Question for LTL City Guys?

I run a route that takes me up to 100 miles from the terminal. I usually have 6-8 stops between 60-100 miles out and a few pick ups on the way back. This includes dropping one trailer at a DC (pulling a set of doubles) and making deliveries on the other, then picking an empty and running a set of doubles back. Then I work the outbound dock for about 2 hours building linehaul trailers to run overnight. Average about 9 1/2- 10 hours a day.

 

Pretty hard to say what you will be doing. 20-25 stops isn't bad, IF they are "quick" stops, and close together. AND if everything goes smoothly. (IT WON'T, this is trucking.)

What it comes down to, is you will go to work, and keep working until the job is done. If it is a union job, it will pay you more, and you will be seeing overtime. Of course, they will expect more out of you, in return.

If it is not a union job, you may not ever get overtime, no matter how many hours you work. And like all trucking HOS still applies, just a bit different from OTR.

Compared to your beverage job though, you will likely find LTL freight to be a piece of cake!

 

we have two guys who were beer haulers, followed each other to food delivery and now they are both LTL in my terminal. They seem to like the LTL stuff. One is linehaul, the other is city P&D.

 

Our longest city pedal covers 264 miles a day (give or take). Usually 10-14 stops, typically 9-10 hrs a day, this particular guy does not like the dock so he skips that part. This route is also in a very rural area, lots of 2-lane, hauling a long box. Also to note, this guy is VERY chatty during the course of the day, customers really like him.

I think the social aspect of a city pedal should be considered, especially running the same route daily, naturally you become involved with folks and that adds to the day, which is not a bad thing, the customer is why we are there...........right??

 

What do you mean the guy skips the dock, can you clarify that?

 

I've covered up to 350 miles in a day, usually it's 200-250. I love the rural routes too. You get to know all the customers and they know your name. When I run a different route they ask where I am. In the actual city, people tend to be rude where I am so I try to stay away from the city.

 

I ran LTL with Watkins Shepard, 12-17 stops a day delivering carpet to Lowes, Home Depot and Mom & Pop carpet stores(many with docks built for horse and buggies, gave me the most important experience I needed), sometimes 2 days worth on truck at a time and would go as far as 4hrs from terminal(250+miles)...Made $1500+/-@wk with them doing that and was home a couple nights a week and every weekend...If you live near their Richmond, KY terminal, it's a good gig...