Saia and Estes in Springfield, MO

KMB · Jun 20, 2017

KMB said: ↑

This might be a little long.

A little more on my background. I’m from Canada. Been here in the U.S. since 2003. Since a little bitty kid, I’ve always liked trucks (tractor-trailers). 1994 and 1995 was when I worked on a farm hauling grain during the harvest seasons (I took time off from my regular job as an Architectural Draftsman). The trucks I drove were converted tractors that had the fifth-wheel removed and then a grain box and hoist were added. If I remember correctly the trucks I drove regular were a Freightliner FLD 112(?) (9 speed) and an International Eagle (10 speed). I also drove an old Mack (15 speed) for a few days.

Working on the farm, I didn’t need a CDL, but in 1996, I decided to get my Canadian Class 1 license (equivalent/similar to a CDL-A). My regular job was very slow, so I thought I’d find a driving job. I went to a driving school, did the classroom portion, and since I had some experience driving, I did a shorter version of the driving portion. I remember passing my Class 1 driving test and getting my license on a Friday and then going back to my regular job the following Monday. From that Monday, it got busy at work and I was busy from then on to now/present. I know it sounds weird, but it’s the truth. My regular job slowed down enough for me to get my Class 1 license, then the next business day, it gets busy with the regular job. Why didn’t I still try getting a driving job? I just ‘felt led’ to stay drafting back then till recently.

About a year or 2 later, I took time off again to ‘work’ on the same farm, this time for only about a week. I say ‘work’ because I wasn’t on the payroll, I just enjoyed doing it. But, the man I ‘worked’ for was also a good friend and he would not let me leave without giving me some money. This time they let me run a combine harvester, but also had me drive a truck pulling a B-train hopper bottom grain trailer for a few loads. For the life of me, I can’t remember what truck I drove then.

In 1999, I drove team OTR with a friend of mine on a trip to pickup a combine harvester at Gleaner (at that time was in Independence, MO)(from Saskatchewan, Canada). It was in a Freightliner Century Class (13 speed). He let me do most of the driving. I believe it was the next year, that I took another trip with the same friend to pick up another combine harvester. Again he let me do most of the driving.

I met my American wife a few years later, and decided to move across the line in 2003 to AR. When I went to get a U.S. license at the AR DMV office, I showed them my Canadian Class 1 license. They made a phone call to the DMV in Canada where I had got my license to see what the Class 1 license was about, and determined that it was the same/equivalent to a U.S. CDL-A. I paid the fee, got my pic taken, had the card printed, and was out the door with my CDL-A.

On a few trips back home to Canada over the years, I’ve visited that same farm and if there’s a load of grain to be taken to the elevator, a buddy of mine would let me drive the load to the elevator.

So that is why I’m thinking that any company will see me as not having any verifiable driving experience.

There’s a few reasons, that I won’t get into the details, why I’m wanting to eventually get into driving full-time and out of my current work of Architectural Drafting (self-employed since moving to the U.S.). The dock to driver programs interest me because I’d like to keep Drafting for a little while longer and work part-time on a dock, and then go through as much of a dock to driver program as needed. I want/need to earn some extra money to knock down some debt before full-time driving…if possible. Working 4/5pm to 10/11pm dock shift after Drafting during the day for few months would work for me I’m thinking. I will be telling which ever company(s) I apply for up front that I do have a CDL-A and if I get to an interview, I'll explain my situation.
Click to expand...

I was going through the pics of the harvest seasons I mentioned and found out some things I had forgotten. Along with the other trucks, there was a grain box and hoist converted Peterbilt 377(?) I had drove too. The Freightliner FLD was in fact a Kenworth T600. And it was part of the second harvest when I drove another Kenworth T600 pulling a triaxle hopper bottom grain trailer. Pulling the B-train hopper bottom grain trailer was on one of my trips back to visit.

Also, from looking at pictures, I had forgotten that I did another OTR trip from Toronto, Canada to Alberta, Canada driving an older Mack hauling some sort of a large all-terrain truck on a double drop trailer.

Glad I kept those old pics, good memories.

KMB · Jun 20, 2017

KMB said: ↑

This might be a little long.

A little more on my background. I’m from Canada. Been here in the U.S. since 2003. Since a little bitty kid, I’ve always liked trucks (tractor-trailers). 1994 and 1995 was when I worked on a farm hauling grain during the harvest seasons (I took time off from my regular job as an Architectural Draftsman). The trucks I drove were converted tractors that had the fifth-wheel removed and then a grain box and hoist were added. If I remember correctly the trucks I drove regular were a Freightliner FLD 112(?) (9 speed) and an International Eagle (10 speed). I also drove an old Mack (15 speed) for a few days.

Working on the farm, I didn’t need a CDL, but in 1996, I decided to get my Canadian Class 1 license (equivalent/similar to a CDL-A). My regular job was very slow, so I thought I’d find a driving job. I went to a driving school, did the classroom portion, and since I had some experience driving, I did a shorter version of the driving portion. I remember passing my Class 1 driving test and getting my license on a Friday and then going back to my regular job the following Monday. From that Monday, it got busy at work and I was busy from then on to now/present. I know it sounds weird, but it’s the truth. My regular job slowed down enough for me to get my Class 1 license, then the next business day, it gets busy with the regular job. Why didn’t I still try getting a driving job? I just ‘felt led’ to stay drafting back then till recently.

About a year or 2 later, I took time off again to ‘work’ on the same farm, this time for only about a week. I say ‘work’ because I wasn’t on the payroll, I just enjoyed doing it. But, the man I ‘worked’ for was also a good friend and he would not let me leave without giving me some money. This time they let me run a combine harvester, but also had me drive a truck pulling a B-train hopper bottom grain trailer for a few loads. For the life of me, I can’t remember what truck I drove then.

In 1999, I drove team OTR with a friend of mine on a trip to pickup a combine harvester at Gleaner (at that time was in Independence, MO)(from Saskatchewan, Canada). It was in a Freightliner Century Class (13 speed). He let me do most of the driving. I believe it was the next year, that I took another trip with the same friend to pick up another combine harvester. Again he let me do most of the driving.

I met my American wife a few years later, and decided to move across the line in 2003 to AR. When I went to get a U.S. license at the AR DMV office, I showed them my Canadian Class 1 license. They made a phone call to the DMV in Canada where I had got my license to see what the Class 1 license was about, and determined that it was the same/equivalent to a U.S. CDL-A. I paid the fee, got my pic taken, had the card printed, and was out the door with my CDL-A.

On a few trips back home to Canada over the years, I’ve visited that same farm and if there’s a load of grain to be taken to the elevator, a buddy of mine would let me drive the load to the elevator.

So that is why I’m thinking that any company will see me as not having any verifiable driving experience.

There’s a few reasons, that I won’t get into the details, why I’m wanting to eventually get into driving full-time and out of my current work of Architectural Drafting (self-employed since moving to the U.S.). The dock to driver programs interest me because I’d like to keep Drafting for a little while longer and work part-time on a dock, and then go through as much of a dock to driver program as needed. I want/need to earn some extra money to knock down some debt before full-time driving…if possible. Working 4/5pm to 10/11pm dock shift after Drafting during the day for few months would work for me I’m thinking. I will be telling which ever company(s) I apply for up front that I do have a CDL-A and if I get to an interview, I'll explain my situation.
Click to expand...

I was going through the pics of the harvest seasons I mentioned and found out some things I had forgotten. Along with the other trucks, there was a grain box and hoist converted Peterbilt 377(?) I had drove too. The Freightliner FLD was in fact a Kenworth T600. And it was part of the second harvest when I drove another Kenworth T600 pulling a triaxle hopper bottom grain trailer. Pulling the B-train hopper bottom grain trailer was on one of my trips back to visit.

Also, from looking at pictures, I had forgotten that I did another OTR trip from Toronto, Canada to Alberta, Canada driving an older Mack hauling some sort of a large all-terrain truck on a double drop trailer.

Glad I kept those old pics.

KMB · Jun 20, 2017

Sorry about the double post.

Mods, please delete my extra post.

KMB · Jun 20, 2017

motocross25 said: ↑

I put in my notice, then MAGICALLY I found myself downtown everyday with a liftgate pup. And you know as well as I do. Nothing good comes from the liftgate pup.
Click to expand...

Excuse my ignorance. I'm guessing that a liftgate pup is bad because it's harder to unload?

Bob Dobalina · Jun 20, 2017

KMB said: ↑

Excuse my ignorance. I'm guessing that a liftgate pup is bad because it's harder to unload?
Click to expand...

Basically. Liftgate = places with no dock and/or forklift; pup = tiny places that are difficult to get a truck into.

Downtown = downtown, not very truck-friendly territory.

Sounds like they gave him the payback trifecta.

Maxgussam · Jun 20, 2017

Evie3 said: ↑

So sorry to hear this. My son is a relatively new Estes employee on the East coast (got his CDL in January) and they are treating him fairly based on what he has told me. Aside from pay and benefits that you mentioned, one thing I was impressed with looking into the company when he got the job offer is that they have a paid corporate chaplain - you don't see that every day. I guess in any company that size you are going to have the occasional rogue employee/bad manager that falls through the cracks. The person who was my son's trainer at a different company was one of those rogue employees. Really awful to be on the receiving end of that. I'm sure you'll do fine wherever you wind up.
Click to expand...

Based on everything I have heard from the many drivers that I talk to, this is the result of a bad supervisor.
Tell your son to do his job, and he'll be fine there.

motocross25 · Jun 20, 2017

KMB said: ↑

Excuse my ignorance. I'm guessing that a liftgate pup is bad because it's harder to unload?
Click to expand...

No excuse needed you don't know til you ask! But yea @Bob Dobalina nailed it. The most unsavory of all routes (at least in St Louis) is the dreaded liftgate pup. You knew you were gonna get into trouble.

motocross25 · Jun 20, 2017

Evie3 said: ↑

So sorry to hear this. My son is a relatively new Estes employee on the East coast (got his CDL in January) and they are treating him fairly based on what he has told me. Aside from pay and benefits that you mentioned, one thing I was impressed with looking into the company when he got the job offer is that they have a paid corporate chaplain - you don't see that every day. I guess in any company that size you are going to have the occasional rogue employee/bad manager that falls through the cracks. The person who was my son's trainer at a different company was one of those rogue employees. Really awful to be on the receiving end of that. I'm sure you'll do fine wherever you wind up.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir. And @Maxgussam is right. The powers that be at my terminal were the problem. Where your son is at is liable to be a whole different animal and he might love it and retire there. I hope this is the case and wish him the best.

Bob Dobalina · Jun 20, 2017

motocross25 said: ↑

No excuse needed you don't know til you ask! But yea @Bob Dobalina nailed it. The most unsavory of all routes (at least in St Louis) is the dreaded liftgate pup. You knew you were gonna get into trouble.
Click to expand...

Beware the dreaded liftgate pup!

motocross25 · Jun 20, 2017

Bob Dobalina said: ↑

Beware the dreaded liftgate pup!
Click to expand...

Hahaha! Truer words have never been spoken. They could make a horror movie out of it. That thing comin out of the shadows with 3 pallets of dining ware for the Hilton Hotel at Walnut & 4th on a day the Cardinals have a day game. Yipes!

Bob Dobalina · Jun 20, 2017

@motocross25 - did Estes use any straight trucks for those downtown routes? I think Dayton has more straight trucks in Columbus than Estes uses here. Those drivers really earn their money. Where'd you end up going to work? Did you say Old Dominion?

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