How long is it 'okay' to leave a driver without miles???

That's very true. I did almost 1000 miles last week But, made over $5800 after expenses. (I haul wide and tall loads).

 

zero minutes, as far as I'm concerned.

Any sitting other than your ten needs to be paid. You could argue that you should also be paid at least a small amount for tens, but IMO, it's a fair compromise. Id never work for a company that didn't pay hourly for ALL layover. Did it once, figured up what I was making hourly, and I'll never do it again.

If you're sitting, it's a result of inefficient load planning and dispatching, which the driver absorbs through no fault of their own. If there were consequences for inefficient planners, drivers wouldn't be sitting.

But until drivers refuse to accept that as the norm, companies will continue to let them absorb the cost of inefficient planning/dispatching.

 

You look familiar Victor?
Maybe you could get a job hauling Mexicans across the border inside a tanker.

 

Thank the heavens for flies in the ointment like Victor; send him cards and flowers, herbal tea and yogurt, pizza and beer!

 

I have an answer to this question. For me, personally, anyway. And that answer is until they find a load. Sometimes it happens. That's trucking. Now, at a yard with freight moving and close to customers? Not more than a day. The biggest key is communication. I'll bet that if dispatch kept in communication with a driver instead of letting a driver sit without knowing what is going on, that driver will be feeling a lot better about the situation. Communicate. A phone call. A QC message. At least you'll know you're not forgotten. That's the problem with EVERY company and EVERY dispatcher/ fleet manager/ driver manager/ whatever the hell they are called now. They are in the office, with all the facilities they can want and home a short drive away and you can be sitting in a parking lot with nothing and home 2 days away. They don't get that part.

 

Same here; tankers are a great career. I've hauled many, many loads from Tennessee to West Coast/Pacific Northwest, then deadhead back to Tennssee. Pays the same both ways. Paid .36 cpm, but never sat waiting for my next load. $65K per year, but many tanker drivers make much more.

 

Victor - it's the reason we left TL carriers for LTL.
They pay higher, benefits are better, drop and hook - simply . . .
All the miles you can stand, legally - and get paid for them.

Most people don't believe we're paid 68cpm as compny team drivers.

If peeps can read a forum, research, and undestand, come with a clean record, strong work ethic, and a basic understanding of the industry and the sacrifices it demands, a good living can be had.

Unfortunately, less than the above requirements leads to job hoppig between one carrier promising one thing, and not delivering another.

Makes me a little frustrated.

 

yep.. .60 cpm at 1250 miles per 7 day week.. sounds groovy

 

I don't do the whole sitting around crap anymore. I run basically between NYC and Columbus twice a week. It's about $1100-1200 for 4 days of work ~ 2400 miles then go home for 3 days. Easy gig overall.

 

I guarantee you company's dont want you or truck sitting ......but this is trucking