why

It takes 5 years to hit top scale here and a few years till you have enough seniority to hold a line-haul bid. I've been here a little over 6 years and did gross $82,500 last year in driving wages running night line-haul - a little over $90,000 total cause they paid me to move.

It's hard to explain our operation because it varies so much from terminal to terminal and what your seniority allows you to bid but I can tell you what I'm required to do.

This year I'm running a night line-haul run that is a little over 400 miles. I usually get there around 8 PM, get my loads, hook my set, finish my paperwork, and hit the road. About a 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 hour ride to my hub, split my set, put my lead where it needs to go, and hit the dock. I want 3 hours on the dock but generally don't get it because my hub closes early. At my end of the dock, we break trailers that have all the freight going back up North so we break them and load it to the proper load doors - each terminal has one or two load doors and the big terminals have about 15 since they build direct loads to all the second day terminals. I'm usually leaving before we're all done because my seniority gives me a decent number at the hub I run. I hook my set and go back home. Once I get back, I put both trailers where they need to go, fuel the truck, finish my paperwork, and go home. Sleep and repeat 5 nights per week. We only run a 60 hour log here but I cannot use all 60 just running my hub so I often come in early later in the week and work my home terminals dock for an hour or two before I leave to use my time and make the number I wanna make.

I have to make it very clear, you do not hire into a position like I have. When you start here you are on a rotating call in board that will have your hours all over the map. Many terminals split that board into day and night so you can at least set your sleep schedule but you still do not have set work. Once you have 15% of the drivers under you in seniority, you get a set start time based off of what you bid and what is available with your seniority. At most terminals you would get a city bid first because line-haul is sought after for the money. The 5 years to top scale is way too long IMO, but the rate is beefy once you get there (mid .50's and 23/hr).

It's a tough place to work starting out and can be frustrating for everyone because they're such a numbers driven company but the bottom line is the bottom line. They pay well and they pay you for everything you do which is good because they ask a lot of their drivers.