Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

What kind of work do you do now?

ABF might be my last LTL job...nowhere else to go but down from there IMO so why bother. "Winning lotto ticket" would be a good next job.

 

I worked LTL for Monroe transport out of Addison, Illinois and it SUCKED. Why you ask? Well....

1. The tractors were garbage (1996-1999 international with spicer trans.)
2. You are expected to do multiple stops (16-20 a day) in a 53 with swing doors
3. Time & 1/2 after 50 hours (but you average 48-50)

if I EVER do LTL again it'll be with a more established company (Dayton, Pitt-Ohio, Holland, etc)

 

Well ####,

and here im thinking LTL is the answer to my problems.

Kind of disheartening to learn that LTL is going to ####. I thought it was the last refuge for a working class person to earn a respectable wage. I've been trying to convince myself that there are still blue collar jobs out there, where one can make a good living on, but it just doesn't seem to be the case. I had to drop out of college because I couldn't afford it and have since been looking at alternatives. Came to trucking out of desperation and although it does provide a good income, relative to experience and education, wages top off fairly quick. I'm grateful for my job at Swift right now but in-terms of income I'm already making top pay;165 a day if youre curious. It's local work with most of my deliveries being D&H. We're moving pallets so most of time there is no appointment time and I can start and leave whenever I'm finish. The best part, at least for me, is that it's almost a 9-5 and with no weekends, which allow me to have a life.I was thinking of applying to OD as a p/d driver because of the big increase in pay but i'm starting to reconsider.

Also you guys are kidding yourself if you think you have it better than someone with a degree; assuming it's STEM or accounting of course. My friends are engineers and accountants and the gap in quality of life is massive.

25 living in Chicago haha just wanted to this part. hoping for some guidance I guess

 

exactly, STEM is the key or any technical degree.. I think toilet paper is worth more than an English/Psychology or any Liberal Arts degree. No offense if anyone has a degree like that, but those degrees are a dime a dozen. America is falling behind in STEM, so these are high demand fields. I'll keep my CDL, after much thought, but I am hoping a good education will pull me through.

And rahtek, OD is where I'd direct people to. Lots of freight companies in and around Chicago. Should have no problem finding a decent p/d gig.

 

We have a child with special needs. Developmental disability nursing pay starts out at about $11/hour and tops at about $15. My cousin has her masters in accounting and financial management and is about $20k/year behind me. It just depends on your area. Around here the money is in vocational. Welding, electricians, construction specialists, diesel mechanics, etc. Still unless you get in the railroad the pay and bens are not as good. Had I not made it into ABF I would probably be welding at rockland starting at $15/hr. Right now I'm at $19/hr +OT every day over 8 hours. Once I get 120 days in I will get on the roster and get the 90% union full time pay, 100% after a year. However you slice it that's pretty #### good but getting in isn't easy. Requires clean driving and criminal records and a fairly stable job history. I barely squeaked by on my job history with 4 companies in 3 years, quit 3 trying to get local job and quit the one local job because they had me running 3 logbooks which I think the terminal manager noted for HR when they reviewed my app.

 

Ever drive for JB Hunt?

 

Not familiar with the local side of swift: Learn something new each day. sounds like a steady gig.

Not kidding myself, College degree is worthless to me. Everyones mileage varies in life. Everyone has a skill set.

Well no crap it is massive for you, You are cheap labor for a mega OTR carrier doing local work with horrible benefits.
Go to OD and quit trying to keep up with your friends. You sound sour and jealous. Unless you know everyones finances and their taxman. Everything always looks good on the outside.
Do some digging, I bet everything is not so peachy sparkling quality of life awesome.

 

I would go to a trade school to learn a trade. That's really the only schooling I'd be good at. I couldn't sit behind a desk all day. Plus around me only the blue collar jobs offer good pensions and all. Although there's tons of things I could do as I'm not far from NYC.

As for LTL going down the drain, my theory is because almost all the companies under the NMFA (national master freight agreement) shut down. The last two are YRC and ABF.

 

No doubt, I'm a blue collar worker and will be it forever. Gladly admit, I will never cure cancer or be a hollywood celebrity / Rapper Etc, Know my place in life and it isn't being a yes man dreading to show up at the office/lab/classroom . Can't turn me into a rocket scientist or a ho into a housewife. know my niche in life and isn't bad. Pay my bills on time and screw RR's 400 pounder leftovers.


My hobbies- Nothing work related, except this TTR forum. lol