Abf

Saia is opening a terminal in Newark and they're starting experienced guys at $28.41 the ad said.

 

You know the grass is always greener. U keep rambling but still havent said what terminal. Its no use

 

Wow...I just got a job offer from ABF and DriverJoe has me all depressed about it

 

It will in part depend on the location and other factors. If u can get through the first few years living lean then long term it's probably a good thing. That's what I've gotten out of it.

 

It's all about the location of the terminal, some facilities will hire directly in to a cushy bid run at close to 70cpm with hourly pay for dropping and hooking, fueling, break down, waiting, etc. In addition, they offer free Health insurance. Probably not many companies can touch that total compensation package, but it's predicated on the availability of the work. Also, once folks get in there they typically don't leave.

 

Just remember, If you are able to pass the unbelievably overdone and extensive background checks (true story; I have a "Secret Security" clearance from the Federal Government; with it, I can board operational and commissioned nuclear subs with no escort and I can literally go anywhere while on board) and the background check done on me by the feds to get this clearance was nothing compared to the background check done on me by ABF from 'Gisela' and 'Lorraine' down in the Ozarks.

And all for a part time,19 bucks an hour job to drive a truck.

That being said, if you get onboard with ABF, then just know that you will not be considered an employee; you will be known as a casual laborer and you will work sporadically, if at all. Starting pay for this position is about 19 bucks an hour. You might go weeks without working at all or you might work starting at all hours of the day or night. And then get 'laid off' for yet another indefinate slowdown. And very likely, this could go on for years.

The guys that are tooting on the ABF tuba here are the older ones that paid their dues long ago to get where they are. And they very much expect you to pay your dues as well. Two wives, a bankruptcy, poor credit, and three estranged kids later, life is now finally pretty good for most of them.

 

No turning back now! I will start with them and make it work...just quit a good paying job (company) out of Wi to re locate to somewhere warm...I'm at my mid-life retirement...On to the next chapter.

 

Why such an intense background check? To be a truck driver?! wtf

 

I applied about a year ago, probably a year to the day to be exact at the Carlisle Pa terminal (pretty big one). I had 1 year truck driving experience accident free, I had my tank and hazmat endorsements as well. I attended the interview it was explained that this was a P&D combo position where you double as a forklift driver when you are not doing local pickups. Overall the interviewer was very dry and had no personality.

I was told once hired you would be a forklift driver until your 30 day probation is over at a rate of like $14/hr, then you will become road certified after passing their road test after that you will make around $21 and after a year you will cap out at $26. They asked if i had any forklift experience to which i did not, but i would be more than willing to learn. Then they asked if I had attended a truck driving school, to which i replied no I obtained a CDL through a carrier who had a driver work one on one with me 6 days a week for 3 weeks training me then i took the test at a 3rd party testing center and he gave me a job, (the carrier later went bankrupt). The interviewer did not seem happy that I did not have a certificate from a CDL school (which isnt actually an accredited program anyway). Apparently at Abf they are also more impressed if you can drive a forklift than an 18 wheeler lol.

Onto the bankround check, I have been working since i was 14, i was 23 when i applied for this job, I had to submit EVERY JOB i have ever had, not just trucking jobs. They wanted to know how long I worked at Hardees, Walmart, and every other irreverent part time job I've ever held in my life, not just the 2 trucking jobs Ive had you know the ones that are actually relevant to what I would be doing at ABF.

A few days later i was getting my breakfast at Hardees the job i left 7 years before and my old manager said Hey someone called about you the other day verifying your work history (she thought it was hilarious that these people were calling her 7 years later.) The owner of the company that went bankrupt also texted me and said ABF called i took care of it for you buddy with a thumbs up emoji. Over the next 2 months I called ABF every week or two to check the status of my application, to which they said they are still verifying my employment and to check back later.

Eventually I called in and asked the status of my application to which they said they are verifying my employment, and today i wasnt taking no for an answer. I said to the man, "just out of curiosity, what happens if you cant verify my employment". I mean clearly someone is not working on this 8 hours a day 5 days a week and there must be a jam up or a bump in the road. When does enough become enough if you cant verify every single employer. To which they said they would try to work on it.

2-3 weeks later I found my golden ticket, I received a rare walk in road test for a full-time off the streets hire at UPS (not UPS freight like actual UPS and none of that casual ########) (thats right, they exhausted the in house hiring list and took a few guys off the streets) I passed my roadtest and they sent me for my physical as im getting my physical for a new DOT card I'm sitting on the bench in my underwear waiting on the doctor and my phone rings, I answer its a very cheerful lady from ABF explaining that they got the go ahead to hire me and congratulations on my new Career with ABF freight! as shes saying this I'm kinda going oh man with a humble tone. I said ma'am I'm very sorry but I just accepted another Job offer and im actually in getting my physical right now so I have to go, she wished me well and seemed bummed out.


ABF dropped the ball, when a truck driver is looking for a job and has a decent record like I did if you do not jump on him, someone else is going to, and that's exactly what happened in this situation.

 

And I got laid off Friday from ABF because we don't have enough work.
ABF cut the night guys UE run, he bumped back to the city and I got bumped out the door