why the ** do LTL drivers get paid a lot more than everybody else.. Please explain!

I run to northern Ohio from south Florida every week 2 days up 2 days back 3 nights in the truck 4 nights and 3 days home is it ORT? I think so because of the number of states I travel. I'll take it over any line haul but that's me.

 

Well I'm an LTL linehaul driver with ABF. One of my runs is from Kingman Az to Vegas to San Bernardino where I hit the hotel. That's three states in one shift. Just saying.

 

Yeah but you get the cozy motel I get my sleeper in the peelot! Not really I stay at the customers but I think its more about what company you work for when you say abf I don't think your otr when I say where I work I think otr.

 

I'm a road driver with ABF. It sounds easy, and some parts are, but when you look at the full picture it isn't.

For one not all linehaul drivers are home everyday. Out of my barn, most our runs are laydowns. Example last night I ran from Kingman Az to Anaheim Ca to San Bernardino back to Anaheim back to San Bernardino, then I hit the hotel, which is where I'm at right now waiting on my work call to go home.

At ABF we don't have assigned equipment. Everyday I'm in a new tractor, , sometimes 2 different tractors in one shift. As many of you know, that's called slip seating. I'm constantly cleaning these trucks because many other drivers are slobs. I always carry disinfectant wipes to wipe down everything I tough inside the cab to keep from getting sick.

We have the typical AC/Heater and cruise control with tilt wheels but that's it. No radios. We have to.improvise our own radios. Some have homemade radio boxes with CBs, stereos. I use a jambox and regular Oxny Xm. I keep it simple. Some drivers have massive radio boxes that every gadget you can think of.
But it's a pain always hooking and unhooking these radio boxes everyday. That's why I keep it simple.
We also have to our clothes bag, cooler of food and road gear. That's a lot of stuff we have to carry and move tractor to tractor.

Home time is of course better than most OTR drivers. Ya I'm home every other day. But many times just long enough to sleep and repack my clothes and cooler.
Yes the time off is good. I'm an extra board driver, after six trips I get 56 hours off, after 12 trips I get 72 hours off.
If you're a bid driver, you run 6 trips one week and 4 trips the next week. Bid drivers have set days off and schedule call times. For example a lay down bid driver will have every Saturday off and be on call every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at their home terminal. Every other week they can drop one trip. Usually the the Thursday or Sunday trip.
A trip is one dispatch day. Like my run last night. When I head home today, that'll be my second trip.

We do get paid for everything we do as linehaul drivers. Like last night. I fueled my truck in Kingman, got .25 hours there. Drove to Anaheim, got .75 hours there waiting for my set to be made, drove to San Bernardino and waited 1.25 hours for my next set. Went back to Anaheim and got another .50 hours. So my total paid hours was 2.75 hours plus my mileage pay of 437 miles. I get paid .57cpm and $23 an hour.
On the week days I do very little dropping an hooking. At terminals I sit and wait in the breakroom while the yard guys makes my set and slides my tractor. On weekends I make my own sets since most our terminals are dark on the weekends.

Breakdowns are also paid. I blew a radiator hose a few weeks ago, sat and waited 10.5 hours for new tractor to be towed to me. Yup I was paid the whole 10.5 hours. Now I couldn't finish my trip that day, so once I got my tractor I had to find the neatest motel and finish my trip the next day.

Have anymore questions, just ask.

 

Sorry your line haul. Same run same route home 3 days a week here that would be posted as line haul! Hey otr drivers, tierd of being out for 3 or four weeks only to get 2 days home and go back out? How about being Home every weekend! 3 days off at home a week! Just sayin, at least up here.

 

Your pay and benefits are much better than mine but everything is a trade off out here. You see I have the same truck since it was new with all the amenities but only get .42 CPM and 10 bucks an hr for break downs and such. But I run days only with no appointment time just have to be there on said day before midnight. I would love your paycheck but don't know if I could work in such a structured work environment.

 

But just so I don't sound crazy if abf or ups etc opened up shop in this small town I'd be the first in line to give it a shot. Money talks!

 

You do what makes you happy. To each their own. That's all that matters in the end.
My job isn't much fun. Maybe thats one reason we're paid better?

 

I'm only here for the money and time off. The benefits are nice, but I can get benifits elsewhere.

 

Thats because otr drivers are generrally new drivers with less experiece and the fact is low wage companys have driven down the compinsation for otr drivers maybe if more otr guys would grow a pair and stand up for their wages you wouldnt have this problem