My Experience as a Line Haul Driver

To add on here everyone that goes to the same Orientation Class for their particular airline are rated by age for senority, from oldest to youngest I found this out when one of my friends who was a flight instructor for sportys got hired on at a regional gig.

 

Also since pilots bid on their schedules the senor ones get the first bid so as a junior pilot First Officer or Captain you will be stuck with the days of the month no one wants... on the plus side though I also know a United Captain that lives here in San Diego but is domiciled in Newark and flies to Europe when he works.

 

I think it was back in 89 or 90 when I took a casual slot working for Roadway out of Pocono PA. On call thursday thru Monday, if I recall, I worked my regular job all week and waited around all weekend waiting for a call. 2 hour notice back then, they call you you come in in 2 hours or you don't get called again.

The runs were ALWAYS at night, usually 5pm to 10 pm start time and you usually got back around 12 hours later.

We almost always pulled sets or triples, came in and 95% of the time the sets were all built, sitting there on the line with the truck idling ready to roll. Got your paperwork and out the gate you went, usually we pulled the sets to middle of Pennsylvania, or somewhere in CT or down to Hagerstown MD, got another set and drove back. 10 hours drive time then go home.

Man I made some good money back then, but it was so tiring I burnt out after about 2 years. Tried to get on the list the whole time, but this was back when the Teamsters were killing the industry and all LTL companies were trying to everything they could to get out of the contracts. I think the Union went on strike and CF went out of business at the local terminal so all the drivers came over to Roadway and I never got close to the list again.

I liked the work, but the hours and being on call were killer.

 

AT, I'm realy sorry to hear about that. While I know nothing about your company, I was hoping you would have the right fit for you. Keep on looking because there are good local companies out there.

 

wonderful equipment you guys run over there. as long as you can keep your license clean and not get csa violations, hang in there and get some experience/money. If you go to any reputable LTL company you will become a dock monkey with a CDL, you will hardly drive. get 3-6 months if you can and try to get on elsewhere.

 

Hang in there AT- sometimes you gotta eat the ship and just go with the flow. You don't want to get your DAC hit or anything like that. Too bad there is so much bull that you are going through but as will all places, some are way worse than others the more you are there. Suks that you have so much equipment issues and that the shop is soooo helpful......

 

Wow that's bad... We'd never send something out like that. I just got bumped down the list as some dock guy decided to start driving. Not happy about that Nd ready to transfer to the other terminal

 

Hmmm doing some thinking I now realize why your company does not allow pictures or blogging... Just saying my .2 cents