R+L Carriers - anyone familiar with them?

Discussion in 'LTL and Local Delivery Trucking Forum' started by DapperDan76, Feb 19, 2015.

  1. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    Preach on brother, AMEN to the trucking gods.



    Thread Closed
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  3. DapperDan76

    DapperDan76 Bobtail Member

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    I'm just saying what I've found at the terminals close to where I live. The UPSF manager actually got out a copy of the contract and told me that he'd start me at $16 and there'd be a small raise after making the union. Takes 4 years to hit top rate which is $28/hour. OT after 8 hours in a day. Great deal if you put your time in. YRC it was similar, $17 to start as a casual and then after the probation get an 11 cent raise. Top out over $24 after a few years. Obviously four years from now the top rates will likely have gone up. Maybe by a lot. So these are good opportunities, I'm not knocking these companies, I'm just saying I'd have to take a cut in pay for a few years. Believe me I'm doing the research, and talking to these guys in person. Also, I mention the night runs because I'd rather not do them, but UPSF would have me filling in for whoever doesn't show up, which is often the guys who were scheduled for midnite. They showed me the dispatch list, and pointed at the bottom where they had two linehauls leaving at midnite to fill, and said sure, the company can hire you for whatever shift it wants, but I'm going to send you where I need you and you'll have no seniority for awhile. They made it clear that it would be a tough job for awhile. I'm aware that for some guys, doing linehaul at midnite is ideal, so again I'm not knocking it. Also, I'm sure those runs pay by the mile, didn't mean to be inaccurate on that.

    Thanks Shaggy, I did apply at ABF. The website took an app and they email me "open positions" all the time, but when I followed up with the terminal manager he told me he won't actually be looking through them and hiring anybody until early summer. We talked about the job a bit and he took my info. I'll certainly keep them in mind. I can see that a lot of these LTL outfits are busy and need drivers, but don't actually hire them unless the manager at the specific location decides to, and even then it has to be when he has enough time to set aside everything else and do it. I guess you gotta be the guy standing there smiling with all of your qualifications in your hand when that moment comes.

    Leitl, how did you like the P&D job at R+L? They're moving me through the process, I can likely start a job there soon. I talked to one of their drivers today, he wasn't puking rainbows about it or anything but said the job was alright. They offer $22 to start, $26 after 3 years, which if I took it would be $27 by the time I hit it. The no OT part still rubs me the wrong way, but it's a 50 hour week average, so not like crazy OT anyway.
     
  4. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    It's slow right now, Especially in the north east. The Brutal Cold and Snow doesn't help.
    We are dead at the barn, Same thing for Residential and Commercial Roll Off dumpsters. Hard to move anything , if no one is ordering/working in this terrible weather. It's part of the dead season.

    Worst month to find a job, Other then OTR. Hang tight, No one is trying to blow you off.
     
  5. tjcase85

    tjcase85 Bobtail Member

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    My good buddy works outta the one in Wilmington ohio, he is paid by the load. He's been there 5 years and loves it. Now he's running daytime linehaul. Said he makes around 60k a year
     
  6. Midwesttrucker

    Midwesttrucker Light Load Member

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    OP I have an acquaintance over at R&L who runs the city. He gets around 12 hours a day and it's been that way since he started. Again he does not get paid overtime at all but to him it's a paycheck at least he's not running for a mega carrier.
     
  7. heyns57

    heyns57 Road Train Member

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    Transport Topics (2/23/15, page 22) quotes Jay Bullard, vice president of operations at R+L Carriers: "Over the past year, we have put Bose Ride system seats in 1,000 of our 5,000 cabs as a way to alleviate shocks and vibrations and to show management's appreciation for the job drivers do."
     
  8. TruckDuo

    TruckDuo Road Train Member

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    When we worked at R&L I drove another drivers truck with the Bose seats. It was okay, preferred our trucks leather cushy seats.
     
  9. lebltl

    lebltl Bobtail Member

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    P&d was not to bad. A little stressful at times but I guess that goes with the territory. Decent pay and gets you home every day. Different pay scales depending on what terminal or region you are working in. Yeah no ot. They are purchasing new tractors and replacing some of the older ones. Of course it seniority and linehaul first. Decent benefits. Kearny shouldn't be to bad. Been there on linehaul runs.
     
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  10. DapperDan76

    DapperDan76 Bobtail Member

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    Newark, NJ
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    Update on this thread: I took the local p&d position with them several weeks ago. Not bad so far. Obviously terminals vary, but mine expects an average of 52 hours per week for p&d. I go in at 9AM, usually done at 7PM. Drivers don't do dock work, at least not at my terminal. Sometimes I go back out to do a drop and hook after my route, or go do a few warehouse pick ups to help a dispatcher clear his board. Occasionally there is Saturday work available. One of the reasons I took the job is that I do want to make money, but I'm at a point in life where I don't really want to be in a truck more than 50 hours a week or so. Another is that the terminal happens to be very close to my house. They have me on a regular route already, which I like. The equipment is well-maintained, and they spec comfortable seats in all of their trucks, and they are now aging out most of the fleet and and replacing the p&d trucks with new peterbilts believe it or not. Obviously some old beaters in the fleet for the guys on the bottom, but a little windex and armorall and the old one-stack Mack I'm putting around in is decent enough. Linehaul gets IHC's and Peterbilts also, rumored to be some KW's.
    Quirky company in some ways - I had to provide my own pallet jack. Is this something that happens in other companies? Also the time off is almost non-existent, but they let you stay at company-owned resorts when you take vacation. Some of the guys take them up on this and go to Daytona Beach every year. Cute, but I probably won't use that benefit.
    Anyway - I'm with you guys in LTL now! It ain't just holding a steering wheel all day is it?
     
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  11. lebltl

    lebltl Bobtail Member

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    Congratulations. Good choice. Buying pallet jack. Tm said guys were leaving them at their stops so this was suppose to help stop that. Time off 3 days a year. Nowhere near enough. Good luck to you.
     
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