What made you get into local LTL?

I figure we all have gotten quite friendly so let's see why we are went into LTL.

I got my first Driving job as a FedEx ground p/d driver. As FedEx ground has no overtime or benefits I needed a new gig. Speaking to a ABF driver and finding out about what he does I decided to get my class A. After I got it I was hired at CWF as an apprentice. After being there a few months I went back to FedEx ground(didn't want to return but needed steady work.) after dealing with them again I left and got hired at YRC and still here today.

i went into LTL because I did not want to go OTR and live in a truck. I don't mind staying out on line haul in a hotel. Also where I love trucking companies are limited and LTL was the only available

 

I went to line haul cause I couldn't stand being overnight and it is ez money

 

My brother-n-law convinced me and hopefully soon I will get the call to start. Like today!

 

I went into ltl so I'd be home, better pay and work less. Being home isn't like I expected and I actually work a lot harder and longer. Of course this is just at my current company. I've had other ltl jobs that were perfect. It's just being on the extra board that sucks for me.

 

I was OTR for 2 years. Couldn't stand being gone so much. I'd come home on down time and see things that needed fixed on the house, garden needing cared for, and not actually having a life and it really got to me. Been local for 2 years now, work 40-45 hours a week, and make alot more money than I did OTR. Had a discussion with my wife a few weeks ago. I told her I would work construction again (or anything else)before going back to OTR. I just have too many things I'm involved in to leave it all behind again.

 

I did OTR for 4 years and Drove a Bus For Trailways for 3 years in the 80's before i quit and went on active duty for 8 years. When i was about to leave the Army, i made my mind up that i was going to go LTL/ Local which in my book is the only way to gf course with an 8 year lapse in driving exp., the only jobs that would consider me was OTR. So i went with Schneider and did what they do to their drivers. I USED them for my own means to get back current experience on the books then i dumped them. I have been with my present LTL carrier for 17 years and have been on the same LTL peddle run for the last 15 years peddling in the same city/area. Personally, i have it made! I average between 19-26 stops daily and every customer knows me by first name basis, they know when i'm on vacation or when i'm sick or even running late. This is the job i have always desired being able to make plenty of freinds on my route and be able to have a civil conversation with poeple i deal with on a daily basis. Its nice to be home around the same time every day, be able to schedule appointments for after work and take care of my house and pets after work and on the weekends, i have not worked a weekend in 16 years. At this moment, other than linehaul there is not another driving job i would trade for.

 

Im the new guy here, just signed on.. started in NY/NJ as a P/D Driver...with no experience, they like the idea I was in the Army...and gave me a chance driving straight jobs.....after 3 years city I went OTR for 9 months...loved it at first...but I missed being home...so back to local I went...havent slept in a truck since...22 years later..whether it was running Line or city, ive been home everyday.

 

I am ex military (got out of the Air Force last September). I was trained to operate buses, forklifts, wreckers and tractors, but I specialized mainly on tractor trailers. After doing linehauls in Iraq, I decided that this is what I wanted to do fulltime without getting blown up and having to worry about doing stateside jobs like being tied to a desk or managing personell. Got my CDL in the military as I was on my way out. Replied to a Reddaway ad on Craig's List, and two phone calls later was lined up to start two days after I was to get out. I looked at OTR carriers, but their pay was almost half of what I make now.

I absolutely love shutteling trailers between terminals as a linedriver. I get to drive at night without traffic, not have to deal with customers, and I get to be home almost every day and weekends. I also have never spent a single night in a sleeper. Back in Iraq we would shuttled freight between bases and we had to stay in tents to lay over, so being stuck in a hotel every now and then is a huge step up. I honestly love my line of work now. Probably the easiest and most money you can make without having to go college for four years. I respect those that zig-zag the country doing OTR, but I honestly could not do it myself. Just too much stuff tying me down back home. Plus I am in western Montana and I am surrounded by mountains, streams, and plenty of places to go camp out with a tent. Thanks for opening this thread... I am curious to see more responses on why people chose LTL.

Oh by the way, I started this post a few hours ago when my truck broke down at my turnpoint terminal. Had to restore the "auto save" feature to finish this up when I got home. I did spend three hours waiting to get my truck's electrical problem fixed at $16/hour. There are many others outside of the LTL field that don't have such perks, which is why I am happy I didn't go OTR. I do consider myself very fortunate.

 

Too much money, too much hometime, and too many benefits to switch to OTR. I've considered it seriously, but the pay is too good being LTL. Top OTR company offered me 36 cpm to start and a 1 cpm raise every six months till I maxed out at 40... (I make 41 with Reddaway). It would be insane to switch over unless you just want to see the country full time.

 

It's too bad there isn't any money in OTR jobs anymore. Well a lot of them anyway. If you look carefully you can find them. You will have to run teams because there just isn't any money in running solo OTR. All my OTR jobs were teams with ltl companies or were dedicated accounts with some carrier. I always made good money when I did it but that's because I know the industry and know what to look for. I was also home every week. That was always number 1 on my list. I make about the same or slightly more at Reddaway being a line driver but I work a lot harder too. Really, being a solo driver, ltl is the only way to go. Unless you end up with a nice gig somewhere. There are companies out there still just not where I live. Mostly I see them in the southern states. I do miss the open road. As far as sleeping goes, I was in the military too and sleeping in a truck was like a nice bachelor pad compared to sleeping in the mud. I must admit, Reddaway sends me to some nice hotels though!