Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Hudson_MacBeth · Jul 10, 2016

change trailer length to 48 for that run and it will route correctly through nyc. all except jbs 12 foot 9 clearance part

MidWest_MacDaddy said: ↑

I have both a RM730 and then the CoPilot App on my iPhone... I saw the "trails" option but have not yet played around with it.

RM is nice but there are times I don't understand what it's doing... Like going to BH Brooklyn... It routed me 100+ miles around the whole city to get there. (Edit: no, I didn't follow it)

I might have to make a trail the next time I roll up that way... Hoping its six months down the road... or more.
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JohnBoy · Jul 10, 2016

KD5AXG said: ↑

And your wisdom in this keeps me in a more logical frame of mind. No company is perfect. Abilene is far from perfect. Humans are far from perfect. There was only one perfect man that walked this earth, and we crucified him.

I will continue to complain, or biotch about my miles until they get me rolling right. I feel I have a valid complaint on this.

I am still very much a rookie. I have something like 11 months of CDL driving spread out over 8 years. And things now are harder than they were 8 years ago. Mainly how the Fed Gov continues to run our lives, but also with my disabilities.

I know my rants get bothersome. For that, I sincerely apologize. I came here to make friends, not to scare them off. There is a wealth of great information from you and other experienced drivers that I need to start paying closer attention to. My measly 2.5 months or so back in the industry has been an eye opening experience, to say the least.

Bare with me, I'm a work in progress. I need a full body off restoration, to say the least.

I looked at my truck this morning after one of my mother-in-law's dogs came in with oil on its back. Yes, my truck is leaking oil again. And I am unable to get a good reading on the oil dipstick. This unnerves me something fierce. Sent a message in to dispatch for a run to West Memphis tomorrow. Hopefully this time it will be a quick fix. Prayers, please. Nice couple of days off, although we had so much to do these two days. I hope to put in for a relaxing weekend in 2 weeks or so. Depending on the truck repair.

Peace, and safe miles.
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Dude, this was NOT directed at you, your rants, posts, questions, and everything else is what keeps this on the right track. We are a team, no matter how much time one has, everyone, myself included has room to learn and grow.

tlopez99 · Jul 10, 2016

JohnBoy said: ↑

Someone answer a question for me, again, I consider myself highly educated, both via books/schooling, and by street growing up in the big mean city of NY. I constantly hear drivers coming on here voicing there displeasure of how much per mile we make and not liking the answer, because this company pays .50 p/m, this one starts at .40 p/m, cameras, the northeast, and what ever else is being advertised out there.

For those of you that aren't employed here, or anywhere else right now, take it from some of the posters on THIS particular thread, we don't make .50 p/m we do have cameras, both forward, and rear facing, we do run the northeast on a regular basis, and we are NOT forced to be gone for weeks on end.

Now, some insightful information that I deem very useful if you are visiting this particular thread. This thread has been up and running since the beginning of April, 2013, started by me and continually added to on a daily basis. We have talked about what we make, where we run, and hometime, we've also biotched, ranted and raved about the company, fellow drivers and each other.

I started this thread, I still actively add to it, there are others on here that have also added to this the last 3+ years, we also have new drivers here that just came over from other companies and others who came over into our training. We also have, for the size of the company, 425+ trucks, the most experienced group with 5,10, 15, years and up. Everyday I run across one of our drivers that is here a lot longer then myself with 3.5 years.

Our fleet is second to none, it's traded off every three years, with new trucks coming in at 100 per year. In the time I've been here, I am now in my third brand new truck. Our fleet of trailers is constantly upgraded, both dry and reefer.

About our freight, we run light about 65% of the time, under 50K pounds. Our freight is top shelf. How many times have I run from Richmond to the west coast with 5K in the trailer? More that I can count. In the 38 years I've been out here, this is the only company I've ever worked for that I never have a worry about getting empty on a Friday afternoon in Podunk Idaho and being dispatched to run over the weekend.

My point to all this? Look at the complete package. Cameras? no issue for me. My CPM? More then what is advertised and discussed here, suffice to say, my first year here was April to December 31st, 2013, I made $47K here and $14K at my previous job that I was at for 4.5 years. My second year hear I made $62K, last year I made $67K, This year I'm on track to make $77K. I do train a little, so those numbers include my training pay. If you take out last years training pay I made $63K solo, this year without training pay I'll make $65 solo. What's better than making the money I do? My hometime. I could be home every 10 days if I wanted to, I stay out 2-3 weeks at a time and never have to beg to go home.

I'm not willing to give up what I make, loose out on my excellent hometime, drive the equipment I do, and have the benefits I do, just to go someplace and try to make .50/.40 per mile. I'll put up with the cameras, the northeast 2 times a year, and my CPM that I negotiated based solely on my performance and record.

In ending I will say this, I have the experience and the record to work anyplace, I choose to work here, I make what I need to make, I get home when I want to. I wish I would have found this job a little earlier, but this much is for sure, I'm retiring in 3.5 years, if Abilene doesn't run me off, this is my last job.
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That was nice to read, great post.

Hudson_MacBeth · Jul 10, 2016

i use pdf conversion app on android to go to jpg

MidWest_MacDaddy said: ↑

I just looked back at the emails from the Cat App... They send you a PDF not an Image File... I will still look in the TF App again but I don't think it can see a PDF... Only image files.
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5speed · Jul 10, 2016

Think I'll change gears for everyone after reading the last couple of posts. I'll be back in the am. I have an easy hp load going to somewhere near Louisville Kentucky. Always enjoy the light freight after a week of Gatorade beating me up. Can someone update me on the washbay at the yard? I've been there but I didn't pay attention. I seen a few new Volvos out front but nothing else. Welcome aboard to all the newer brothers and sisters Abilene is getting.

KD5AXG · Jul 10, 2016

JohnBoy said: ↑

Dude, this was directed at you, your rants, posts, questions, and everything else is what keeps this on the right track. We are a team, no matter how much time one has, everyone, myself included has room to learn and grow.
Click to expand...

I so look forward to one day crossing trails with you. I'll buy dinner just to let you pound on my thick skull.

Evomalo · Jul 10, 2016

5speed said: ↑

Think I'll change gears for everyone after reading the last couple of posts. I'll be back in the am. I have an easy hp load going to somewhere near Louisville Kentucky. Always enjoy the light freight after a week of Gatorade beating me up. Can someone update me on the washbay at the yard? I've been there but I didn't pay attention. I seen a few new Volvos out front but nothing else. Welcome aboard to all the newer brothers and sisters Abilene is getting.
Click to expand...

They are building a new one.

Evomalo · Jul 10, 2016

@5speed Remember how long the drivers lounge took.

chralb · Jul 10, 2016

JohnBoy said: ↑

Someone answer a question for me, again, I consider myself highly educated, both via books/schooling, and by street growing up in the big mean city of NY. I constantly hear drivers coming on here voicing there displeasure of how much per mile we make and not liking the answer, because this company pays .50 p/m, this one starts at .40 p/m, cameras, the northeast, and what ever else is being advertised out there.

For those of you that aren't employed here, or anywhere else right now, take it from some of the posters on THIS particular thread, we don't make .50 p/m we do have cameras, both forward, and rear facing, we do run the northeast on a regular basis, and we are NOT forced to be gone for weeks on end.

Now, some insightful information that I deem very useful if you are visiting this particular thread. This thread has been up and running since the beginning of April, 2013, started by me and continually added to on a daily basis. We have talked about what we make, where we run, and hometime, we've also biotched, ranted and raved about the company, fellow drivers and each other.

I started this thread, I still actively add to it, there are others on here that have also added to this the last 3+ years, we also have new drivers here that just came over from other companies and others who came over into our training. We also have, for the size of the company, 425+ trucks, the most experienced group with 5,10, 15, years and up. Everyday I run across one of our drivers that is here a lot longer then myself with 3.5 years.

Our fleet is second to none, it's traded off every three years, with new trucks coming in at 100 per year. In the time I've been here, I am now in my third brand new truck. Our fleet of trailers is constantly upgraded, both dry and reefer.

About our freight, we run light about 65% of the time, under 50K pounds. Our freight is top shelf. How many times have I run from Richmond to the west coast with 5K in the trailer? More that I can count. In the 38 years I've been out here, this is the only company I've ever worked for that I never have a worry about getting empty on a Friday afternoon in Podunk Idaho and being dispatched to run over the weekend.

My point to all this? Look at the complete package. Cameras? no issue for me. My CPM? More then what is advertised and discussed here, suffice to say, my first year here was April to December 31st, 2013, I made $47K here and $14K at my previous job that I was at for 4.5 years. My second year hear I made $62K, last year I made $67K, This year I'm on track to make $77K. I do train a little, so those numbers include my training pay. If you take out last years training pay I made $63K solo, this year without training pay I'll make $65 solo. What's better than making the money I do? My hometime. I could be home every 10 days if I wanted to, I stay out 2-3 weeks at a time and never have to beg to go home.

I'm not willing to give up what I make, loose out on my excellent hometime, drive the equipment I do, and have the benefits I do, just to go someplace and try to make .50/.40 per mile. I'll put up with the cameras, the northeast 2 times a year, and my CPM that I negotiated based solely on my performance and record.

In ending I will say this, I have the experience and the record to work anyplace, I choose to work here, I make what I need to make, I get home when I want to. I wish I would have found this job a little earlier, but this much is for sure, I'm retiring in 3.5 years, if Abilene doesn't run me off, this is my last job.
Click to expand...

Well said JB and if I could find a (THUMBSUP) icon I'd use it. I read the first 150 pages and the last 50 (at the time) and here I am at the La Quinta ready for tomorrow's orientation. After reading your words and speaking to you several times, I think folks would be hard pressed to find as nice a package as Abilene. Looking forward to joining the team.

Just got here about 20 minutes ago. Traffic was a bear thru Prince William and Fredericksburg south bound. Took a tad longer than I expected. Off to find some grub and then settle in.

ChrisL · Jul 10, 2016

I as well have read quite a bit of this thread to get an idea of how Abilene treats their employee's. And from what Johnboy mentioned a few pages back I find myself excited about the fact of hopefully joining the Abilene team.

I applied this past Friday and god willing hope to get accepted and finalize a orientation date.

Just out of curiosity, is there a private Facebook group for Abilene drivers? To keep in touch with fellow drivers, ask questions, things of that nature?

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