USF Holland is restructuring it's freight lines...They are going to be used more for Canada and also for Mexico if that ever takes off.

They also are expanding them out west some as well.

Only time will tell.

__________________

I work for a teamster company and love it. With the backup of the union or threat of it the companys do not abuse us like a lot of drivers are abused.wonderman

I have been a Teamster for nine years. Let me tell you that nothing will change as far as the way drivers are treated by the employers after becoming Teamsters. I work for Roadway and have been laid off since November of 2006 and working only when they want to call me in. For the last three months I have worked only 5 days and have been having to pay $1,000 per month to keep my benefits going. Currently, by contract, employees must work at least 60 hours per month in order to receive company paid benefits. In April of 2008, the new Teamster contract raises those hours to 100 hours per month before benefits will be paid by the unionized companies--I can't remember the last time I worked 100 hours in a month. Also, the new contract has taken out the wording that protects a driver from being fired as a result of a non-preventable accident. Now, as you can imagine, I am seeking new non-union employment. I have paid thousands of dollars in union dues over the years and have gotten nothing in return except for trashed and unsafe vehicles, equipment, and working conditions. Even the medical benefits are becoming substandard. People who have been Teamsters for over thirty years are now finding that they cannot afford to retire due to information that has been kept from them causing them not to plan for retirement properly. The Teamsters are weak and getting worse, and they don't care about the employees as long as they get their dues.

So, in a nutshell, being a teamster is certainly not all it's cracked up to be. I too am a former union employee and I now work for a non union LTL carrier and am far better off than I was before. For starters I don't have to pay any union dues, my health insurance is far better (with a lot less out of pocket) we have very good equipment, working conditions are far superior to that of my former union employer and the list goes on.
Basically, being a union employee is not always (in fact rarely ever) what it's cracked up to be.

I been trying to reply but my internet is acting crazy, anyway thank you for your input it's really opens my eyes, it's like everyday people have to work hard to keep their jobs and sometimes the people with the wrost work habits are the one who get ahead, it's discouraging, we as parents don't abuse our sick time and talk to our kids on how important it is to be reliable and responsible and respect your supervisors and then when you get treated like this what do you tell your kids? it's like they see how their father is so responsible and hard working and look up to him they were really upset about this whole issue, What are driver supposed to do they can't double park they can't park in the red, it's Southern California just look at the freeways are these supervisor in another planet, if a driver is on drugs and speeding that is the drivers fault, but driver just want to work they want to earn a living......... why are they being punish for that
would they rather have driver go out on stress or welfare to make the streets safer? I would love if all truck driver took a day off at the same time.......

three Non prventable accidents, he was side sweep by a driver that was trying to merge to his lane due to construction, this last incident happened this month as he making a right turn he stop to allow pedestrians to move and he was clip from behind by an uninsured motorist.

Three non-preventable accidents? In how long of a period of time? You also have to look at UPS's side to this. Sounds if your husband may be a road bully?
'he was side sweep by a driver that was trying to merge to his lane due to
Why didn't he back off and let the other driver merge? I would have to say we all get a little irked at these autos that go flying past and then trys to cut in at the front of the line, this causes a bottle neck resulting in a back-up. Some nice truckers will form a 'blockade' holding the traffic back for the rest of us to prevent this. There are those of us that will let our fellow truckers and 4-wheelers over if they ask by signalling with their blinker they would like to move over. Then there are those that will stick to the rear of the vehicle in front of them and say uhuhhh! NO BODIES GETTING IN FORNT OF ME! (Sorry, but it almost sounds like this is the case.) I would have to agree these agressive drivers do cause the accident. Why not just be courteous? So it is another 3 seconds of your time, what have you really gained? Self-satisfaction? Remember 2 wrongs don't equal 'right'.

this last incident happened this month as he making a right turn he stop to allow pedestrians to move and he was clip from behind by an uninsured motorist.

How quickly did he stop? Was he not paying attention and then slam on his breaks?

three Non prventable accidents,

What was the third non-preventable accident?

I am not saying these are the scenarios that happened but 3 non-preventables in a short time or long time, if a short time either your husband is extremely unlucky (which could well be the case) or he needs to examine his driving as to why these accidents are happening. Do you see where I am going with this? UPS has to ask the questions when this many accidents are involved. It does not mean they are trying to be unfair or difficult, it means they are trying to protect themselves and their freight.

aladdin sane,

I cannot speak for any other local. I am sure that there are ones out there that don't seem to try to get their members good contracts just like there is a multitude of OTR and local companies that treat there drivers improperly.

My local constantly gets us good contracts. Yes I pay dues. $65.00 per month. For that payment, we are paid $24.14 per hour with OT after 8 hours. We pay no out of pocket for medical and a doctor visit is $5.00. The company pays in over $4.00 for retirement. We get 12 paid holidays, 6 paid sick days, 5 days funeral and unlimited jury service all paid at 8 hours per day. Vacations are paid at 1-5/2 of your yearly gross and for we have 1 to 6 weeks depending on lenght of service. There are more benefits if you want to ask for specifics.

We work Monday thru Friday with most drivers starting between 5 and 6 am. We are home every night. We can only work 60 hours per DOT. If there is work on the weekend and you want to work, Saturdays are OT and Sundays are DT (double time). If you work on a holiday, we are paid DT-1/2.

Our equipment is Kenworth trucks (doesn't matter to me) that are turned in on a 5 to 7 year basis depending on condition and miles. Today was really tough. I drove 78 miles, worked 13 hours and was paid $374.17 for my time.

Maybe being a union employee was not for you. I however, would not work anywhere else.

Drive safe

I wish I could get a job I look on the UPS we site for my area and there are never no job openings

__________________

You are driving a truck not a PHONE BOOTH!!!!!!!!

Well in reply to driver bully... he did not slam his breaks to let pedestrains by he saw them and slow down as he approached the corner stopped and the old lady that shouldn't be behind the wheel and was supposed to have her glasses on uninsured just didn't really notice how closed she was to the truck... my husband could have been a jerk and demanded that the police come out because of no insurance is a crime in the state of California.
three years ago, he was on the right lane to make a right an inpatient driver made a right on the left side and that driver was not a turning lane that lane was to go straight...... I guess he drives to slow for people with smaller vechiles so yes they need to relax and let the trucks that 100 times heavier and can't move out of people that think they own the road as fast as I can in my 4 door car, this driver wanted to pass him so he tried to go around him on his left side to make a right...

he carries a camera with him in the truck and everytime his taken pictures immediately because we live in California where people are "sue happy" turns out that driver that turn on his left had numerous claims happy to report he drop the case she didn't get a penny.

he had to pull over on the freeway one even it was late and three cars were flashing lights to each one went in front of him and he notice they were waiting on each so he figured they were going to stage an acciendent he claming moved to the sholder and stopped waiting til he saw no sight of them and move on.

we have kids driving and we both practice safety.. we tell our kids it's worst if you cause an accident and seriously hurt someone then if you hurt yourself could you live knowing that you cause someone their life or caused them to be disable for life..... driving is not a game, it's not a game on his truck or on our personal vechicles....

There are more bullied in SUV's and motorcycles then Trucker.

To Pardel

You haven't been driving long, I don't know if you have ever driven in California Sourthern california for that, but drivers don't have time to play games they are on serious time schedule if prodcut is not delivered by a certain day and time they're not very nice and since the competition is so fears.. they'll use someone else my husband is a driver and I work as a buyer so I the customer depanding product i'm on the other side.

Trust me Califoria truck drivers do not want to piss us off, people will Issue a trucking company if they even look at some the wrong way.

I see it all the time when I get a call at work from recieving and walk out when I need to speak to a driver they are never rude and always ask if I like to call their supervisor they want to make sure that when they leave i'm not going to call the office with another story like so many do here...