Pepsi

i do this job and am 36 my back has never been injured and i dont always bend at the knees if all you want to do is drive and grow unhealthy this isnt for you it is physically and psycologically stressfull dealing with lazy ### store workers but i get paid 60k plus and go home every day, you do get sore sometimes but i kind of see myself as an athlete there are older guys 45-56 i work with that are in great shape because of the physical activity they get it's not for everyone but give it a try i've seen them come and go and some that stayed surprized me, actually i stayed because where i work at pepsi in austin texas management is really cool

 

The thing about Pepsi,Coke or Budweiser is You Will Work. My uncle worked for Pepsi . He lasted about 5 months,hated it. Yeah fairly close radius to base ,but when you get there thats when the Work starts.They worked him so much he became hobbled. Found a less physically intensive job. Just saying

 

South Bend Indiana
drivers-Union
office-not

 

Crst is bad. Prime would be better. I think they have a long training period, if I remember.

 

I worked for Pepsi for 3 years. Ware I worked the pay was not best but good way 2 get your cdl. I got 14.52 a hr OT after 40 I worked for Pepsi Bottling ventures. Pepsi Bottling Company just bought them out I was talking with a couple of my friends who are drivers there so thy have moved to 110 a day and $0.15 a case we ran around 600 - 700 cases a day

 

Just keep in mind if you drive a side bay some companies don't consider that as class A experience. I lucked out and got a bulk route with a 48

 

I know this thread is old, but this quote is just false.. If its a combination vehicle its Class A experience..

As far as the job goes, its worth a shot.. It isnt for everyone, and like someone above said, there's no way to really tell who will or wont make it.. In my place our best guy is 57 years old and pretty small.. He uses leverage and technique to throw that handtruck around like its his 3rd arm.. He often goes out with 1100+ cases (A and B loads).. Guys amazing.. Ive often asked him about it and he just says he got tired of getting layed off every october at budweiser... You'd never look at him and think it

overall, the benefits if you decide to stay make it a shot worth taking..

 

I worked for Coca-Cola previously as a OFS(Over Full Size) and I really didn't like it. I had between 450 and 600 cases on a rural route with tons of mom and pop stores along with Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and Dollar Generals. Typically gas stations aren't too bad, but it's these small-but-big-box-like stores that kill you. You have to work the product and build displays and these stores usually get 60-90 cases of various products. You have to work it all in and rotate dates and do it in brand flow.

Some Coke places I guess are union but where I was we weren't. The best job at Coke is a bulk driver, or a transport driver. The bulk driver goes to Wal-Mart's and other large retail accounts and unloads the pallets in the backroom with a electric pallet jack and just goes through counting the product with the receiving clerk. They get the same commission on cases and do none of the real work. Coke has merchandisers who do the real work who make 14/hour(where I was) to build displays and sort product and rotate etc..

A transport driver simply goes to the local large distributing center and transports product from there to small branch locations usually doubles or a 48'. This is also what Coke calls a Freight to Branch driver.

It's hard work to be a route driver with your two wheeler. Where I was you used an electric pallet jack to transport pallets of product to right outside the customer and then you had to break down each pallet onto your two-wheeler and wheel it in and drop it off inside the customers location and then once you have it all in then they count it with a pick sheet and then you scoop it up with your two wheeler again and stock the cooler, build displays, etc in the customers location.

 

Good post , frieghtlinerman
....sounds like a hecktic day , window times & city traffic and lots of case moving , undesirable costumers daily ,flat rates in the city & case counting paperwork.....this job works for some , you're days will fly by quick if you are the clock always in city driving be on the clock or loose your butt on a flat rate ....I've always lost $ ,goin with a flat rate there are too many hang ups in city traffic .....this job will save you $ at the gym , its good to take of your health

 

Working for coke is how I got my cdl. Its very physically demanding work to be a route driver. I lasted about 4 months until I found another job. My back has thanked me everyday since then. I'm no stranger to hard work and at the time I was in pretty good shape. If you can put up with the physical part, you also have to put up with rude receiving and store clerks. Oh and the stores ran by foreigners that can't speak much English. Best job there is bulk delivery as mentioned above. If you can get on a "Full Service" route where you just have to fill drink machines, that would be better than being a typical route driver.