Walmart trucks?

Actually, the vast majority of what you ask, is available on other threads in the Walmart section. Whether you choose to believe it, or not, is your prerogative.

1) You get paid for your "layover" (10 hr break) if you sleep in the truck. You get paid mileage. You get paid a mileage premium for weekend miles. You get paid a mileage premium for hauling claims. You get paid a mileage premium for running in congested areas (mileage pay and premiums are DC and regionally dependent). You get paid for a drop, you get paid for a hook, you get paid for a stop which is in conjunction with a live unload, which you also get paid for. You get paid for a live load. You get paid unscheduled time if it takes too long for a store to unload you, a vendor to load you, a breakdown, or any myriad of reasons that you have "unscheduled time." You basically get paid for everything. You also get bonus's. As Walmarts radio ads state, you will easily make $75K+ your first year. This is not BS, and for most of us is rather low.

2) Most Walmart drivers are very friendly and easy to talk to. They are treated with massive respect at work, so most of them will treat others with the same respect. After all, we are all ambassadors for Walmart, and Walmart Transportation. You will always get your Negative Nancy's out there. They exist everywhere. Frankly, most of us just ignore them. As with any job, this job is what you make of it. If you choose to be miserable, then that is how you will be. I, however, will not participate. After all, I certainly remember where I came from.

3) Walmart is a huge company that has incredibly high standards for the Private Fleet. They will never have enough qualified drivers to handle all of the freight. Plus, the freight volume fluctuates wildly, depending on location and time of the year. Walmart Transportation believes that a well paid driver is a happy driver, and a happy driver costs them less money. Thus, it would do them no good to staff for the busiest times, and have drivers starving when it is slow. So, they staff for slower times, and augment with contract carriers for everything else. Most grocery is hauled by outside carriers. This is multiple stop busy work, and there is plenty of quality work that the drivers can be doing. However, when things are slower, they will have us haul grocery. We will even occasionally pull a refer.............. but that doesn't happen very often. They also use outside carriers for long hauls, as the DC drivers are regional and have a set area they drive in. Do understand that the Walmart Private Fleet is the largest Private Fleet in the world.

Walmart is one of the best truck driving jobs available. It is also one of the hardest to get, and has very high eligibility requirements to even be considered. I will never say it is the best, as best is different for everyone. I will say that I have never worked at a company that treated their drivers with such respect. Walmart Transportation truly is a model of how to run a trucking company, and other companies should take note. I have worked for mega companies, and small private ones, and no one comes close.

4) We all try to help when we can. However, we do all have timeframes that we work under. I have never seen a Walmart driver laugh at the difficulty a new driver has, as we have all been there ourselves. Most of us will try to help, if we can. I have, however, seen many contract drivers that are horrible.............. running stop signs in the yard, speeding in the yard, cutting you off, and every other bad behavior you can imagine.............. including defecating in the yard. Unfortunately, sometimes the good ones get lumped in with the bad ones............. and we see the bad ones a lot.

 

Thank you both for the information you've shared. Especially you Extreme4X4. That gives me a different view to consider. I do my best to see things in as much of a positive light as possible and like you believe that you get back what you put in. Nice to know that as long as I am on Walmart property, I might run into others that think as I do.

Desert_Skies, I do generally have a lot to say. It might even be a flaw.

Mike S.

 

All that matters is if you're happy with what you're doing. You can be well paid and still miserable.

 

Very well said.

 

Its not a flaw its a sign of leadership ability in development. I suffer from ADHD,not that anyone would ever notice but I dont see it as a flaw. I get more done in less time and have always been a 110% achiever in all aspects of my life.

 

I know a few Teamsters as well as private fleet guys that will never be happy even if everything was just right. Its a great example of a negative character flaw.

 

You make some good points Wally and I'm glad you appreciate what I was trying to do.

 

US Express sometimes pulls trailers to my store, Crete and Schaffer have been pulling as well, so has Prime