I have a interview with ABF and I was just wondering if anyone had any info on this company. This will be my first interview for a driving job. I just got my CDL's. Any info would be appriciated.
ABF Freight System, Inc. - Fort Smith, Ar.?
Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by sponge, Jul 2, 2006.
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if you get hired on for the city (P&D) you will be making deliveries and pick-ups daily, expect long hours, about 11-15 hour days. a union shop (teamsters) with good pay/benefits. some dock work can and may be required. if you get to be on "linehaul", you'll be a road driver going from terminal to terminal, sometimes pulling "doubles" or "pups" as they may be commonly called. the bigger combination of "doubles" or "turnpike doubles" requires a special permit your CDL doesn't cover.
you will be required to have hazmat endorsement and the doubles/triples endoresment on your license, no matter what you were told by any recruiter.
linehaul drivers make about the same money as P&D drivers, but expect to be doing some "overnighters" as you will be the bottom person, and have no say in what you do.
you may be "slip-seating" your truck, meaning you may not have the same truck every day/night, and this can be a pain in the ###, as the last driver may leave it a mess when he gets out.
overall, if you get hired on, take whatever they give you, as after 90 days (i think) you will become a regular employee with union pay/benefits, and i don't see ABF going out of business any time soon........ -
ABF your first interview, you are starting strong
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Thanks for the info. The job is for a linehaul driver. Ive been told ABF is a good company, but I wanted some opinions from guys in the industry. I have prehires from PTL and TMC but I really want the ABF job. Once again thanks for the info.
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if you mean TMC the flat bed company, i'd advise against that company.
if you mean PTL (paschal truck lines) out of jersey(?), i'd recommend a better place than that one too. -
PTL has some unique plans for drivers and Owner/Operators. All drivers have the option to not run the northeast (north and east of Pennsylvania), and may opt out of having to handle freight, but if a driver will go into the northeast, they pay an extra $100 (I believe this to be correct) to the driver for their trouble for any loads going to or originating out of the optional areas. They had decent rates for those that wanted to make extra in unloading their trucks as well. Their mileage pay WAS above average, and they now run all conventionals, but had a bunch of cabovers at the time.
I personally found the company to be straight forward in their business practices, and I never had any settlement problems with them. The freight was decent, and they had a solid customer base, and the guys didn't sit...but at the same time, they have continued for years to go through people in high numbers, but I don't really know why that is.
If ABF doesn't work out, and I certainly would recommend going for that one first, don't totally rule out PTL. Check them out carefully, and see if they offer something you could live with. I give them a thumbs up, but remember that I am almost a decade out of touch on any personal level with them.
You don't hear alot of bad about PTL, and their safety stats could be better, but they could also be worse. They are average in all categories but driver out-of-service rates. They are slightly higher than average in that category for some reason. I do know that they are not in the habit of forcing drivers to violate the rules, and it could be the their high number of leased trucks, whose drivers are a bit more independently minded, are affecting them in that category. -
Definitely go with ABF if they will hire you on. If you DO get hired on, be sure to make some offering to the great "gods" of trucking. It's tough getting a job at ABF for even those with experience. If your first driving job is with them, that's something to celebrate. You should definitely be thankful.
After all, you COULD be starting out with Swift (like I did).
Good luck. I hope you land this ABF job, man. -
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Are you talking Eastern Conference or Central States??
Because if a Central State Driver (LINEHAUL) goes into a Eastern Conference Terminal, The Central States Driver DOES NOT DO CITY WORK, Such as Drop and hook and fuel, peddle etc...
That Grievance was won. -
mack-6, some city drivers do put in long hours, over 11 in fact, and up to 15. depends on where YOU live and YOUR route. i know of an estes driver from seekonk, massacheusetts that puts in up to those hours...........nearly each and every day. this is why i will not work for estes, nemf, old dominion, abf in my area, as a city driver. traffic, tight places, "old world streets" etc make for long days here on the east coast. my friend at estes has had to on occassions find a motel when he ran out of legal hours to run, pissing off the terminal manager, but the TM can't say squat.......
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