Heading To Mclane from OTR

Don't know about better money. There's not many transportation jobs where I can make $70k and work less than 40 hrs/week.

It can be hard on the body, but if you use your head and don't try to be superman when you're young, it keeps you in good shape.

 

I will give you the part about making that kind of money for working less than 40 hours... That's #### good. I know of a line driver at my barn that runs about 45-46 hrs per week and makes about 80k. That's the schedule I'm trying to get.

 

There is a song for LTL local. It starts off, "Up in the mornin' out on the job, work like the devil for my pay." Of course it was originally penned for the song Old Man River.

 

I used to deliver milk in my early 20's. I had a school route in NE IA. Had to get up at 1 am and most of them schools I had to either deliver up or down stairs and let me tell you that paint they used to use was slick when you had snow on your boots, and most of the time the janitors would not get there before I did to shovel the snow . And talk about equipment my tractor was an international from the early 80's (it was the early 2000's when I worked there). It was good work though.

 

Well, here is my take...I got hired by them Oct 12, 2015...team driving. Mostly night work. During training I got stuck with a trainer that is going for "driver of the year"...is a company suck ###. Always on the phone to dispatch. Drives with his cell phone up to his head (no hands free)....reads his text messages while driving...runs up and down the ramp and told me that I had to do the same...No ####ing way!... the worst was when he told me he use to be a meth cook and user in California several years ago and loves meth...even said that if it was legal, he would still be using it...
Local runs can be up to 18 hours. How is this done with two people? It works like this....I would start driving and 7.5 hours later, I would be placed "on duty, not driving"...with no lunch and work the rest of the time. He would be logged "OFF DUTY" for the first few hours but would actually be working. Once out of training, the same thing happens...Have I said anything? Nope...will I...Nope, not until I find another job. Most of their drivers have only worked for McLane and obtained their CDL through them. I have not seen a driver yet that can do a 90 Degree alley back...I have had to tell them time and again, "get under it, get under it"....I had one driver tell me he couldn't back up to a dock that was off of the street...I had to boost his ego for 15 minutes and guide him in but he finally made it. They swing out into 3 lanes of traffic in order to make a right hand turn.
The long and short of it is that I will not be staying...I am currently looking into OTR again in order to get away from these clowns. Just my 2 cents.

 

You don't work less than 40 hours with McLane...you usually have three runs a week...first two are 18 hours and the third one is an over nighter..You earn every ####ing penny with these guys....100% touch freight...17,000 to 26,000 lbs between two of you.

 

Food service and grocery distribution are two totally different ball games.

 

Ok do all food service runs have teams or solo. Where and when do drivers sleep. Houston is food service center. I wonder how much they make.

 

Yeah there's two different divisions. They run them in seperate yards too. If you are a napper, fall asleep anywhere type of person the team thing you'll be fine. But if your like me and ppl yapping on a cell phone or playing music on the radio keeps you up you better reconsider your options. The other side of Mclane solo is like doing the traditional Foodservice like Sysco, US Foods etc. Team side can make 90-120k but you gotta be with a senior driver to make the top dollar and put up with his ways. Your pretty much napping between stops if you can.

 

running the ramp is a young mans job. I see food service like pro sports. you're golden until you get injured, then your goose is all but cooked.

I went to Linehaul from food delivery and don't ever plan on going back. I can exercise at home if I want. less hours, less work and more money is the clear winner.