Abilene Experience

I thought I would add my experience with Abilene Motor Express so far...I would honestly say that 80% of the time I am pleased. The company has top notch newer trucks and trailers. (I drive a 2013 Volvo 780)
I average over 3k miles per week and they usually get me home on the day I request home time. I can stay out 1, 2, 3 weeks or more. It's up to me. I usually stay out 3 weeks and go home for 2 days...paid bi-weekly. PrePass/EZPASS.
I like the people here for the most part. The company is big enough to play in the big game but it is small enough that your not a number. Communication is my biggest hurdle with dispatch, but it is steadily improving. They always have freight needing delivered. A lot of NorthEast ( extra 10 cents/mi) and Midwest. Few dedicated runs and they are guarded by that driver! I primary run as far west as Colorado/Texas/Minnesota as a solo OTR.
I am currently looking to find a driver to team with.
Well I will update as I go along the Abilene journey...

 

That's great to hear. Hope you find a good person to team with.

 

Never heard much from these kiddies.
What is the pay scale, and how much team freight?

 

Anywhere from 32-38+ cents. Experience based. Then the ten cent for above the Mason-Dixon Line. Most of the teams are out west for obvious reasons but we frequently swap to them in OKC...

 

The .10 is MD up. Mason-Dixon Line runs along the MD/PA line. Hehe

 

Well I am surprised. That was the exact wording used to describe that boundary! Hope I haven't been getting shafted!
Dealing with another "Communication Issue"...trying to get update on load/trl# for my run to WI...sent in a QC message at 1pm and again at 4:30pm. NO RESPONSE! I would have been ok for any type of "no update" message. Acknowledgement goes a little ways at least. Maybe I should starting staining them all the time by calling!! I need to adjust my expectation level I suppose...but I like trip plan!
FYI...upgraded my RM atlas to 2014...Pilot has them for $4.99!!!!!! Can't beat that!

 

That's okay, us MD folks are the ####### children. North thinks we are the south and south thinks we are the north. Had family on both sides of that war.

No one is in after midnight on Fri and Sat.

 

When I worked there the lack of pre planning was my biggest complaint. My rule of thumb on waiting on my next load was an hour after I sent in my empty call. After an hour I was on the phone rattling there cage. Abilene is still the 2nd best company I drove for. Looking forward to your updates.

 

Completely agree on the preplan. That is my biggest beef honestly. I hate burning my hours waiting and it always somewhere in ny, pa, nj which means we have to deal with dc traffic or creep down 301...
Passed 2 nasty big truck crashes on 80 in OH today. I hope my backhaul is paper rolls going to NC. Then mooresville...Means I will eventually get to Murray ky and then prob dallas for friday. Had a great week miles-wise last week 3700..and hope it stays at that level. Talked to recruiting about team driving again. 1 prospect.

 

Putting this out there...I really am looking for a co-driver to team with. Even if it starts as a trainee. Abilene will hire a student in a team scenario. I would like to find someone who wants to make more $$ and really run nationwide. PM me if anyone's interested!!