If you drive T/T for FECC...

**greg334** · 01-20-2010, 04:07 PM

Actually I'm with Jim, and also the T/T seem to be the most versatile of the three levels and most of those seem to be making good money.

I think, maybe Jim or Layout or IRT can chime in but the dwell time is a lot less on average with a T/T.

And with my 4.5 years or so into this business I had the chance to be in a T/T, I would be the h*ll out of the straight.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-20-2010, 04:18 PM

So why don't you? Do you not have a CDL-A? Or is it the recent experience thing? Although I doubt its happening now, I know a number of companies will hire you and run you through a refresh course, including the one I worked for.

**greg334** · 01-20-2010, 04:38 PM

I don't, that's the problem but thanks for the offer. It is a long story what happened, not a pretty one. I had to do this on my own but I had a lot of driving experience, even taught, so it was nothing.

I got work if I had class A but it is something that it is easier for me right now to just about keep this truck moving and nothing else until the in-law issues go away which has been the biggest headache I have for the past two years.

The T/T offers more opportunities - that's seems to be a solid fact.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-20-2010, 04:44 PM

Heh, in-law issues is the second leading cause of male OTR truck driving, the first being wife issues!

**TeamCaffee** · 01-20-2010, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Shadowpanda

I never heard or read two years. I did clarify with Fed Ex safety this morning that I am good to go and they said yes. I was trained by and drove for Schneider and from personal experience that place is anything but a CDL diploma mill.
More than half the class washed out.
However after all was said and done my co-driver and I decided to go with straights after all. We have been told by more than one person that the s/t drivers make more and I don't have to screw around with trying to hang my body out the door of an auto KW and keeping both feet on pedals at once when I back. Plus they want to move us into white glove once we are eligible/cleared and all that. I don't know how long it takes to move into w/g. Right now just focused on getting started and learning the ropes.

You sure want to keep in mind how long you can drive a straight before you lose your experience in a E Unit and have to start all over. You might even consider moving back and forth if ES has WG E units.

Are all of the E units with ES dry boxes? That is the only way I can see you making more is to be in a T-Val White Glove Straight truck then an refrigerated E unit.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-20-2010, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

You sure want to keep in mind how long you can drive a straight before you lose your experience in a E Unit and have to start all over. You might even consider moving back and forth if ES has WG E units.

Are all of the E units with ES dry boxes? That is the only way I can see you making more is to be in a T-Val White Glove Straight truck then an refrigerated E unit.

Hi,
I've got a year left before I run into experience issues and I will know far before then if straights are gonna work. I do not know if ES has w/g E's and I don't know if they are dry vans. I'm not sure what you mean when you're talking about making more...more compared to what?

**TeamCaffee** · 01-20-2010, 10:21 PM

The t-val E units we know make very good money compared to the t-val straight trucks. The dry van e units also make more money then we do as a dry van straight truck.

The E units have more opportunities then we have and FCC is always begging for more E units for a reason.

**jaminjim** · 01-21-2010, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

The t-val E units we know make very good money compared to the t-val straight trucks. The dry van e units also make more money then we do as a dry van straight truck.

That was the impression I have been under also.

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

The E units have more opportunities then we have and FCC is always begging for more E units for a reason.

More opportunities always, always, means more money, and in this case substantially more. IMHO

**arkjarhead** · 01-21-2010, 01:30 AM

He says he wants more money, but then when everyone tells him he can make more money in a t/t than a straight he argues. Some people know it all.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-21-2010, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by arkjarhead

He says he wants more money, but then when everyone tells him he can make more money in a t/t than a straight he argues. Some people know it all.

I can only assume you are talking to me, however I'm not arguing. I'm not saying straights make more money. We've been told by a couple people from within FECC (not recruiting either) that straights make more money. I have no clue who does and thats why I am collecting information and the people on this board telling me about T/T's DO have my full attention as they are the ones out on the road doing it.

**TeamCaffee** · 01-21-2010, 09:27 AM

Shadowpanda keep asking your questions and also keep getting clarification when something does not make sense to you.

I would ask the recruiters or even ES to give you names of drivers you can contact in both size of trucks that are with FCC.

The more drivers you can talk to the better informed you will be.

**greg334** · 01-21-2010, 01:57 PM

Are all Reefer units "temperature validated"?

**pelicn** · 01-21-2010, 03:27 PM

Hubby and I both have a Class A with all endorsements because we drove T/T previously. The biggest reason we switched to a straight truck was because they were easier to get into more "scenic" spots. We've now been out of the T/T long enough that we would have to go back through training again. Hindsight being 20/20 we should have stayed in T/T because the income potential is much greater.

If you ever plan to return to T/T, I wouldn't go to a straight truck.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-21-2010, 04:31 PM

Well everyone seems to agree T/T pays more. Now, to ensure comparison of apples to apples...when you say it pays more are we talking about regular expediting s/t versus t/t and not getting into stuff like T-Val and w/g . Let me rephrase.
Next week I'm getting a shiny red D unit with which I will be asked to do regular sorts of expediting stuff. The consensus is then that if next week I instead was getting a shiny red E unit with which to do regular expediting things, I would see more income? And then there is additional gravy to sop up if one gets into w/g and t-val ?

**greg334** · 01-21-2010, 06:18 PM

Well if you want to hear the soft answer - here it is;

You'll make money because of the fleet owner, so don't sweat it.

Now if you want to hear a blunt assessment;

The fact that many put too much into W/G or T-Val (which is a marketing term), the fact remains that freight needs to be moved and it is and always will be a situation where you are in the right place at the right time with most of this work.

W/G and T-val and all of that should not be a focus, it is not always about the bucks but the management of the truck over a short term, longer than the next run or week that matter.

The key is and always has been versatility and flexibility, nothing else matters. If you are in a C unit with 14 feet of space, you are limited and can't take loads that are larger than 14 feet. If you are in a tractor with 50 feet of space, you now have the right amount of space to handle everything from a truck load to a small 5 lb box - as long as it pays, who really cares.

To sum it up, T/T make more money.