The New FFE Driver Academey

U have to take a physical and drug test at home before u go to fortworth? I have my cdl already but they never said anything about taking tests here at home. Hope ya make it on the 30th.

 

well for the california folks only (pretty stupid imo). i hope so too.

 

You won't need it there. FFE is dry van and reefer all food grade with the exception of a couple of customer's like Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, and another place over in Ft. Worth just down the street from the Miller plant. Pay, well, I wouldn't base on either. When I worked there (twice, which I am ashamed to say I endured that much punishment/7 months total) I had to fight with payroll constantly. They will try and short you every way they can and make it look good on them while you get the shaft. In my 7 months there, both of my W-2's combined was just under $8K. That will go to show just how much sitting you will be doing. If you ever get sent to JBS in Cactus, TX. just as one of many, be prepared for a multi day wait for your load. I've sat as much as 4 1/2 days waiting on a load there. Stock up in Amarillo because there ain't #### once you head north of there. Well, there is a wallyworld in Dumas but don't even get a notion of a thought in your head to stop and shop there because they will run you off. Good luck with Finally Found Employment. They are the biggest cracker jack company out there yet. I give Swift far more credit than I ever would FFE and I never worked for Swift.

 

Sure sounds more like the good old FFE I've been familiar w/ for 30 yrs. They may have changed dramatically. Maybe not. Maybe bonus for referral has gone up. Maybe not. Maybe a whole lot more folks don't demand or expect much out of a company anymore. This is true. One reason the rat outfits keep operating and cutting costs. People willing to forgo a really decent living, family, social life for them. Once they get the illegals licences they will dump these folks as well. People have to live and learn. And reefer is sure as Hell not for many. You have to be willing to sit there a lot. Don't buy this crap that every thing is preplanned. Some are. Just as many are not or the plan goes out the window. Reefer is tough for company drivers. Going to get tougher w/new regs. OO that have their own accounts can do real well. Co drivers have no idea how bad they are getting hosed. But one thing about reefer-you will always have a job. Anything in the food chain is fairly steady. From the farm to the dump it all has to be trucked at some point. Not so for other types like OD, flat, etc. Market can really hurt these. So you learn to save the big bucks for these times. Or you should.

 

Playmaker Buddy! Don't get sucked into another confrontation. It's like listening to the CB now-a-days, there's always someone who wants nothing more than to start:smt064. you know this. Don't fall for it. If anyone who is truly looking, they will see between the crap opinions, and get an idea of whats happening.

Investigators,
This is your research. This has to do with future employment. We can sit here all day, but, we drive too. Playmaker, spat, and myself have all graduated Academy and are on the road. PlayMaker is in his own truck, spat and I are still with trainers. Spat had no previous experience, whereas I had 15 yrs. But, i had to start over...not FFE's decision, DOT's.
With any job, you're gonna hear bad and good, but as you know, all bad stuff tends to float to the top. Us 3 regular guys are answering the questions best we can on our own time, because we know it's all about you, the new driver, that will decide if you fail or succeed. I'm sure there are days, I know for a fact, when I will wake up on the wrong side of the sleeper and hate FFE for all their worth. It's inevitable. But, I work to make sure I minimize that risk.
All drivers know there will be days when we will have to wait for loads:smt078. Not every place is OZ. I just left Cactus, Tx. Slept the night, left next morning. Only problem, trailer too heavy, no way to balance, had to reload and restack 2 times:smt069. They got it right. Not FFE'S FAULT. Shippers...But...ship..pers happen:smt102.
So, if you have valid questions we will try and answer them honestly.. At least I will, because never trust bald people.

 

question, would this have been doing the recession 2009 to 2010, the hole planet TANK (2011 is still a little slow at the factory) so everything just stop, 2012 will be better,(i hope) now if it was not doing this time period maybe they where keeping you in the area do to your home time or the location you live maybe,

 

hay jojomo you hear from them yet on a start date? i got my ticket info yesterday and will be there on next wensday. hay treyzguy, how is the training experience there. i went through HELL 2 times with trainers at england and am hopping i don't run into the same thing at ffe. nothing like getting stranded in racer montana since my first trainer decided to got hammered at the pilot there and i called the troopers for him, caught him just as he was pulling out the lot. 2nd trainer was from south America somewhere so i couldn't understand him and he proceeded to tell me #### like i was going to get someone killed and i was the worst driver he has ever seen. voluntarily left his truck since he refused to help me learn anything because he be leaved i had no right to be in a truck. last 2 trainers said my ONLY problem was downshifting and that was fixed real quick. i am praying for a better 6 weeks here at ffe and hoping not to be out for 3 months straight like england had me.