After re-reading your post I see you already asked some questions. Sorry bout that, I was in a hurry to leave for work.
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Originally Posted by Truck Driver Dave
how the bidding works
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Each barn has scheduled runs to the same places every night that they have probably run for years. For example at Kansas City run "KAN001" might go to St Louis and back every night M-F. It will have a scheduled departure time, scheduled arrival time, scheduled return time. Roughly 90% of road drivers will have a scheduled run. The other 10% are extra board drivers. There is always extra freight. There might be 3 scheduled runs to St Louis every nite but if there is too much St Louis freight then they send another truck from the extra board. We bid every 6 months and the top guy picks first and down the line. When its your turn to pick you choose from whats left or you can pick extra board. Extra board is run by seniority too so every nite top extra board guy gets choice of the extra runs. I would assume this is where you'll end up at the beginning, bottom of the extra board. You'll work most every nite but you wont know where you are going. You might not work a nite here and there but dont worry we're busy. I cant remember my last nite off, maybe February?
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Originally Posted by Truck Driver Dave
pay.
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You start out at .459/mile and 18.05/hr. You get the mileage while driving, the hourly is if you are working the dock or city P&D. You'll get a raise every 6 months for 3 years plus we get annual cost of living raise. Right now top pay is .5415/mile and 21.50/hour. You should make 50k plus your first year, maybe more if your lucky. With 3 years seniority and at top pay you could be 60-80 depending on what you bid on. I know KC has some sleeper team runs and some solo layovers. You can get alot of miles if you dont mind being gone.
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Originally Posted by Truck Driver Dave
what’s its like as a newbie and all that.
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Good days and bad. On the extra board you might get a nice 500 mile turn that takes 8-10 hours to do with minimal aggravation. Or you might run 3-4 shorter legs totalling 400-600 miles with drops and hooks and waiting for dispatch that takes 12-14 hrs to do. Some of the bid runs go to a hub where you drive a couple hundred miles then work the dock 2-4 hours and return home. You might cover one of these runs for vacations, illness, etc. Guys bid these runs because its a set schedule and predictable even though they might not care for the dock. Extra board is unpredictable but you get home most nites. We run 100% legal and if you run out of hours you would take your 10 hour break in a motel. For the most part its Mon nite thru Fri nite with weekends and holidays off. Typically start 8-11 PM and get done when you get done. Check with your TM for more on your terminal. There is usually weekend work available if you're interested, I'm not.
Right now we have a company paid pension
and 50% match on 401k upto your first 7%. Family med is about $20 week for 85% and $70 week for 100%, insurance is pretty good. 8 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday and 3 sick days. Company provides uniforms. The newer Volvos are nice but you'll probably end up with an older Intertrashinal, not so nice! But cruise, AC and AM/FM are standard. We have assigned trucks that are shared with city drivers. Some barns assign the truck to the run, not the driver, check with your TM. I say right now because it all could change. The teamsters are negotiating a contract for Indianapolis and when its done each barn can vote for it. I think we'll all end up as teamsters which might mean a little extra, we'll see.
Overall, I like it. I'd prefer to be independently wealthy but that's not happening! Its an easy job for the most part. The only hard part is staying awake all nite and trying to sleep in the daytime. Thats why you always see guys who pull wiggle wagons on the side of the road napping on their steering wheel! That and weather, but that's a whole different story! Just hope your not empty!
UPS Freight - Looking for Info??
