Your Thoughs on working for ABF

The forklift will come to you, it ties into your muscle memory, before you know it you'll be operating the forklift without really thinking about it.

 

MY beef is how ABF gave a contract to Arnold and then told the drivers the freight wasn't available. It wasn't Arnold fault, it was ABF. This shows a company that is very poorly organized and will screw drivers over to make a buck. I also mentioned that company driver were always standing around not driving when i walked in to get my loads.

 

What did you expect, ABF drivers hooking up the trailers to your tractor?

You have zero idea what other ABF drivers/ Management do. Heck, I didn't even know most of the time or cared. Should never assume anything. Not your shop.
Just should be glad Arnold even got a contract. The crappiest spun off carrier of a crappy carrier US xpress even got the loads.

 

I read in the newest Teamster newsletter that they were closing a ######## of terminals, no locations were outlined but if I remember correctly it was around 30 of them.

 

Mine was on the companies radar for years, The terminal about 80 miles away shut down within the past few months, Talking with former co-workers trying to get the current Terminal Manager out to become profitable again.But in reality, Short term solution. No Idea if ABF will be around in 10 years. Makes sense why so many are retiring.

My short time their was great.

I still recommend ABF, Who knows, nothing is 100%

 

Seems like they are doing quite a bit of hiring in Chicago....Big sign in front of South Chicago...Hiring drivers,..

 

id be happier if they never gave us the contracrt. Whats the contact worth if we dont get the freight they agree to

 

The way that works they have to give their drivers the work first then it can go with a contractor once every driver is working or they can file a greovance

 

I was lucky enough to get hired for the City Driver School a few weeks ago. I got my CDL with all endorsements from a private school a few months ago, but to get hired as a driver with less than 2 yrs experience, you must do their training in Arkansas. They do seem to be very picky in who they hire. I have a clean MVR and a stable 20 yr work history, so everything went pretty smooth as far as getting approved. I have my orientation in a few days.

I know that I will have to pay my dues as a noob, but I feel very fortunate to have landed at ABF for my first driving job. I intend for it to be my only driving job!! Great pay and benefits. Everyone I've met so far seems very nice and helpful. TM is a straight shooter, told me just how it will be as a noob, didn't paint any rosey pictures to get me on board, so I know what to expect for the first 2-3 years.

ABF just signed a new 5 yr contract with the Teamsters, so that gives me some sense of stability for a while at least.

 

I'm in the same boat as you and feel the same way!
Wait till you go to fort smith it's a trip! (And you'll probably realize how lacking the cdl school you went to is compared to uafs abf school. ). I thought I got a lot of driving in my cdl school... Down there you'll get 200 miles a day down twisty mountain roads !