So, you’re thinking about driving for Clark Transfer in Harrisburg, PA? Here are a few things you might like to know before you go in and signup.

Good things about driving for Clark Transfer

They might be better than nothing. It’s pretty bad out there right now and if they’re hiring, you might make more than what you’re making right now, but as soon as things pick up and rates go up, you’ll be out of there, I promise that.

Layover days are paid. If you’re waiting for a load or between loads you’re paid layover pay of $100 a day. Only full days count. If you deliver at 0100, you’ve worked that day. Then if you pick up at 2300, you’ve worked that day and those days aren’t counted. You think they plan your pick and delivery like that on purpose? Maybe, you’ll be making up your own mind soon enough.

Detention is paid at $10 an hour. They’ve been paying that same $10 an hour for ten years. Back when $10 an hour meant something. See number 1, it’s better than nothing. If your appointment is at 4pm, but you’re there at 2pm because the lead driver asked you to be there early, your clock start at 4pm. Great system, getting the idea yet?

Labor is paid. If you have to clean out a trailer, fold pads or whatever, labor is paid at $20 an hour for the first two hours, then it drops to $10 an hour. Think anyone works more than two hours? It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, just remember that.

The mileage chart is prorated depending on how long your trip is. If it’s over 3000 miles you get .99 a mile plus FSC.

Bobtail miles are paid. You will be doing more bobtail miles at this company more than anywhere else. Bobtail 2000 miles is not uncommon. Because of the way their system works, their trailers stay with the show. Everyone bobtails from one show or load to another show to move the trailers. How about bobtailing 1500 miles to move a loaded trailer 20 miles. Bobtails miles as of this writing was .60 + FSC. But you get great fuel mileage bobtailing. Even though it’s the same number of hours and days your driving, you’re getting better fuel mileage.

Empty miles are paid, but at a lesser rate than loaded. Same thing as bobtailing, you may be driving more miles empty and bobtailing than loaded.

If you’ve been there a long time you get to know the system. If you last that long, you get the inside scoop on shows and how to work the system to your advantage. Tours are given out by seniority. If you get offered a tour and you haven’t been there very long, you might wonder why no one else has taken it. If you’re there for five years, your mileage chart is increased 1%. Five years and a one percent raise. Makes it all seem worthwhile.

If your truck is paid for this will be perfect. If you have a truck payment of any kind you’re going to have a rough go at it. With all of the empty and bobtail miles, plus all of the sitting around you won’t get the paycheck to pay for much more than fuel. You get layover pay, but that doesn’t make a truck payment.

If you live in your truck full time. Because you’ll never see the house. They want you out at least 4-6 weeks at a time, minimum. And that doesn’t even include if you’re on a tour.

It’s perfect if you and your wife live in the truck full time. You won’t have to worry about going home ever.

Team Pay. If you have a team load you get extra pay. When you go to orientation you’re told that anything dispatched over 50 miles an hour is a team pay and it’s possible for a single driver to get team pay. Except for the part that the 50 mph dispatch is only for shows. If you’re going to a warehouse or they have you scheduled so tight, but you’re not delivering to a show, it’s not team pay.

You use their log books. Their logbooks are designed so if you tear out a page, you won’t even notice. They did it like that for a reason. That’s a good thing right? Riiight.

They pay fuel taxes. Your told in the beginning that if your don’t fuel on the same day, don’t send it in. How could you ever get that far ahead? Keep thinking like that.

Tolls are paid. You’re running so much in the Northeast you’ll have to carry huge amounts of cash or get an ezpass.

No forced dispatch. That’s not a bad thing, until you refuse to do something they’ve planned for you.

Extra pay for New York City. The way they have their NYC pay, you’ll probably never see it even if you go to NYC. They have a trailer yard in NY. So if you’re shuttling trailers to downtown, their trailer yard is just outside the area where you’ll get extra to go to NYC.

You get 80% of a brokered load Plus you pay a trailer rental fee. There’s a different percentage if you found it or they found it. Find your own brokered load, then you have to do something for them. Do a brokered load they found and you’re paid what they tell you you’re going to be paid. You’re not allowed to see the broker’s invoice and don’t ask to see it, you’ll regret it.

You have to use their plates Even if you have your own, you have to use their plates, the good part is they take out a little each month to pay for them.

No escrow Not sure why, but it’s a good thing especially since you’re not going to be there very long anyway.

Extra pay for border crossings If you and your truck can go into Canada, expect to go often. Because all of the people that have been there for a long time have custom sleepers and can’t go to Canada. But there’s no forced dispatch, so nothing to worry about right?

A List Just like other companies, if you’re on the A list, you get all the good paying loads, tours and all that. If you’re not… I’m not sure how long you have to be there, because I couldn’t put up with the crap long enough to find out.