Sure ain,t what it used to be.

I don't know which thread to put this in so I guess this will do.
We're a little mom n pop outfit in northern California. About fifteen years ago we lost three drivers to WalMart. They went to work out of the DC at Red Bluff.
I don't blame them for leaving. At the time WM was a much better job than working for us and they were all guys with families.
So far this year, two of them have come back here looking for work. They're still hanging in with WM but they're sick of it. They said it's really not a good place to work anymore.
We pay by the hour with overtime and benefits We have a safety bonus and a longevity bonus and the guys are usually home every night. We have very few openings. Most guys stay until they retire.
When they compared what they make with WM and what they could make with us working similar hours we're a better deal. Didn't used to be but now we are.
We don't have many openings but when we do we might give those guys a chance.

 

Thanks. We don't have any openings and I don't think we will for a long time.
I was just musing about how things change and how they don't always change for the better.
Around here WM used to be the top-of-the-line job and anybody with any ambition wanted to be there.
No so any more.
I'll get out of here and let you WM drivers have it back. Good luck to you.

 

I wouldn't be surprised but I'd sure hate to see it. I don't know much about WM's operation but from what I understand things are changing and they're not changing for the better. All I know is what I see and hear.
The guys I know that drive for them are bitter and feel that all the time they've put in - their loyalty and dedication to doing a good job - don't mean anything any more.
They see what's coming and they're afraid for their jobs.
WM seemed to have a good system going for a long time but now they're changing things and the drivers are the ones paying the price.
I see an awful lot of carriers pulling WM trailers.
So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to see more WM drivers on our doorstep. Next to WM we're probably the most decent option available. But, we don't see any openings any time soon. Our guys usually stay until they die or retire.