Estes combination local/regional vs OTR

Don't go combo. It pays less and it's a dead end. You'll be switching between dock, city and linehaul as a combo driver.

Go OTR..Youll make more money and start accumulating seniority.

 

X2 on what @HoustonTrucker said. If I remember right the Conover NC terminal is an end of the line terminal, meaning all the freight that comes into them, is destined for them. If it was a HUB or a break-bulk, the combo spot wouldn’t be bad because a lot of the terminals use combo guys to cover vacations. So like when I was in St Louis, 80+ scheduled runs, with guys that been there awhile means ALOT of vacation to cover, and it’d be interesting filling in for different runs every week and not doing the same thing. But at a smaller terminal you’ll be hopping wherever they need you, for less pay, and combo seniority doesn’t count for linehaul if and when a spot opens up. In your case, OTR for sure. Being in NC you’ll do a lot of east coast stuff and probably see West Middlesex PA every week at least once, but you’ll never hafta break a trailer of floor loaded tires in August as a dock worker being Combo!

 

If you'll be on extraboard id say youd'd make a good deal more than $73000. However, you'e on the east coast and you'll end up in the northeast quite often which has lots of shirt hop trips. I think you'll still come out ahead of your current situation.

On extra board how much you make is dependant on how heavy is the freight in your general region, and how hard you want to run. If you'e willing to stay out a 6th day or more than a week at a time youll.obviously make more.

I don't know anything about the terminal you'e looking at but being that it is a smaller end of line terminal you might get lucky and hire on directly onto a
scheduled run, but I wouldn' count on it.

 

No problem, anytime. I cannot for the life of me remember the starting pay for an extra board driver. 58 cpm seems to ring a bell but again, I’m not sure. You get a penny raise every 6 months til you top out is how they did it when I was there, and it takes 3 years. But I think it’s more aggressive now and maybe only takes 2 years to reach full scale. I would say crackin 75k on extraboard is attainable. As mentioned, some weeks you’ll be runnin short, you get up in the northeast and Estes has terminals within like 30 miles of each other it seems. But you get paid for breaking and hooking your sets so that adds up also. I think it’s $7.50 to split them and $7.50 to build them. I’m not sure how much experience you have with doubles, but after a little while you’ll be able to turn and burn in no time.

 

Oh yea they hire guys with no doubles experience all the time. You’ll be alright. Good luck!

 

Best bet is to go OTR/extra board. The problem is probably your terminal AND... THE... EAST.... COAST. EVERYONE knows east isn't where you want to be because the terminals are too close and you can't make no money. I'm from Memphis, and the freight flows like water. Combo in your situation is a death trap because you'll mostly be on the dock. It's not even close compared to linehaul extra board. Not to mention less politics and you mostly deal with Central vs the terminals. You have more freedom extra board and not as many eyes watching. I can't tell you when was the last time I started my weeks on nights. The terminal boss hasn't seen me since early January and I plan on keeping it that way.