First Fleet / FirstFleet out of Bluffton, IN pros and cons

David Schwarz · Jul 26, 2017

Chinatown said: ↑

Trying to save money by not using enough shrink wrap. Fleming Foods did that for awhile and didn't use ANY shrink wrap. Every pallet would fall apart and look like a hurricane went through the trailer. Stores complained to headquarters in Oklahoma City about it and found out the warehouse manager was billing headquarters for shrink wrap, and pocketing the money. Guy was doing lots of other things also to make cash for himself. He was fired but not prosecuted.
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Sometimes I wonder if the reason Paytons doesn't do anything to fix the problems with damaged freight is because kroger just buys it all anyways, then orders more when they don't have what they need. I've taken curves really slow ever since a company charged me $900 for damaged freight, and I always made my company aware when I didn't like the way something was loaded since then too, or if I couldn't see How it was loaded (not allowed in dock). I was quite willing to wait at the dock to get reloaded, so that it was their call whether to risk it or not. I never paid for damaged freight since. With Peytons, I'm picking a pallet or two up every other run, or every three at least, and I'm not the only driver. Tho, I've noticed that some stores get loaded much more poorly than others, id love to find out how all of that works, but that's just part of the job now anyways. You can't expect the driver never too give a hard break, or avoid every curve. They don't hold us responsible either. The receiver usually helps reststack a pallet fyi, in case it could scare someone away from the job. It's a mild problem for the driver, but also an irritating one.

born&raisedintheusa · Jul 27, 2017

Chinatown said: ↑

He was fired but not prosecuted.
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He should thank his lucky stars that he was not prosecuted.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

Chinatown · Jul 27, 2017

inandoutoftrouble said: ↑

He should thank his lucky stars that he was not prosecuted.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!
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He did a lot of things and got away with it. Used to sell truck loads of scrap cardboard and have the checks cut in his name or his friends name that also worked there. That's just the tip of the iceberg. @inandoutoftrouble The way we knew about the checks is my buddy used to take the scrap cardboard loads to the recycle center, then bring the checks back in a sealed envelope. He was a former badboy outlaw biker. He took a piece of dry ice and froze the glue that seals the envelope, which makes it brittle and it pops open. He would look at the check, then reseal the envelope simply by licking the thawed glue and re-sealing it. Looked as if had not been tampered with.

born&raisedintheusa · Jul 27, 2017

David Schwarz said: ↑

I've been rolling kroger freight with First Fleet for a little over 5 months now. They're hard up for drivers at the moment so I figured I'll help them out with a positive, but honest review clearly stating the negatives as well.
Starting my career in the trucking industry in 2004, I've had a chance to experience a lot of different types of jobs and like many of us, my job hopping has gave me a pretty good idea of what to expect starting out with companies. First Fleet hired me on a salary program, something definitely new to me, and this review will be based on that program but also cover some of the things you may be concerned about even if you hired in on their mileage pay system.
First of all, with the salary I'm being paid, I wouldn't make any less than $62k a year, and if I can run hard enough to beat that salary, then they will pay me the higher of the two numbers every week. I haven't achieved this yet, but I haven't really been trying, and Not because of laziness, but because I figure that I shouldn't refuse any freight they offer me while on salary, tho it's clear to me that I can refuse and pick my loads from a few options they'll usually offer me each time they call. As kind as the salary is, I just ask them what they'd like me to take, and take whatever they say. I think its odd that guys on salary aren't also on force dispatch. As it is, every time I come back to Bluffton, I'm allowed a 10 hour break regardless to where I started that day and how many hours I have when I get back. Rather generous of them if you ask me, so I try to be generous right back. Would they get upset if I refused to go back out when they ask me to if I have the hours? I'm not sure, because I always work with them on this. Most of time the Elog doesn't make it possible for them to send me right back out when trying to coordinate with their loads. Approximately 5/6 times when I get back to the home terminal with plenty of hours to spare, I end up on a 10 hour break (or more). Nice when you only live 30 minutes away.
When I first started, things were slow. On the salary contract you are only required to work 4 days a week to get your salary pay (commonly all they had me work on the slow weeks), 3 days or less and they'll pay you the mileage/ stop rate, which would be vey low. Once again, this has never happened to me, they aren't trying to screw me out of 4 days, and I usually work 5. I don't know if they would be angry and push me out if I refused to work 5 days and tried only to get the required 4, because once again, I always work with them on this. I don't get angry when people abuse my kindness, I just turn away and move on, because I expect to be repaid kindness for kindness and I won't defeat this ideology of mine by getting angry when it doesn't work this way, I'll speak up to a group of people about these things definitely, so that the ideology can possibly grow, but I won't attack anyone directly because it won't grow that way. That being said, I see the salary I'm getting paid as an act of kindness, and I try to repay that act with kindness. I feel First Fleet, while not perfect, definitely promotes the same ideology I believe in.
It's a regional/local driving style here. You pick up at the warehouse across the street, and make anywhere from 2 to 6 stops at Krogers ranging from 40 to 250 miles from here. You either load some grocery store goods on the way back, or you deadhead. I find that backhauls are about 50% of the time, and deaddhead 50%. Sometimes you'll be back in a 14 hour day, sometimes you'll be back the next day. For me it's usually the next day, but it may be different if you are paid mileage. On a busy week, I usually end up with 50 to 60 hours on lines 3 and 4 if I don't go off duty while delivering. You'll get two solid days off every week unless you agree to take a load that runs you partially into a 6th day. It isn't required, but if they ask me, I'll usually say yes. I don't however, take loads that originate on my 6th day, tho they've asked. I would consider it, but I usually have something planned at home already.
I'm driving a Volvo 670, but they also have Kenworth 680s, and a couple peterbuilts. I think the job calls for something more like an international 4400 sleeper, as we do get into tight spots, and don't really need a condo with lots of bodywork low to the ground to get scraped and damaged, or high enough to prune the trees at many of our receivers. It's possible for the company to run your truck on your day off with another driver, and I think they'd like to hire enough drivers to do this all the time, but it hasn't happened much with the truck I've been assigned, I think once actually. I've seen drivers mod these trucks. One truck has blue lights/ ground effects under the hood, with a 10 foot tall shifter. I know guys have power inverters installed, and I have even replaced the factory coax in mine. They are lenient on allowing you to add your own creature comforts.
There is a rider policy which is unique for a home regularly kind of job, and it was probably the primary reason I chose this job. I now have my Filipina wife with me, and she does enjoy seeing her new found country from the passenger seat. The policy, however, is only from May to October, so she won't be able to ride along for much longer.
The terminal has fuel and showers. Coffee, filtered water, satellite TV, gravel parking, truck shop, vending machines, microwave, and sometimes free junk food on the table in the drivers room. They are fairly open door here but they are always busy working their butts off too. I've never had any trouble with anyone here, tho they can get moody off and on. Patience is always a good idea.
Probably the biggest down side with this job for me is that the scheduling is very much anti-routine. There are days I'll wake up 2 hours away, drive in, then head home for a 10 hour break, unable to sleep because I just woke, and need to head out 13 hours from the time I woke to run a 14 hour shift. I can get tired and sleepy. I blame elogs for this more than anything because the appointments here aren't strict. A 2 hour nap could save the day, but you'll be running into trouble pulling that evil crap! God forbid you get sleepy any other time than when the government says you can be sleepy, or vise versa about being awake. Though you end up with probably no more than 60 hours of line 3 and 4 for the week, the days you do work CAN and WILL be long, unless you agree on a different kind of running. This doesn't bother me at all, I don't mind a 14 hour day, but once again, the log book rules are my true enemy. I believed thoroughly on being well rested, and nothing has hindered me more than HOS regulations, but that may just be me.
Overall, FirstFleet is the best company I've worked for. Not just because of the best pay I've had, but because I feel like I'm working together with people who will work with me. Maybe I could be more demanding just for sake of better sleep management, but I've been trying to evolve a system where I can manage the way things are, and helping out the best I can with my two days off every week. I did buy my own truck and plan to go owner operator, traveling the country with my wife, but I'll be working here at least until the rider program is finished for the year, and I hope that I keep a solid reputation so that if in the future I have a need for a job like this again, then I'll be welcome back. It may not be for everyone, but they definitely need drivers and its well worth taking a chance on if you are looking for a good company to call home. Some guys take their trucks home if they live in a convenient location (I was better off commuting). Give them a call, you may not regret it.
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excellent post

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

born&raisedintheusa · Jul 27, 2017

Chinatown said: ↑

He did a lot of things and got away with it. Used to sell truck loads of scrap cardboard and have the checks cut in his name or his friends name that also worked there. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
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HOLY MOSES!!

Knucklehead · Jul 28, 2017

inandoutoftrouble said: ↑

HOLY MOSES!!
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I know. Sounds like Shawshank Redemption.

Lonesome · Jul 28, 2017

inandoutoftrouble said: ↑

HOLY MOSES!!
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Someone called??

Knucklehead · Jul 28, 2017

Lonesome said: ↑

Someone called??
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I like it when someone says, "JESUS CHRIST!"
Yes?

Lonesome · Jul 28, 2017

Tennesseahawk said: ↑

I like it when someone says, "JESUS CHRIST!"
Yes?
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I always say "How did you recognize me, without my sandals?"

born&raisedintheusa · Jul 28, 2017

Lonesome said: ↑

Someone called??
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funny

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