I'm a recent graduate (Got my CDL-A with a state loan) in Indianapolis and I'm not sure how to quarterback my options. My ultimate goal is to settle down in Philly with a local down the road. I start orientation on Tuesday with a company but they have a 7 month contract. Basically If I quit or get fired before the first 7 months then I'll owe money, its $7,000 total but with each month they'll take $1,000 off. So If I leave after 4 months then I'll owe $3,000. I'm pretty much set to go to them. They have a terminal in New Jersey and I will be able to take all if not the vast majority of my hometime/resets in Philly. Orientation is on the 11th and I need to be out of my apartment on the 9th. Sysco in Chicago just scheduled an interview for Friday. The pay is $31.43 and I understand its very hard work, but that pay is looking great. I'm not sure they'll have a decision by Monday night though, which might be too late for the Tuesday orientation. What do you guys recommend?
For what it’s worth, I have a good friend of mine who spent 20 years with Coke just recently make the switch to Sysco and he said it’s the hardest job he’s ever done, this coming from someone who has 20 years in that type of work. I personally would never go the route of food service, that’s back breaking work, on top of all the other risks; up and down that ramp, in the winter, and I’m sure based on where you’re at, plenty of basement deliveries. I’d think long and hard about it before I’d just jump on Sysco because of that high hourly wage, there’s a reason they pay so much and are always hiring, connect the dots.
If it were me, I'd take the job in Philly. Since you're goal is to settle in Philly, you can work for Sysco there after you transition. Use the temp contract to stabilize yourself, then apply to Sysco. Sysco is all over the country.
If you are a young man in good health peddle groceries for two years, get some experience then move on to LTL or tanker work? Sysco has good pay and benefits for someone just starting out. Otherwise, you have to go the OTR route.
If you took out a loan to get your CDL, why does company A want money from you if you don't last 7 months?. Surely it doesn't cost them that much to hire and train you and even if it did, why are they charging when no one else does?. That alone would make me not take the job. Not doing Sysco delivery either so my vote is neither?.
You’d be nuts to be a Sysco delivery driver. I used to run ramps for one of their competitors. There’s no longevity in that occupation. It’ll very quickly make an old man out of you.
He said nothing about the company paying off his school loan. I guess that makes me an idiot for not assuming information that was not provided and guessing what was not said. I can live with that.
