Interested In LTL

New to the site. Got my Class A CDL with Hazmat , Doubles / Triples, And Tanker Endorsements. I'm interested in getting into LTL trucking and was wondering what does the day consist of for a local pickup and delivery driver. How often do you work the dock other than loading your truck at the beginning of your shift? How many stops can you make in a day? Is there a time where you pull doubles/Triples or is that linehaul only? Opinions on companies like Estes, Pitt Ohio, ODF?

Thanks, Looking forward to hearing from you guys.

New to the site. Got my Class A CDL with Hazmat , Doubles / Triples, And Tanker Endorsements. I'm interested in getting into LTL trucking and was wondering what does the day consist of for a local pickup and delivery driver. How often do you work the dock other than loading your truck at the beginning of your shift? How many stops can you make in a day? Is there a time where you pull doubles/Triples or is that linehaul only? Opinions on companies like Estes, Pitt Ohio, ODF?

Thanks, Looking forward to hearing from you guys.

Welcome Matthew.

We have an LTL driver on the forum named SixStringRythm. Six String is an experienced driver running line haul for Old Dominion. I expect he will reply to your post when he has a spare moment. In the mean time type the letters "LTL" in the search bar (upper left hand corner) and press enter. The search will return recent threads on the subject of LTL and will feature a current thread posted by Six String. You could also search on "Estes" and "Pitt Ohio" in the same manner.

Good luck and please let us know how else we can assist you. Safe travels.

6String is experienced and has valuable advice.

Look up "Mountain Girl" for a blow-by-blow account of learning LTL. She still stops in here, I think.

Welcome Matthew.

Looks like you've already done your home work and obtained the endorsements usually required by most LTL carriers, regardless if you choose P&D or linehaul. Congrats.

The answers to your questions in regard to the day and life of a P&D driver will not only vary amongst LTL companies, but even terminals within the same company. Some terminals are small to the point where drivers are expected to wear a few hats, e.g. dock worker and driver. Some terminals are large but because of the policy of "company A," drivers are expected to work the dock regardless of the size of the terminal.

What you need to do is find the LTL companies near your location and see if they're hiring. If you have an LTL presence in your area, you'll find a couple different companies - they tend to huddle together for some reason. Then you can ask specific questions in regard to what is expected for a P&D driver.

Just to entertain your questions, I can tell you what it's like at my particular terminal. I work at one of the larger terminals for Old Dominion. I'm a linehaul driver. It's a break bulk, which means the terminal is used as a regional hub for aggregating and dispersing freight for the entire northeastern part of the country. Needless to say there are many opportunities at my terminal, and you move up fairly quickly in regard to seniority because we are experiencing rapid growth.

Our P&D drivers start at a specific time of the day, e.g. 0500, 0900, or perhaps in the afternoon. They'll typically work a 10-12 hour shift, five days a week, with two days off - multiple pick ups and drop offs (around 8-10?) usually in the same region, about a 150 mile radius if not shorter. At our terminal, P&D drivers do not work the dock. In fact, linehaul drivers do not work the dock. No driver works the dock. At some of our other terminals, drivers might work the dock. It varies with Old Dominion. P&D is hourly, linehaul is cpm.

Unless Conway Freight changed since they were acquired by XPO, their linehaul drivers are expected to work the dock, not sure about P&D. Estes has certain positions designated where drivers are also dock workers, and some positions where you just drive. Not sure about Fed Ex Freight or UPSF, or Pitt-Ohio for that matter.

It would help if you added your location to your profile so I could possibly offer some more specific suggestions for you. Certain locations offer better opportunities. Also, it sounds like you are leaning towards P&D. Have you considered linehaul? Typically P&D is daylight, whereas linehaul is night shift. Linehaul pays much better. BUT ... if you are in the right area, you might have an opportunity for daylight linehaul, which is very coveted since you're running daylight like P&D but getting paid like a linehaul driver. Some guys prefer P&D, it's a matter of preference. I'm fortunate enough to run daylight linehaul. But, if I had to choose between daylight P&D and night shift linehaul, I'd take night shift linehaul. I love just driving, all drop and hooks, not dealing with customers (shippers and receivers).

I can't recommend Old Dominion enough - fantastic company. If I didn't work for ODFL, I'd look at UPSF, Estes, or Fed Ex Freight. Maybe ABF or Pitt-Ohio. Saia has a good reputation, but they're mostly in the mid-west / western part of the country.

Here's a link to my thread about LTL. I focus on linehaul, but also talk a bit about P&D.

LTL Trucking: My Linehaul Job

I'm currently waiting for a driving position at FedEx to open so I can apply, but I work part-time on their dock right now. I know some of the lower seniority guys (P&D) work the dock because I've seen them out with us before. The line haul guys do not work the dock. I'm hoping for a line haul apprentice position to post, but I haven't fully ruled out being a P&D driver either. Probably going be whatever comes open first for me to get a shot at. I've never heard of a daytime line hauler at my terminal. There may be, but I haven't heard of one.

I've never heard of a daytime line hauler at my terminal. There may be, but I haven't heard of one.

Daytime linehaul isn't common. Most company terminals have linehaul runs at night, simply because linehaul moves the freight from terminal to terminal at night so P&D drivers can deliver the freight to the businesses the next day. P&D is daylight because businesses are open during daylight - linehaul is night because they're moving the freight for the daylight P&D drivers.

When I was researching trucking before I made the plunge, I knew I wanted to be a linehaul driver. I was ready to commit to nightshift hours just to be a linehaul driver. Not only did the money appeal to me, but also being home daily if not every other day, and having the routine of going to the same place - plus, not dealing with shippers / receivers but just fellow company employees. Much to love about linehaul.

However, you will find the occasional daylight linehaul opportunities. The sticky thing is that most of those opportunities fall to senior drivers - i.e. drivers with more seniority. BUT, you get yourself a larger terminal, and perhaps you could find a daylight linehaul gig that might only take a few years to get.

To set the record straight for any readers, I'm fortuntate enough to have a daylight linehaul gig because of the uniqueness of my terminal. It took me about 1.5 years to land a daylight gig, and that's a drop in the bucket compared to other terminals - if they even have daylight gigs. We're a bigger terminal, and we're a breakbulk for the entire northeast. Plus, some drivers at my terminal are crazy enough to think that night driving is better! Night driving has its perks, but I'll take daylight any day of the week. Daylight linehaul? In my opinion, it's the holy grail of trucking.

so 6string, even with being home everyday (night driving) wasn't most of that time spent sleeping during the day to stay away all night? I know the shifts can be up to about 14hrs long, what's your average shift time? Linehaul is appealing to me right now, for basically the same reasons you listed. not dealing with customers, great pay. what happens if you encounter bad weather or black ice and you basically have to drive the majority of the way at like 35-40mph? then your 4-5 hour one way trip become 6.5hrs? do they push you to get there and make it, or do they just say drive until your 11 hrs is up and we'll park it? just curious of different scenarios.

I have an interview this Thursday at the Estes terminal outside of Waynesboro, VA for a dockworker position. The hiring manager straight forward told me that I lack the experience, But if I came AND Worked on the dock for six months, I could then go to Estes' Driver training and take off from there. As I have no experience with a forklift, He told me they would train me on the dock. It was either this or driving a beer truck, So I figured I might as well get my foot in the door with and LTL carrier.

so 6string, even with being home everyday (night driving) wasn't most of that time spent sleeping during the day to stay away all night? I know the shifts can be up to about 14hrs long, what's your average shift time? Linehaul is appealing to me right now, for basically the same reasons you listed. not dealing with customers, great pay. what happens if you encounter bad weather or black ice and you basically have to drive the majority of the way at like 35-40mph? then your 4-5 hour one way trip become 6.5hrs? do they push you to get there and make it, or do they just say drive until your 11 hrs is up and we'll park it? just curious of different scenarios.

Average day is 10 hours. Can be 14, every now and then a luxurious 8. No matter what shift you work, your off time during the work week is spent sleeping, eating, grabbing a shower, and getting ready to head back in. You really have to budget your time. I still find the time to lift weights 3 days a week for about an hour per session. You have to be disciplined. The weekend is when you really get the time to chill out.

I've had runs that were cancelled due to inclement weather or accidents / traffic. If you don't have a schedule run, and are wild or on the extraboard, be prepared to run out your 11 or close to it - the freight has to move and that's your job as a driver. Of course, all this varies according to freight demands, the personality of dispatchers, your terminal size, etc...

I have an interview this Thursday at the Estes terminal outside of Waynesboro, VA for a dockworker position. The hiring manager straight forward told me that I lack the experience, But if I came AND Worked on the dock for six months, I could then go to Estes' Driver training and take off from there. As I have no experience with a forklift, He told me they would train me on the dock. It was either this or driving a beer truck, So I figured I might as well get my foot in the door with and LTL carrier.

Hey congrats man!

FYI, most LTL companies huddle up in the same area. Chances are you have more than Estes in your neck of the woods, in fact I know OD has a terminal in Waynesboro. Not to take away from Estes - they're a great company - but I don't want you to possibly miss an opportunity, especially if there's another LTL that will get you behind the wheel without having to work the dock.

Regardless, if I had to pay my dues on the dock to get into an LTL, as opposed to driving a beer truck or even going OTR , I'd get on that dock! Get your foot in an LTL, stick and stay, and you'll be set up for the rest of your career.