I Start With Averitt in January 2012

What kind of paychecks are you knocking down with Averitt? I might have to check them out when I get some experience.

 

There are alot of variables but it would be fair to say Truckload drivers range from 35-55k a year, some more than that.

On the LTL side it can run 50-70k

 

It will be a little while before I can consider Averitt anyway. Have to get some experience first.

 

Just started reading this thread. Here in Dallas they have so many to choose from. Regional, Dedicated, Team Shuttle. Any advice on the pros and cons of each?

 

I've been with Averitt for around a year now and I can say I've been very pleased with what they done with me. I started truckload and I got lucky and ended up going to LTL shuttle so I work from 9-7am m-f (give or take an hour). But to get to your point I haven't really heard much about regional...Honestly I think averitt express is pretty much regional lol. When I was in TL my dispatcher would run me mainly tx and back to arkansas and then maybe to TN every other week. They tried to keep me close so I could be back home every Friday morning. We have a few guys running the Hancock fabric dedicated run and they seem like they don't leave until Tuesday afternoon but I doubt they get home til Sunday or Monday morning. Honestly I would stay away from dedicated unless you like humping freight because it seems to me you touch more freight than you drive. One thing I don't miss with TL is the #### automatics they make you drive. I started out in a old Volvo and it had a 10-speed but I didn't have it but like a month before they stuck me into the Freightliner. Sadly I've been told we are getting automatics in the LTL business so im not to thrilled about that at all.

 

Yes, all TL is regional, even though they don't call it that. For instance, I used to drop Texas loads on the yard in Jackson MS and Texas drivers would drop loads going to the Carolinas. We would swap out and everybody was pointed back home.

All dedicated is not like that. I have been on the Mercedes-Benz account for two years, all lightweight, no touch trailers. I'm home four nights a week.

I would run from Dollar General, although there are some guys that make good money on it and don't mind the work.

In response to monkeypuncher, you don't always have those choices right away. You have the option of bidding on certain jobs when they are open, but in some cases, such as mine, you just get a call one day offering you something.

 

Oh okay, I learn something new everyday. I was never in dedicated I can only talk from experience by the guys that work at my yard.

 

I'm sure you have more opportunities there. The Dallas yard is like a city compared to mine. We have 20 doors and 9 daycabs.

I have always wanted to go to the LTL side but these guys never quit and there isn't enough business around here to expand. Maybe one day something will open up.

 

Well im not truckload anymore I went to LTL end of last year. Im LTL shuttle now running to memphis unassigned at the moment. If your still driving a peterbilt you probably don't have much longer with that truck do ya?