LTL for a newbie?

Conway hires new drivers

 

Not sure how long ago that was, but most LTL companies' linehaul drivers make over $0.60 per mile these days. They are also paid for fueling and drop/hooks. Most will actually average over $30 per hour. There aren't many trucking gigs out there that pay a company driver $80k to over $100k per year, but LTL linehaul is one of them. And we city drivers are on the clock making a decent wage, including overtime for those of us who are fortunate. There's no LTL job I can think of that pays $16.66/hr these days. No matter how you do the math.

 

2 years ago at central trans, i worked 70's, took home 1100, thats 15 bucks an hour

at R&L I worked 60's, took home 1100, that figured that out to around 18 an hour

thats the market in Tucson I guess...I just left all of it recently

dont get me wrong, I dig ltl the most as far as a driving job goes with a cdl...theres no more money to be had as a company driver!! still though, the pay model, the no overtime, or overtime untill 55 hours, and all that, still...not that big of deal, all ltl'ers takin home 800 to 1500 a week, and they are working for every dam bit of it, plus...

If your getting .60 a mile and have a 500 mile run, 300 a night,..workin 60 hour weeks, (figures to 25 an hour?) dam thats good, id be happy with that...wish i was in your hood!!

 

One of my biggest considrations was the overtime thing, so I went with a company that pays it after 40 (Dayton Freight). We don't run down there, and I know Conway for instance has a different policy in the South (overtime after 50 vs. overtime after 8 in the North). I personally think all local hourly drivers should be paid overtime after 40 like every other occupation. No matter who you work for or what part of the country you live in.

And for businesses, there needs to be a level playing field. I think one of the reasons Old Dominion has been so successful and growing lately is that they are able to be more competitive since they don't pay overtime for their city drivers until after 60 hours. If they paid overtime after 40, they would have to either hire more drivers, which would cost them more in healthcare expenses, or pay much more out in overtime. The labor rules should be fair to the drivers and uniform between carriers.

Also, we all have different deductions (insurance, 401k, child support) and tax circumstances, so it is helpful to talk about gross earnings. Take home pay is misleading. Two people earning the same amount can have wildly different paychecks.

 

your right they also don't have to pay 390 a week per driver for benefits and charge less to haul the frieght

 

All valid issues and points here

The big wigs of LTL need to pay heed....Just a couple little things and drivers would be perfectly happy and content with it all..

A bunch of happy, well/properly paid rested drivers? The overall quality of the industry would rise!! Less freight would be damaged, we'd all care more!! We'd check brake pads everyday on trailers, we'd wreck less !! We'd self police alot more ourselves, and the fellas around us...

The overtime thing is a biggie for me...Our place was at 55 hours, and I'll be dammed if lots of city guys all making it to 54, 53, 49 etc etc all the time.

Im sure its factored in to the buisness model...somewhere someone is saying to an investor, "hey its a good plan, the drivers are ####### and do all kinds of hauling for free, or for flat rate, we save milions!!"

 

Not freight haulers.

 

Uh-not exactly FREE. But for years now, they have been giving "deep discounts" to outfits that use them for all, (or at least a huge percentage,) their shipping.

 

I wonder if UPS(/UPSF) does that? I'd think they'd have to.