[hard2explain18]

Another good thing about the local job is that you're around all of the time if something better comes up. It might be the middle of the week and you might run into a local LTL driver and find out his company is looking for a local driver ASAP. Then you could swing by and apply instead of being OTR and only home on weekends.

Working for a building supply company will probably give you some experience with the overhead boom and and thats something else you can add to your resume. Just be careful and know all of your surroundings!!! You'll be going to jobsites and new home developments and these can get tight sometimes. Just keep your eyes open.


I take it that the steel hauling company that you talked to is PI&I. If thats the case then I'd stay away from them. Thats pretty much the company that all the white trash around here work for. They make McDonalds workers look glorious.

[wanderingson]

Originally Posted by jamesinge

Its also the Federal law that you be paid overtime. Anyone who doesnt pay overtime is in for a wolrd of legal hurt.

Not true in the trucking industry. Wish it was!

[hard2explain18]

Some of you guys really amaze me when you don't know the laws regarding the industry in which you're employed. Its not federal law to pay truck drivers overtime. Even though it would be nice. There aren't many companies that pay overtime. I have a friend that does local work for a union carrier and he gets straight time for the 50 or so hours he puts in per week. Maybe some contracts are different, but he is paid straight time. I've heard of a few companies that claim to pay overtime after 40 hours per week, but if a guy works 10 hours a day monday through thursday, they just give him friday off. If you want to believe that its a federal law to pay truck drivers overtime, then you must be the guy who calls the Federal Marshall when the scalehouse asks for your logbook.

[GMAN]

21% is a little low for percentage. You should be getting a minimum of 25%. Some of us pay as much as 30% for flat bed. You are usually paid by the hundred weight. And if you are only getting $1.25 for pulling out of Pennsylvania, you are with the wrong company. A friend of mine pulls out of Pennsylvania and averages well over $1.50/mile. In fact he has been getting as high as $1.90 for some runs. It all depends on who you run for and where you go. I would talk to other drivers with the same company. They can give you a better idea of what rates they are running under and how many miles or weight. 8)

[yoopr]

Originally Posted by jamesinge

Its also the Federal law that you be paid overtime. Anyone who doesnt pay overtime is in for a wolrd of legal hurt.

sorry but you're Wrong

[hard2explain18]

I'm not driving right now and when I was we pulled much better freight. The problem with pulling steel in the Pittsburgh area is you have companies like PGT, Falcon, PI&I, B&T express and Hone and sons that pull out the mills for next to nothing. I know they pull out of Mitttal Weirton Steel down in West Virginia to Chcago for $575. Its about 460 miles so thats about $1.25 per mile. The companies probably get a fuel surcharge but the drivers percentage doesn't include any of that. When I was with TMC, I always pulled drywall out of Shippingport and it paid around $1.70 per mile. I was getting 40 cpm and it didn't affect me if they were pulling cheaper freight.

I agree 100% that $1.00 to $1.25 per mile is cutthroat rates, but when every idiot wants to pull steel and the supply of trucks is bigger than the demand the rates are low. Pittsburgh Logistics which is owned by PGT cuts the rates and then the companies mentioned above pull their freight.

[solo379]

Originally Posted by GMAN

It all depends on who you run for and where you go.

Exactly!
At 24% of gross, i'd make about $1,200 this week, well, actually it's just sunday thru thursday.

[bigdognamedpup]

I am going to suggest the local hourly it always works out better that way. And as far as the person that says its law to pay overtime needs to reread the law trucking companies are exempt from that law. So are farms and such. For instance I am looking at a local job now at 14 per hour but it is 5 14 hr days I know that is alot of time at work but its a grand a week to stay at home and have weekends off to hang out with my family and friends. And I know it is a little less than a 1000 per week but its close enough.

[jamesinge]

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/011.htm

I dont see trucking as an exempt business. I think the confusion is from workers governed by hours of service laws. If you carry a logbook. If you punch a time card it is not so.

I appologize to the original poster for hijaking their topic but since I got jumped on by the trucking legal experts I am defending my statement.

[bigdognamedpup]

Originally Posted by jamesinge

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/011.htm

I dont see trucking as an exempt business. I think the confusion is from workers governed by hours of service laws. If you carry a logbook. If you punch a time card it is not so.

I appologize to the original poster for hijaking their topic but since I got jumped on by the trucking legal experts I am defending my statement.

I have worked a local job where you punch a time card and they dont have to pay overtime either. Matter of fact look at Wilson trucking in Charlotte, NC I worked on their dock and even their dock workers are exempt from over time. I am not trying to jump you but you do need to look at the laws again. Trucking and farming are exempt. The only trucking companies as a general rule that are going to pay overtime are union. And I imagine the job this person is talking about isnt union.