Does anyone here have any experience with driving a straight truck? If so, does it pay well; any quirks compared to tractor trailor?

Thanks for any info.

Robert

 

Ive driven many a mile with a straight truck,but that is grain trucks. Around here,where Im from,most local jobs that require a Class B,dont pay too well. I see ads in our paper,and most pay around $10. or so an hour. I wouldnt get out of bed for that kind of pay. Just about anytime there is a job that only requires a Class B,doesnt pay nearly as much as a Class A job.

 

I got out of a T/T and went into a fleet owner's straight truck, about lost my @ss till I found an honest company - then my income more than tripled in a straight truck.

Now I am the general manager at that same company.

Assuming you are referring to driving a straight truck for an expedite carrier, what I can tell you is that compared to driving a T/T, generally speaking, the per mile rate is higher, there is more dead head, layovers are longer and loaded miles are less.

Also, you might sign on to get $1.30/mile, and as a solo driver, only run 1500 miles per week - some weeks more, most weeks alot less. Teams should average more miles.

Depending who you sign on with, return freight might be disounted 50% - or more - some carriers have only out going freight and you'll dead head back for free after each load.

Specialty straight trucks might have a refer, tandems and lift gate - those per mile rates often are alot higher and often get additional money for driver handling charges.

The transportation industry - there's something for everyone.

 

I crunched some numbers yesterday for one of our teams in a straight truck - they have been with us for just under six weeks.

They get about 10mpg, the truck is a 2003 freightliner, 96" sleeper / 22' box, max weight they can haul is 10,000 lbs. I think the truck cost them just over $30k.

I suppose this is only worth .02 if you try to compare to another carrier, but at least it may give you some idea of the kind of $$$ that are possible in a team driven straight truck - depending which carrier you go with.

13 runs
20,789 loaded miles
Average length of run is 1599 loaded miles
1940 miles dead head = 9%
Gross pay is $26,083.88 / $1.255 per mile
$4347.31 per week average
3465 miles per week average
Longest layover = 3 days (in Portland Oregon)
Avg. layover time approx 1/2 day

I estimate that a team in a T/T driving for us could have made an additional $10,000 - $12,000 in the same six weeks - probably quite a bit more.

I'm sure these numbers are much lower than what most of the folks here make, but you now have at least one sample! Very Happy

 

I like hearing both sides of the coin to get a good idea what to expect.

Another forum dedicated to expediting has some good stickies about getting into the expeditor business.

I thought of doing cargo van because a straight trucks expenses are exponentially more, I would think. Plus I would rather try out a van to see what the difference is.

I dont know, need more info on it to be sure.

 

I have no experience straight trucking, but an old friend has just put on 20 expeditors with Express-1 Buchanan, MI. If he did this they must have lots and lots of work. He is a very shrewed businessman. Look them up and see what they have to offer.

 

thanks, ill look into them.

 

I have been driving a straight truck for the last four years. As a leased truck driver and as an o/o and have had other trucks also. I love it I would not ever go back to driving an T/T again. I have seen more country in the last 4years than I ever seen driving a T/T for off and on 18 years. I work hard under a load but after that I have free time and make more money than I did driving a T/T. I am leased on with Tristate out of Perrysburg Oh. I have been with them since June and have made $46802.04 gross with 30,284 miles with 42 trips. I can park at most restaurants, walmarts, malls and there is usually a parking space at all truck stops. There is more deadhead and downtime but you can use that time to see the sites.

 

Rob, I think you are speaking of expediter world. You are right, they are excellent articles, written by the owner of my company, Tom Robertson.

Well written and packed with excellent information.

Best of luck to you!