Experience with your LTL company

What do the drivers do when the big LTL companies lay them off every year? Can you jump on unemployment until they rehire you, or do you have to scramble and hope someone will hire you even though they know you might jump ship at any moment?

 

Good luck! Hope you can grab a spot.

 

Have been at my barn for 2.5 years and they haven't laid anyone off...esp road drivers....that is almost unheard of. I think i have not worked because of lack of freight 2 times in 2.5 years. Absolutely love it here.

 

Haven't gotten laid off yet, but I am only running four days a week. Keeps the lights on in my house. I can't wait for the weather/economy to start picking up. Maybe that way there will be enough freight for all of us to go around!

 

In 17 years with current outfit i have not been layed off. After 911, LTL tanked. We had several drivers layed off but didnt come down to me.

 

My experience has been great.

Pros:


Great money.

Shifts aren't too long

Well maintained and nice equipment that actually has some balls

Leadership is extremely respectful and accommodating - we're treated with dignity and respect.

Everything is legal, no funny business.

Extremely high morale within the company.

Company has never laid anyone off. And I was unaware of anything called an "extra board" until I began reading this forum. You either have a run or you
don't. No waiting by the phone. No calling to see if you can go to work. If you don't show up to work, the whole operation is in a panic. Every driver is needed - so I guess that's a plus?

No dock work required, but the option is ALWAYS there at any time if you want extra money.

Safety is truly top priority. If you're tired, stop the truck and rest...no questions asked. Safety issue on equipment? Don't pull it...no questions asked. Want to monitor your trailer as it's being loaded? Go ahead. Don't like the way it's loaded? They'll fix it...no questions asked.

Assigned tractors.



Cons:

I feel some of the lazier employees take advantage of this company because they know they can. It doesn't directly affect me, but I know it's an inefficiency in the operation and I'm sure the indirect effects are measurable.

Governed at 65. Although the Prostars tend to run 67ish.

I believe the generosity of this company has some people becoming spoiled and beginning to feel a sense of entitlement.

 

I'm gonna bump this thread, but:

My employer is the USPS.

Pros: Runs are split into 8 hour shifts, 5 days a week. Overtime is not mandatory, but you will get paid for OT if you opt to work it. Overtime is time and a half if you work over 40 hours a week or over 8 hours a day. OT is double time if you work more than 48 hrs a week or 10 hours a day.

Paid Time Off (PTO) comes in two forums. Sick leave and annual leave. You have a cap of 440 hours for annual leave, but there's no cap for sick leave. You get 4 hours of each every pay period.

Medical, optical, and dental benefits are under the federal government.

Retirement comes in two ways. You get a union pension and a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP works just like a 401k.

The runs are fixed. You go to the same places everyday at the same times everyday regardless of how much or little you're hauling.

Cons:

You start off as a PSE without a set schedule and without a permanent run. It may take several years before you get the benefits I listed above.

The turnover rate is very low. Low enough that the only way you can get a career position is to wait for a driver to retire or die.

 

Here's another con to working for big brother:

Most employers organize the chaos. The government does not. It's just chaos.

 

When I first started reading I thought you worked for UPS. I missed the other "S". What exactly do you do?