OTR Van Truckload Or A Dedicated Account?

I had an interesting conversation with a friend who is a fellow Schneider driver. He has been on a dedicated Georgia-Pacific account the past 4 years. He gets regular assignments of over 1000 miles. The one he's doing now is 1200 miles. My assignments have been in the 300 to 600 mile range. He told me that if I wanted longer assignments I should switch over to GP Dedicated. Actually, I don't plan on asking for any changes; I'm too new. But I am curious about what he said. Would it be beneficial to switch at some point in the future?

A lot depends on where the account is and the area covered are two item I'd want to know.

I'm on a dedicated account now that starts and ends out of the same location for every load. I never have to sit in a dock waiting for the product to be loaded, but it is a live unload at every stop. The longest I've ever been in a store dock has been just about 75 minutes.

I would find out the payscale, particularly is it a set rate, progressive for distance, salary, etc.

These are a few questions I could pose.

I'm on a dedicated account now that starts and ends out of the same location for every load. I never have to sit in a dock waiting for the product to be loaded, but it is a live unload at every stop.

That sounds like daycab work to me! When do you get to upgrade?

I drove 688 miles Thursday, then add on the 54 miles from Santa Fe to Albuquerque after midnight Central Time Zone, for 742 miles. Not quite a day cab job.

Would it be beneficial to switch at some point in the future?

YES! Dedicated is my jam. You'll make more money in less time and have fewer headaches. There's no waiting on a load. I know my trailer will be waiting for me at 1 pm on Monday. If it's not ready for some reason it doesn't bother me, I get paid for waiting. If there's a problem on my pre-trip, no problem I go to a shop just down the road and they fix it. There's no authorizations, permissions or calls to dispatch. If they can't fix it then and there they give me a loaner truck and I'm on my way. Either way, I'm not camping out at the Motel 6 for two weeks making breakdown pay.

Hit the road and head east on I-84. In warm weather I like I-90, in the winter I like I-80 but sometimes have to take I-70 if I-80 is closed. I know where I'll be fueling, stopping for my break and what's for dinner on any of my regular routes. It can be repetitive, but that also makes trip planning a breeze. When I get to my destination I do a drop and hook and put the bills in the shed. If my new trailer's not ready I sit and wait while getting paid.

Head back west. Return to my DC. Drop the trailer, put the paperwork in the shed and park my truck. Go home for the weekend and start over on Monday. My equipment is nicer than it ever was OTR. Tractors are replaced after 2 years, trailers are all owned by the customer. No imaginary trailer hunts, no rusted out trailers with flat tires that were abandoned at a receiver years ago. I drive, I go home, I get paid.