LTL Seniority boards

Discussion in 'LTL and Local Delivery Trucking Forum' started by Lucy in the Sky, Jun 20, 2016.

  1. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    48,744
    225,128
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    Maybe at union shops this type of drama might go on. We don't have it here.

    I switched from linehaul to city back in '06 to do a rural route, and could have switched back to do the 1200 linehaul run that they started. The only reason I didn't take it was one of our dispatchers who thinks he runs the place swore up and down it wouldn't last.

    3 years later that run is still running.

    Blessing in disguise in retrospect, I suppose, because now I have one of the two furthest city runs in this terminal and I'm pleased as punch.
     
    Mike2633 Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

    3,502
    9,002
    Mar 26, 2012
    Montucky
    0
    I could see where a union based job would allow someone to jump boards and bump people that have been on there forever. I would guess it has to do with the time inside the union, not the time with the company or division. I got a friend on here that worked union LTL, swapped carriers that had the same union, and his seniority carried over even as a brand new employee.

    As for daytime linehaul. Yes, those runs certainly exist. FxF runs their linehaul 24 hours a day. My carrier also has daytime linehaul runs. But they make up less than 2% of all our linehaul miles driven. Usually those runs are reserved for drivers with 20+ years within that division

    I really don't condone what the op is trying to do. P&D and linehaul are two completely separate positions. At my company you have to wait for a job opening and then apply for that position like any new hire. Then you are the low man on the totem poll and the only thing we carry over is if you worked x number of years with the company, you will be entitled to that corresponding pay scale plus whatever vacation benefit you have. Senior drivers in that division can still bump you out of your vacation.

    On that note, I find it extremely unlikely that the op will find a company that lets their drivers bump each other. Too many carriers have adopted policies to prevent this type of scenario.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2016
    Mike2633 Thanks this.
  4. Lucy in the Sky

    Lucy in the Sky Medium Load Member

    560
    766
    Dec 19, 2015
    0
    Is what I'm talking about really that uncommon? Who wouldn't wanna come home to their family at night from the start of their career, then when they get close to retirement, give up the dolly and pallet jack of p&d for a nice day line job? Plus what does a city guy top out at? 70k with 20+ years. (Guessing) Or u could make 90k+ with less stress working the same hours.

    I'm young (24) and want to start at an ltl soon and stay till I retire. I could have close to 40 years in me with the last 20 making close to 100k. But I've heard once you start at a company it becomes increasingly hard to switch because of starting over on seniority.

    So I guess I'll just start calling barns and see how the seniority board works and if I can hop divisions...

    Also @road_runner I see ur point. I respect u as I have gained lots of ltl knowledge by reading ur detailed comments on older threads. But u have to see my point aswell...I honestly can't believe it's not an extremely common practice. Or would it be if not for said company policies...
     
  5. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    48,744
    225,128
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    Here at my company what you describe is very doable with little grief.

    There's a tradeoff though, and that is that city drivers here make more than the linehaul drivers.
     
    Mike2633 Thanks this.
  6. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

    6,461
    25,989
    Jun 14, 2013
    At Home on The West Side
    0
    Ditto every since they put the new warehouse in our transit runs are not what they used to be, plus right now schools are out and routes are cut most of our transit guys are on vacation and warehouse transit drivers have been pulling there doubles this week. I only saw one converter dolly in the yard today.

    Actually while delivery is where you start at least where I work which is common for food companies pays right now for delivery is better then transit. In fact while eventually I would like to be on transit I actually make more as a delivery driver, plus with food transit is a bigger years of service thing, but actually delivery in the city makes more in my line of work.
     
  7. road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

    3,502
    9,002
    Mar 26, 2012
    Montucky
    0
    Thanks for your kind words. I am glad my contribution benefit someone somewhere. With that said, I was in no way trying to bash you. You are not the first person to have thought about doing some P&D and then do a quick switcheroo as you get closer to retirement.

    There is one thing you gotta understand about bids. You can now plan your days and weekends. Bid runs (wether city or line) are "perks" that people earn for doing that job for x amount of time. Bids provide a sense of job stability and personal predictability. You always know when you start and when you get done. You can now plan your personal life around your insane work schedule. This is a huge deal in a unpredictable environment like commercial driving. It is a reward system once everyone tops out at their pay and benefit scale. Drivers are very protective of their bids.

    Now imagine you held a bid for five years and all of a sudden someone that has two years longer than you in the company takes that away from you for no other reason but to make their life better regardless how it effects you.

    I've actually lost many days of work because some distant line driver with 20+ years wanted some extra miles. So they took my freight I was supposed to run on a turn and gave it to another driver. He already had 420 miles on his trip.... but he wanted an additional 150 miles. Those were MY miles.

    I had a crap time making ends meet those pay periods because someone wanted to pad his check at my expense.

    I don't know you, I am sure you are a pretty swell guy. I think you got your heart in the right place by wanting to put your family first. But the truth is... everyone else on here has that same mindset. We all mean well, but some form of backstabbing will happen in the process
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2016
    Giuseppe Ventolucci and Mike2633 Thank this.
  8. Cardfan89

    Cardfan89 Medium Load Member

    579
    13,116
    Jun 19, 2016
    Missouri
    0
    I think food service is like that we have guys bid relays in the summer then bid routes in the winter but our seniority is all together.
     
  9. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    48,744
    225,128
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    @road_runner, one thing about working here. Since we don't do the "rebid" thing, once you bid on a run and get it, it's yours for as long as want to keep it. A driver can NOT be bumped off a bid run here.
     
  10. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    48,744
    225,128
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    I think Sysco contracts their transit runs out now. I see doubles on their way to their terminal in Pocomoke going the other way while I'm on my way back to the yard, being pulled by tractors with a different name on them. They must have just started that within the last two years.
     
    Mike2633 Thanks this.
  11. road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

    3,502
    9,002
    Mar 26, 2012
    Montucky
    0
    We rebid every two or three years. And we get about 6 months of notice, that way if you are anticipating a bump you can plan ahead. But complacency is the mother of LTL, and most guys just stick to what they have. Most changes we do have are people fighting over better trucks or tools
     
    Giuseppe Ventolucci and Mike2633 Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.