AAA Cooper

@88 Alpha

Well me and my partner were actually both the new guys on the scene. He has me by a few weeks. We were both solo line haul drivers. We all know all LTL companies have extra board drivers. Here at AAA Cooper we call them longpool drivers. Same thing just different terminology. Anyways being that we were the new guys we have to pay our dues and wait our turn and if a run comes up then yea we ran but if not we worked the dock. Well just working the dock doesn’t pay the bills and we were not getting the miles.

He went to the TM and inquired about a team position and as well did I. I have a family to feed and bills to pay and I’m the only provider. They depend on me. So I have to make money some how. Well the Chicago team from Chicago quit and they can’t keep teams up there for some reason so our TM offered us a team position running Chicago freight so we talked got to know each other and our main focus and goal was to make money. No one else wants to do teams. We want to make money money money. So that right made us a good match. I am almost like 10 years older than him but that doesn’t even matter or change anything. He also has over the road experience and winter driver experience as well as driving doubles in the winter which is what I was looking for especially running the Chicago lane. He use to work for YRC in a team truck in MN. I talked to several other drivers but their driver and hunger wasn’t there for me. I needed someone committed and he was the best candidate. Now if you don’t mind to be paired with just anyone they will do that or if you know someone you can bring them onboard as well if that’s possible. Me I can’t do that. I need to be able to trust you when I’m in the bunk sleeping. We get along great in the truck. I cuss and yell and sometimes blow the horn at these stupid people and it doesn’t bother him and he says he doesn’t even hear it lol. And he does it too but I don’t here because I’m on my cpap machine and headphones go in the ears and I’m listening to a show or something. There a couple of drivers here of whom I would absolutely never team with even if it pays 2500 gross.

So that’s how we became a team. We just clicked from day one and never looked back. So here we are the new guys in the terminal with our first year making more money than the guys with 15-20 years with the company because we chose to team. The dock life is for the birds. Work the dock then go do a 300-400 mile run. Yea not interested. Lol teaming is where the money is at.

 

Man that sounds like my story. I left my OTR company then was at two local companies now at AAA Cooper. Yea man it’s like a diamond in the rough. It’s a mid size LTL Carrier but it’s not going anywhere.

 

You are very welcome. I try to be as informative as I can be. Thank you for the compliments. I believe my military background has allowed me to talk to people with respect and not bring such negativity when one is asking for help or seeking guidance. Dothan is always looking to add drivers I’m sure of it. My suggestion would be to always check every single day three times a day. Morning afternoon and evening. That’s how I landed my job. I check three times a day. Never know when it will open up and if it does open up it can be gone just like that.

 

Man you will dig yourself out of that financial hole in time. When I left OTR I was struggling. The hole became deeper and deeper. Taking home 600 a week man. Then this job was a miracle waiting to happen and now I’m all caught up and can start saving again and start enjoying life. Take advantage of every opportunity you can. If they have weekend work like a linehaul run or something on Saturday take it. Some terminals have weekend volunteer sign up sheets when they get real busy. I take advantage of everything thing to make some extra coin.

 

That is true. Seniority does get first pick. Also keep in mind that if they have extra linehaul runs on the weekend linehaul drivers have first pick over P&D drivers. So someone with 2 months seniority with company as a linehaul driver would get the extra linehaul run over a P&D city driver that has like 20 years. At least that’s how it is at my terminal