A little concerned about changing from OD to Usf Hollan

YRC will be here for good,if we get close to folding we'll just take another pay cut.If you go to holland city board you be last man and your start times will be most likely 12 PM or later so you will still be working at night..I know not ALL night.but it'll be dark when you go home..But OT after 8 & 40 is the only way to go..

 

I left OD last year for the same reasons. I don't live to work. I work to live. Life is too short to work it away.
I wish I knew YRC paid overtime as I would've considered going there. Now I'm back pulling opendeck but it's bankers hours and I'm happy.

 

I'm at holland . I am doing linehaul here. PD pays 21 hr but you will start at 85%. Holland is in a concession contract til 2019 as all teamsters working for yrcw.yrcw is currently pushing debt payments out til 2019. Just in time to negotiate new contract where they will no doubt ask for more cuts. You have to work 4 years to get 1 year pension. Just to let you know that. PD gets laid off first and usually right before the holidays so they don't have to pay 4 holidays. Dirty really but that's what they do.

 

We also drive old equipment with over 1.2 million miles on them.

 

ABF is hiring all over the country, we are steady at the moment, we are also in a concession contract until 2017. City pays about the same as stated above but you will start at 90%. We bid again in October and again in April. Good Luck where ever you end up.

 

I'm sorry but many of you are making it seem like night driving linehaul is not sustainable physically after a certain amount of time doing it. I know it pays well but I'd like to know if it's even worth it since so many people stop doing it after awhile.

 

I'm going to respond to this, as well as to the OP. First off, it is a known fact that your body's circadian rhythm is set to have you sleep at night, and be awake during the day time.

But there are things you can do to change this. I have worked all kinds of shifts, including one span of about 8 months where I worked all THREE shifts every week. Now THAT is something that the old body is only going to let you do for a limited time, before it kicks in and says, "If you are going to treat me that way, I WILL make you sorry." I've also worked jobs where we changed shifts on a quarterly basis. So just about the time your body gets used to one work schedule, that schedule changes.

But when you are working a steady job, with the same hours, (or virtually the same hours,) every day, you body can get used to it, and you can function very well. I worked graves for several years, and had no problem with it. But you have to make some allowances to help your body out.

First, and probably most important, if you work nights, then keep your schedule to nights. Don't work nights, then on your days off, play (or do "honey-dos" or whatever,) all day. This will keep the old bod upset all the time. So you are working nights, then keep those same hours on your days off.

Second, get in the habit of getting regular sleeping hours. Don't lay down and expect to be asleep in five minutes. You don't do this at night, there is no reason to think you should in the daytime. Set a time when you will go to bed, and a time when you will get up.

There are several things that can help you to sleep in the day time. Sleep in a dark room. If you have too much light, get black out curtains. Or wear a sleep mask. Or do both.

Use white noise. There is usually more going on, therefore more noise in the daytime. But you don't need absolute quiet to sleep. A box fan, or an MP3 playing music can do wonders for you.

Watch what you eat, and when you eat it. Don't come home after work, eat a huge meal, and then expect to go to bed and go to sleep right away. A light snack is much better. Eat your big meal of the day, after you wake up and several hours before going to work.

If you are a family man, it makes it a whole lot rougher, but you really need your family to buy into this. Actually, I see very little benefit in a family man working night line haul vs OTR. You still don't see much of your family.

OP, I don't have any kind of a handle on USF. I do know that ODie is, (or at least USED to be,) a heck of a good outfit to work for. Ultimately, you will of course have to make the decision. But either way, I hope some of my suggestions will help a bit, until you can make the change, if that is route you go.

But for TheJu312 and others, night time line haul is a very sustainable way to make a living. You just have to work your entire life around your job. If you are able and willing to do this, it is a good way to go. If you are not, then you really should find a different job.

Good luck guys.

 

Excellent post.