My Experience as a Line Haul Driver

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by American-Trucker, Apr 14, 2012.

  1. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    well first i gotta say i DO NOT like this "new" layout, seems cheap and way too bright, not to mention a PIA to use.

    Anyway, Monday, i got to work and the fuel pump wasnt working, so we had to bobtail to the pilot up the street to fuel, then I went to atlanta with a van because the normal ATL driver was off. I even had to scale this POS load, 32,000lb load, 32,000lb MT weight and i was 31,800 on the tandems, 63,xxx gross. Made it down to the terminal at midnight and hit the dock around 12:15am. Got my paper work headed home at 1am. As usual i had to go to the shop first for coolant, then i was attempting to find a good (legal) dolly for my set home and another one of our charlotte drivers asked were my back trailer was because he had a van going back and he didnt want to leave a good dolly in ATL, so he dropped it in front of my trailer and i went to go hunt down my front trailer, came back backed it up to the dolly got out, spent 10 min fighting the pintle hook on the front trailer, then come to find that when moveing the dolly he had ran over and ripped off one of the air lines so i had to get a machanic to come replace it. then took my light set back to charlotte, was back around 630am and on the dock before 7am. We got out at 745am.


    Tuesday:

    fueled at the pilot again, ran my normal run to va, got back around 430am, on the dock by 445am. Worked the dock till 9am then came home





    American Trucker
     
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  3. ACH1130

    ACH1130 Road Train Member

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    hmm seems like 14 hour nights everyday... I would rather be with YRC as a road driver spending nights in a hotel instead of doing a 14 every night and only getting a certain amount of sleep every night
     
  4. Trashtrucker1265

    Trashtrucker1265 Road Train Member

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    I hope this all works out in your favor at some point, but this seems like it's turning in to one of life's lessons that you would soon forget if given the chance. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed, but your flare and enthusiasm for trucking has went out the window since you've taken this gig.
     
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  5. BackIsSore

    BackIsSore Road Train Member

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    That's what LTL will do to a man.
     
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  6. Voyager1968

    Voyager1968 Road Train Member

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    I saw AT's wages a few pages back, and I have to ask, what's so special about LTL? At least with some of the lesser companies.

    Where I'm at right now, I run a tanker (non hazmat) and I run 10-11 hours on second shift, do three loads (round trips) where all I have to do is hook up a hose and push a button, and not have to do any physical work on a dock. 300 miles per night, five nights per week with the traditional Saturday/Sunday off, and a brand new Mack Pinnacle to do it all with....for the same pay he's getting.

    AT, this post isn't intended to bash or belittle you. Just pointing out that LTL freight hauling isn't the holy grail of trucking as some would want us all to believe.
     
  7. Crusty

    Crusty <b>Just Plain Crusty</b>

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    Canton, GA
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    All I can say to AT is don't get too used to it. Had a son in law that worked his but off for them. He was making top wage. When things slowed up; they unloaded HIM. Not the new guy! That deal of running line haul AND working dock is crap anyway. IMHO.
     
  8. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    yea i know i "may" have made the wrong choice. oh well sheet happends





    American Trucker
     
  9. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    Charlotte, North Carolina
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    Thats because this job sucks! I can deal with doing the same run everynight, but this dock work crap, and crap equipment, and sheet pay sucks!





    American Trucker
     
  10. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    i work for one of the lowest paying LTL companies, most pay alot better even for the new guys. But what makes LTL "the best job ever" for some guys is when you reach the top of seniority with the bigger companies and your working 40-50hrs a week, have a nice truck, never break a sweat, get any time off you need, all while makeing $100,000+ a year, Union companies even come with a pension.





    American Trucker
     
  11. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    Charlotte, North Carolina
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    Oh i wont be here long, if i dont find something better by the time i've been here a year i'll take the exp on my resume and go back OTR. Till then im keeping my eyes open. There is a place up the street that put a "hireing CDL drivers" sign out front yesterday, nice 2007 (and newer) 379s/389s all red with lots of chrome/lights, they only work 7am-5pm mon-fri im going to check them out and see what the deal is.




    American Trucker
     
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