Can Someone Explain why LTL is Better for some? Pros & Cons, Pay?

LTL is Less Than (truck) Load...
Or maybe Less than Truck Load.. lol

As I understand it, LTL might be home more often than OTR as it may be more Local and/or Regional, but you might be doing more of the labor of loading and unloading the frieght.

I have only worked OTR which has included some LTL loads but not really the same thing as Full Time LTL ... so that’s about as much help I can be. Sorry.

But it’s good to start asking such questions to get a better feel for all aspects of trucking.

Good Luck.

 

I guess technically foodservice is LTL. For me though when I think of LTL I think of FedEx Freight, UPS Freight, Estes, Dayton, Old Dominion and the YRC companies. In those cases, for lack of a better reference, it’s like being the UPS or FedEx guy on a larger scale. You could have 2 skids for the biggest manufacturer in town and then after that you’re handing off boxes at Mom & Pops Picture Frames downtown on historic Main Street. Then start picking up freight, ideally when your deliveries are done. Those are often referred to as “city routes” or P&D (pickup and delivery) routes. I’d say 99% of those happen during the day.

The linehaul side of things transfers what said P&D driver picked up during the day between terminals to get it to its servicing destination. A lot of this happens over night.

There are OTR LTL jobs I’m sure. Witte Brothers in Troy, MO for example specializes in OTR LTL refrigerated.

Hope this helps some.

 

Better if you need to be home every night for the family, local guys paid by the hour usually with plenty of overtime. Get a regular route and build relationships with customers but still a lot of variety. My old deal had a lot of Ag and construction related once got a pup flatbed of pipe unloaded by a helicopter that went on a roof of a mall that couldn’t be reached by a crane.

 

Really depends on the area of the country your in. I’ve been in ltl for 18 years now. Made 90k plus almost every year on linehaul. City drivers make 60 to 75, depending on the start time. I’m home daily, off weekends, other ltl’s keep you out a few days at a time. Much more BS and micro managing with all the ltl companies. It depends on what kind of family life and quality of life you want.