A new chapter begins and a new home for the Morehouse/fcc orphans

That sounds like a pretty good gig there. I even looked at FCC and they will hire new CDL drivers but would have to run with a trainer for a few weeks I'm sure, which is the way of most companies that will hire new drivers out of school. Main thing is though, I would want to pay for my own CDL which would eliminate any year long commitment or any paybacks to a company.

 

Just a simple observation since they have been discussed here and I know how you feel about them. If I did decide to get back into it I would do some heavy research first as there are a lot of companies out there to choose from. Preferably one that runs a lot of southwest to southeast and up to PA to get me home. Always liked west TX out to AZ and a bit of southern CA. Colorado was awesome as was Montana and Utah. Never made it to either of the Dakota's and was kind of enjoyable running through MN. Not a fan of the northeast for sure but put a lot of miles on up there. Guess I will see where the road takes me.

 

Another vote to keep your CDL. I’ve kept mine since I retired 5 years ago. Mainly because I went thru nine kinds of hell to get it. And you never know , it might come in handy. Best of Luck in future endeavors

 

Good luck on whatever you have chosen to do instead! However, for what it’s worth, you have your CDL, it will be incredibly simple to keep it. And if in 20 years, you decide to go back on the road, you still have it, all you need is a refresher course. you won’t have to go through all the BS of getting it again, and I sincerely doubt it will ever get easier. My dad lost his CDL when he was put on insulin approximately 20 years ago. At the time, he wasn’t driving, but now it eats him up that he don’t have it, his business has grown, and he now has three trucks of his own running, and sometimes you just end up a driver short. And while under the current administration, he can probably get it back, there’s an awful lot of material that has changed/been updated in the last 35-40 years since he got it initially. I vote keep it up to date, maybe you can find a farmer to haul grain for in the fall or something, and keep a little bit of experience going, that way at some point you do decide to go back on the road, you can claim that as experience

 

About a year ago a longtime forum member stated on FCC's main thread that they were upset about FCC not informing their drivers of cutting (or severely cutting) the 401k match without notifying the drivers. So the forum member let everyone know in the main FCC thread.

FCC drivers then started to attack the forum member for bringing it up and for being upset about it, followed by FCC drivers taking the time to write literal paragraphs defending FCC's decision to cut the 401k match without notice, and saying things like (and I quote)

"They should have cut our 401k match sooner, I'm surprised they didn't."

That is literal cult like behavior, there is no other way to describe it. I won't even get into how they did you dirty on the way out either, that told me all I needed to know about that outfit.

Anyways, glad to see things are going good for you and you finally found a company who treats you good. I noticed in another company thread on the favorites section that a former FCC driver jumped ship to another company as well, so that's even more people jumping ship besides the two you know that left with one joining you at Shuster's.

 

I have learned more about mediocre outfits from the favorite company threads than any other place you follow along for enough time and the warts come to the surface. I do feel sorry for the company apologist that excuses something being stuffed up the backside with well I guess it’s my turn or that’s trucking thinking their tough enough when really it’s more like low self esteem when your not sure of your worth it’s going to end up being worthless. I did get a hearty laugh when walkingwoman announced leaving the cult.

 

No trucking company is going to be a perfect fit for every driver that walks thru their door to get a job. For me, where I live and where a couple big customers are located, FCC was easy money. I’d leave Monday morning and get home Saturday morning, usually planned for the week not long after I’d leave out. Would I work there as a company driver? Nope. Too much big brother hand holding. I wouldn’t work as an employee at most of the companies talked about on this forum.

Flip side of that is where I haul fuel currently wouldn’t be a good fit for most drivers just based on the equipment and expectations that go with it. Everyone likes the clean and shiny trucks until they’re expected to keep them clean and shiny.

 

cdavis don't let your CDL go. That would be very foolish. I've had mine since I was grandfathered in back in 1991 I believe. I was working at a coop hauling feed, fertilizer and some propane. I left that a few years later but I never let my CDL go and kept the hazmat up along with the physical. I just paid it out of pocket. A few years ago I applied at a factory here that I had worked at part time before in the plant. Not knowing they had changed from an outside company to move their trailers off the lot meaning on the streets in town to doing it in house. When I applied I thought I'd wind up somewhere working in the plant. Instead I got offered a second shift position moving trailers because I have a CDL. I work 2p-10p M-F with an occasional Saturday. I worked all 5 Saturdays that we worked last year and so far 0 this year (fine by me). I'd rather get OT during the week. It's not all glamorous as we deal with many crappy storage trailers and I'm in and out closing doors all shift in all kinds of weather but it's not the worst job at the factory by any means. I was working a lot of OT in the plant the last 3 years as they were short staffed and had more orders then but that's dried up this year. I'll still come in a little over 60K this year with minimal OT if it stays this way. The last 3 years I averaged about 82K by working OT in the plant. I don't think that's too bad for hanging on to a CDL do you?

I know some on here will laugh at what I make but I also live in a rural area and this is one of the best paying places around and I know the benefits I have are not matched by anyone else around. 3 weeks of vacation, 4 personal days off, 8 paid holidays, 5% match on 401K, and if I work a holiday it's triple time. Doesn't happen often but it's over $80 an hour when it does.

I can sign into a job inside the plant if one comes up and I've considered it, especially when it's a position offering 4 10 hr. days with weekends off or a gravy job. Until one of those comes up that I can get I'll stay where I am.

DON'T LET YOUR CDL GO!!!

 

You're doing just fine at that income level. A lotta folks like myself would give their I teeth for a gig like that considering I stayed out 2 or 3 weeks at a time or for 83k last year.