Daytime work and being home every night

Exactly why I passed up YRC myself recently. I didn't get the REAL scoop on what was basically an "on call" position, until I really grilled the TM, AFTER my interview. He attempted to make it sound like a walk in the park, but I knew better and pressed him on it. I'm just going to play the on call game at a terminal that's almost an hour away. I was also hired by Estes, and from what I gather from the TM at my local terminal, it sounds just as "up in the air" unfortunately. People talk highly of them, and that's great. But having zero clue of what you're doing from day to day, in regards to not only WHAT you'll be doing, between dock, P&D and line haul, but also the hours you'll be working, not to mention the possibility of being sent to a terminal in North Carolina or Colorado for a week (an exact quote from him) really left a bad taste in my mouth.

I have no interest in trying for a bid run on the P&D board, as I have no interest in playing the rush game all day, scrambling around the city, backtracking for pickups and playing customer care representative to business managers everyday, but I'd take a line haul bid in a second. But from what I'm gathering at this particular terminal, getting in on a line-haul bid is tough business. I might last a few months being on call, but beyond that, I don't see myself doing it. I've read of guys that were on call for 3 months, all the way up to a couple of years. Seems to be a "luck of the draw" kind of deal, and regardless of what other current and past employees share, it seems to come down to the individual terminal, in regards to what a combo position will entail. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is I guess.

Dave

 

I'm just going with what the ODFL TM in Albuquerque was stressing to me. Wild driver/extraboard was exactly the way he explained it. Days off never the same, stand by the phone and wait for instructions. He was a cool guy, but he was being up front and honest about the deal as well.
I have no honest idea where to really take the career anymore. Might as well just try to stick it out with the current workplace that at least has enough flexibility and laid-back attitude to fly under the radar.

 

Every-time I read your posts I have to do a double take and make sure it wasn't something I posted. I hear ya man, 100%. The TM at YRC said pretty much the same thing so I politely declined. The TM at Estes had pretty much the same story, and for what I was looking to do long term (Line-Haul) I felt it was going to be a long wait until I got a bid run. The up and down hours and never knowing what I'd be doing is one thing, but the occasional trip out of state to help at a terminal, and no idea when I'd get any sort of shot at a bid run (I asked) was pretty much a deal breaker for me. It's a shame becasue IF I could stick out the whole "on-call" situation and get a bid run on line-haul I'd probably be just fine, but who knows when that would be? No one. As I've said, it's luck of the draw. The last month or two I feel victim to looking ONLY at the bottom line in regards to pay which drew me to LTL, when in fact it's not really what I'd enjoy doing (line-haul is an exception.) I'm a firm believer in having at least SOME joy in your job, and if I have to make a bit less per week to be content and do my thing, vs doing something I really don't enjoy, in an environment I don't really like, then so be it. There will always be "better" jobs and when the time comes and I find them, then I'll apply, IF it's in line with what I like to do.

You know it's funny though. Back when I was entertaining the idea of getting my CDL, I knew my ultimate goal was to buy my own truck, or go LTL like a couple of my buddies and right now, I'm just like you, not quite sure where I'm going with the career at this point. Buying a truck at this point in time with the ridiculous rules and regs, not to mention cost etc is gamble at best, and a possible nightmare with a family at home depending on you. One thing goes wrong, and you don't have the capital, you're done. Maybe one day, but not anytime soon. I started hitting the LTL market hard about a month ago when my last job ended, and after doing some extensive research, I've come to the conclusion that P&D just isn't my thing. Line-Haul would be nice, but it's hard to find a reputable company around here that will hire for line-haul off the street with no actual "line-haul" experience, and let's not talk about the "combo" or "on call positions." The only reason I really considered LTL was for the potential income, but I'm not so sure it's "up my alley" anymore.

I did however find a regional/OTR company that's based about 3 hours from me, that landed a contract that would have me home daily. You pick up at the same spot which is about 40 miles from me, and deliver withing a 200 mile radius everyday, then go home. I'm not thrilled about the commute, but I guess a plus is they let you take the truck home, so at least I wont be spending money on fuel, or putting wear and tear on my vehicle. The hours seems tolerable considering the commute, but we all knowing it's trucking, so those "long days" are inevitable. It's flatbed which I prefer, with minimal tarping, no micromanagement, no driver facing cams, nice equipment (I'll have to get used to not having a long hood lol) but right NOW, it seems to fit with what I'm trying to do, at least until something flatbed, lowboy, or tanker opens up locally, and when I say locally, I mean actually in the city I live in. Oh well.

Dave

 

Only other job I had any real enthusiasm for was a low paying, yet predictable shuttling job with O'Reilly's. Run out of ABQ and meet with a relay in Vaughn NM with a loaded trailer from the Lubbock warehouse. Put in an app for that a few months ago and went through the phone interview. But never got a call back and called them myself. Only to find out that others were picked and to try some other position or location.
Speaking of location, I've been repeatedly told to that I'd have to move elsewhere to get out of my so-called rut. But after strings of applications and interviews over the past, couple of years, would a move really be worth it? I've already made a major move once out of CA to NM about five years ago for the type of driving I'm doing now. The city is small and cheap, the traffic is low and light. The biggest thing I'm fearful of when it comes to moving is the hours of the new job cutting into ever unpacking and getting to know the area.
Right now, I'm thinking it's best to just stay the course and pay off what bills remain before making a crucial next move. I still own money on a pickup and some medical bills. Once I get those burdens out of the way, that should lighten up my head in regards to heading out to some other land.
Easier to deal with registering a vehicle in another state when there isn't the additional burden of still paying for the blasted thing.

 

Hey Mack I'm sure you read a lot of what I came across. When I started doing my research after being hired by SAIA, I started seeing some alarming things randomly online, which were further validated by members on here. But once I stumbled upon Truckingboards, I was done lol.

 

That’s the kind of job that will screw up your sleep patterns as they will have you working various shifts each week. End up dependent on sleep meds to get any sleep at all