Southeastern Freight Lines

Exactly. It isn't much of a problem if people are asking for a day off. If every time rotation rolls around and somebody wants off, then bam, nobody loses a day of work except the guy who wanted a day off anyway. I've never been rotated, but don't you get paid 4 hours for days you're rotated?

 

Not sure I took the offer for a 4 day work week.

 

Heard that! I took off last night. They called and said they could cover my load if I wanted the night off. I was half asleep when they called and I said no, but after being awake about 5 minutes and realizing I could have a long weekend, I called them back and said I'd take it!

 

Heck yea i got off yesterday at 230 for Good Friday

 

I am interested in becoming a driver trainee for SEFL... I'm not afraid of a lil hard work... MAKES THE TIME PASS!!! Please, Do have any NEW info about the driver trainee program? I know it's been quite a while since you went through it. Will you please tell me more about the duties,training, and experiences you've had during your first year? Just want to have a fulfilling and REWARDING job. Any information that you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

I never went through the driver trainee program, so I don't know much about it, except that there's dock work involved and they phase you into the city little by little. Time spent in the program varies, depending mostly upon your abilities.

Training will vary a bit too, depending on who your driver mentor is who trains you. Each terminal has one (some more than one). I was new to the freight business, so most of my training involved learning how it all works, the logistics of running a route, etc. I never took into consideration things like your first stop could be two tall, wide pallets that are blocking all the rest of your freight, and when you get to the first stop the forklift driver is running late. Things like that you have to expect, and you must adjust accordingly. Based on my experience in the city, the entire duration of my day was usually spent adapting to whatever happened along your route within the last 5 minutes. Constantly adjusting. Then of course, there's crappy customers, good customers, bad traffic, backing across multiple lanes to bump a dock that they closed early because it's friday and you didn't know, so you wasted all that time and energy. But it can be a rewarding challenge if your attitude is right. Plus being paid by the hour....bring it on.

I feel confident that your experience at SEFL can be a rewarding one. Just remember, be safe and don't try to be a hero. If you deliver 15 stops one day, you'll have 17 the next. Set a safe, comfortable pace and be friendly, courteous and professional, and SEFL will take care of you.

 

Hi Fellas, I'm just finding out about SEFL. I work out of Cincinnati pulling vans on a dedicated account. I've been wanting to move to Florida for some time. What are your suggestions about working for SEFL in Fl? What schedule do new guys have if starting P&D? Linehaul? I'm a dad with a teen and need my weekends flexible. Thx

 

How do SEFL employees go about ordering uniforms? I don't see it mentioned on the benefits portal (I'm a new guy). I was checking out the poster in the break room today (there's no website address listed) and I forgot to ask my supervisor before I took off for the day. No rush...I can ask him on Friday. Just figured someone here my know. Thank you.

Edit:

Just thought I'd throw out my $.02 on this as I recently started as a Driver Trainee (about to wrap up week two). As @fastSVT said...you'll start working on the dock. The length of your time on the dock will depend on how quickly you pick things up. The most important thing to get down is backing. Think you've done some backing before? You've seen nothing yet. I probably spend more time backing and coupling/uncoupling trailers in one shift on the dock than I did during my CDL school. Mostly the 28' "pup" trailers. If you can get a handle on those (VERY snappy/responsive)...you can back anything up.

Another thing that you'll do is help unload trailers, when necessary. They generally have plenty of dedicated dock personnel to run the lifts, but some times (i.e. 0500...21* outside...and the old guys would rather stay inside in the heated break room, lol.)...you'll get a chance to step up and run a lift to unload a trailer. I got to do my first one this morning, which I thought was pretty cool.

The hours will take some getting used to if they put you on the "inbound" shift. Inbound runs from approximately 0200-1000. I took lunch today at 0430, lol. They (my supervisor and terminal manager) were VERY good about having me ease into swing of things. I didn't have to ask (I was just going to show up when I was told to show up)...they proactively had me come in a bit later on the first couple shifts (0400 instead of 0130-0200), so that I'd still be alert to do HR stuff (paperwork and watch new hire videos) after the shifts ended. That was cool...as I felt like I'd gotten my *** kicked or something after the first few shifts, lol. If you've not done a lot of hands on work recently...you'll be sore after your first few shifts. I think that applied to me even more, as I was transitioning from a 9-5 white collar job.

One thing I really like about SEFL is that...as you've already heard...safety of personnel and personnel welfare are big priorities. I drove pretty slowly around the yard for the first couple of days. No one gave me any crap, told me to hurry up, or anything along those lines. They'd rather you take an extra minute or two to get the job done safely at your own pace than rush and have a mishap.

I've only gotten out on one P&D run (as a ride along) so far. When I get to that phase, I'll be sure to post a follow-up. At this point though, I'm happy with my decision to go with SEFL. Good outfit and they really seem to value their employees.

 

I have been wanting to work self for a long time and now on Tuesday I start my first day with getting some paperwork done and then going on a ride a long for the rest of week. Then on Monday I go to orientation. I will be doing linehaul and I am so very excited. I have been so very impressed with this company. I loom forward to start working and give it my all.

 

so this company hires out of CDL school?