Long Haul

In long haul transportation, distance-based pay (i.e., paid by the mile) is common and often comes with additional pay for tasks like loading/unloading and waiting. Some pay systems are based on a percentage of each load’s revenue or per load rate, while some companies pay a salary or by the hour (although this is less common).

Long haul trucking equipment may include any type of straight truck or tractor-trailer combination. Day cab trucks are less common, as they lack sleeping accommodations. However, some companies may elect to have drivers sleep in hotels and, thus, use day cab vehicles for long trips.

Drivers can expect to perform common driving-specific tasks, like city and highway driving, pre-and post-trip vehicle inspections, cargo securement, and customer service-related responsibilities. While some drivers may have to load and unload their vehicles at customer sites, others do what’s called “pin to pin” work. This is where drivers are only responsible for moving the trailers and other individuals are tasked with handling the freight within them. Drivers in this sector can expect to spend more time driving and less time working around their vehicles.

Shifts can be up to full legal limits (14 hours of work in a 16-hour window) and may be anytime during the day or night. Most drivers drive primarily during the day, whereas some may drive at night due to operational demands. Many long haul drivers have flexibility in their schedules to manage their own hours to a certain degree.

Long haul drivers have fewer physical demands when compared to drivers who do similar work at a local level because long haulers spend more time driving. However, physical demands will also largely depend on the specific work the employer does and what drivers are required to do when loading and unloading.

Drivers in this sector will likely spend most nights away from home. Some companies have their drivers home more frequently, such as every weekend or a few nights during the week, while others require their drivers to be on the road for weeks at a time. Additionally, some companies will allow their drivers to stay on the road as long as they want, bringing them home only when requested.

The level of predictability in long haul trucking depends on the specific work the employer does, as well as uncontrollable factors on the road, such as weather and road construction.

Being on-call isn’t common, but variations of on-call work exist. This includes open dispatch models, where drivers select the loads they want to do or wait for new assignments after each load.

Unionization is not common.

The right class of licence will be needed for the vehicles being driven—typically a Class 1 licence. Cross border drivers will have to be at least 21 years old to drive commercially in the USA, be compliant with the USA’s drug and alcohol testing requirements, and be legally able to enter the USA and Canada (including compliance with any public health requirements from either country). Criminal record checks and the necessary documentation to enter the USA would also be required.

Employers like to see a steady work history in industries where long hours, shift work, and similar demands exist. Since long haul trucking is a lifestyle as well as a career, it’s common for employers to ask applicants if they have any familiarity with what it means to live on the road in the trucking industry.