why the ** do LTL drivers get paid a lot more than everybody else.. Please explain!

12 ga · Sep 25, 2014

already gone said: ↑

if you want the most money, go with abf, ups freight, or holland. other companies may offer more cpm, but then you get no pay other than driving. plus if its a slow day at a union shop, you at least get your daily 8 hour minimum. that doesnt happen at non union barns. beware of any company that doesnt start paying you immediately when you are called in to work, go on breakdown, or drop and hook or build and break sets.
Click to expand...

In other words only go with a Union carrier.

already gone · Sep 25, 2014

correct...

6 Speed · Sep 25, 2014

freightwipper said: ↑

I thought LA would be fun and exciting...
I got there and no matter the time of day the roads wouldn't move, there's no truck stops or rest stops anywhere.. you actually have to drive far away to then pay to park and lastly DOT had random roadside inspections ON SIDE ROADS! Kid you not!
No wonder everybody hates California.
and 55MPH throughout the state also.. well at least Prime trucks must feel at home there lol jk.

My first company if I pulled farm tractors in a drop deck van that I picked up at a port.. those loads always went to interesting places in the sticks.
Consignee's were always surprised to see me, even on the bills it said "flatbed".

It's getting to the point where I have the hills of I81 memorized and emotions of hate tagged along with it.
No matter where i go in the country all the Pilot/Flying Js are near exactly the same... all this sameness ahhhhh! That's the reason I wanted OTR to begin with, I didn't want sameness and now I have it.
sucks
Click to expand...

All the mom and pop truckstops are pretty much gone.
The one's that had character.
A few months ago, I heard on TV that 50% of all Americans lived within 500 miles of Columbus Ohio.
So I suspect at least 50% of the truckers will be as well.

MACK E-6 · Sep 25, 2014

The LTL thing has been a good fit for me the last 10 years. But a lot depends on other people. There are many different hands in the mix, which coupled with the fact that at least at my place everyone is allowed to half ### their jobs except the driver, really does not do good things for driver morale.

Then you get the favorites that get catered to because of the fact that they suck at the job they're paid to do, so everyone else has to pick up their slack.

It's not all it's cracked up to be.

blairandgretchen · Sep 25, 2014

MACK E-6 said: ↑

The LTL thing has been a good fit for me the last 10 years. But a lot depends on other people. There are many different hands in the mix, which coupled with the fact that at least at my place everyone is allowed to half ### their jobs except the driver, really does not do good things for driver morale.

Then you get the favorites that get catered to because of the fact that they suck at the job they're paid to do, so everyone else has to pick up their slack.

It's not all it's cracked up to be.
Click to expand...

I always get the feeling there's a tad bit of resentment from the others in the establishment because they don't make the income we do - but fail to recognise we sacrifice returning home everyday to hot showers and kitchens to cook food in.

Might just be my paranoia - but I've heard second hand stories that back it up.

And yeah - I love the fact everybody else can do a pee poor job but if we slip up out on the road, there's hell to pay.

Most of the crew in our establishment are pretty good, some terminals better than others.

You're right - it's a good gig, LTL, but I don't get too carried away with the whole deal. Job is a Job.

Wargames · Sep 25, 2014

Naptown Steel Hauler said: ↑

It's common knowledge that only one trailer in a set of doubles has freight in it. The driver uses the other one to haul his cash around.

Those guys earn their pay. Especially the ones that have to work the dock before getting a via to another terminal and run their clock out every day.
Click to expand...

Your exactly right, we calls it "The Money Train".

Blankblank · Sep 25, 2014

gpsman said: ↑

LTL requires more "work". Not quite nursery-load work, but still more work. Some primarily truckload carriers do some LTL, maybe you'll get a 500-1000 mile 13-20 drop load someday where every to-the-minute appointment is written in stone.
Click to expand...

You pegged the nail on the head. Generally non-stop deliveries and pickups on super tight schedules. Plus, most LTL or city drivers can forget about those long relaxing stretches on the open road.

Toomanybikes · Sep 25, 2014

Boy Howdey said: ↑

I'm a road driver with ABF. It sounds easy, and some parts are, but when you look at the full picture it isn't.

We do get paid for everything we do as linehaul drivers. Like last night. I fueled my truck in Kingman, got .25 hours there. Drove to Anaheim, got .75 hours there waiting for my set to be made, drove to San Bernardino and waited 1.25 hours for my next set. Went back to Anaheim and got another .50 hours. So my total paid hours was 2.75 hours plus my mileage pay of 437 miles. I get paid .57cpm and $23 an hour.
On the week days I do very little dropping an hooking. At terminals I sit and wait in the breakroom while the yard guys makes my set and slides my tractor. On weekends I make my own sets since most our terminals are dark on the weekends.

Breakdowns are also paid. I blew a radiator hose a few weeks ago, sat and waited 10.5 hours for new tractor to be towed to me. Yup I was paid the whole 10.5 hours. Now I couldn't finish my trip that day, so once I got my tractor I had to find the neatest motel and finish my trip the next day.

Have anymore questions, just ask.
Click to expand...

So LTL day of work: 437 x $.57 + $23 x 2.75 = $312.34 for a days work.

The same 437 miles which is about average length of haul for truckload mega. @ 1 year experience .30cpm and House Hold Movers miles:

437 x (.9) x .30 = $117.99. They TL mega may kick you an extra $10 for the extra stop but forget about detention or layover. So $127.99. But the real catch is that almost all mega crap truckload companies will plan that 437 over 2 days or more. They don't care about how much a driver is detained or earns, and they are fearful given the derelicts that recruiting draws in, that their drivers will service failure a 437 mile load if given less then 2 days to run it. So real wage in truckload would average: $127.99 / 2 = $64 a day.

$312 vs $64. See the difference a union makes. See why turnover in truckload is over 100% and LTL under 5% - the lowest in any industry.

MACK E-6 · Sep 25, 2014

Blankblank said: ↑

Plus, most LTL or city drivers can forget about those long relaxing stretches on the open road.
Click to expand...

There's a bit of that if you get a good route with some stem time, in an area far from the terminal.

I'm usually around 2 1/2 hrs from the yard by the time I'm done, so I get to enjoy a nice cruise back. That is, unless the idiot I have for a dispatcher wants to try and get me to do one of someone else's pickups somewhere 10 minutes from the yard that's allegedly "on my way back" but really isn't, where there are already half a dozen other trucks that get closer to the place then I ever do.

Thankfully, I think I broke him of that habit though. Not divulging your phione number helps.

born&raisedintheusa · Sep 25, 2014

Toomanybikes said: ↑

So LTL day of work: 437 x $.57 + $23 x 2.75 = $312.34 for a days work.

The same 437 miles which is about average length of haul for truckload mega. @ 1 year experience .30cpm and House Hold Movers miles:

437 x (.9) x .30 = $117.99. They TL mega may kick you an extra $10 for the extra stop but forget about detention or layover. So $127.99. But the real catch is that almost all mega crap truckload companies will plan that 437 over 2 days or more. They don't care about how much a driver is detained or earns, and they are fearful given the derelicts that recruiting draws in, that their drivers will service failure a 437 mile load if given less then 2 days to run it. So real wage in truckload would average: $127.99 / 2 = $64 a day.

$312 vs $64. See the difference a union makes. See why turnover in truckload is over 100% and LTL under 5% - the lowest in any industry.
Click to expand...

If truckload companies were to come up in their pay scales to OTR drivers, approximately how much extra would OTR freight cost to be moved across state lines?

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Find Trucking Jobs

why the ** do LTL drivers get paid a lot more than everybody else.. Please explain!

12 ga THE VIEW FROM MY OFFICE

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

already gone Road Train Member

6 Speed Heavy Load Member

MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

blairandgretchen Road Train Member

Wargames Captain Crusty

Blankblank Bobtail Member

Toomanybikes Road Train Member

MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

born&raisedintheusa Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Find Trucking Jobs

why the ** do LTL drivers get paid a lot more than everybody else.. Please explain!

12 ga THE VIEW FROM MY OFFICE

Wait, employers can't reach you!

already gone Road Train Member

6 Speed Heavy Load Member

MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

blairandgretchen Road Train Member

Wargames Captain Crusty

Blankblank Bobtail Member

Toomanybikes Road Train Member

MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

born&raisedintheusa Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!