Linehaul/LTL Drivers - What Do You Like Most About Your Job?

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

I do linehaul at R&L. It’s good. I like that it is easy. I dislike that it’s at night.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Which terminal do you work out of? Have you by chance heard of anything good about the Dayton terminal or any ones near Columbus?

I have 10 months experience, is it a waste applying to them now? Or do I have to wait until exactly 12 months?

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GumbysDonkey@reddit

No RL terminal in Columbus or Dayton. Their HQ is off 71 in Wilmington. Big ass place.

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Baddy001@reddit

You literally CANNOT miss it either lol

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Is it a nice facility? How is the job? Linehaul, not P&D.? Any significant pros and cons with R&L?

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Baddy001@reddit

I don't work there, I just drive by it every day lol

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Is it true you have to do a manual road test?

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GumbysDonkey@reddit

I don't work for them. Sry have no idea.

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oh good point i didnt look to see if the open position i saw was overnights. Do you have driver-facing cameras in your truck and is it slip-seating or assigned? Also, how many hours is a typical workday for you? And how would you rate the equipment, like do you see many issues with the trailers (lights, flat tires, etc) ?

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

City is days. Linehaul is nights. No just road facing cameras. Depends on the run but 9-12 hours is normal. It’s good. No complaints.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

Oh wait is that the standard timing or is that just how its typically done? Like if i choose linehaul, will i be forced to do it overnight only? If so, whats the reasoning behind that?

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

That’s super typical. City picks up and drops off freight during the day. Linehaul takes it terminal to terminal at night. More efficient. Don’t get me wrong though, there are daytime linehaul bids but all the guys that have them have been here for at least 15 years. Nights isn’t that bad. Just gotta make it work for you.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

Ok i see, i spoke to the recruiter and they said this linehaul position starts at like $38/hr or something but is paid "by-the-haul", i dont understand. I thought it was cpm, is this better or worse than cpm?

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

That is one of the weird things their recruiters would say. They pay cpm for the run. So like a 600 mile run will pay $444 plus a little bit for drop and hook. Rather than say you make .74 per mile plus this and that they just say this run pays “$470” and this other one pays “$410”. Guys that get hung up over little shit are missing the fact that you can easily make 6 figures. It’s just a flat rate by the run. I like it and I make good money. I’m not going to get too worked up and become a number cruncher.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

Oh ok interesting yeah ive never done ltl/linehaul so i had no idea. Do you like the other stuff they offer besides the pay, lile pto or vacation days etc? They said they dont do Overtime pay, is this ever an issue?

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jmzstl@reddit

Just wanted to add, R+L is the only major LTL that obscures their linehaul pay like that. All the other major carriers tell you x is what you get paid for driving and y is what you get paid for drops/hooks/anything else.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

But i can get clarity about it on my paystub right?

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PontoonDood@reddit

With a little math.

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

I like it here. The vacation policy and 401k plan is good enough. The free resorts are cool. They don’t pay OT but I don’t really care since I’m not payed by the hour.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

wait, what resorts? Also, are you cpm? Does that mean linehaul gets to choose either cpm or hourly? Or are you LTL?

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PontoonDood@reddit

Different company linehaul driver chiming in.

I think your a bit confused. LTL is a sector of trucking that means less than truckload. Linehaul drivers move freight from terminal to terminal mostly at night. P&d males the pickups and deliveries. P&d is paid by the hour. Linehaul is cpm. Some companies pay overtime for hourly drivers. Most companies have incentive pay for cpm drivers, like $X dollars for hooking a set etc.

P&d drivers are home daily. Linehaul drivers may or may not be. Everything is done by seniority, so you're not likely to come in somewhere on a home daily daytime run. Top guys pick their run first. There's most likely other kinds of positions as well. There will be different names for the same positions at different companies. So one company might call something extraboard, and another company calls it vacation relief or whatever. My company has "scheduled" runs, wils runs, combo drivers, system drivers, final mile drivers team drivers. There's something for everyone.

R+L operates several free to use vacation properties for their employees.

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unftp-0@reddit

How do you get accepted with them? Is it the resume or experience? I barely have 1 year and 6 months and haven’t heard back from AAA Cooper, R+L, Old Dominion and South eastern freight lines

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BiceRidingWorldChamp@reddit

I applied 5 times over 4 years and called or stopped by every time. Be aggressive.

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tidyshark12@reddit

Linehaul at r+l is good. It's not 74 cpm, however. Some runs will pay more and some will pay less. Most of the longer runs pay anywhere from 75-78 cpm. Many of the shorter runs pay 80-90 cpm. There are a few outliers, I think lowest paying at the terminal i worked at was 70 cpm (for 550ish mile runl and highest was 1.08/mile (for 470ish mile run, but only if you put down that you met in the city you actually meet the guy in. Apparently, they bid the run for the wrong city somehow lol)

Generally, if you go east and/or north, you will make more than if you go west and/or south. They loosely base the pay off of how much they make on average. So, freight going north and/or east pays them more so they will pay you more. It's kind of dumb bc it is incredibly difficult to try and figure out what your paycheck will be until you get on a bid run.

If you can get on at Estes, i highly recommend that. Especially if you don't mind doing weekends at home and the rest of the week staying in hotels every night. Starting pay here is 81 cpm and they pay actual mileage vs r+l pays different for each run.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Do you have to take manual test for Estes? If so, I don’t have any restrictions but I’d be nervous because I drive an automatic and I feel like I would need some practice to sharpen up.

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tidyshark12@reddit

Yes, manual test at Estes. Possibly at r+l, too, but they've mostly phased manuals out there.

You can contact a local truck driving school and see if they'll let you practice on one of theirs during their of time for some money.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Are these driving tests at companies the same as the actual CDL test? Or is it more or less, we know you have experience so show us you are somewhat competent?

I’m sure I could get through it, but only if they aren’t hard asses. Like I’m not gonna be blowing through stop lights or something like that but at the start I might grind some gears while working out the kinks…

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tidyshark12@reddit

In that case, just tell them you're a little rusty and ask if you can do a couple laps around the yard first.

No, they're not quite like the cdl test. Basically, you'll pre-trip, hook up a trailer, drive 1-2 miles down the road and come back, and then back the trailer into a door. Just to show you can actually drive, navigate traffic, follow directions, and not wreck the truck. The backing barely matters as long as you get it into a door.

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Transcending-Spirit@reddit

I'm a city driver, and I hate it.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Have you done linehaul or thought about switching?

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Transcending-Spirit@reddit

I'm considering getting a gig with Walmart. They have good hometime options for regional work.

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Transcending-Spirit@reddit

I'd like to do linehaul, but I don't want to work nights. I'd rather pick up a regional gig if I was gonna do that.

But, no, I've never done linehaul.

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FossMan21@reddit

For me I enjoy it. Most days are pretty easy. One of the things I really enjoy is traveling on the company dime. Last year I assisted in opening 3 terminals in two different states. They paid hotel and food allowance. I’m currently back in North Dakota this week. Tomorrow I head back to where I originally started the week and will be in my 3rd hotel of the week. Last month I went to a terminal to help and put it long days but got to add another state to my list. In just over 15 months I’ve been in 6 different states than the one I live in. Numerous hotels 4 different cities.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Company?

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odinskriver39@reddit

LTL P&D and Linehaul turns meant being home every day. Other upside was pay/benefits and job security. Downside was touching freight and how many years it took to get enough seniority to get the better work. Driving at night gets you home but it can be a challenge to get enough rest and get in some family time. Now that most of regional LTL is done hub and spoke many line/road drivers find themselves working on the dock at night. Non-Union can be a situation where skills and favoritism allow you to get the better work without the wait. Get qualified for and volunteer for every job.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

Skills? Isnt every driver at that position having the same skill? Like if there's no Backing involved in linehaul, then what other factor determines Skill?

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

I’m pretty sure he’s referring to LTL P&D, not Linehaul. Because on P&D you are delivering to customers vs terminal to terminal. Because of that you are bumping some strange docks, interacting with people/customers, so on and so forth.

Line haul is mostly driving at night, from terminal to terminal or other drop yard locations.

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odinskriver39@reddit

Sure every driver must have the basic safe driving and documentation skills. I meant more the unwritten people skills we use to survive or thrive in a meritocracy or bureaucracy situation. For example one time a new manager arrived that was going to be the new sheriff in town, kick ass and take names ( which sometimes in truck terminals you gotta do ). I found out he loved NASCAR so I became a brand new NASCAR fan.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

ah so surprise random donut breakfast for the office, i get ya.

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odinskriver39@reddit

Yeah , LTL can be a workplace where you in person interact with all the other folks in the company as well as customers. So the personality type that just likes cruisin' down the highway at night ( not that there's anything wrong with that ) doesn't always find it a good fit.

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kona_kenanu@reddit

If you’re located in Utah or near salt lake I hear ABF is hiring a lot of drivers right now

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KingofthePi11@reddit

Drove through Mona down the I-15 the other night and the freakin blizzard was relentless.

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kona_kenanu@reddit

Yeah it was coming down good. Two drivers (city P&D) from my company jackknifed on the 80-15 interchange

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KingofthePi11@reddit

Sorry to hear that. Hope they are okay. I saw a 4 wheeler on its side off the right hand side shoulder😐

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GroundbreakingSir386@reddit

Try XPO or Estes I would suggest is the second best LTL carriers to work for. ABF Freight is the best carrier however It is only good if you're in the Army National Guard or reserves since You have to build up seniority there and you are getting laid off pretty often. My old coworker was off of work for months before working again in either the busy season or working during Christmas holidays when everybody wants time off and has more seniority than you. It is a great company but they don't pay as much as XPO or Estes but get free healthcare. That's why I suggest having a second job if you work at ABF. Something flexible something maybe even in the military that you can go on deployments while building seniority.

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GroundbreakingSir386@reddit

Also with ABF you get a pension but if you are in the military you will have a second pension especially if those first two years you are going hard at getting deployed for 6-8months a year You can earn your pension faster.

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GumbysDonkey@reddit

Not getting a military pension unless you retire after 20yrs or get disability.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Do you have you take the road test in a manual? Any way to get practice before?

Long story short, took and passed CDL test in manual but I barely scrapped by. First company in an automatic, and I know for sure I’d need some practice doing a manual. I can’t just go straight into another road test when it’s been over a year.

Any suggestions?

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WontSwerve@reddit

I like that it's actually work and not just holding the steering wheel straight with the cruise set all day.

The work is challenging and I love hitting tight turns and docks.

I have a good relationship with all my customers.

MOSTLY I enjoy working M-F, starting at 7 and being home 9 or 10 hours later.

I enjoy making more than most OTR gigs and still having a life. I drive a truck as my job, it doesn't consume my life and become my identity.

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derpmcturd@reddit (OP)

Im hearing the 7am-7pm timeslots are taken by dudes who have been there for like 15 years

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WontSwerve@reddit

I got lucky and got in while the terminal went under massive expansion.

15 years seems excessive, I'd bet you can get a mid morning start time most places in a couple years by me anyways.

Oh and lots of those "lifers" are set to retire soon.

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