Considering ODFL As My First Employer
Topic 29679 | Page 3
Looks like I will be running between terminals in NYC and NJ as a Linehaul
That is a shuttle position it is technically a hourly linehaul run and most of the time goes to the drivers at the bottom of the seniority list. Once people above you leave you can probably bid for a mileage route and get out of the city if you want.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
I live in this area as well, but I am lucky because I have a parking lot by the building I live in. And I know exactly what you mean by traffic overthere. I was watching this early morning situation heading to driving school every day for 8 weeks, glad that I was driving opposite direction. Position I applied for is hourly paid, bacause of this NYC reality.
Good news is the runs are short. Not much chance to get tired running from NYC to NJ. Bad news is the hourly position means you won't get paid for drop and hooks galore. Though, I'll be the first to admit I'm not sure what OD pays for that. Still, lots of good LH experience and LOTS of experience hooking sets. Get ice cleats for the snow :)
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
Greetings!
I've been doing P&D going on 4 years now at OD and I'm a Driver Trainer at my terminal so I'm actually one of the guys who takes new hires who want to get their license from point A to Z as well as doing driving tests for new hires who already have their license.
I think you would be wise to take that LH position. For rookies, dispatch tries their best to slowly work you in to harder stuff as you get more experience but even then its still extremely difficult. I wouldn't risk it especially in NYC. Linehaul is less stressful and pays more. Driving doubles is intimidating at first but its really not that hard once you learn what trailer whip is and how they behave.
You're actually in a wonderful spot right now because of the severe industry-wide shortage and because of how slammed we are due to covid. A few years ago you wouldn't dream of this opportunity. OD loves to promote from within (dock to driver) but they are a lot more hesitant hiring from the outside. They would usually prefer to invest and train a guy on the dock for a driving position than hire a guy from OTR so you're blessed.
Whatever you do just keep your head down. Don't complain, don't moan and groan to everyone. Have a positive attitude and you'll do well. Communicate well with dispatch and get your trainers' phone numbers in case you hit a tough spot and need their advice.
PS Anne: the baby arrived January 11th! He's happy, healthy, and is showered with love on an hourly basis by everyone. He just hit 6 weeks old yesterday so its definitely getting easier for us and we are getting our sleep back slowly. God has blessed us more than words can say.
Have you rested up enough to REPLY, Daniel B. ?!?!?? You are SO much to many on here; including myself, & my own.
God has blessed you repeatedly, because YOU follow the letter . . . in every walk of life. Deservedly; proud papa!
~ Anne ~
ps: many of usn's MISS you on here... and now we get it.
Best to you and Olga, and the new 'mini DB!' ~!!!
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
P&D:
Pickup & Delivery
Local drivers that stay around their area, usually within 100 mile radius of a terminal, picking up and delivering loads.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers for instance will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
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ODFL Becoming A Truck Driver CDL Qualifications Choosing A Trucking Company Dock-To-Driver Jobs Linehaul LTL Driving
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I live in this area as well, but I am lucky because I have a parking lot by the building I live in. And I know exactly what you mean by traffic overthere. I was watching this early morning situation heading to driving school every day for 8 weeks, glad that I was driving opposite direction. Position I applied for is hourly paid, bacause of this NYC reality.