Looking Into OTR Again

[Weazz]

Hi all! I'm looking to get back into otr driving and last job i had was 4 years ago driving a car carrier.
I live in SW florida and seems like only 2 places will talk to me is cypress and LCT. I want to team and i was leaning on LCT.
Anyone ever work for them? I must have 75 apps out and it seems like in 4 years truck driving has changed All i get is you need recent experience.

[Jackrabbit379]

If you are wanting to team, you might check into Landspan. They are based out of Lakeland.

[Weazz]

If you are wanting to team, you might check into Landspan. They are based out of Lakeland.

I have and i dont have recent time in.. I'm to the point i'm going to take the 1st offer (LCT they called me today) and hope for the best. If anything i'll get my time back in :nervous:

[Jackrabbit379]

Well, I hope it works out for ya. Best of luck to ya.

[Weazz]

Thanks! My team buddy backed out on me, he dont wanna train again. I belive he thinks he's gonna jump in a truck when i get mine. LOL

[farder]

LCT pays a 9 CPM per diem. With the top pay for solo at 43 CPM. Take away the per diem and that drops to 34 CPM for TOP pay. Bottom pay is 28 CPM. Take away the per diem and it's 19 CPM. Where do you think you're gonna start? Bottom?

Per diem is a rip off. You ONLY get it on paid miles and most companies have a daily cap. To make your government daily allowance of $52 per day, you will need to run 577 miles EVERY DAY. Any more or any less and you are taking it in the *****. So if you're not going to average 4039 miles a week, and believe me, you're not, you are gonna get screwed.

Not to mention taking a big hit on social security, gross stated income, and workmans comp.

LCT pays $50 layover AFTER 48 hours. what a screw job. Now also figure that you also LOST $104 in per diem as you drove ZERO miles for LCT for 2 days. So you sit for 2 days and it COST YOU $54 to do it.

[Weazz]

LCT pays a 9 CPM per diem. With the top pay for solo at 43 CPM. Take away the per diem and that drops to 34 CPM for TOP pay. Bottom pay is 28 CPM. Take away the per diem and it's 19 CPM. Where do you think you're gonna start? Bottom?

Per diem is a rip off. You ONLY get it on paid miles and most companies have a daily cap. To make your government daily allowance of $52 per day, you will need to run 577 miles EVERY DAY. Any more or any less and you are taking it in the *****. So if you're not going to average 4039 miles a week, and believe me, you're not, you are gonna get screwed.

Not to mention taking a big hit on social security, gross stated income, and workmans comp.

WoW!! I think im gonna need a hugg.. Sad part is with out driving in the last 4 years im gonna hafta bend over :shock:

SRT,CRST,JB HUNT,Con Way,Swift...You name it i called and sent apps to them all! and its all the same old story.

If anyone can hook me up thats great. I expect to get training again. As for solo or team, I'd like to give team a try but right now i have a house to pay for and im not real picky

[farder]

Weazz, I'm not trying to be a tool about it, but I wanted to point out the down and dirty for you. I'd say do 4-6 months with LCT and then GTFO. Knight will hire you with 4-6 months experience. I drive for them and they're ok, for me anyway. They have a terminal in the Orlando area IIRC.

[Weazz]

Weazz, I'm not trying to be a tool about it, but I wanted to point out the down and dirty for you. I'd say do 4-6 months with LCT and then GTFO. Knight will hire you with 4-6 months experience. I drive for them and they're ok, for me anyway. They have a terminal in the Orlando area IIRC.

Thanks farder,I'm hopeing to GTFO in 3 months.
But you gave me great info, I really didnt know how the diem worked. Heck i made more then that in the early 90's when you put it that way. :wink:

[igor]

Farder,

I think you need to take a step back and research per diem and obviously you have no clue what you are talking about. All there 9 cpm is is an estimate on per diem. Basically it all comes down to at the end of the year, you look at how much per diem you claimed through the carrier versus what you are allowed to claim. If you are out 250 days you are eligible to claim $13,000 in per diem. Now at the same time if you ran 110,000 miles you would have claimed $9900. What you do is you claim the rest at tax time. You do not loose that other $3100. Basically by using per diem you are getting money week after week instead of at once when you get your income tax return. People think there income tax return is free money, when in essence you are overpaying the government. I don't know about you but I would rather get my money throughout the year because the government don't pay you interest on your money, but the bank does. It always amazes me how drivers complain about per diem when it basically is a tool.

[farder]

igor,

Please explain to me how you get your Social Security contributions bumped back up to non-per diem levels at the end of the year. You don't pay SS taxes on company paid per diem and neither does the company. So how do you get that back?

Also, please tell me how you get the bank to think you made $50k gross (which you did) but your W-2 says you only grossed $36k because of per diem. The house you wanted to buy and could have afforded to without company per diem just got downgraded to a used trailer. And when you get hurt, I hope you enjoy starving to death on your greatly reduced workmans comp check.

You may be right in what you posted, dunno, didn't research it and not gonna. There's plenty of other reasons to NOT take company per diem as I posted. And if you really can't survive without that "extra" $50 in your weekly check you get from per diem, you either suck at personal finances or drive for peanuts.

[bibcheese]

Just claim as many dependents as you can each week on your W-4 , i.e. married and 5,6,7,8,0r heck even 9, I did it already and if i owed any thing at end of year I just paid it to uncle sam. It is legal. . Its your money, and the IRS dont pay intrest to you for keeping your money in their treasury all year long.Dont work for a company that makes you take per-diem in your check every week because you are just helping them out by lowering what they have to pay each week in FICA tax on your check since it is based on your gross wages. This keeps what they have to pay on their workers comp premiums lower, thats why they want you to take the cpm per-diem rate. Just take the $52.00 a day your allowed and times it by 0.75 like you are allowed in 2007 without showing receipts.

[igor]

well I don't know about you, but my w'2s and pay stubs show both per diem and taxable wages. Any banker can figure out that one. Also, I have never had a work comp injury, but from what I hear is that all that takes is a little extra paperwork and that is taken care of. It is as simple as that. PM me if you wish and I will give you the number of a CPA that will clarify the advantages if you wish. I have plenty of money in the bank from smart decisions, one is getting that $50 a week and investing it and collecting interest off of it instead of letting the goverment hold if for me all year. The government doesn't pay interest.

[Weazz]

Good idea but for those of us that has to pretty much take what they can get, just starting out or been idle for some time your stuck. The GTFO thery is still my best option til i get my time in.

Its been awhile i drove otr and i dont recall the diem thing back in the late 80s early 90's. And i drove instate with a car carrier a few years ago no mention of it then either.


But im learning alot, So keep them comming!