Loading/unloading: Local Drivers

Just wondering if most local drivers are expected to load/unload? Is it any different for OTR drivers? I detest carrying heavy ####.

 

Haul fuel locally; gravity unload.

 

Depends on the company if it's LTL you'll probably have a pallet jack on the truck. But there are no touch local jobs.

Yes but you still have to lug the hoses and such.

 

There are plenty of local gigs that are no touch. It is just going to take you some time to find them

 

I don't mind lifting something, occasionally, like a hose or other light items. It's just the repetitious stuff and heavy items that I don't like. Only have 1 back and 1 body, neither worth ruining for a few bucks.

 

Is that common or not common? Not sure what to expect.

 

I have to wonder if your back could handle pulling king pin handles and cranking dolly legs . Maybe you should look into van courier services .

 

I work for Sysco out of Philadelphia. All local work, but we unload everything. Whether its by pallet jack or hand cart. Hope this helps.

 

Yes, I can do those things. I just don't want to make a habit of unloading or loading trucks full of stuff.

 

For starters, most companies that are no-touch aren't local. They are line-haul. The vast majority of local companies expect you to load and unload the trailer, and they want you to do it within a specific time window. To give you a brief description of my job:

I have about 12 stops a shift within a city.
I have a window of 5 minutes to get to a stop. If you left the DC on time but showed up outside the window, you're going to get written up or given a verbal warning.
I have a 15 minute window to load and unload the trailer, and a 10 minute window for drop and hooks. This time starts the moment you pull into a customer, so that's 15 minutes to get your dock assignment, bump the dock, unload/load, and leave.

This is pretty much every local job out there. Local jobs are always "Go, go, go, go". You need to be very confident in your driving abilities, because 9 times out of 10 you will not have the time for 5-10 pull-ups trying to get into a dock.