I'd say the majority of major carriers are either no touch or at least rarely touch freight.

    I've been a Transport America driver for 7 months and the only freight I've ever touched was a few Hon Furniture loads and they are total cake and are paid an extra $100 per load.
    With Hon loads the consignee unloads the truck while you watch and if there are any pieces that are too tight up against the wall you slide the piece about one inch so the lift operator can get the vise grips around it.I had a Hon load once that took less than 20 minutes to unload and I got paid the extra 100 for it. On average they usually take about an hour to two hrs from start to finish and the consignee does 95% of the work.

    So out of about 150 trips, I've touched freight about 5 times, all Hon loads and each time I was compensated generously for a modest amount of effort.
     
  9. dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    You're selling yourself short by limiting yourself to no touch freight.

    There's money to be made out here, for those willing to make the effort.

    Why drive 3-4000 miles a week? When you can make the same money in 1700 miles, and be home 2-3 days a week.

    I would rather unload two 12 stop trailers, with a total of 2000 miles in one week. Than run 3000 miles a week...for 2 weeks.

    But that's just my opinion.
     
    'olhand Thanks this.
  10. im6under

    im6under Heavy Load Member

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    yeppers the hon loads outta muscatine were the ones I had to "touch" also...

    Man I wish I could get the gig dedicated. I did about one a month.
     
  11. IROCUBabe

    IROCUBabe Road Train Member

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    Werner is not 100% no touch, in fact some of there bigger contracts like Dollar General are 100% all touch. Some divisions have like 99.9% no touch, but even as a team we've had to unload a trailer or two.
     
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