A mile is not really a mile?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Jumpman, May 17, 2021.

  1. Jumpman

    Jumpman Light Load Member

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    I have been watching a bunch of OTR related videos on my off time as I plan to start CDL training in June and one complaint I am hearing over and over is getting shorted on the miles you drive. Everything from mileage calculated by zip code, post office to post office, practical, Shortest GPS route, etc.

    How big of a factor is this in your decision as to who to drive with and how in this day and age with satellites is it even possible for this to be an issue. With the exception of possibly delivering to Area 51 I think it would be pretty easy to document how far a truck had to actually go from point a to point b to complete a run.
     
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  3. MBAngel

    MBAngel Medium Load Member

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    As a beginner driver, your choices on employer will be a bit more limited. Companies charge their customers one way and pay their drivers the same way. It wasn't a huge factor in my choice of carrier. I had my priorities. Otr, benefits, team trucks, good equipment, and ppl I enjoy working with. Some companies pay detention, layover, breakdown pay, and other bonuses. Some have minimum pay. It really depends on what kind of trucking you're interested in.
    One piece of advice tho... get your endorsements as you go thru school. It makes you more valuable to companies.
     
  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    To me it was never a factor, but, all companies I worked for paid hub miles.
    Hub miles are the actual miles the truck moves.
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    Last edited: May 17, 2021
  5. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Cents-per-mile is only one factor in pay. Accessorial pays are more important.
     
  6. God prefers Diesels

    God prefers Diesels Road Train Member

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    LMFAO. All this time I thought hub miles meant "hub to hub", like from one major DC or zip code to another....

    Thanks for the enlightenment.
     
  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Yeah, it helps. For example, if you miss the exit on the interstate and drive a few more miles to find an exit to turn around, you get paid for those extra miles.
     
  8. God prefers Diesels

    God prefers Diesels Road Train Member

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    "I thought the Rocky Mountains would be a little rockier than this..."
     
  9. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

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    Ive delivered to area 51, be quite easy to track that :p

    How is it possible that we get paid on post office to post office based on non-trucking capable routes instead of actual miles? Simply put, its just easier to quote the first than it is to get real miles for each individual trip. Customer a transporting product to receiver also has no need or interest in paying you to go from receiver a to customer b to do your pickup to deliver at receiver b. Its simply not their problem, therrfore its your job (if you are quoting/bidding the load to make sure it works for you or not both monetarily and hourswise. You are after all the professional driver/transportation company, they arent in the logistics buisness, not their problem
     
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  10. Jumpman

    Jumpman Light Load Member

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    Can you please explain further on this as I would expect the cents per mile to be the largest factor in how much you make. I understand you also get paid for things like tarping, detention, etc but I would believe this to be a much smaller amount of revenue ?
     
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  11. God prefers Diesels

    God prefers Diesels Road Train Member

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    CPM is usually pretty darn close. You'll win some and lose some, and mostly it'll be a wash. Accessories are where you can really get screwed. If you're making two grand a day and sit three days at $150/day layover, that's a problem.
     
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