Con-Way Freight vs. FedEx Freight for new driver?

what should be the expected pay for the 1st year as a road driver with fedex freight. was told that position consist of shuttling trl's 3 mi to conley termn which is 3 mi away. road runs from atl to chattanooga or from atl to b'ham and dock work. just wondering

 

3 mile shuttle run, so you have to log that, meh.

But you like toyota forklifts? get used to it, as you'll be doing more of that thatn grinding gears!

 

Is linehaul at night or day?

 

Does seniority make a difference in fuel hauling when it comes to weekends off? I`m thinking about doing fuel hauling myself.

 

they have both.but i can almost guarantee you'll never see a day line run

 

I've worked LTL long enough now, almost 9 years, and can tell you if you want first year pay and first year that it isn't very good.

I'm not trying to burst any boubles, but you're not gonna make a lot and you're not gonna get great work assignments when you first start at FedEx, UPS, UPSF, Con-way, or any other decent company.

All of those companies have seniority based boards and pay so it's gonna take some time before you make good money.

That said, and something I'll stand by with facts since I've done it, 40K with a good LTL company is worth 65K running OTR.

I have figured this many different ways many different times..

I've worked at Con-way Freight for 9 years now. My best year was 2010 when I made $87,500 - we make more now so that would be about $92,000 if I was on the same run. I made just shy of 48k my only full year of OTR which was 2002. My first full year at CCX was 04 and I made about 48K.

Without making this a book here's my point.

I now make .57 per mile and $24.10 an hour - took a while to top out here but so help me god this is what I now make and do.

I run a short night meet run down in Va with a driver out of NC. If I just run my run with no extra runs or work I make about $215 per night for 7 total hours of work - I normally run an extra every weekday morning but even if I don't that's $1050 per week minimum for 35 total hours.

I would say without sleeping in the truck time included, I now spend less total time working and getting paid than I used to not getting paid waiting at a customer or waiting for company directives.

I'm just a dumb Con-way Freight driver , but my dad is a business veteran and here's what we figured out....

Being conservative here. 120 hours of OTR per week made me $1000 - that's five total days away from home including sleep time. Now, 35 total hours away from home equates to $1075 per week but I go above and beyond so I do about 50 total hours which generally has me in the $1500 range. I like going above and beyond..lol..

Something I didn't know........ I get the Ford X-Plan and just got 8K off the sticker of a 2012 Navigator that I took delivery of today..

 

Good deal driver!!!! Nice whip too!

 

I'll give a little bit of insight on this issue.

I recently just got "fired" from Con-way Freight after 4 years of working there. I had 0 preventable accidents and a flawless attendance record. I got fired for "leaving early" when I left for my vacation. At least I was able to RECORD the entire process of being fired for future value.

STORY:

I had scheduled 4 days off and had it preauthorized. About a month before I left for my vacation I asked the night FOS if I could leave an hour or two early to catch my flight to Las Vegas. She told me it was okay. Fast forward a month later and I reminded her two days prior that I was taking off early for my flight/family vacation. Day of, she totally forgot about my arrangements. In addition, our TM knew I was leaving for vacation, Operations Manager knew, as well as the morning dispatcher/supervisor. Now, in most cases you'd be given an attendance violation and get a slap on the wrist for NOT getting permission to leave. Nope, not at Con-way Freight! They suspend you, do an entire HR investigation, and FIRE a long time employee that's near top scale. Maybe this is why our service center ranked at the #### near bottom for 5+ years in a row. I won't get into all the other politics and the ######## you have to put up with, but this place is just a giant meat grinder. If you see a driver with 5+ years wearing a Con-way uniform you will know there are hundreds below him that were terminated for whatever reasons they can come up with. Even the state agreed with me when I filed for unemployment. Under most cases when you are FIRED from a job you can't collect. The state even said what I "did" was a simple miscommunication and per the Con-way employee handbook does not INCLUDE termination for any level of "offenses".

Now that I am no longer at Con-way I can't tell you how happy I am. Every company that I've interviewed at for LTL has way better starting hours, better equipment, and more integrity. However, they can't match the pay of the "big boys". I'd suggest trying to start off at a different company, getting experience, and then getting on with FedEx Freight, UPS Freight, R&L, Dayton, etc. I highly doubt my scenario at Con-way would have translated into a termination with any other company. Either way, I've told my termination story to EVERY company I've interviewed with and every interviewer is completely shocked about the outcome. It is rather stupid to fire a long time employee that is already trained and has a great safety record. I probably saw 100 drivers below me get hired/fired/quit within that 4 year span.

Here is what to expect at Con-way. When you start you'll be around ~$19/hour (depending on region) and will get the worst possible hours. Con-way has three schedules. They have drivers on the CITY P&D board that range from 3am-1pm start times. You'll work the dock no matter what shift you are on. You'd expect 3-4 hours each day whether it's at the beginning or end of your shift. Most 3-5 year drivers will have a 10am start time and you'll work until 8:30-9:30 at night. Some nights may be longer if the weather sucks or if you have a "heavy" freight night. The drivers with the most desirable 5-7am start times have 10+ years in with Con-way.

Next, you've got the Linehaul board. These are designated runs between specific service centers. Each terminal has their own runs. If you are the junior man you'll expect the shortest run. At my terminal it was a 20 mile linehaul run, followed by 8-10 hours on the dock (overnight), and then either the 20 mile run home or a VIA to another service center running you right up to the 16 hour rule EVERY SINGLE DAY. The guys at the top of the linehaul board would run about 500 miles every night. These guys not only get all the miles, but they have the best equipment, and are making top scale wages around ~$.55/mile. Most top scale linehaul drivers would make ~$85-$95,000 every year. If you are on the bottom of the list you'd make around ~$55-65,000 working twice as much as the senior man who never parks his ### on a fork lift.

The next schedule is the "flex board". You essentially fill in for people when they take vacation. You could work 5am-5pm two days of the week and the next day (after 10 hours off) they could switch you to working nights and being worked for 16 hours+ for the rest of the week. When I first started I was getting 60 hours each week for the first few months. Then freight dropped off and I was only worked 10-15 hours each week for the ENTIRE winter.

Beyond the abuse you'll take on the dock or as a junior man it isn't worth it. You'll never be home to see your friends and family and your career as a driver is at risk. Con-way doesn't care about safety or integrity. Have a head light burned out while driving? Who cares?! Keep on going! Have a HazMat load that wasn't secured properly? Who cares?! Keep on going! It's -30° outside and your heater/defrost doesn't work?! Keep on going! How about 85°+ with humidity while humping 50+ loads BY HAND with a dolly into a hotel only to find out your A/C in the truck hasn't ever been fixed! Get a ticket for an equipment violation? Suck it up driver and pay the fine!

There were countless days/nights when I had worked 16 hours and pulled back in the terminal. I was about to fall asleep and didn't have the energy to break my doubles apart and put my equipment away. After I backed up my two trailers, put my dolly away, parked my truck and went in to "punch out" I'd be asked to hostle trailers "for a bit". I'd tell them that I've "ran out" of hours. What do they say? "You are on private property now and DOT hours of service don't count!" Gee, lucky for me! Now I can spend 2-3 hours busting my ### moving trailers around WITHOUT a yard jockey. What if you need to use the restroom? Now they'll hound you for "stealing company time". I mean, after all, don't most people use the restroom sometime within a 19 hour period?!

Con-way IS NOT a pretty picture. Sure, it may work for a couple of drivers that have been there for years on end. Are other service centers better than others? I am sure of it. However, it isn't worth the hassle and stress on your life.

As my wife put it, "Find a job some place else where you don't have to deal with those white trash #######!" This is coming from a lady who never swears. You can feel like you're in the best place at Con-way with great job security and lose your job the next day for countless reasons!

Look at jakebrake's posts. He is where most drivers would want to be. Do you want to know how many at my terminal bought and drove huge flashy vehicles and were fired within a few months? How is that monster truck payment now when you take a 75% pay cut at the next company after you get chopped off at the knees!

Best of luck to whoever chooses the Con-way life.

 

Depends on the company and service center. Most of the times it's at night. If there is a day linehaul you won't see that run for 10+ years!

 

THIS!

Work the dock at your home service center for 1-3 hours. Hook your doubles up and drive to the next service center. Drop your doubles and work the dock for another 4-10 hours. Hook up your doubles and drive to your home service center. Finally, drop your doubles and hope they allow you to go home for 10 hours.

Make sure you punch your linehaul pay sheet EXACTLY at the 10 hour mark or they'll consider you "tardy". Factor in time to commute each way to work, eat, shower, sleep, etc. and you just MIGHT be able to see your family.