*** Update 1/16/2020: Roehl is now paying address-to-address practical route miles! ***
Are you getting paid for the miles you really drive?
Read about how Roehl is once again leading the industry in mileage pay calculations with address-to-address practical route mileage calculations!
Experienced truck drivers know that the miles they drive are not what they are paid for, and at many carriers, is quite a bit less. That’s because many trucking companies are still paying HHG, or household goods miles. And, that’s an antiquated way to pay that can leave drivers feeling short.
HHG (or short route miles) are the shortest distance between two points traveling on authorized highways, and it’s often what shippers and carriers base their rates on. Per Rand McNally: HHG is the standard mileage guide that Shippers and Carriers use to negotiate rates for freight. It is the shortest legal highway mileage from two points. The calculation does not consider time as a factor, thus the route may take more driving time, but accomplish less miles.
Drivers know that the best and fastest routing is sometimes not the shortest. For example, bypassing a city means usually means taking a longer route around the city, but in congested areas, that can actually be a lot faster than travelling through the city.
That’s the concept behind practical route mileage pay. Because practical routes are longer, but better approximate the miles actually driven, drivers who get paid practical miles get paid for more of the miles they actually drive.
More than a decade ago Roehl Transport became one of the first major trucking companies to pay truck drivers practical route mileage. Roehl drivers are paid for more of the miles they actually drive, and those miles add up to 5-8% more in their paycheck.
The main difference between HHG miles and Practical miles is that HHG is shorter. While Practical miles are longer, the practical route may actually be faster and the preferred route for the shipper, carrier and the truck driver.
Long known as a carrier where you can Take Home More, Roehl drivers are leaders in pay and productivity, and in addition to practical route miles, Roehl drivers can choose to get a raise each quarter up to our top rate (Roehl's sliding mileage pay plans offer an innovative way for truck drivers get paid).
Now that you understand the difference between HHG and Practical route mileage, it’s probably clear that companies paying HHG are often coming up short. So when comparing HHG and Practical route mileage carriers, you’ll want to consider all the elements that make up a great pay plan – from cents per mile, to number of miles per week, plus all the extras that the companies pay for.