But how much?

Hey people, hopefully you all are having a half-way decent Friday the 13th. I'm the fella that made the post about a week or so ago about my new gig hauling SOD where I asked for a few pointers. I just wanted to update everyone and say......I haven't gotten to haul any yet. The sweet 379 Pete that I picked out over 2 weeks ago has been in and out of the shop for various reasons. To top it all off, the truck finally got released today, and surprise, surprise.....my boss decided suddenly to try and sell them, or trade them in because they've been "having problems with them" which I would of appreciated a heads up on before picking the truck out.

Anyway, I wasn't real happy with this sudden change of plans but he's "assured" me that I'll get one of the new replacement trucks. "There's been other issues that I've been beyond patient with". So for the time being I decided I'd take the 06 Freight-liner xl day cab that's at the yard. I spent 2 hours today cleaning it up today due to the fact that most grown men can't seem to keep the interior of a truck clean, and I happen to be very particular about whatever truck I'm driving.

But my real question is about the pay for this particular assignment. I have no idea about what the average rate is for hauling sod as far as what the driver pay should be. But if anyone could give me a good idea on what my boss described to me as usually a " 5 and a 1/2 hour round trip" plus delivery of the sod to the subdivisions where my company is also doing the landscaping. Delivery would obviously be done by me, with a truck mounted forklift or "piggy back". Pay is not hourly, it's "by the load".

Supposedly it's 100 for the trip, plus 10 bucks a stop when delivering. In a couple of weeks I'd be doing 2 loads a day when it picks up. For the time being starting on Monday, I'll do one load of grass in the morning, and finish the day in one of the dump trucks which kicks me over to hourly pay at 15 bucks an hour. Thought's? Sorry for the long post but I feel a bit of a longer read with adequate details is better than a short, vague question.

Thanks for your time.
Dave

 

Hey SB, it's great to have you share your opinion. I've see a lot of your posts since I've been a member and you always have a solid view point in my opinion so thanks.

What you mentioned about delays, securement, etc turning 20 a hr quickly into 10 a hr was my exact line of thinking when the offer was posed to me today. I was under the assumption I would still be paid hourly just with a bump in the rate. I know from time to time one of the other drivers who primarily runs a dump truck runs a sod load here and there, and he just does it by the hour so I thought about posing the question of "can I just stick with hourly pay"?

My boss who is the "driver manager/ whatever else he is" has no problem with drivers doctoring their paper logs, and doing other activity that is frowned upon, so he has no problem bending the rules so maybe keeping me on hourly pay is doable lol I'm not sure. If I WERE to get the green light to continue getting paid by the hour, what would be an acceptable rate with the above tasks I've mentioned?

 

Temple, Tx. 45 minutes North of Austin.
I've only done end dump,flat bed and dump truck work but I believe the starting hourly rate for the p&d places around here is about 23 a hr according to a couple of buddies that drive for Estes and Old Dominion.

 

Yea I hear ya loud and clear. I do know that my buddy at Old Dominion doesn't get OT until after 50 hours but still, he's making good money. I'm definitely feeling a bit sketched out by my situation. If I hadn't pushed my boss for details he was just going to give me the address for the grass farm on Monday and send me on my way without out ANY details what so ever regarding the pay for the trip, if I'd be getting paid to drop off pallets at certain houses, etc. Left me feeling very uneasy to say the least.

 

1. We fuel up at our yard
2. I assume I could get numbers for moffet repair.
3. No requirments for flags or plates on moffets.
4. I have no idea on how long to get loaded, I guess it depends on how many trucks are in front me from what I'm told. Sometime you have to load yourself at the grass farm.
5. Rain shuts it down.
6. If it rains, you're at home unfortunately
7. Paid weekly
8. Employee

I was supposed to be running grass from the get go when I started at this company 2 months ago but there's been issues with getting me a truck so I've unfortunately been running one of their dump trucks locally while I've been waiting on a truck.