SOS Transportation/Concert tour trucking

[danske]

I have been looking at this company, SOS Transportation(their a concert tour, theater, events trucking company, because they are near my hometown(or where I pickup my mail :-( ). Since I don't keep a home, don't mind been out for long periods of time, willing to travel everywhere(eg. Northeast, Canada) I thought it be something interesting to peruse.

Currently, I driving flatbed but thing are slow with no pre-assignments, longer wait to reload, and sitting in the company yard for several days(no layover paid when that happens). It is a good company but I am getting restless.

My question is I looking for anyone who has done this concert tour/events work as a driver. Specifically, what type of pay structure do these companies have? Do they pay mileage, hourly rates for loading/unloading, a flat daily rate on the road, or what? I think I can figure out a lot of the other issues, but I don't want to go blind into applying for this job when it comes to pay.

Any experienced insight on this type of gig would be appreciated.

[Uturn2001]

Your best source of info on how that company pays is that company.

I did some event hauling once for a couple of months and I was paid mileage in between venues and a flat rate to help unload/load if needed and another rate per day for each day I sat until it was time to reload and move on. I was also put up in a motel at each stop if it was going to be more than a 24 hour deal.

[avguy]

If you end up working there, please start a blog.

That's something i've always wanted to do.
It's a combination of my two favorite things, driving and show business.

[Phantom433a]

Got a buddy doing that now for Stagecall out of Vegas.....his G/F says he is enjoying it and making decent money. Uturn is right about the pay setup, from what I understand, but contact the company that you want to work for and get specifics.

My buddy is currently on the Brittney Spears tour.....poor guy

[danske]

Thanks. I will contact them. I just want a feel so I don't come across clueless.

[TruckerTony]

I have been pre-hired for Upstaging out of Sycamore, Il. The pay with them is you are on a salary of $675 per week; $350 per diem paid on ComCard every Monday and the balance paid every 2 weeks. All that is taxed is $325 per week. This is just to sit in the truck and be ready for work. So between tours this is the least you will make.

When on a tour, you get "bumps". You get a mileage bump if you drive over 400 miles to the next venue of $200 I think and it goes up the more you drive. You also get a motel bump of around $35 if the road crew is utilizing a motel as well. Most drivers of course pocket the bump and sleep in their trucks. There are also end of tour bonuses, but not always. The bumps and bonuses are paid in cash weekly..not taxed, although it is possible to get 1099'd for a tour bonus...but rare.

Another plus is catering...all you can eat while on tour for free. This info is just for Upstaging and I may have omitted some info. Hope this helps.

[matcat]

Man I am jealous, sounds like an awesome job!

[ronjon619]

I have been pre-hired for Upstaging out of Sycamore, Il. The pay with them is you are on a salary of $675 per week; $350 per diem paid on ComCard every Monday and the balance paid every 2 weeks. All that is taxed is $325 per week. This is just to sit in the truck and be ready for work. So between tours this is the least you will make.

When on a tour, you get "bumps". You get a mileage bump if you drive over 400 miles to the next venue of $200 I think and it goes up the more you drive. You also get a motel bump of around $35 if the road crew is utilizing a motel as well. Most drivers of course pocket the bump and sleep in their trucks. There are also end of tour bonuses, but not always. The bumps and bonuses are paid in cash weekly..not taxed, although it is possible to get 1099'd for a tour bonus...but rare.

Another plus is catering...all you can eat while on tour for free. This info is just for Upstaging and I may have omitted some info. Hope this helps.

and the home time? Those guys are some road warriors.

[A Smalltown Rube]

I have been pre-hired for Upstaging out of Sycamore, Il. The pay with them is you are on a salary of $675 per week; $350 per diem paid on ComCard every Monday and the balance paid every 2 weeks. All that is taxed is $325 per week. This is just to sit in the truck and be ready for work. So between tours this is the least you will make.

When on a tour, you get "bumps". You get a mileage bump if you drive over 400 miles to the next venue of $200 I think and it goes up the more you drive. You also get a motel bump of around $35 if the road crew is utilizing a motel as well. Most drivers of course pocket the bump and sleep in their trucks. There are also end of tour bonuses, but not always. The bumps and bonuses are paid in cash weekly..not taxed, although it is possible to get 1099'd for a tour bonus...but rare.

Another plus is catering...all you can eat while on tour for free. This info is just for Upstaging and I may have omitted some info. Hope this helps.

That's pretty close to what I got. The bumps were paid in cash by the production manager. Your company has nothing to do with them. Every driver had a stage pass and could watch the show if they wanted. It get's boring after the first couple of times, so we would hang out at the motel or the trucks for the most part. Some of those venues are hard to get in to, but you have plenty help, usually 2 or 3 drivers blocking traffic and spotting for you.

[danske]

That's pretty close to what I got. The bumps were paid in cash by the production manager. Your company has nothing to do with them. Every driver had a stage pass and could watch the show if they wanted. It get's boring after the first couple of times, so we would hang out at the motel or the trucks for the most part. Some of those venues are hard to get in to, but you have plenty help, usually 2 or 3 drivers blocking traffic and spotting for you.

How many miles would you average in a month? How many days a week were you driving? What amount of labor would you be doing at load ins and outs?

With the per diem, salary, and bumps would it be likely to make $1000 a week. Thou pay may not be an issue, I wouldn't want to come in too high or low on my expected earnings.

As far as being out, I only have a mailbox and family spread around the country. I would expect some downtime only when I came off tour.

Thanks

[Bumper]

My buddy is currently on the Brittney Spears tour.....poor guy

God how I feel sorry for your friend. Hopefully he doesnt have to deal with her during his shift.

[catalinaflyer]

I run the show circuit for a motorcycle company. I get paid an annual salary and the company picks up all my expenses (motel rooms, meals etc) while on the road. I get to stay in a motel every night while on the road and there is no per diem, they just furnish a credit card that I use for everything except tobacco.

All in all I make just about the same as I did running heavy/oversized/specialized. Home time is another story, some times I'm out and back over a weekend and other times I'm gone for 6 weeks at a time. The nice part though is I get to stay in really nice hotels (Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites etc.) and when I have a few days between shows I can go riding or hop on a plane and fly home. We do get a little more time over the winter months but we still run a full schedule all year long. The hours can sometimes suck since 90% of my setup - teardown I have to do by myself plus I have to work during the show hours so some shows can run 14+ hours a day for a week at a time.

I have some friends who run for different show companies and they pay/benefits are as varied as you can imagine. It beats humping boxs of frozen hamburger at a warehouse.

[matcat]

It beats humping boxs of frozen hamburger at a warehouse.

I am not quite sure what to say to that... People get paid to hump frozen meat? :P

[Jackrabbit379]

Matcat, that's just nasty.

[danske]

I am not quite sure what to say to that... People get paid to hump frozen meat? :P

Hey, that's keep on topic!!

[SickRick]

Hauling for a tour would be almost as much fun, as driving the bus.

I've road managed and done sound for a couple of tours - drove my own bus all of last year for a "minor" national touring act. (notforhire), but I was working 18 hours a day (musicians are a PITA to babysit for).

For the major tours - bus/truck drivers get a hotel/motel room - usually same place as the road crew. After you load-in (in the AM) you're done until it's time for load-out (post show), and then it's off to the next venue. Definite "day-sleeper" territory. "Runner" at the venue takes you to the hotel and picks up. "Usually" (from most of the venue's I've seen) room nearby the dock to park tractor & trailer. "Usually" can get some "groupie" to polish your wheels for a free ticket. If the Tour manager likes you - you'll get an All Access laminate stage pass. Catering goes from so-so to REALLY SWEET (and if the tour carries their own catering, it's almost always EXCELLENT). Most tours are no more than a 10-12 hour drive from the next venue, usually more like 5-6. Band & crew sleep in hotel and leave out in the AM (crew leaves first for load-in and setup - band leaves with enough time to get there for sound-check, usually 1-2 hours before doors).

As the miles usually aren't great - it's a salary + per diem + bonus type of gig. As long as you can get an act whose music is "tolerable" it can even be tons of fun too.

This would be a gig I'd JUMP ON - if I had the experience. Most places are looking for 5+ years - as it is an EXTREMELY HOT LOAD - and the gear is delicate - so it requires a fine touch and real good loading skills (most bands have one of the crew that is the "dedicated truck loader" - that directs the "local help" and makes sure everything is strapped in to his satisfaction.

Rick

[matcat]

"Usually" can get some "groupie" to polish your wheels for a free ticket.

I thought all the groupies died of aids in the 80s!

[Road82]

I called S.O.S. Transportation and Upstaging.

If i herd correctly (didn't want to ask the guy to repeat himself) All of S.O.S's trucks are in L.A. They fly you down there when a tour starts. They do some T.V. stuff and odds and ends. I think they haul for Van Hallen, or at least they were the carrier at one point.

The guy was a lot more talkative then the guy at Upstaging. Upstaging takes months to hire on, S.O.S. is a lot smaller and the hire on time is much shorter. I know thats not much help but it's all i got.
I know tour drivers never get home but i just cant wrap my mind around being out for 10 months at a time for only $1000 a week. Something both of them made a point of emphasizing. Probably to weed out the guys who don't qualify.


This is my question. I'm single, I can stay on the road for a long long time. I was once officially out for over three months, the thing is i was able to swing by the house once maybe twice a month just to say hi and touch base and pick up or drop off things. I don't see how one can stay out for that long. Say your GPS breaks and you order a new one online, or you forgot to pick up that bag of odds and ends as you left home. You have to wait 10 months to swing by the house to pick up parcels, grab mail, and make sure the house is still standing?? Are tours even that long these days?

Don't these companies have a pool of drivers so that a guy can go home for three days after being out for 4 months? I'm not worried about getting home and relaxing, i just want to be able to check on things for an hour or two.

If you hang in there for a year or two do you get enough seniority to push for a small break now and then?

I'm going to keep researching this, ill come back once i know more.

~Aaron

[avguy]

I don't know of a national tour that has gone 10 months straight, ever.

Most bands take a break during the holiday season, and January is customarily a slow month in the concert industry.

(I'm in the concert industry)

[tourat916]

I came across on of your posts today on CAD . about concert tour driving jobs. I might be able to help you out with a few of your questions. I have been working for Upstaging for about 5 years now and my only regret is not starting 15 years sooner. If you still have questions or need help your foot in the door give me a call at 239-273-2386. Most of the info on this sight was close but not entirely accurate feel free to call any time or Email me at tlfaye@live.com