Decision,Decisions

I couldn't agree more. I believe that to be 100% true, and I've had that conversation with folks before. A lot of employers forget that important fact. They get so hung up on the customer, they forget who makes the company run. Yes, the customers ARE important, becasue without them the business would fail. However, who interacts with said customer's? The employees. Happy employees will provide much better service, leaving a customer "usually" much happier than interacting with a disgruntles employee. That all starts with employers treating employees with respect, which they then reciprocate to the customers. Nothing is worse for customer relations than employees who feel mistreated and hung out to dry by their employers. I might of conveyed that with a blanked statement, but the fact remains, at least in my experience.

Dave

 

If you're willing to run the extra board and be out all week at Estes, they're super laid back too. You start your day on Monday. Just call in whenever you're ready to roll. and you when you go to the hotel, you call the terminal you're at any time after your 10 to get another load. a lot of times, I'd take well over my 10 to go out and do something in the city I was or whatever. Never said anything to me. If you were on scheduled run, it would be different though

 

Thanks for the insight. Both the combo driver position, as well as the regional position at Estes are both taken. I've got an application in at FedEx for line haul and received a call back on that today, so we'll see how that pans out.

Dave

 

That'll be good money. FedEx Freight makes more on the mile than Estes does. Not sure about their policies and how strict they are though. But I always hear good things about them.

 

I'm hoping it works out but the staff in the office were sure to let me know it's a lengthy process. I've never seen a company so strict with your dates of employment. For instance, I had to fill out a gap of unemployment for 2 days between jobs, and the gap was only becasue it was the weekend lol.

I'm also speaking with a O/O today about running flatbed. Mainly the I-35 and I-45 corridor, home a few times during the week and on the weekends. It's not something I want to do long term as there's no health benefits etc, but starting pay is around 1300 a week so for the time being, it's money in the bank and a hell of a lot better option than taking off to the oil field until something legitimate locally pans out, which is what I was originally going to do.

I guess we'll see what this fella is talking about when I speak with him this afternoon. Hopefully it's worth the hour and a half drive just to chat. All I know is the average starting pay, it's flatbed, where I'm running and that the truck is a classic XL, cat motor and 18 speed and I can take the truck home. I'll report back with my findings upon my arrival back at the house, for those who have been keeping up with this thread.

Dave

 

Alright folks, here's an update. So some things have changed and right now we've got 2 potential opportunities on the table, and one for sure oppourtunity. Please hang tight as I intend to keep this as short as possible. You have all been great by the way, and I appreciate any, and all opinions and insight.

POSSIBLE offer #1:

Line haul for FedEx express. I applied yesterday and got a call from corporate this afternoon. Shift is supposedly from 9 pm to 7:30 am. Starting at 51 cents a mile, 1200 miles a week, and 20 bucks an hour to work the dock. Obviously there will be substantial dock time. If not, the weekly paycheck wont be much based off that mileage rate, and amount of miles. Now, if I could run that 1200 miles and get a good 20-25 hours a week working the dock, it wouldn't be too bad. I "passed" my phone interview, and have a face to face interview on Tuesday with the TM. I have no idea how many other applicants are in the hunt, or what the benefits are like or how strict they are with the policies. Past employment has not been verified by them yet. Not sure on driver facing cameras, obviously E-Logs will be used.

POSSIBLE offer #2:

Line Haul for FedEx Express lol same terminal, but running line haul for a 3rd party company who is contracted to the same terminal as the above offer. 800-850 a week, no dock work that I'm aware of. I don't see there being much more made than that per week. They pay half of the employees health insurance. New peterbilt daycab 579 (automatic ehh) no biggie, not sure if they have driver facing cameras, etc. I assume they have E-Logs (I haven't had a chance to speak much with the guy.) Shift is 9pm-6 or 7am. Very similar to the above offer, however no dock work that I know of, and they seemed to be pretty laid back from the small amount I was able to speak to them. Employment has been verified as of today, according to my previous boss.

FOR SURE offer 3:

Small 2 truck outfit. Fella owned several trucks and ran out of Delaware for years and just moved here to be closer to his family. He brought the 2 trucks he had left over after selling the rest of his trucks. I'd be pulling a 48 ft flatbed, hauling rebar, pallets of concrete, steel, etc. I'd start at 25%, I'd never hear from the boss (owner of the truck) I'd deal directly with the dispatcher for the company he's going to be leased to. I can take off whenever I want (within reason) run however hard I want, stop by the house when I want. Park the truck at home.

Currently running paper logs but might move over to Keep Trucking or Big Road, but he refuses to go any further with elogs. I'd be running a 2000 Freightliner Classic XL, 6nz cat, has 100K on the rebuild, 18 speed. He said it's putting about 750hp to the wheels, and that it's "turned up". He drove me over to the shop today and let me take a look.

It was a pretty good looking truck, has wood floors, nice radio, new speakers, dash, knobs, 7inch stacks, getting new air ride seat etc. He's putting all new rubber on the truck, and getting a new A/C put in this week. When the truck is finished next week, he said he'd take me and let me pick out all of the chains,binders,straps,bungees etc that I needed/wanted. He'll also be getting a new or newer flatbed. Somewhere between 2012 and 2018. Which I'd go pick up once the truck is finished, then I'd take it home for a day while he sets me up with dispatch and I could put all of my stuff in there, cb, inverter, bedding for when I decide to stay out etc.

Average of 1000-1300 a week starting, with the oppourtunity to make more if I wanted to run more. IF I wanted to, I could be home most nights as the runs will take me right through my hometown regularly, but obviously I'd try to capitalize and stay out a few days each week. You always get your weekends at home. He'd move me up to 30% depending on performance. I'd mainly be running the I-35 and I-45 corridor, running familiar territory that I ran for my previous employer.

He's getting his other truck (379 pete) all fixed up and said once it's ready, if I want to move over into it, I can. He also said he'd add whatever I wanted withing reason on the truck if I felt it needed anything, although it looked fine to me the way it was. No driver facing cams, but he is putting 3 cameras on the truck. One dash cam facing the front of the truck, as well as 2 rear facing cams to capture anything that might happen behind you. He said that kind of setup saved his ### several times, as well as his drivers when they ran a lot in NYC. That doesn't bother me at all.

He pretty much said I'd run how I wanted and I was free to take whatever route I want, stop where I want, fuel where I want, get anything I needed done to the truck that it needed while on the road. I'd have a debit card, and fuel card for said expenses. He seemed like a pretty laid back guy. I sat and talked with him for about 2 hours, which is longer than any other interview I've been to.

He had 4 other people that he was considering but due to my previous job being just about identical, he offered me the job on the spot. The only CATCH is, it's 1099 instead of W2. Now, I know a lot of folks say to stay away from 1099 as a company driver, but I'm thinking IF I went this route, and got in on the start up and ran well for him, and got my percentage moved up to 30% I could still do alright. I guess that's one thing I'd have to just deal with in order to have such freedom vs "most" company positions.

I know a lot of folks pay 1099 but run the driver as if he were an actual employee, but with the way I'd be allowed to basically do as I please, it's about as close to being a legitimate 1099 position I've come across without actually owning the truck.

So, there you have it folks. Let's hear your thoughts.

Dave

 

FXF does not have drivercams, and most barns will give you all the dockwork you want, within legal limits. There is, of course, a certain amount of corporate BS, but we ain't Saia. Plus, the opportunity is there to move up, and that could happen slowly or quickly. I once went from yard bee-yotch to middle of the board on one bid, but that'll depend on luck and how quickly turnover happens at that particular yard.

The third-party thing as far as FXF goes, I'm not familiar with, but general trucking rule of thumb is that driving for a contractor is the worst of both worlds. No advancement opportunity, less pay...you get the picture.

If this little guy is for real and you get a good vibe off him, he sounds like an actual trucker offering exactly the kind of old-school job that you'd be happy with. If this is going to be your career, I'd go with option 1, then 3, and be very leery of 2. If you value freedom more than advancement potential and security, take dude up on his offer, after thoroughly checking out his company and reputation.

 

Yet another logical post from the Penguin! I agree on all points. Regarding option 1, I agree that logically it's the best choice long term. However, I still have quite a bit of the hiring process to go through, so I still remain skeptical. As I said, I'm not sure how many applicants are in the hunt, but I'm sure there's got to be a few. I highly doubt it will be a quick process like Saia, as I'm sure FXF isn't in dire need, since this position will probably just be extra board taking the left overs on line-haul, and working to dock the rest of the time. If so I'm assuming dock work is mainly forklift driving? If so, that's no biggie. I do think IF i actually got that 1200 miles a week, and got a good amount of dock time, the paychecks would be pretty nice for just starting out. I'm not sure on the pricing for benefits, any insight on that for a family plan?

I think the same as you regarding option 2, I've heard the same thing about running for a 3rd party. From what I've read, they're the first to get sent packing when freight slows down which I don't find to be a very attractive thought, and as you said, the chance for advancement is likely zilch. It's obviously not in same ballpark as option one when thinking long term, although they are wanting some to "stay" long term. Not real sure what other kinds of freight they can haul if things go south with their contract with FXF.

Regarding option 3, as you can see I was much more thorough in my analysis. Part of that is due to me just knowing more about that job, since I was able to actually sit and chat with the guy vs the minimal amount of robotic info you get from corporate at FXF, which consists of someone sitting at a desk in another state, reading the job description off a cue card, followed by "can you perform these tasks." That's about the gist of it lol. I will admit though, option 3 is what "excites" me. I like having that freedom, being on my own with really no one to answer to, besides the chick in dispatch telling me where the load is picking up and going, when I tell her that I'm empty.

The only bummer is it's 1099. Which means I'd be searching out health insurance and we all know how expensive that is, (it's a racket.) The best I was able to find from calling around was about 400 a month for a family. However, everything he said he planned on doing checked out in regards to the truck as I sat and listened to him talk to the mechanics, etc. He is a former driver as I mentioned, and mainly did heavy haul. I wouldn't think he'd drop that kind of coin on a truck if he didn't feel pretty confident about having the loads.....at least you wouldn't THINK someone would do that.

He's actually running the transportation department at a different company that hauls oversize loads, and this is just his own deal on the side. The deja vu factor was in full effect when were talking as it's just about identical to my previous employer, which I thoroughly enjoyed and miss, as I've stated in a different thread. The only difference is, my previous employer paid W2, but didn't offer benefits.He was pretty straight forward and said he's just looking for a hard working, reliable driver that will take care of the truck as he slowly expands. My thought there was, get in now on the ground floor, and reap the rewards as he grows. But that's wishful thinking.

Either way, option one is still really up in the air. I still have to get past the TM interview, as I said, I have no idea how many others are in the hunt. Then I'm sure they'll make me take another #### physical even though mine is good until Feb 2020, which means I'll have to spend another half day at the DMV self certifying. I know that's just corporate hoops that you have to jump through but my god is takes forever. I'm torn really. I'd love to get on with a legit outfit where you could possibly grow, get raises, decently priced benefits, possibly a bid run in the future etc, and right now FXF is right along those lines, as Line Haul in my preference when it comes to the LTL world anyway. But it's hard to pass up something that I've basically already done, and really enjoyed. I'd just have to figure out the best way to manipulate the 1099 deal in my favor. I guess if all else fails and I don't get a real positive feeling about my interview on Tueday at FXF, I can just run for the O/O and try the LTL thing again in a few months.

Dave

 

Listen driver, those linehaul jobs at FedEx are posted internally 1st before they go public. So every man on that city board passed over that job, even men on the very bottom. That should tell you something right there.

I worked at FedEx and this was about the worst experience I had as a driver in all my years at that place. It's a good job if you've got seniority but if not, good luck when things slow down. Because you'll be starving on the bottom of their board while top seniority guys work overtime and rack up all the miles. Even in good times, get ready for LOTS of dock work because their boards hardly move. When I was there, bottom linehaul drivers pulled a set 50 miles up the road at night, worked the dock 8 hours, and then pulled a set back to their home-20. Now you know why nobody wanted that job! CDL at FedEx Freight = Certified Dock Lumper.

Seniority is everything over there and men will stab you in the back and snitch on you to try and jump over you for a better start time or a better run. It was a very toxic workplace at the time. You're nothing but a tiny piece inside a massive $60+ billion transportation conglomerate. This is the same company that owns FedEx Ground, ever seen how those guys drive? 70 mph+ in the hammer lane pulling triples in a snowstorm.

 

Hell I get all the different avenues of FedEx mixed up. I said Express in my original post but it's for fedex ground if that means anything, (I doubt it.) It's apparent you're experience left a lot to be desired. What you describe sounds pretty similar to a entry level line haul guy at Central Transport. I interviewed with them 6 months ago, and it was basically running from Waco to Dallas, working the dock for quite a few hours, then head home. The terminal was horrible and the equipment was nothing short of ####. I ultimately passed that up. You say that the guys with seniority get all the perks, which I believe. But if the job is so bad, how does anyone stay long enough to obtain seniority? You've got to start somewhere at a place like that. But I guess it all comes down to the terminal you're at, and the amount of luck you have in regards to getting an actual legitimate run I assume.


Dave