Ashley Furniture? Good company?

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by BigD09, Jul 28, 2013.

  1. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    They forgot to mention the bonus. Waiting to see if we stick around maybe? lol
     
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  3. ONESHOT1997

    ONESHOT1997 Medium Load Member

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    LOL

    Well that money can change each year, and it comes from how well they can recover money from scrap foam, and such also like scrap wood etc,.

    I have taken a lot of scrap foam loads from Ecru, MS to Madison WI. were they turn it into carpet padding. Those loads weighed in around 45000, heavy compressed scrap foam load.

    It depends on the person you ask, you will get a different answer, but I was there for about 8 mths and got 1500.00 not bad nice little surprise!
     
  4. cool35

    cool35 Heavy Load Member

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    Hey guys I was thinking about going over there. They have an add for truckload driver, drop and hook out of Colton, CA. Have a few questions if you don't mind. How is the pay on the truckload side? How is the 401k plan? I notice they have profit sharing, is it any good? I already know the equipment is very nice but what are the trucks governed at? How is the home time? Over all I hear they are a great company. Thanks in advance!
     
  5. ONESHOT1997

    ONESHOT1997 Medium Load Member

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    I just PM you, its a good gig-- been with them for about 1-1/2

    Well we just got another raise, 2 for me inside of a year--

    I am on tract for about xx,000, :) Advertised is about, $60,000 plus. They sand bag a little when they tell you what to expect for pay. Some drivers make a little more, and some a little less. It depends on how you run your self, and how you manage the dispatchers, by letting them know how many hours you have remaining and you are here to run, and how you run your electronic logs-we are on people-net for the most part.

    We do have health Ins, eye Ins, dental Ins and more. Its all very reasonable.

    Vacations are , 1 week after 1yr, 2weeks after 2yrs, 3 weeks after 5 yrs, and after 10yrs 3 weeks off time and one week of full pay. Your vacation pay by the way is a full weeks pay. (of course everything is subject to change) LOL

    Profit sharing will not kick in until your second year with them, and it will be prorated in the second year, then you will be fully into it the third year, and it is prorated out to seven years then you will be 100% vested. The profit sharing avg is between 4-5% of your gross per qualified year.

    We also have a 401k, and its doing well, they do not match, but that's what the profit sharing is for in my book.

    We also have a safety bonus, paid quarterly - that amounts to about 380-425 before taxes, and I have received every one since I started.

    We also have another bonus in Dec, it is paid out 75% in that month and the rest in April, last yr it amounted to about 1500.00 gross.

    And we recv'd a November turkey last yr.

    Also in some of there plants they have there own medical clinic's, if drivers are seen there they just pay for meds.

    Also in some plant locations they have fully staffed cafeteria, here's an example from Ecru Ms. scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits, hash browns, coffee=$6.00

    And they also have a referral bonus, at this time it is about $2500=before 33% taxes paid in 3 different installments in 12 mths.

    Speed of the trucks is 64-65

    We are a 48 state carrier.

    Most drivers are home once a week, usually on the week-end, my home times very by my choice at the moment I am home this weekend sat and sun, going back out Monday recapping.
    If I had done a restart, I would have started Tuesday.

    I have run in the past year and 4 months about,3025 avg weekly, some weeks lower and some higher, the biggest 6 day week I have had was 3800. The lowest has been 1600 due to weather. (Due to Ice storm's)

    We also get layover pay and are paid drop and hook pay on loaded trailers which avg about 150=180 extra a week.

    We are paid weekly.

    You can also get management drop fees 15$ for extra things, but thats on a case by case thing.

    They provide Ashley Work shirts, with collars, etc.

    Trucks are traded in every 4-5 years or 500,000 miles ( I have put about 205,000 on the one I am in in about 16 mths )

    Inside the trucks we have a 1800 watt power converter, and a fridge/freezer, with a real APU, no battery bank unit. And they are all double bunk team units, very nice.

    Maintenance is some of the best I have ever seen, here's an example at there shop in Ecru Ms. , had a cracked windshield, from the time I let the shop know about it, to the time I was rolling out of the shop with a new windshield and new wipers, was about 30 mins.

    And for the most part we are a bunch of solar powered drivers LOL

    If you get stuck on the road and have to do a restart, they pay for a hotel, and 2 days of layover.

    At this point and time it is a very good company to work for, but like every trucking company, there will be good days and bad days and you will have great dispatchers and so-so dispatchers. (LOL)

    I would rate this: privately own trucking fleet in the top 10% not to bad.

    And again-everything is subject to change--of course.

    And if any-one needs help or has questions just PM myself--as you can see I am a driver for them.

    COOL35-----I did PM ya, give me a call and ask away-- will try to help ya and point ya in the right direction
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2014
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  6. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    i'll have to 2nd that. had a peoplenet issue and when I rolled into ecru they had called the helpless desk at peoplenet, dumped the unit, uploaded completely new software and had it set back up in 30 min. it took them longer on the phone with peoplenet than it did to actually fix it. the point is, they didn't put it on a list or make me wait, they jumped right on it even though it was a Saturday afternoon late.

    bumping up on my first month now and just making an initial assessment that's one thing that really stands out in my mind. not ONE time have I picked up a trailer, either from a drop spot or a DC, that had flat spotted or bald tires, lights out, or paperwork or inspection/tag out of date. at my previous company, I'd get at least 2-3 of them a week that had been dumped for the 'next guy' to deal with. I wasted more of my clock at my previous company getting trailer needs addressed than anything else. hasn't happened once here so far. I'm sure i'll get the oddball light that burns out at some point, but just not having to deal with it several times a week has been very refreshing.

    funny how the smallest things can mean the most. it says a lot about their operating philosophy and driver responsibility. both seem to be on a much higher level than where I was before.

    and the money sure looks good so far too. looks like I made a good choice taking the risk leaving my comfort zone at epes and taking the chance coming here. as with most things in life, no risk, no reward.
     
  7. ONESHOT1997

    ONESHOT1997 Medium Load Member

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    2ND that---also

    Talking to Charlie in Ecru, were I go at least 2 times a week, he shared some stats with me, and Ashley is rated #4 in the nation for maintenance for trucking Company's. I have had a tire blow out on the road, and from the time I called to the time I was rolling again was about an hour, was at a rest area I-10 and 75. Not bad at all----


    They replace there steers at about 10/32 and with only Michelin tires, and the drives around 6/32 new tire only, and on the trailer tire replacements on the road only new tires no recaps----very nice.

    Had one other blow out in GA I-75, was in a bad cell area, limped to the local truck stop, went inside to make the call, by the time I came back to the truck, the tire repair was already on the truck slinging rubber , that was about 30 min.

    I had some friends here in FL that worked for EPES including me, and when any one has left, we never looked back, it was the best move we all made.

    You have moved up in the trucking jobs, its not perfect but it is very good.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2014
  8. ONESHOT1997

    ONESHOT1997 Medium Load Member

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    Well: had my lowest miles (with out weather being the issue) week this year 2025, this week, they were doing the numbers and gave me a get home load, and I was going to be short , so I called the dispatcher (not the one that answers the phone, but the one that gives you the work assignments), and asked what was up, they said you have 2900 (with the get home load) miles-so we are getting you home for the week-, asked them to recheck there math-and when they did I heard over the phone --oh--, I only had 2025 in 4 days (including the get home load-came out on Tuesday)- there is another driver with the same name and the dispatcher had us messed up! LOL

    So they were going to fix it, and add another 500 mile run, and I said no, just leave it alone, I'll take the extra time off, and reset my time out back to Monday. Got home Friday back out on Monday morning-Pepsi back haul to Columbia S>C> drop and hook 500 mile run. Normal for us.

    So the truck needed some maintenance, A service and some lamps replaced ( the Dickerson fleet services was open on Saturday) so in the shop it went, ready for the pickup Monday morning.

    Now in talking to the ladies that do the assignments to ya- they all say you are better off getting to a factory as soon as you can for an assignment, unless you are working out of a factory. If you get to a factory on Thursday - pickings for runs are going to be getting thin, and if you are there on a Friday -its even worst. They prefer you run Monday threw Saturday or Sunday threw Friday, this would help you get the most miles, most of the time, and on the short week I took it and ran with it, nice being home Friday-Sunday night.

    I think that if I had the chance to switch my start day to Sunday, I would, I have tried (this would but ya at the Factory on Monday-Tuesday which would be ideal) but down here, we do not have any back hauls that lv this market area on Sunday and sometimes they do not have enough for everyone on Mondays, so we have to call in at times every 30 mins, I usually give them 3 call ins before I call it and just say lets start the next day, they sometimes wine a little but let it go. Hate to waste a day doing the call in, then leaving at 6pm being up all day then trying to do a back-haul pickup and then trying to find a place to park for the night. This has happened a few times in the past, that's why I give them the 3 calls and then try to call it, unless they have something in the works.
     
  9. Cheez

    Cheez Light Load Member

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    Hey oneshot I pm you but your inbox is full. Can someone tell me about the truckload out of the DFW area? They had a add on Craig's list this last Friday. I called their recruiting number but I could only leave a message. How much does TL get a mile? If it is in the .35 mile range what other things do they pay for? If it's stop pay that doesn't sound like much unless it a lot per stop. I would think TL doesn't have many stops but I could be wrong. I worked for Bridgestone private fleet for 10yrs and I know private fleets are where the money is. We didn't get as much cpm as other companies but we were paid for unloading and stops. Bunk pay fueling pay DRopNHook pay. It always came out good. Thanks
     
  10. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    Jamestown, NC
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    don't know how I missed it in your earlier post oneshot but you worked for epes? lol it looks like i'll be bringing a few over, including some of the ones I trained as soon as they get their year in at epes. things are steadily going downhill there at a rapid pace just talking to the ones still there each week.

    solid day yesterday. left the TA in demotte, in and rolled into advance with 5 minutes left. 680 miles is some hard rolling in a 64mph truck. left arcadia with plenty of time then as usual got held up coming around Chicago. why they would close 5 ####### lanes of interstate for a car on fire on the shoulder is beyond me. considering it's the land of Rom Emanuel and Obama nothing they do around there surprises me though. never can get straight through there any time of day any day of the week. started the day out at +28 minutes to advance and ended up at 5 minutes to the good side. if you ever get arcadia to advance and want to shave a few minutes instead of running around indy and doing 70/75/35 like most do, drop down to 74 and run the AA through Ky down to 64. even better if it's off peak or weekend and you can run straight through indy to 74 and pick up a few more minutes. of course as soon as I got to the 2 lane part of the AA I got behind the one old geezer who decided he was going on a sunday drive and live on the edge and do 56 in a 55 lol didn't think I'd ever get around him. pretty sad when the truck passes the 4 wheeler in the truck lane uphill with 30k in the box.

    that explains a lot about the dispatch process. can't say I'm real thrilled with it 3 days out of 5-6......but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm stuck leaving tue and getting in sun. probably the only thing I miss about the previous company.....that I had a specific dm I talked to every time and I always was planned on something and knew how my week was going to start when I came in for the reset. I'm not really sold on this idea of just being stuck speaking to whoever answers the phone every time you call in. kinda hard to build those working relationships with 30 different people when you never know who is going to answering the phone when you call in. i'll get used to it but right now it's still kinda frustrating at times dealing with someone different every time I call in. leaving advance on Tuesday like I am now, it's always 200-250 that leaves midday to late afternoon tue with a customer unload on wed morning. getting that load is like pulling teeth with tweezers. start midday Monday checking in. call back in 30 minutes. call back. call back in 30 minutes. call back. call back in 30 minutes. call back. call back tomorrow. you've got to be ####### kidding me. then, after the unload, call back in 30 minutes. rinse and repeat. let's see, you know where I am, generally how long it takes these places to unload and when I should be done. why am I not planned? I like it much better when they run me back empty because the inevitable live load backhaul burns up 5-6 hours for the 200-250 back to advance. that sets the tone for the week and ends up being a lot of late night running and parking challenges. loads get better into the week but I think I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and stay out 2 weeks to reset my reset to sat or sun instead of tue where it is now. still, I've been doing pretty good. 3000 even last week but the last trip won't make cutoff so the check will only be 2000 since I didn't carry anything over from the holiday. I'm averaging 27-2900 but it's always a slow start to the week then run it to the last minute the last 4 days of the week to finish strong.

    you gotta love those enclosed docks huh? the one below was at the furniture market in high point. blindside off a one way street into the hole. can we say get out and look? many many times. took them forever too. floor load to the roof and they were in no hurry. funny thing was the wife and I had just driven by there on the Monday before and I had said to her I really hope I never have to do that one lol 2 days later there I was. it hadn't occurred to me living in high point and driving for a furniture company I might have to do market. I sure hope I don't end up there during the actual market. that one was not fun.
     

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  11. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    Jamestown, NC
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    don't know about DFW ops specifically but the drop yard is in irving at empire truck lines. dropped a few ltl loads there then usually run back out empty to Louisiana for the backhaul.

    TL pay scale is 37-39 in half cent increments depending on experience. drop and hook pay, live load/unload backhaul counts as a d/h for pay purposes. customer unload pay. it works out to 6-10 d/h and maybe a customer unload in there as well over the week if you hustle. they do pretty good at planning for your available hours

    checks so far are running 950-1100 take home with only one short week due to the holiday. not a bad gig so far. you don't really have to chase miles to make money here. the ideal is to get 450-550 you can run in a day and get a d/h a day and if you can hook to the next one that day then it's even better then you're making more money. the d/h pay adds up over the week if you can get in as many as you can get. if you get the long trips then you aren't getting as many d/h and the pay suffers lol I made less running 3300 than I did running 2900 because I didn't have as many d/h over the long week as I did the shorter one
     
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