What are the disadvantages of being an OTR LTL driver?

OTR LTL is a grind to say the least I did it for years. I would leave PA and head for FL or TX mostly with as many stops as they could jam into a reefer. This was pre elog days IDK how those guys would get time sensitive freight there now a days on an elog. I'll be the first to admit I ran heavy, hard, and every which way but legal. The money was good and I guess I had that whole "outlaw" attitude. Of course I was younger then and it was a whole different industry.
The only way I'd go back to it now is in a exempt glider and those companies are getting harder and harder to find. So the biggest disadvantage IMO is the elog. If you aren't in a hurry then I guess elogs are a non issue. Makes sure you are getting payed well for drop pay.

 

Occasionally years ago when I was laid off I took a true OTR job. I ran truckload Colgate toothpaste or Kitchen Compact from Indiana to Long Beach or Ontario. Then LTL back to the Midwest. There is nothing like spending a full day in the LA metro area loading 5 or 6 pickups for mileage pay. Work all day in Cali traffic for next to nothing. I guess it beat unemployment, but not by much.

 

You can’t help em all.

 

While I ran team mostly, I did a few weeks solo, at ODFL.

Ran mainly nights, 5-600 miles depending on what terminal I was headed to. Daycab. Home weekends.

Go to a motel, get 10hrs, bobtail back to terminal and start again.

I really can’t think of any downsides apart from night running, you’re out to work - so no trashing round at the lunch counter, and the day cab wheelbase was a slightly tougher ride.

Look at LTL turnover rates - it tells a story in itself.

 

otr ltl is no difference then otr. the contract the company has just isnt a full truckload. so like swift has a ltl contract with cookies and cream. cookies and cream ships just 4 pallets of cookies

 

It’s completely different. How many years did you run for an LTL company, and how many years truckload OTR?

 

otr companies run ltl stuff in a 53' trailer. i use to run ltl freight from nc to Seattle every week. even walmart runs there on ltl freight. im talking about its the same driving, the same sleeping and etc as a normal otr driver. theres otr ltl teams, theres ltl otr sleeper single. theres ltl single day cabs running wild 5 days a week and in hotels every night

 

the ltl true companies run sleepers otr. ups, ups freight, od teams etc.

 

even walmart has top brass drivers running day cabs and they get hotels everynight. they run claims

 

I think this thread became unglued about half way through.

Yes, I’m referencing running for a true LTL hub and spoke type operation (ODFL), with 28’ pups - solo - wild.

Not a primarily truckload carrier partialling out a 53’ trailer. That may as well be called ‘multi-stop”.