Going to FFE

Hello guys,

after all your info and advice I went ahead and got my permit and was approved to go to CDL Academy through FFE transportation. My bus leaves next Wednesday and I will keep you guys updated.

The reviews seem mostly good. Does anybody have any info on them?

Thanks fellas for all the help, excited to get back in the seat.

 

How long has it been since you last drove?

 

November 2015

 

I think @TravR1 works for ffe.

 

I ran for FFE, or rather we (H/W Team after a time) back in the late 90's and 2001 or so.

As long you are nice to the staff in all levels of the company you will do well. If youre just another hungry and needy driver then it might not go well. Once the people there are settled around you will find opportunity in FFE.

Remember to document everything, particularly conflicts and problems related to the freight or truck. Never yourself. they dont wanna hear about you in a bad way.

Some weeks you will sit on a pile of payroll but too tired to spend it all. Or any of it. Other weeks you will be happy you built savings when things get thin or difficult.

 

Thanks for the response man, sounds really good. I’m excited

 

I work for FFE and so does @TravR1 .

I work linehaul and @TravR1 works the plasma side running teams.

The trainers at the school are good. They do want you to succeed. Most of the OTR trainers are good. If you get one who you are not compatible with ask Trecia for another one. She is charge of assigning trainers. She really does care about your training.

Ask questions if you are not sure.

Good luck! If you have any questions just ask.

 

I dont have many complaints. Its a good company to start with. My contract was over like 8 months ago but still here. Teaming was far from my first choice, but the money is good.

Dont let them talk you into switching over to KLLM.

Dont listen to any rumors floating around the school from other students. They are always wrong.

Plasma:
0.40 cpm to start for all miles dispatched.
30.00 per stop (30-40 minutes avg)
50.00 to unload. They unload we just move stuff out of the way.
150.00 layover pay.
825.00 paid on hometime week. They give that to remain on call.

3 weeks out, 5-7 days home.

No detention pay. We really dont need it. We wait 2 hours and if they arent ready we are off.

Not a bad deal. Its not as fun as having your own truck, but its like 6k a month pay average. So I got priorities.

Driving at all different times, day, night, overnight. Sleeping in a moving truck. Driving through tiny alleys, sleeping in Detroit, ridiculously cold reefer. Its great.

 

I am not memory of names because I have been gone (Lancaster Yard Dallas) over 18 plus years. I was a solo for a while with the goal of getting spouse to escape the federal employment drudgery with 3 hour lunches while being paid (She could not abide that...) and was approved to train her for 3 months according to a book issued to me for training goals for skills to teach her each week which evolves to a complete set for her needs to pass a formal hire to full seat testing at the end of that time.

The book went into the drawer and we were a full team within 3 weeks. Its just how she was as a student. My job was to find weaknesses and teach her to overcome that. She at times was a very difficult student, anyone who has been married at all any length of time can relate. Other times she has by her own initiative and judgement PROVED that she can react to a unusual battle problem that requires a solution on our end as a driver when FFE is sleeping at night.

One time we had a problem when Memphis dispatch stopped us with a emergency message near Memphis on I-55 while we were celebrating the pending three weeks time off coming out of Chicago prior to sunrise. We were to race to Voss MO to the truckstop on 44 and take a extremely hot, late load off a trainer and his trainee.

Turns out they spent too much time in casinos in the american southwest and the cut flowers from Phoenix, Mexican Border area were in demand by a raging reciever who says that he will see those flowers at his dock by midnight that day (*We reached Voss MO german truckstop at about 2 PM...) in Chicago downtown or FFE can shove the entire account and find another trucking company for his precious flowers. Which were beginning to be stressed in that trailer. If anything its really bad for them to wilt. Customers dont want that.

We made it with a hour to spare, even endured a all out seal busting DOT, Federal and State Illinois Police Drug search end to end with two drug dogs stepping through the flower load compromising the temperature and everything. What a mess.

Spouse had to back that thing in to a small dock which she was not yet trained for (Book learning from FFE training manual) and she made it happen. I was taking my bunk time. Now that was because I had been up 30+ hours and non functional after the Voss emergency was resolved.

A story from those days. Its pretty intense in those days at that time. But we got it done. Training? HA we are way past that. We left FFE when they introduced us to McKesson in Memphis for million dollar narcotic loads. We took one off a solo in Jessup from Linfield CT at the TA there to Memphis and they loved us there. So they talked about us working out of there. We took it under advisement and made it happen later that year.

Now my story is not to be expected. FFE has or was sold not too long ago and things were changed around a little bit. They still come out into Arkansas now and then and we will see them. But things are different with them which is why I emphasize that I tell a story of what they were or was at one time long ago. Just to show how the people in the company when there is a problem to be solved like those cut flowers made it happen.

We also had bad weeks with them, particularly the famous Salinas fiasco. So it's not all gravy and cream.

 

I don't have any complaints either. I agree with not going over to the KLLM side.

Linehaul is terminal to terminal. Drop and hook.
Starting out at $0.40 cents a mile
Layover is $75

When you get to a terminal and if they don't have a load you will be ask to help out local/regional. Do it!

Regional is .40 a mile plus $35 a stop, Detention pay is also paid.

Local is paid by the hour. It is $19+ an hour for less than 1 year.

I am out for 6 - 8weeks. (Team with hubby) That is my choice. You only have to be out 3 weeks.

My trucks. First one was 2015 Freightliner. Hated it. Always broke down. Still made around 50k first year.
Next one was 2015 Volvo. Loved it! Was sad to see it go. Now I am in a 2020 Freightliner. The newer trucks come with a fridge and inverter. (I took my 1.9 galanz fridge off my Volvo and use it as a freezer. It fits between the fridge and Microwave)