No Whining - Quit OTR and go LTL

Lol aint that the truth. but at con-way we get paid for an hr to chain and 30 mins to unchain, so it aint too bad.

 

And most LTLs pay you for chaining.

 

These two comments really explain alot. Paid 1hr to chain and 30 minutes to unchain. I've always wondered why LTL's hog the chain up areas on I-70, often taking 20 to 30 minutes to put two 4-railers when they have unhooked from a trailer. This now explains why they do it, and why there was a Colo. State Trooper hovering over three LTL's the other day on 70.

What this fails to explain, why 70% of the failure to chain/follow the law tickets are being issued to LTL's. I know the companies are not paying those $1,000 tickets.

 

That is what it all boils down to... What kind of job makes you happy, regardless of the pay. I prefer being home everyday over living in a truck for even a week and it makes it even better that my pay is great.
I have noticed though that I slept better when on the road. Sleeping here at home, my mind has a list of things I'd like to get done.

I run LTL linehaul, NON-UNION. I run at night and I'm home everyday, I do not touch any freight, I do a drop and hook at a relay point and go home everday. I don't make union scale, but I do make a whole lot more than most OTR, I'm between $1650-$1750/week gross. Company paid medical for the entire family, 401k, profit sharing, no weekends unless we want to work one.
Not all of our drivers make this much because of senoirity, I'm pretty high up on the board and I like to run 600 + miles a night but even our bottom drivers make over $60k per year and they do not work nearly the hours I do.
Our company also doesn't play that hire a guy for the dock and tell him he'll work into a driving job BS either. If we need drivers, they hire drivers not dock workers. We do have an advancement program where current dock workers/van drivers can move up as my wife has done. She drove a Sprinter van for a few years and just got her class B through the company and is starting on her own today.

This business is only what you make it. If you're happy living in a truck, more power to you. Some like it some don't. I'll never bash anyone for liking what they like.

 

Great post. Go where your happy.

 

Hi Wiggle Wagon. I found an interest in your post defining rates of pay. I'm in the DFW area of TX. and am looking into LTL as a possibility. My
34 yrs. in trucking have been all owner/op except the last 2. I'm a youthful 55 yrs. old (as I hauled household goods for the majority of my
career) I'm researching P&D in my area and saw that you'd mentioned
that your company pd. overtime after 8 hrs... Can you recommend a local
freight co. for me to pursue? I've got all the endorsements and safe driving awards have found my name on them also...I'm either looking at
local freight or oilfield hauling possibilities. Thanks much !

 

I think the best LTL companies to work for are UPS Freight, ABF, Estes and Old Dominion...You could also try YRC and USF Holland as long as you are aware that their futures are uncertain.

This is the best time of year to apply to LTLs as they generall start staffing in thte spring time.

 

I appreciate that Wiggle Wagon. I know what I can do for a company to be part of a
successful operation...I am just not too sure about calling companies and saying "Hi
I need to know your pay scale." Companies make it hard to obtain this on their web
postings. Safe miles to you.

 

Just curious, are there any LTL companies that won't give you a problem for not having doubles/triples experience?
I applied with Old Dominion in ABQ and the HR person gave me grief about not having experience pulling doubles while actually having the endorsement.
I strictly only have a little under 3 years pulling 53' dry vans and would really like to get more out of truck driving by utilizing my other endorsements.

The only other thing on my mind is getting with one of the local bulk-hauling outfits.

 

USF Holland and Dayton Freight....Neither of them pull doubles.

As far as the companies that do pull doubles, I dont know whos going to give you grief and who wont. I mean, UPS Freight hires rookies all the time...But they have to start out as local drivers and wait 1 year before they can sign a bid to become a linehaul driver. Linehaul drivers pull doubles pretty much every night.

I cant really blame OD for saying what they said. Theres a big difference between reading about doubles and actually pulling them. Im not saying its hard, but you just have to really know the proper ways of hooking and unhooking or it could end it disaster. Plus, going down the road, they pull alot different than a van.