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ODFL | "Wild card" driver at the Albuquerque terminal.

Bigreem1985 said:
Exactly. We've got a run out of PHX that's 660 miles, and the guy that runs it basically does just that. When I was wild, I had no problem with that lol
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So, is this run done in a daycab? I presume it's run down to Phoenix, kick back in a hotel, then head back home for a ten, then do another turn.
Reminds me of a Clovis NM to Norman OK and back run I did with Ruan where I loaded a tanker at a local dairy and then drove it to Hiland Creamery in Norman. 3-4 of those runs a week and I was easily pushing $1k/week. Too bad they decided to focus too much on the local cheeseplant runs and firing people for taking truck naps during their 30-min break.

Other reason I'm looking at linehaul is due to the simplicity in the runs. Running and loading milk, the runs that stressed me out less were the Clovis-to-Willard and back, and Clovis-to-Perryton TX and back runs where I drove 200-250 miles back and forth while only loading one dairy. 8-10 hour night and $1000+/week.
The turns you guys are describing seem to be well within my liking/ability!!!
 
bentstrider83 said:
So, is this run done in a daycab? I presume it's run down to Phoenix, kick back in a hotel, then head back home for a ten, then do another turn.
Reminds me of a Clovis NM to Norman OK and back run I did with Ruan where I loaded a tanker at a local dairy and then drove it to Hiland Creamery in Norman. 3-4 of those runs a week and I was easily pushing $1k/week. Too bad they decided to focus too much on the local cheeseplant runs and firing people for taking truck naps during their 30-min break.

Other reason I'm looking at linehaul is due to the simplicity in the runs. Running and loading milk, the runs that stressed me out less were the Clovis-to-Willard and back, and Clovis-to-Perryton TX and back runs where I drove 200-250 miles back and forth while only loading one dairy. 8-10 hour night and $1000+/week.
The turns you guys are describing seem to be well within my liking/ability!!!
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Hotel or bunk room, though I'm not sure if OD has bunk rooms at any terminals.

Bring a bag with you and be prepared to be out all week. Most wild drivers I've talked to like the variety and the pay is usually good, but being out a week can be taxing. Personally, I don't think I could do more than one week without finding my bed at home and unwinding on my couch for a couple of days.

Best of luck, and welcome to LTL.
 
Canadian Flyer said:
Hotel or bunk room, though I'm not sure if OD has bunk rooms at any terminals.

Bring a bag with you and be prepared to be out all week. Most wild drivers I've talked to like the variety and the pay is usually good, but being out a week can be taxing. Personally, I don't think I could do more than one week without finding my bed at home and unwinding on my couch for a couple of days.

Best of luck, and welcome to LTL.
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Hey, as long as I'm not out the entire time, that'll be okay. There were more than a few times with Indian River where I had to either sleep at a hotel in Perryton, or even in the daycab due to some truck or load mishap.
At least with OD, I'll know I'm making some sort of bank out of the whole mission.
The primary goal for now is to get my truck paid off, and then get some funds saved up for helicopter school!!!
 
bentstrider83 said:
So, is this run done in a daycab? I presume it's run down to Phoenix, kick back in a hotel, then head back home for a ten, then do another turn.
Reminds me of a Clovis NM to Norman OK and back run I did with Ruan where I loaded a tanker at a local dairy and then drove it to Hiland Creamery in Norman. 3-4 of those runs a week and I was easily pushing $1k/week. Too bad they decided to focus too much on the local cheeseplant runs and firing people for taking truck naps during their 30-min break.

Other reason I'm looking at linehaul is due to the simplicity in the runs. Running and loading milk, the runs that stressed me out less were the Clovis-to-Willard and back, and Clovis-to-Perryton TX and back runs where I drove 200-250 miles back and forth while only loading one dairy. 8-10 hour night and $1000+/week.
The turns you guys are describing seem to be well within my liking/ability!!!
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Yup, done with a 70mph day cab. Leaves out of PHX and returns back same night. If you're not too heavy going up I-17 (bunch of big hills to climb) you can make it to the meet point in 5:10 or so, and it's quicker coming back. Can do that whole run in about 11-11:30. Linehaul is the way to go man, easy money.
 
Bigreem1985 said:
Yup, done with a 70mph day cab. Leaves out of PHX and returns back same night. If you're not too heavy going up I-17 (bunch of big hills to climb) you can make it to the meet point in 5:10 or so, and it's quicker coming back. Can do that whole run in about 11-11:30. Linehaul is the way to go man, easy money.
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Linehaul is for the lazy. It's so easy a Swift driver could do it. Come abroad.
 
Hey Bentstrider83,
I talked to my meet guy and he said ABQ is looking for quite a few line drivers... I'd def try to get in asap if that's what you're choosing to do. Get that leg up on seniority. He also mentioned about adding a few runs, so good chance you wouldn't stay wild too long.
 
nightowl said:
How do your wild drivers earn days off? Is it 2 days off for 5 worked? Do you earn more days off for more days worked?
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Out of HAR, you always get your scheduled two days off whether you're wild turn or wild bag. Plus, our wild drivers start within a set start time window - it's not all over the place unless you start having longer or shorter shifts where your 10 is up at a different time than when you started at the beginning of your week. We have night turn, day turn, and bag for extra board.

You don't need to "earn" days off. This ain't truckload OTR.
 
wawtrucker said:
Out of HAR, you always get your scheduled two days off whether you're wild turn or wild bag. Plus, our wild drivers start within a set start time window - it's not all over the place unless you start having longer or shorter shifts where your 10 is up at a different time than when you started at the beginning of your week. We have night turn, day turn, and bag for extra board.

You don't need to "earn" days off. This ain't truckload OTR.
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Perks of a big break bulk. That would be perfect for me... having a 5 day wild schedule. I'd probably never jump off of it. I like doing different runs each day.
 
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Bigreem1985 said:
Hey Bentstrider83,
I talked to my meet guy and he said ABQ is looking for quite a few line drivers... I'd def try to get in asap if that's what you're choosing to do. Get that leg up on seniority. He also mentioned about adding a few runs, so good chance you wouldn't stay wild too long.
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That sounds good. While I understand the LTL culture of getting seniority in, I too would like to get back to having some sort of set days off as soon as I'm able to. Unlike a lot of others, I actually prefer to take my days off Weds/Thurs. I presume there's going to be a lot of open runs that go through the nights and weekends. If so, I'd be set.
 
bentstrider83 said:
That sounds good. While I understand the LTL culture of getting seniority in, I too would like to get back to having some sort of set days off as soon as I'm able to. Unlike a lot of others, I actually prefer to take my days off Weds/Thurs. I presume there's going to be a lot of open runs that go through the nights and weekends. If so, I'd be set.
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Move to Carlisle, PA! Tons of money, and trips to Brooklyn!
 
bentstrider83 said:
That sounds good. While I understand the LTL culture of getting seniority in, I too would like to get back to having some sort of set days off as soon as I'm able to. Unlike a lot of others, I actually prefer to take my days off Weds/Thurs. I presume there's going to be a lot of open runs that go through the nights and weekends. If so, I'd be set.
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Not sure about ABQ, but we have sun-thurs, M-F, tues-Saturday, and Wednesday-Sunday. Don't have anything that resets weds/Thursday, but the weds-sun schedule sounds good for you, plus no one really wants that schedule so that works to your advantage.
 
Canadian Flyer said:
Hotel or bunk room, though I'm not sure if OD has bunk rooms at any terminals.

Bring a bag with you and be prepared to be out all week. Most wild drivers I've talked to like the variety and the pay is usually good, but being out a week can be taxing. Personally, I don't think I could do more than one week without finding my bed at home and unwinding on my couch for a couple of days.

Best of luck, and welcome to LTL.
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I'm like the old country song, six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight...
 
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