Shaffer Driver Chat Room

I ran Walmart Pottsville for a couple of weeks. It's pretty simple: Get a daily load assignment of 2 to 3 stores on a single trailer. If you get a dry trailer then its simply loaded in order of delivery. With reefers the loads are compartment-ed between bulkheads. Dairy in the front and rear, frozen in the middle. If you have 3 stops in a reefer, the first store will have to unload their dairy, and the 2nd store's dairy to get to their frozen. Then they have to put the 2nd store's dairy back on. I would highly recommend using load locks or straps before you lock and reseal the trailer as these pallets aren't stacked or wrapped very well. Their trailers have tracks to lock the straps into. You will need a lock for the back door, which can be issued to you by the Shaffer people there in Pottsville. You get a new seal for each stop. Sam's clubs are easier as an entire reefer most likely will go to that one store. You get a load map that shows where each pallet is. As the store unloads you, you pull a little tag off each pallet and put it on the back of the load map. Reefers have to get an inspection sheet filled out by you and the shop both inbound and outbound. Have at least 2/3 full of reefer fuel or you will have to pull into the fuel lane at the shop to get filled. Dry loads can be drop & hook at the final stop if the manager approves it.

I got paid pretty decent. 46 cents per mile, which is 11 cents higher than my regular rate, plus $15 for additional stops. I probably averaged about 270 miles a day. Even a noob like me can average about $1000 a week with a run every day. Sometimes you have to go in the office and remind them you are available. I think they give you an extra 5 cents a mile whatever your normal rate may be. You can route yourself any way you want. You will see a lot of Philadelphia and New Jersey. You do not have to run back to the DC when your day is over. Some nights I slept at my last stop. A lot of times I stopped at the service plaza on the Turnpike in Allentown. My mindset just wasn't right at the time to want to do it every day, but if OTR doesn't get better for me I may go back to it.

 

Thank you Terraprin flyer
this was very helpful, i am scheduled to go orientation this week going to pottsville after words

 

Hey Terrapin Flyer,
Good message. I'm thinking of signing onnto Pottsville myself. Can u tell me more about how well hometime works out for you, and if you get any quality time at all at home??? Ive already been approved, but home time is a major consideration for both the ol lady and I. What's a typical day like? Is it mostly graveyard work? Do you get home all tired and spend most of your home time sleeping?????

 

I'm on the RDO 21 fleet. I get home every 3 weeks. I park my truck in New Kingstown and drive my car home. Take 3 full days off, then head back in. The work is not hard. Driving, bumping docks, and standing there watching the stores' people do all the real work. The work can be daytime, evening, or middle of the night. Depends on when you are needed. Rarely ever would you use a full 14 hours to get it done. Driving will take up about 4-5 hours, and stops should be done in 45 minutes or less. I typically got plenty of time to do it in. The only problems I had was when they refused to answer the doorbell and I had to call or walk inside the store to get a manager.

 

Hey RHR1149, I may be headed to Pottsville too for the Walmat dedicated fleet. Home every week, with 1 1/2 days off. If you can, would you fill me in on orientation. Particularly interested in if they make you do the sleep test, and if you have to do the whole nine yards on the physical, as I already have my med card. Anything else would be appreciated too. Thanks,
Willberiding

 

(bump) still lurking in the back ground!

 

can anyone give me the deal on their home weekly fleet? ive been approved to start orientation on the 28th running the 6 on 1.5 to 2 off fleet....41 cpm starting off...thanks

 

Well when I was there last yr, I ran into a couple people that was doing it and they did not care for it, pay checks were a lot smaller than they expected, given the info they were told frm Shaffer.

I worked there for about 10 mths, did great for about 4 mths, then the bottom fell out, had 3 dispacthers quit, then they were not going to pay detention, then to many 34 hr restarts,. if you look at other threads, crete-shaffer is heading in the wrong direction be careful!

 

What are all the differences between the reefer side and the dry side? Pros and cons of each? It seems shaffer's pay scale is slightly higher, but I could be wrong. Looked at the website and it doesn't appear that the dry side is hiring for OTR out of the Houston area. I could be wrong there, too.

 

When I was there last yr, they had a lot of drivers based out of there, shaffer does pay a little higher. I was at .44 at the begining I was doing 2800-3200 a week, but that was staying on there back, getting unloaded early when they said I could not- you get the picture. have you looked at poly trucking out of tx.?