Ltl vs food distribution

Nither.

Private fleet all the way...

 

Either way you're gonna have to roll up your sleeves to do some manual labor. LTL P&D tends to be less physical because you'll bump docks a lot and use the lift gate to make pallet jack deliveries or have forklifts take the load for you. P&D you'll work 5 days, daytime work with weekends off. Foodservice tends to run on 4 day schedule where you'll work long hours. Both are a good choice if you're looking to be home every night and make good money.

 

I have worked neither, but food service seems riskier.

 

Depends on where the LTL is at. When I inquired to a PnD position in both Albuquerque and Phoenix, alot of it seemed to involve warehouses, dock-bumping, liftgate, and pallet-jack work. Didn't sound so bad to me.
What I see with foodservice is alot of in-your-face contact with the customers and general public. One seems to have to have a diplomatic streak to their persona to be effective at that job. A mad mumbler like myself who either speaks too quietly or sounds like a maniac when I raise my voice wouldn't last too long.

 

Oh yeah, tell me how much less physical it is to liftgate 3000# of stuff on two oversize skids. Or run a single 3500# skid of welding wire all the way down a 48' trailer after you wrangle it over the plank that the loaders set it on because they were too lazy to sweep it out. (Ironically, many of the forklift stops we have are way lighter than the stuff we move by hand.)

To be fair, though, foodservice is consistently physical. Every single stop will tax you, and you better be hammer down all day long if you wanna make that dollar. At least LTL gives you a bit of respite and variety in freight. I've done both, and LTL P&D is the best job I've ever had.

 

Maybe I should of said OVERALL P&D is less physical because of the bumping docks or forklift unloads. It definitely has it's moments though. I've had some rough times in the past liftgating 4000 pound 16 by 16 flooring tiles or playground sets. Even had to hand unload aquarium stone one time because the pallet was too tall and unstable. Some days are a lot easier than others, but it definitely has it's moments though

 

Until JB Hunt DCS or Hogan or some other low-ball dedicated outfit undercuts you.