ESTES Express (5 Year Review)

I'm becoming more convinced that every company's Indianapolis terminal is like this. It's just an Indianapolis thing.

 

Well...UPS or UPS Freight? Big difference between the two, and a lot of people confuse them.

But yeah, in the early going UPS small package can be a lot of irregular work and babysitting your phone.

But things get better, as with most long-term career places. You just have to have your eye on the big picture.

My buddy works for Frito-Lay driving the delivery vans. There are pluses and negatives, but Frito is really trying to push through a serious revamp with their delivery drivers. Massive cuts in pay. I know driving tractor trailer for them would be a different job classification, but personally I wouldn't touch them right now. They don't know how they want to run their business.

 

All I know he worked out of a LTL terminal for UPS next to Estes driving the doubles etc he wasn’t a contractor. Yea like I said FL has the pay for tractor trailer drivers but to make the big money you have to work out of a DC not a warehouse. I’ve done my homework they were a 2nd option after the bigger LTL companies. Estes was the only LTL company hiring Monday when I started to apply as well as FL , Sysco was my 3rd option didn’t apply bc I heard back from those other 2, Pretty much with any of those 3 hiring me I would be happy lol OTR is great when your busy, but when it’s not and your stuck in your truck all day it takes a toll on you.

 

OTR was never all that great for me. Lol

And it sounds like UPS Freight. Different company. Still a good job, but it depends on the terminal and such.

 

True , he tried getting me on to the apprenticeship at FedEx but by the time I got my CDL permit it was officially over lol it’s all good I’m glad I did OTR with Schneider and seen most of the eastern 37 and doing runs from Texas to Massachusetts and seeing family and friends all over was great while learning the American roads as a first time trucker. The Northeast made my backing and hill driving great , 50% of my drive time was spent in the NE including doing stops in NYC Boston and Philly.

 

Schneider was also my first company. They train you right. But you have to go elsewhere to make the money you're worth after a couple years.

 

Very true , I will be forever great full about them especially the Charlotte terminal, that one on one training with an instructor was the best thing ever , so much time behind the wheel to get ready for the CDL test. When they have an apprenticeship program they pay you , give you a hotel and pay for your CDL you can’t beat that ! That’s why I gave them 1 full year of hard work. Just sucks they didn’t have dedicated in my area or else I would have stayed 1 more year knowing I’d have better home time being out for 5 and home for 2 which is not bad when you’re kept busy.

 

Hey, don't sweat that stuff. My old company...if they could have JUST gotten me a run where I could be home every day, I'd still be there. But now I'm at another place making far more money and working far less. Even trade, baby. Lol

 

Scheneider was going to be my first company haulin costco trailers at 32 cents per mile and be home every 2 weeks .

I know scheneider has a good training and it can also be a stepping stone but the pay is very low, I also understand that I had no experience but if drivers would do a bit of research you can find a company that can pay ya decent and gives ya what you looking for.

 

Oh man, does that mean you are staying at holiday inn on 51st ave, the hotel is cool, but that riff raff that hangs out across the street really pisses me off sometimes, getting sick of being hit up by younger able bodied people for money there, I don't mind buying a meal for someone homeless, don't like seeing someone hungry, but the money thing aggravates the #### out of me, especially considering the physical condition of most these people, they could easily be out doing what were doing and make money ,they just don't want too.