TForce | How much pay cut would you be willing to take if linehaul was mostly during the daytime?

[maxicoze]

i subbed in for linehaul this week. For some reason, this week i was extremely tired. i think because this was a set "000" series route between terminals. And the way it was setup, you really couldn't take any breaks. Whereas when i was running linehaul fulltime, it was a "900" series run and i could and did take naps frequently although usually only 1/2 hour to an hour at a time and usually only once per night if i did take a nap at all. So, that is probably why i was REALLY tired this time.

i actually started hallucinating the last night of the week-----the interstate changed into a dirt path like you'd see in a fantasy/medieval movie setting and i was no longer driving a truck and i wasn't a driver anymore---i was some wizard/sorcerer and the "truck" turned into some large glass box that was moving. A few minutes later, i "saw" a guy sitting on a roadside billboard. Fortunately, these "trips" only lasted for a second or so. This was a very dangerous situation and since it was the last night of the week and the terminals were all closed, and wouldn't break the freight until sunday night/monday morning, i DID decide to take a nap as soon as i got to the next terminal. Of course, central started calling about 2 hours later, but i never returned the call because i didn't feel like talking to them and they stopped calling.

When i finally made it home to my terminal, i actually dropped my tail trailer (we, of course use the term "drop" when we detach a trailer, but this time i actually PHYSICALLY DROPPED a trailer because i forgot to crank down the landing gear because i was so frickin tired.) as i pulled the converter dolly out from under it. Fortunately, the tail trailer was lightly loaded and on the freightlners, the end of the frame is angle wedged such that you can drop your air bags and back up just underneath the front of the trailer. Then air up, crank the gear down a little, then air down and back underneath a little more, and repeat the process as many times necessary to back completely under the trailer. It only took a minute or two, but what if the trailer had a heavier load in it, like the 20,000 or even 25,000lbs we occasionally get?

i just felt totally beat down and depressed---i feel like going to sleep now. i don't think linehaul is sustainable.

So, how much of a paycut would you be willing to take IF linehaul was daytime or mostly daytime?

 

[maxicoze]

i know some wouldn't be willing to take any paycut. That's fine if nighttime works for you. For me, i'm thinking i would go as low as .50 cpm and $25hr. Although, realistically, .60cpm and $25 would be a good compromise to the company.


Points to consider:

1) Why can't linehaul work during the daytime? We are already late/slow, so what difference is one day later going to make? Also, the whole time i've been here, i have only experienced 4 next day deliveries. Two were on my truck for local deliveries that day when i did P+D, and two were on my truck doing linehaul.

2) Even if dockwork was involved, i think this could still work. Because dockwork in the middle of the day is just different from middle of the night, hectic dockwork. i can't really explain it in words. This would be "dayliner" instead of "niteliner."

3) Maybe night time linehaul wouldn't/couldn't completely go away? There still might be a need for it, but linehaul would still be mostly daytime.

4) There may be more of a requirement to work weekends especially for lower seniority drivers? This way we don't get TOO far behind......


In this new setting, there would be no "linehaul" drivers per se; There will be city drivers and "cdl/dock combo" drivers. The "combo" drivers might go to a terminal and unoad their inbound trailers and load their outbound trailers, maybe?

Actually, we would not have two trailers and we would largely eliminate the use of doubles. Instead, we would mostly use 53's. And for states west of the missisippi, 57'.

 

[BIG R GUY]

Are you 1984Sideways in disguise?

 

[ABF381]

i subbed in for linehaul this week.
i just felt totally beat down and depressed---i feel like going to sleep now. i don't think linehaul is sustainable.

So, how much of a paycut would you be willing to take IF linehaul was daytime or mostly daytime?

What this tells me is you aren't cut out for linehaul. Line haul is certainly sustainable as they didn't just start doing it the week before you started driving, as we have a member on here who ran linehaul in 1955, but it goes back even farther than that. Now before you ask, nope I don't work for T Force, but linehaul is the same for most companies so it makes no difference....me personally I have no desire to run LH but if I did there would be no cut for me....

 

[SuperCourse]

Back in the day we were allowed much more freedom to take naps or breaks when we needed them. For example, if you had a run that was 10hrs drive time, you were allowed 2 hours for breaks, so 12 hours would be your expected arrival. If you needed more they just wanted a call to let them know. Running straight through and arriving in 10 hours was frowned upon by other drivers and considered eroding working conditions.

 

[ABF381]

Back in the day we were allowed much more freedom to take naps or breaks when we needed them. For example, if you had a run that was 10hrs drive time, you were allowed 2 hours for breaks, so 12 hours would be your expected arrival. If you needed more they just wanted a call to let them know. Running straight through and arriving in 10 hours was frowned upon by other drivers and considered eroding working conditions.

That is so true....then you have some butt kissers who think not taking proper breaks will get them ahead....you even see it on the city side with guys not taking breaks.....union and non....you try to explain it to them that they are helping to keep someone laid off or from being hired and they don't get it...

 

[Triplex]

Back in the day we were allowed much more freedom to take naps or breaks when we needed them. For example, if you had a run that was 10hrs drive time, you were allowed 2 hours for breaks, so 12 hours would be your expected arrival. If you needed more they just wanted a call to let them know. Running straight through and arriving in 10 hours was frowned upon by other drivers and considered eroding working conditions.

More than once the selfish, self-centered "rabbits" ruined runs at different companies. Shame on them and the harm they did to other drivers.

 

[1984Sideways]

I have quit companies that put into a position of being awake all the time. I no longer do that.

Port East would have me show up to collect my Mack in the shop line in Baltimore downtown near the Salt Pile at 2 am. Find my container hook by three. Be gone to make the Woodrow Wilson Bridge by 6 am. Never mind Norfolk at sunrise. Be at the port fast. (Mack was not that fast. Maybe 200 horse, short 9's and frankly not too fast...) Then sit on the payphone calling once or twice a hour. (This is before anything internet, computer or smart phones.)

No sleepers either. End up sunburned short of fluids and food etc and call at 6PM Dispatch says come on home with your chassis. Through Richmond Rush, Quantico Rush, DC Mess, Baltimore crap? Im home at midnight.

Guess what. Take a nap in drivers room corner. Back in the truck at 2 am to do Norfolk all over again.

40 dollars gross per box to Norfolk. 10.00 for chassis back. The reason these boxes went to Norfolk is that they missed the loading in Baltimore Port and the Ship is going to sea past Norfolk. That box has to be on that ship now or it will rot for months going no where.

250ish a week gross. Withholding, health insurance and dues etc all came out to about 125 a week net. Gasoline was another 60 of that.

40 damn dollars a day. Do you know one incident with the Maryland State Police? Trooper was sitting at a light near Finksburg where its two state highways together at that intersection and light in a draw.

I blasted through sleepy head dead to the world at 100. Then 80. Red light too. Busted everything. Too tired to give a damn. Trooper came to me window saw I was messed up and tired. Saw my Class A and figured to find a spot for me to sleep before I killed.

Tickets? Lets not worry about all that. If he formally wrote tickets for that incident I would be out of trucking and forced to turn in my Class A by the time he got done writing on points and fines. To this day i dont know the true extent of my violations. But he saved my license and my future if not also my life and others.

Port East did not deserve my continued prostrating on their dispatcher counter to be abused in that way constantly. They can shove it.

 

[Triplex]

I have quit companies that put into a position of being awake all the time. I no longer do that.

Port East would have me show up to collect my Mack in the shop line in Baltimore downtown near the Salt Pile at 2 am. Find my container hook by three. Be gone to make the Woodrow Wilson Bridge by 6 am. Never mind Norfolk at sunrise. Be at the port fast. (Mack was not that fast. Maybe 200 horse, short 9's and frankly not too fast...) Then sit on the payphone calling once or twice a hour. (This is before anything internet, computer or smart phones.)

No sleepers either. End up sunburned short of fluids and food etc and call at 6PM Dispatch says come on home with your chassis. Through Richmond Rush, Quantico Rush, DC Mess, Baltimore crap? Im home at midnight.

Guess what. Take a nap in drivers room corner. Back in the truck at 2 am to do Norfolk all over again.

40 dollars gross per box to Norfolk. 10.00 for chassis back. The reason these boxes went to Norfolk is that they missed the loading in Baltimore Port and the Ship is going to sea past Norfolk. That box has to be on that ship now or it will rot for months going no where.

And here is a riddle. Jones act. US Baltimore Port to US Norfolk Port. Domestic. American Flagged Ships and companies only. No foreign. How is it that I can bound a box full of Potatoes Snowden from Hanover to Bremen Germany for eventual use in Poland by way of Baltimore- Norfolk on a Hapag Line?

40 damn dollars a day. Do you know one incident with the Maryland State Police? Trooper Wolf was sitting at a light near Finksburg where its two state highways together at that intersection and light in a draw.

I blasted through sleepy head dead to the world at 100. Then 80. Red light too. Busted everything. Too tired to give a damn. Trooper came to me window saw I was messed up and tired. Saw my Class A and figured to find a spot for me to sleep before I killed.

Tickets? Lets not worry about all that. If he formally wrote tickets for that incident I would be out of trucking and forced to turn in my Class A by the time he got done writing on points and fines. To this day i dont know the true extent of my violations. But he saved my license and my future if not also my life and others.

Port East did not deserve my continued prostrating on their dispatcher counter to be abused in that way constantly. They can shove it.

I love your concise posts!

 

[maxicoze]

What this tells me is you aren't cut out for linehaul. Line haul is certainly sustainable as they didn't just start doing it the week before you started driving, as we have a member on here who ran linehaul in 1955, but it goes back even farther than that. Now before you ask, nope I don't work for T Force, but linehaul is the same for most companies so it makes no difference....me personally I have no desire to run LH but if I did there would be no cut for me....

i think part of the problem for this week in particular was i was working daytime P+D for many weeks and then all of a sudden on friday afternoon it was , "Can you sub in for linehaul next week?"

1) So, my inner clock was on daytime and

2) These particular runs, since you don't work at T-force:
"000" series runs are set route runs which run from set predetermined terminals. Everything is timed and there's really no time to take a nap. Central dispatch is watching you like a hawk.

"800" and "900" series runs are essentially "extra board" type runs where you could (and will) go literally anywhere at anytime and may not even come home in the morning---900 runs. 800 runs are "required" for the driver to come home every morning.

With these 8 and 9 runs, there is pressure to bring your terminal's outbound freight to a hub before 12am. But after that, it's a little looser. There's usually enough leeway to take a short nap. i'm pretty sure we are entitled a 1 hour break per union contract. (?) Taking a 1 hour nap can REALLY help. But even then, i was very tired doing linehaul.

Unfortunately, nightime linehaul just can't work for me long-term. The actual work itself is one of the best jobs in any field. It's just the damn hours.....

 

[Triplex]

i think part of the problem for this week in particular was i was working daytime P+D for many weeks and then all of a sudden on friday afternoon it was , "Can you sub in for linehaul next week?"

1) So, my inner clock was on daytime and

2) These particular runs, since you don't work at T-force:
"000" series runs are set route runs which run from set predetermined terminals. Everything is timed and there's really no time to take a nap. Central dispatch is watching you like a hawk.

"800" and "900" series runs are essentially "extra board" type runs where you could (and will) go literally anywhere at anytime and may not even come home in the morning---900 runs. 800 runs are "required" for the driver to come home every morning.

With these 8 and 9 runs, there is pressure to bring your terminal's outbound freight to a hub before 12am. But after that, it's a little looser. There's usually enough leeway to take a short nap. i'm pretty sure we are entitled a 1 hour break per union contract. (?) Taking a 1 hour nap can REALLY help. But even then, i was very tired doing linehaul.

Unfortunately, nightime linehaul just can't work for me long-term. The actual work itself is one of the best jobs in any field. It's just the damn hours.....

Driver, the DOT rules are in your favor. If you are fatigued and need to rest then get a little nap. If the company gives you any crap tell them you were fatigued/sleepy and for safety reasons needed to take a short nap. The laws are on your side, don't be afraid to use them.

 

[Green$dawg]

i know some wouldn't be willing to take any paycut. That's fine if nighttime works for you. For me, i'm thinking i would go as low as .50 cpm and $25hr. Although, realistically, .60cpm and $25 would be a good compromise to the company.


Points to consider:

1) Why can't linehaul work during the daytime? We are already late/slow, so what difference is one day later going to make? Also, the whole time i've been here, i have only experienced 4 next day deliveries. Two were on my truck for local deliveries that day when i did P+D, and two were on my truck doing linehaul.

2) Even if dockwork was involved, i think this could still work. Because dockwork in the middle of the day is just different from middle of the night, hectic dockwork. i can't really explain it in words. This would be "dayliner" instead of "niteliner."

3) Maybe night time linehaul wouldn't/couldn't completely go away? There still might be a need for it, but linehaul would still be mostly daytime.

4) There may be more of a requirement to work weekends especially for lower seniority drivers? This way we don't get TOO far behind......


In this new setting, there would be no "linehaul" drivers per se; There will be city drivers and "cdl/dock combo" drivers. The "combo" drivers might go to a terminal and unoad their inbound trailers and load their outbound trailers, maybe?

Actually, we would not have two trailers and we would largely eliminate the use of doubles. Instead, we would mostly use 53's. And for states west of the missisippi, 57'.

Remember what ever you give up will never be given back Give back for daytime pretty soon they will be cutting nighttime If you can't run night's maybe city is your best option

 

[SuperCourse]

Driver, the DOT rules are in your favor. If you are fatigued and need to rest then get a little nap. If the company gives you any crap tell them you were fatigued/sleepy and for safety reasons needed to take a short nap. The laws are on your side, don't be afraid to use them.

Yes, they won't fire you for it.........they'll just find another reason.

 

[SuperCourse]

Things have changed since I was linehauling. You got GPS. We had paper logs, when you left the terminal they had no idea where you were or what you were doing until you got to your destination. I used to take naps and log it all driving if I didn't feel like doing a lot of miles that night. The log book was your friend back then if you knew how to spin a tale.

2) These particular runs, since you don't work at T-force:
"000" series runs are set route runs which run from set predetermined terminals. Everything is timed and there's really no time to take a nap. Central dispatch is watching you like a hawk.

 

[kboomarang]

Night linehaul isn't just doing the same job on a different shift, it requires a real dedicated change in ones total life style including family time and that change takes a really long time to achieve and is not without pain.

 

[steve5]

i think part of the problem for this week in particular was i was working daytime P+D for many weeks and then all of a sudden on friday afternoon it was , "Can you sub in for linehaul next week?"

1) So, my inner clock was on daytime and

2) These particular runs, since you don't work at T-force:
"000" series runs are set route runs which run from set predetermined terminals. Everything is timed and there's really no time to take a nap. Central dispatch is watching you like a hawk.

"800" and "900" series runs are essentially "extra board" type runs where you could (and will) go literally anywhere at anytime and may not even come home in the morning---900 runs. 800 runs are "required" for the driver to come home every morning.

With these 8 and 9 runs, there is pressure to bring your terminal's outbound freight to a hub before 12am. But after that, it's a little looser. There's usually enough leeway to take a short nap. i'm pretty sure we are entitled a 1 hour break per union contract. (?) Taking a 1 hour nap can REALLY help. But even then, i was very tired doing linehaul.

Unfortunately, nightime linehaul just can't work for me long-term. The actual work itself is one of the best jobs in any field. It's just the damn hours.....

I ran Sleeper Team under 800, years ago. Its to destination and back home, 900 is wild. unless they changed it.

 

[Triplex]

Yes, they won't fire you for it.........they'll just find another reason.

If you're a half decent worker and you don't make a habit of this, why would they look to fire you if it's a rare thing, especially if you're in the right and the law is on your side? If, on the other hand you're a screw up then yes, maybe they will look for reasons to stick it to you.

 

[Hookman]

Was the guy sitting on the billboard waving at you when you went by?

Time for a Nap.

 

[joes bar and grill]

Are you 1984Sideways in disguise?

They are a couple

 

[Tolietpaper]

Not a chance I'd even remotely consider a cut. I think we should be getting at least. 80cpm and $40 an hour. First shift with all of the traffic hassles and accidents sucks.