R&L carriers

Yea they definitely won't raise wages

 

This might be lengthy but if you're bored, I think it's worth the read. Here we go, I'm not sure about other LTL companies, but I know from speaking with the terminal manager and the other corporate cats they had at the open house, the P&D guys make more than the line haul guys at R&L. They kept telling me that, as if they were trying to persuade me, but I'm just honestly not into the whole 15-20 stops consisting of pick ups & deliveries, shifting freight around the trailer all day to fit this, or offload that, dealing with spots that aren't meant for trucks, always under the gun to get to the next spot while getting additional stops or pick ups, etc. That's just not my style. I'm a pretty laid back guy and I'm sociable under the right circumstances, but I'm not real partial to putting on a fake smile to interact with customers at every stop, and I've got an extremely short temper for incompetence and morons, so with all of that combined I just don't see it being a good idea for me. I know myself so well, that I'm not even willing to try it, even if it seems like a good oppourtunity becasue I'd be unhappy as hell, I can see it now. Line Haul on the other hand I'd enjoy.

I saw the pay sheet, and for the first couple of years as a P&D guy you max out at 20.85 or something around there, very small increments in cents and never outside of 20 bucks, then I believe year 3 or 4 you make a big jump up to 26 bucks an hour. I feel they could have structured that better, but I don't make the rules. Texastruck'r, you're also correct on the overtime issue, no overtime unless you go over 60 hours I believe was the number. They're on a "50 hour schedule" is what the TM told me. Now I don't know how often you stick to 50 hours, as I have a few buddies that run P&D for different companies and they're not usually off in less than 12 hours, but maybe R&L has a different system, I have no idea. I also have no idea on the average weekly pay for Line Haul, I never saw that pay sheet but I know it's cpm and a mix of percentage of load, but I know it's a bit less than P&D.

But with that said, when calculating pay, you have to go off the lowest possible hours, so lets say for ####s and giggles it's 50 hours a week. Add in insurance which wasn't too bad for a family (70 a week) tax deductions, (varies by the individual) gas for your vehicle to get to and from work, food on the road if you don't bring a lunch with you etc, and that 1000 bucks can turn into mid to high 7's or low 8's real quick. Let's not talk about what the potential is if you get less than 50. You don't really see the money until about year 3 or 4. Compare that to other LTL's that start you out around 22 or 23 an hour right off the bat (they're out there.) I also didn't like the Auto trucks. I did the driving test in an auto as that's all they'll have at this terminal, and while the trucks were very nice, I just flat didn't care for the auto transmission on my first go at it. Just felt strange, as if I was just driving a big car. I didn't dig it personally although it might have grown on me, so I won't be overly critical on that as the industry in moving that direction anyway, even though I'm not a fan. Part of the fun in driving trucks for me is shifting gears, especially when you're good at it.

I think my issue is, I personally feel they're trying to be smooth and wait until I sign the new hire papers and put me through orientation, to lay it on me that they're putting me as a P&D driver, because over the last 2 weeks they've been telling me (oh yea we got you down for line haul) but of course I show up today so they can get a copy of my new license with my endorsements, and they drop the bombshell on me. It went something like this, "now, what did you apply for?" after giving the fella behind the desk a blank stare of confusion I replied, "Line Haul" their response, "well, we're having to shift some things around becasue we've got a few line haul guys from other terminals that want to move to this terminal." Of ####ing course you do, my red flags raised immediately as I knew my fate at that point. Add that to the fact, that it would put me at the bottom of the totem pole since they already filled the P&D spots, which makes me feel as if I could get the shaft and end up in a "on call" situation until a route opened up.

That, plus the fact my MAIN goal is to get into some sort of hazmat hauling, gas, diesel, chemicals etc, hell even food grade tankers even though it's not hazmat, makes it difficult for me to think LONG TERM in regards to dealing with lower pay for 2 or 3 years because ultimately, this isn't what I plan to do. I can get on easily running gravel/asphalt etc M-F, long days and a 30 minute commute one way vs a 5 minute commute, but I can bring home just as much as R&L and I actually have an assigned truck, manual transmission, and freedom to run how I see fit, and if I leave there isn't a whole lot invested in terms of long orientations, computer work for orientation, mountains of paperwork, long driver training etc like at R&L, becasue I've already done that type of work. Not to mention the asphalt/gravel company that's wanting to hire me also has flatbeds, which I could do since most of my experience is pulling skateboards, so if the weather got bad and shut down the flow boys and belly dumps I could do that, as most of their drivers only run one specific trailer as that's all the they've ran, or are willing to run.

Speaking of the corporate feel, I'm used to running for O/O's. Now, you never really get a sweet deal with good health insurance, new equipment etc, (I prefer older tractors) but they've always let me run how I see fit, never micromanaged me, never shared a truck with another driver, or gave me grief as long I safely got the load to the destination. R&L would be my first "LEGIT" job in terms of it being a more corporate ran deal. Micromanagement, computers in the trucks, 5 different people telling me 5 different things, policies and safety procedures out of the ### that you can get you written up for etc. I got a taste of it at the hiring event although the fellas were welcoming (of course it's an open house), and I'm just not sure that's my kind of deal. I'd probably be more inclined to give something like that a shot if it were more in line with my career goals i.e, fuel hauling etc. But who knows?

I might wake up and feel inclined to go in and see what the deal is, or I might roll back over and sleep in with my wife, if my 18 month old allows it. I'll tell you this though, IF I do go in, I plan to ask some questions regarding pay, realistic hours per week that can be expected, is there a load board where you have to wait a certain amount of time to get a consistent run (I wouldn't think so as everyone there is the new guy but who knows.) If the answers are to my liking, I might sign the papers because up to this point, what I have shared is the ONLY info I have been given, and I don't plan to sign any dotted line without more information. I don't need to find out on week 2 after jumping through hoops that the whole story has changed, and we all know how that goes.

I'll postpone the rambling for now, as I stare at this bottle of benedryl (the only way I can get to sleep) and rack my brain trying to figure out if I actually took it BEFORE I started writing this, as that was my plan. But I can't recall at this point if I actually DID take it or not, as I've stepped away from my computer a time or two while writing this, as I wouldn't want to necessarily die in my sleep tonight although I doubt I would if I double dosed (comedic relief.) Regardless, this should give you a better idea of what you were pondering on leaving the oilfield for. If I weren't such a homebody and family man, I'd be out there with ya.

Dave

 

The pay is my biggest thing yea 26 is good but I can’t wait 3-4 years to make that the raise thing is ridiculous 20 and .30 cents a year Smh it would prob get me it it were to be a $2 yearly increase 20-22-24-26 but I don’t have enough saved up to take a pay decrease right now I did that when I got done with otr and made less biweekly than I was averaging weekly otr but now I’m doing ok if I pay off some things and save up enough money I’ll try r+l again in a few years give them time to get that new terminal adjusted

 

I hear ya loud n clear and I agree. I also think a pay scale similar to what you mentioned would be a better fit, as the TM also voiced his opinion and thought it should change after a few people pressed him on it. I hope everything works out for ya.

Dave