Advice on these companies

Discussion in 'LTL and Local Delivery Trucking Forum' started by TJT89, Oct 31, 2021.

  1. TJT89

    TJT89 Bobtail Member

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    I am wanting to get into the ltl industry mainly for stability. I’m not completely sold on my current employer as far as stability and where they will be a couple years from now. They are already in trouble for selling cars without titles lol (carvana).

    I put apps in for fed ex freight, old dominion and abf. I already have interviews for fed ex and old dominion, haven’t heard from abf yet. These are for city positions, I have no desire to drive at night and for long periods of time. I like being physical, getting out and unloading freight etc. question is which is the better company? I know fed ex starts out the highest as far as pay but what would I be looking at $ wise for my first year? I know abf is Union and has crazy benefits but I have also heard that if you are at the bottom when things get slow, you will be left at the house not getting paid.

    any advice and help would be appreciated
     
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  3. Gomer1969

    Gomer1969 Light Load Member

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    I'm a linehaul driver for OD and my son runs city. He came out of the dock to driver program and he's going to make a little over $80,000 his first year as a city driver. He's at the one year rate so he is about $2.50 short of our top rate. OD starts paying o.t. after 50hrs beginning January 1st. If he was at top rate he'd hit $90,000.
     
    HiramKingWilliams Thanks this.
  4. McUzi

    McUzi Road Train Member

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    It's really hard to say what you'd pull your first year at any location, because each barn is radically different from the next with regard to local management and actual workload. FedEx Freight will pay very well, but the health insurance benefits are mediocre at best. ABF pays mediocre at best but the health insurance is insanely good and at no cost aside from union dues. So consider you can make a high rate of pay and pay for it with out of pocket healthcare costs and weak coverage, or have a lower rate of pay with Cadillac health benefits. It's really a wash.

    I'd place FXF at the top of the heap for non-union LTL, and ABF at the top of the heap for union LTL. I don't think you can really go wrong with either. You'll run the risk of sitting home when it gets really slow. The bright side is that with driver shortages and huge supply chain backlogs at the moment, I think sitting at home and not getting 40 hours is highly unlikely, regardless of what LTL carrier you hire on to.
     
  5. ColoradoLinehaul

    ColoradoLinehaul Light Load Member

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    One good thing about ABF is all your benefits are 100% paid by the company/union. No premiums, (not sure on deductibles for health ins). So the pay is a little lower than other ltl’s, but I do believe it is $0.685 per mile.

    If you can get in with OD, you’ll be in a great company and they treat their drivers pretty good. Great pay and benefits.
     
  6. gym23

    gym23 Light Load Member

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    The ot after 50 thing still sucks because you basically have to work almost 12 hours everyday to actually see some extra money. I currently do about 50 hours a week now and the thought of doing more just for OT is not that great. I tell myself I need to find a place that pays OT after 8 like a Ralph’s or UPS
     
  7. jmz

    jmz Road Train Member

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    Didn’t you post not too long ago about finding LTL companies that offer training? If you still have less than a year of experience, FxF will only hire you as a Driver Apprentice and put you through the full training program. Still a decent job, but I’d only do that if you really want it and can’t wait until you get a year of exp.
     
  8. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Take a Saturday run. You’ll make a pile for that day, unless they take the crap way out and give it to some ninny too scared to take a run with some mileage on it who barely tops 40 in 5 days.
     
  9. TJT89

    TJT89 Bobtail Member

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    yea I did. Only reason I posted that was because it was a few years since I have driven a tractor trailer. I worked at us foods and carvana this year but I have around 7 years of cdl A experience. Good news is I accepted a job offer from fed ex yesterday, I was completely honest with them about everything and it probably also helped that I was referred.
     
    jmz Thanks this.
  10. TJT89

    TJT89 Bobtail Member

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    I accepted an offer from fed ex yesterday. I was told that when things get slow I would work the dock to get my 8 hrs. I was also told though that the terminal I will be at hasn’t slowed down much in the last couple of years, so I will see. I’m excited. I’m currently driving over an hr one way to work so I will be cutting that down to 30 mins. Pay isn’t bad either
     
    McUzi Thanks this.
  11. snowbird_89

    snowbird_89 Road Train Member

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    Good luck. What state are you in?
     
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