Comments By Solo

I just started doing Linehaul w/ XPO and while they started me out at top pay (100k+), the new drivers they are putting through school will still come very close to and even exceed 90k gross in their first year...should they make it.

Linehaul (IMHO) = great work

Linehaul + dockwork (open dock) = tough night

But if you're young and/or money is your motivator, then LTL is hiring and putting new drivers through CDL school.

I have an LTL question guys. Do pretty much all the companies make you start driving on nites and extra board till you get senority? I assume that is how it works? I am a morning person so I dont think I would fare well driving at nite but I think I would like the work

Rick

I start with XPO doing overnight linehaul to Minneapolis in 3 weeks, and the only driver there that actually wants to work/bid nights is the most senior driver there (25 years). I was, for all intents and purposes, hired on the spot when I told them I had doubles/triples, xmat and wanted nothing to do with daytime P&D. I would be bottom of the bid list, but only 1 person wants nights presently with me being the 2nd and there are 2 drivers presently being made to drive nights because they don't have the seniority to bid straight days.

As for your question about nights...what I found when I first started driving with TMC back in '19 is how much I preferred night driving. Then after 1-year w/ TMC I went local and started on nights...then learned how different driving local nights and driving local days was. So after 1 year of local nights, I moved to a daytime position and that's when I learned that I am definitely a nighttime guy. It doesn't matter how much sleep I get the night before...I would ALWAYS be tired when I woke up at 330am and would never wake up throughout the day. I went back to nights about 3 months ago and it's SO much easier for me. I get off at 5 am. Usually asleep by 7 am and back up at 12 noon, then head back in at 5 pm. I could never function as a driver during the day with just 5 hours of sleep, but never even yawn overnight after just 5 hours of sleep during the day.

I don't know if you know my history, but twice I got sent home from TMC.

The entire year I was w/ TMC and updating my diary, I don't recall you ever mentioning you tried out for TMC.

You do learn something new every day.

As somebody who currently runs 4+ miles every morning and goes to the gym every day, Flatbed was my only option/hope to be able to maintain any type of activity level.

Have you been able to keep up a fitness routine while OTR?

Not even once.

I ran all through orientation, but the moment I was issued my truck, that was the last time.

Put on 25lbs this year in the truck, and I can count on one hand how many times I ate at a truck stop.

That changes ~Feb 6th once I start my new local milk hauling gig. Can't wait.

Well, you didn't get the exercise in but you sure pulled the cash in....congrats on that! Hopefully you will be able to change things up a bit with the new gig.

It did change thankfully once I went local. I have a local gym membership via my employer which is pretty awesome + I built a home gym via the bonus room in the house I purchased, so back in pre-OTR shape luckily.

Thanks gang. Hopefully, this thread will serve as some value to prospective new drivers.

Still hauling, Solo?

Just going through old(er) threads, and wondering what becometh~!!

Stay & be safe; update would be awesome, if you have the time!!

Hey there! Yes, I've been hauling milk locally for ~1.5 years since leaving TMC. While I do not make TMC money, there's no way I'd go back to OTR driving unless I literally had no other choice. I'm spoiled and lazy now, haha. Being paid hourly is where it's at for me, even if it means making less.

Thanks gang. Hopefully, this thread will serve as some value to prospective new drivers.

Great job. What type of milk hauling? Tankers from the farm? Delivering to stores? Where are you settling down if you dont mind me asking?

Farm to plant, and to prevent doxing, I'll say North of 40, east of 29, and west of 65, and south of the border.

How did your year end up turning out Solo?

Right at 125,000 miles and $76k gross for the year. I guess in the big picture, it went better than could have been expected. Made a crap ton of money, but the truck gets turned in tomorrow. Can't wait!

Heading down to the Carribean for a week+ vacation, then starting a local hourly gig ~Feb 6th.

No more frozen tarps/straps, parking wars, not being paid detention for this guy!

As somebody who currently runs 4+ miles every morning and goes to the gym every day, Flatbed was my only option/hope to be able to maintain any type of activity level.

Have you been able to keep up a fitness routine while OTR?

Not even once.

I ran all through orientation, but the moment I was issued my truck, that was the last time.

Put on 25lbs this year in the truck, and I can count on one hand how many times I ate at a truck stop.

That changes ~Feb 6th once I start my new local milk hauling gig. Can't wait.

I understand what it takes to turn those kinds of numbers. There's no luck involved.

I just don't want to see you burn yourself out.

Thank you.

I forgot to post over the weekend, but I hit my 9-months this past Friday and subsequently hit 100k miles (10k in my trainers truck + 90k in my truck) as I was rolling into Beloit for my 34. Not sure if that is avg, but I've been avg 3k miles PER YEAR for the better part of the last 10-12 years prior to driving, and now I do that in a week +/-. Almost 2k gallons of fuel for the month of October which is the highest for me as well. Christ, I'm glad I'm a Co. Driver.