What made you get into local LTL?

After driving otr for a while I was sick of being gone all week and even sicker of all the work I was doing for the company with no compensation. I'd have a real hard time doing anything else now.

 

I sort of stumbled into it, although back when I was bent on going to driving school and trying my hand in driving, I pictured myself as a FedEx Freight guy doing local work in the big city. I did 6 months with a starter OTR company, got sick of that crap show and came home. Figured there was a good chance nobody would look seriously at a 6 month driver for a local job and that I'd have to go back out on the road with another OTR outfit. But, I found a gig with a small regional LTL outfit that was desperate enough to hire me. Did a short stint there and parlayed that into a better gig with my current company a few months later who was advertising for drivers on Craigslist.

Kind of a wild little tale of chance and circumstance now that I think about it, but it's worked out well enough. I'm fixing to transfer to Seattle with my current company soon, so that will be exciting.

 

Well, for me it was just plain. Wanted time with the little woman and watch the kids grow up, or at least the last 2. After spending 18 of 20 years on sea duty. Suppose it was time for home time. Although now I am ready to go back on the road. Actually it sounds like fun now, with all the kids gone. Only hope my bride can join me. But that will depend on her medical problems over this next year. Enough on that. But, that is why I went local.

Oh road-runner, if all you make is $16 hr today,thats rediculous, I got that to start with Reddaway in 1998. Seems a bit low, or did Reddaway drop that far with the pay cut to help yellow. Just wondering.

 

I'm at a non union Reddaway terminal too. 16 hr and 41 cpm to start for line haul. After 3 years it goes to 22 hr and 52 cpm. I made that to start as a casual in 1998 at Consolidated Freight! The one plus is the health insurance is paid for the whole family and it is a 90/10 plan. Pretty sure the union guys get that too though with the higher pay. It is low, they dropped quite a bit and so did YRC.

 

Because I love the set schedule. Knowing that tonight I'm probably doing the Cleveland run again, my cut time from that hub is 3:30 unless we are done early and I should be back home by 7:30-8:00. Also, weekends off are something I will never let go voluntarily. It might not seem like it's too important, but home cooked meals during my lunch break means a lot.

 

what he said, and doubles fascinate me like a little kid..Even in my off time, im oogling when a set goes by..lol

 

Exactly based on region. Our pay-paperwork even states that our cpm/hourly rate is based on the inter-mountain region. Cost of living in my area is fairly low, so $16 an hour is pretty decent. Mean wage for unskilled/semi-skilled job is roughly $9.50 - $14.50/hour. I am happy with what I make. Keeps the lights on, the dog fed, and the wife happy.

 

I got into ltl a couple months after my first son was born. He was very colicy and had to use fmla from my last job to be home with him. During my time off I just happened to call my current company to see if any local spots are open and low and behold I got one. The money and bennies are good and I'm home everyday. Now that I have another son I won't be going back to otr/regional work unless freight stops moving in jersey, which I doubt will ever happen.