Werner pulling ABF trailers

So what's to stop them from just claiming there's a
shortage of drivers, then shipping it cheaper. There's ways
around everything.

 

I thought these were the high paying union jobs that
everybody wanted.Has nothing to do with old guys retiring,
there's 5 million underpaid otr drivers looking for a decent wage
and benefits.

If it's to the point were union jobs have to hire students
then there's something bigger at play here,and it aint
good.

 

Beats the snot out of me too.
I can't get anybody interested in this place at 55-60 cpm.
Either their record sucks, or they think hazmat and doubles is too big of a hassle.

In my mind I think "Fine. Have fun at your gone 3 weeks, 36cpm misery".

LTL turnover recently jumped from 7% to 15%. We have a few retiring.

 

Saw this as well this week here in IL I-72wb. Also Swift pulling a US Express trl, but that didn't weird me out as much as Werner ABF!

 

Has anyone considered the fact that some of these LTL carriers treat people like absolute **** is the reason why they can't hire people? I'm being a 100% serious here. As much as people complain about Swift, CRST, Western Express, USA, etc. I can't ever remember a story about one of there employees going to the terminal and killing a bunch of people in a shooting spree. On the other hand I remember that happening a few times with Fedex over the years. I have family that work for Fedex and honestly the company is turning into what the post office use to be when they had there mass shootings years ago. I'm shocked they and quite a few other ltl companies don't get put up in the worst company section all the time...oh wait they pay well and that is all that matters.

 

no theres not, not when you have a contract. if you have never seen a copy of he national master freight agreement, you should ask a teamster for one sometime. a lot of the basic problems guys have with trucking would be solved if they were working under a contract. work guarauntees, no favortism, job protections, maintenance of standards, greivances, etc.....

 

the problem is these good paying jobs wont hire guys who weigh 400 lbs, in flip flops, who only knows how to shut the doors on the back of a dry van. its a skills shortage. they need guys who can pull ANY trailer down the road, legally. tanker, flatbed, pups, lcvs, dropdecks with moffets for upack.

they expect you to be able to slip seat. and not care about what kind of truck you drive. and be able to work a pallet jack and a hand truck. and drive a forklift. and know your HOS and FMCSR's.

whats "bigger a play" here, is for the last 30 years, they have been telling everyone to go to school, instead of blue collar employment. and in the meantime, gettin into trucking is vastly different than it used to be. now mills pump out students who have very little knowledge of the industry, just so big otr companies can keep the pay low.

 

its not just freight, the carhaulers cant find anyone either. the ATA has all new drivers brainwashed into thinking 35 cpm is great, and 2 days a home a month is "generous"....

imo, the union needs to work with their locals to start apprenticin new drivers again. cdl otr mills dont train well enough to do anything past live in a schneider or werner truck....

 

there is something to be said for treatment of workers, but its not what im there for.

 

So blairandgretchen.... I've been recently looking at abf and LOVE everything that I've read about them. My wife and I are wanting to become team drivers, however will be coming straight from school! Are you saying that we could have a shot at hiring on with them? We both WANT to do OTR/Line haul positions.