Abf

Did you get a better compensation package at UPS?

 

Starts at 18.75 on the start of your 5th year you make double of that, you get small raises on the start of years 2 3 and 4, then top rate on the start of year 5. The glorious thing about it is top rate is $36 something right now, they add about .40 once or twice a year to the top rate only. You also have 5 day work week guarantee, they must call mon-fri by midnight and offer you work if your on-call. Yea you make a little less than ABF to start, but after 3 years your pretty close, then one more year and you a little over $10/hr higher than ABF. Im in my 20's so ill be here for years.

 

I've had many trucking jobs over the past 10yrs and I gotta say ABF has been pretty awesome so far. I'm a city driver in Chicago area been here for almost 2 years and have been on a bid since my 3rd month working and now I'm on a easy mon-fri shuttle bid love it!!. Benefits are good ain't no union bs or management problems as long as your own time and work you fly under the radar. But I did get lucky as almost 10 drivers retired since I came in.

 

Abf has been doing my background check just about 3 weeks. I can't take anymore time off without working. I have had a few other offers in the last few days (not starting at $21.86 per hour but close enough to pay my bills) I've had one job, same company for the last 13 years...They wanted all jobs for the past 10 years...Should it take this long? Never been arrested, no tickets, don't owe taxes or child support, etc...Can't get a response from the interviewer...Guess its time to move on...

 

Yessir, move on.
Up here in the northeast, ABF top pay is only 24 bucks an hour. That's.... tops.
Even for guys that have been here for thirty plus years.
That's poverty level, gentlemen.
And all those lengthy, intrusive, redundant, ridiculous and..... totally unnecessary background checks just to drive a truck, part time, for an extremely low wage just isn't worth it.

Benefits are not much better than anywhere else either.
If you are able to work one to three days per week for a year or two, then eventually you will (hopefully) get on "The List" and then get a retirement, starting after three years of continuous employment which is about the only positive that I can say about this way overrated and underpaying company.

Shop around; I've always been a union guy but I must admit, if you go to a, say, non union food delivery service like U.S. Foods or Sysco or Gordon, then you will find:
#1. No being a "casual" worker, you are a full time employee immediately.
#2. You will likely be paid the same amount as everyone else for your hard work.... no starting off at 50% of what your fellow (albeit longtime) employee is making.
#3. You will qualify for medical benefits after either 30 or 60 days, none of this Union baloney of being "short" 4 hours in a 3 month qualifying period so,... "Sorry buddy.... even though you have been working your tail off, you unfortunately have no medical benefits"! (and to add salt to the wounds, you will have to then pay a hefty penalty on your taxes next year because you weren't insured under Obamacare).

 

Yep, I was in the Teamsters for a while and went on vacation. Called in and said I missed my flight from overseas and needed an extension of vacation. When I returned discovered my BCBS health insurance was cancelled. Had to re-apply for it. Of course it was after a doctor visit that I found out about this.

 

I'm glad someone else was thinking that.

 

$24 an hour is like hitting the mother lode to me. I'd be laughing all the way to the bank. Even with the taxes and costs of living in Massachusetts I could live off that and actually have some quality home time.

 

And each barn pays differently based upon their own supplement. Also, top mileage rate at ABF is WELL in to the 60 cent range...