There are many types of trucking jobs, but did you know that one of them is what holds our national economy together more than any other? Linehaul trucking is what connects cities across the continent in ground logistics. This type of trucking is not as flashy as the spot market and hot shot trucking. Nor is it as personally flexible as dedicated trucking is to its drivers. Yet, linehaul trucking is one of the most important logistics services that carriers can provide. We break down the details of this trucking job below.
What is Linehaul Trucking?
Whereas Hotshot trucking moves small amounts of freight (i.e. single packages or someone’s new refrigerator) and Dedicated trucking is usually only moving freight for a single customer between that customer’s disparate locations. Linehaul trucking moves freight between regular locations, but it does so on a massive scale. When you see big 18-wheelers on the interstate, chances are that most of those trucks are running a linehaul.
Linehauls connect cities together like a big network of blood vessels. In the logistics world, we call major destination cities terminals. Linehaul trucking usually involves a team of trucks (2-3) picking up freight at one terminal, like Memphis, and delivers that freight to distant terminal, like Chicago, and then moves freight back again. These loads are not the smaller loads that Hotshot or Dedicated trucking does. Instead, these trucks are regularly pulling an FTL (Full-Truckload) of about 40,000lbs. That’s a lot of freight.
Therefore, we say that Linehaul Trucking keeps North America Alive. All this freight that is getting moved daily across long distances and many hours is what keeps our grocery stores stocked, our department stores full of clothes, and moves the parts and materials that are required for manufacturers to keep producing the goods necessary for us to live.
What it Takes to Be a Linehaul Trucker
In our last blog post we discussed the ins and outs of Dedicated Trucking, and Linehaul Trucking has some key similarities. Just like Dedicated trucking, linehaul drivers usually know their set routes and their set rates before even getting behind the wheel. Linehauls are planned out months in advance to ensure that the goods have plenty of time to reach their final destination. Additionally, linehauls usually move between two partnering companies so you will generally be working for a company as a linehaul driver. This means less personal liability and more job security like Dedicated Trucking.
One of the key differences, though, are the hours of operation. Most linehauls don’t start running until 8pm to allow freight to be delivered to the pickup facility and fully loaded onto a linehaul truck. And because these routes can take hundreds to thousands of miles to complete, these truckers are usually looking at a 10 hour shift starting around 8 or 9pm. So, if you’re interested in learning about Linehaul driving opportunities, or any of the driving opportunities mentioned, get in touch with us. We’re happy to answer your questions.