Temp Agencies For Truck Drivers

I worked for a Temp. Agency; it was a little strange (my experience). It was for a local delivery position requiring a Class B for straight truck.
First of all...they are not required to do all the things a trucking company is (atleast this one didn't). I didn't have to verify 10 years work history. My drug test was done right there in the office restroom, with instant results in some strange "instant" cup. I didn't need a "new" D.O.T. Physical but as with any driving job, you have to have proof---but they didn't ask for a copy or if I even had one. etc...

They started me out at the lower end of the local standard hourly wage, with promise of a raise in 90 days if the company decided to put me on THEIR payroll as full time employee for them (called 'Temp To Hire'). But when 90 days was up, the company DID offer to put me on their payroll and only offered me another $1.00 per hour.

The Temp. Agency offered Health Insurance (fairly decent too) from day one at $43.00 per week for the wife and I...and when the company I drove for picked me up full time, they wanted ANOTHER 90 days, and would offer Health Insurance for about $85.00 per week---so that $1.00 an hour they offered was actually a LOSS in pay when you figure in your higher taxes, and higher insurance premiums. Plus the Agency paid weekly, and the company paid bi-weekly....$170.00 out of my checks each pay period would kill me at the crappy wage they offered.

I had no choice...I had to ask them for more money, or I had to go. The cheap owner opted for the latter.
Now, I see ad's ATLEAST once a month from both the Agency, and the company for a delivery position with this company. Apparently, the owner would rather install a revolving door on their office/warehouse, than to pay a decent wage.

The job was a LOT of work. 20 to 36 stops...break down product...tail-gate (or side door) product...stack on cart...and wheel into businesses. Same as any grocery or soda/beer distributing. Some stuff heavy, others light, some bulky, others tiny fall through the cracks stuff. Just a complete pain.

That particular job, and what I went through with pay (the fight for more), made me wonder if ANYONE see's the Commercial Drivers License and the schooling/experience is even considered a skilled labor---because nobody ever wants to pay for it like they do in other professions.

Sorry; went off on a tangent there LOL! As far as Temp. Agencies go---I say, it's a job, and that is better than not working...but I would NEVER just work for an Agency, and let them put me in new assignments once the one you accepted ends---but if you can get in a Temp. To Hire situation, it COULD work out for you...this experience I had just didn't work out for ME personally, because the raise the company offered was not enough to offset the cost of bennies. I made a rookie mistake and did not do my homework/math far enough into the transition to realize it wasn't gonna work out for me. I was so excited to find a local 1st. shift job, that I jumped in without thinking things through.

 

I worked for a temp agency one time. Worked out real good. First dispatch was a load from TN to CA and I turned it down. They let me pick something else from what they had pending. Anyway, it gives drivers a chance to look around at different companies and run a couple of loads for them.

 

I worked for a temp agency also back in the 90's it allowed me to come off the otr gig I had. went to work hauling steel on a flatbed with anywhere from 8 to 18 stops a day. I admit pay was better through the temp agency and I was picked up by the company. I enjoyed the work and home time so really it boils down to what you yourself are willing to sacrifice in order to accomplish what you are looking for. It also allowed me time to find a better local job in which I enjoyed even more

 

I'm always wary of trucking companies advertising at a temp agency nowadays. With the driver shortage (some people claim there is no such thing, but make no mistake, there is indeed) these companies are resorting to any means possible to fill their seats. One place advertised "part-time OTR". What the heck is that? Another, part-time, "on call". That means they will call you at all hours when they have a problem. You'll be their "BS" guy. If you can't commit full-time at a regular trucking job, as a regular employee, it's probably best to stay clear.

 

Never heard of an OTR position offered by a Temp. Agency.

In my area, any driving job advertised by Temp. Agencies is local work. But things around here are about to slow way down. John Deere recently laid-off 600+ people nation wide, and in October another 450 people are getting laid off just in Waterloo's 5 plants. Plus I'm hearing more to come beyond that.
John Deere is important to this area because a LOT of the businesses around here rely on them for contracted work, (i.e.- chip & grind, shot blast, paint, CNC machine, tool & die, fabrications, etc...) some of the dumber ones put their eggs in one basket and contract work solely through John Deere.
Aside from Tool & Die, and some Fabrication...just about ALL of the other positions are handled through Temp Agencies---we have a gazillion of them. So the Agencies are gonna be hurting too.

Seem's businesses LOVE Temp Agencies...I myself, HATE them because they drive an already low starting wage even lower...and if you want a job, you have to accept it. Not to mention how long and screwed up the process is.

I guess I'm "old school". I like to walk in off the street and speak directly to the business that's advertising for help.

 

Hey White Dog, wow, that really bums me out hearing about the JD workers. Now what are THOSE people going to do, and like you say, those layoff numbers don't include all the related industries. Food service, repair, cleaning. Just a couple of weeks ago, Cargill (slaughterhouse) in Milwaukee closed, WITH NO NOTICE to the workers. 600 jobs were lost overnight. When GM closed in Janesville several years ago, it devastated the area, and to this day, Rock Co. has the highest unemployment in the state. I guess that doesn't really surprise me about JD, I mean with farmers going under left and right, and with these units costing 1/4 million dollars or more, it's just a matter of time. People blame me for being pessimistic, but this country, I feel, is going to see a depression in several years, that will make the one in '29 seem like a picnic.

 

Aren't most trucking companies temp jobs for the masses? I mean just look at the 110%+ turnover rate. It tells me alot of folks only hang around temporarily.

 

HA, JB, I guess that's one way of looking at it.