LTL Trucking - My Linehaul Job

Just read all 31 pages! Tons of good information and well worth the read. Thanks for starting this 6 string. I have been thinking of driving on and off for 5 years now. I recently made a career change about 8 months ago leaving my past job of 8 years. I ended up getting furloughed and it's not looking good to get back on since I'm low on the seniority roster.

My first application I put in for was an LTL carrier. I got a response and they actually do the cdl training in house. It's a 4 week program that is unpaid. Thankfully I'm collecting unemployment. I had to get my medical card, permit, hazmat fingerprinting completed on my own time and dime. They took care of the background check and drug screen. After completion of their course I will have my cdl license with hazmat and doubles endorsement. They told me I will be doing team runs the first 6 months to a year before I get some seniority. Five days out then 56 hours off. I do have to make a 1 year commitment to the company.

I start my class this upcoming Monday, 2/22/16. Your thread was very informative and motivational for me!

I may start a different thread on my training since I have not been able to find any LTL carrier cdl training reviews on the web. I was told from the recruiter that this is a gig you usually land after years of experience but their ageing work force and people retiring they had to look outside the box to get good drivers in the door.

Thanks Trucking Truth and 6 string!

Hey Chad, happy the thread helped! I don't visit my own thread much anymore, since I'm not sure what else I can add that would be beneficial. But I'm glad the old stuff is till helping others.

Congrats and I hope all goes well with your new endeavor. I was just commenting on another thread for somebody interested in the most amount of time home that a team can get, and I had suggested LTL teaming. Truckload companies keep their teams out much longer, and they're not making as much as LTL teams. You confirmed what info I already had from my company, plus a few other companies' team drivers. Looks like most LTL teams only run a week at a time. And I know you team drivers are making some really good money doing it! I believe OD is now close to .70 cpm for team drivers. And the miles are split 50/50 for anything the truck does. Our team guys average 5000-6000 miles a week, so those drivers are each grossing more than 100k a year. A husband and wife team could be pulling in over 200k a year in combined income.

Let me know how it progresses for you.

So you drive 11 to 12 hours a day and be home every night?

Btw when you're in training do you shut down at truck stops or you go home and come back to start training again?

Yep, I'm on a run now where it's about a 10.5 hour day. Home every night.

Training for me was home every day, and I was paid hourly. When I started solo I was considered a bag driver and was expected to possibly be out 4 days of a 5 day week. Running day cabs, linehaul drivers don't lay over at truck stops, but are put up in hotels by the company. That's why linehaul drivers that stay overnight are called "bag drivers," because you have a carry bag with clothes for your nights at the hotels.

You have to understand that each terminal might be a little different, even within the same company. We have terminals at Old Dominion where the new drivers get home every day from the beginning. Some terminals require new drivers to be out for a 6 day work week. It will vary. Our terminal tells new drivers to be prepared to have to bag out for up to 6 months, then they usually have enough seniority for a night turn run. "Turn," meaning they're doing a run and turning back to the home terminal - no bagging out. I go into detail with all this lingo in my thread. It might be called different things at different companies, e.g. bag driver or extraboard driver, but the concepts are the same throughout the LTL world.

Oh, I forgot to mention to you (even though this is in my thread) that I didn't get a daylight linehaul gig from the beginning. Daylight linehaul is actually not very common. Most linehaul gigs are night shift, while P&D is typically daylight. If there are daylight linehaul runs available at a terminal, it usually takes years of seniority to get.

Yo Six string, I saw that OD is hiring down in Atlanta. They only have P&D positions available right now. Think it would be worth a shot to get my foot in the door? Also how do I apply? Don't really have a resume lol

Yo Six string, I saw that OD is hiring down in Atlanta. They only have P&D positions available right now. Think it would be worth a shot to get my foot in the door? Also how do I apply? Don't really have a resume lol

Hey CT, if you're going off their website info, sometimes that's not updated info. I specifically remember my terminal advertising for just P&D when I was hired for linehaul. Call the terminal and speak with somebody. When I was interviewed, all I brought along was a copy of my driving record, my certificate from school ,and a few other things per the linehaul manager's request. A traditional resume wasn't necessary. Typically, you'll officially apply at one of their kiosks at the terminal. Once your info is sent to corporate, you'll usually have about a 2 week wait for approval. So, give the terminal a call and go from there. Let me know how it goes!

How do I find the number for the terminal? All I see is corporate number and customer service.

This would be a good link to add to the thread. Not sure if I ever added it.

Here's Old Dominion's homepage. You'll want to go to the top of the page, see Tools, and there's a pull down menu for Service Centers. From there you can search for terminals near your location using zip code, and you'll see contact info for each particular terminal with the general manager's name. You'll want to ask for the contact person for linehaul or P&D , whichever position you're interested in.

Old Dominion Freight Line

Hey 6 string! Do you mind if I send you a message? Its sort of OD related but its more PA related. Thanks.

Hey 6 string! Do you mind if I send you a message? Its sort of OD related but its more PA related. Thanks.

Of course I don't mind, but if it's a general question that might benefit somebody else, post in in the forum.