The Food Service Rant thread

There Sysco's Chain Division day cabs and sleeper stuff. They do Texas Road House. Pay is in line with what regular Sysco route drivers make. They usually pull 48' trailers, but I have seen Sygma trailers pulling single Sygma 28' trailers on the Ohio turnpike so they must use the 28' trailers for something as well.

 

Washed out my truck today it needed it, this is my new truck since I switched routes. This is a 2011 truck. It was a flag ship unit, but it's been rode hard and put away wet a couple times now and needed a real good cleaning.

The front rims didn't come out as nice I knew they wouldn't there in need of being done with an orbital machine, but the backs came out really nice.

I spent a good chunk of time doing the interior. The seat needs to be cleaned up, but I need a carpet cleaning van to clean the seat.

 

I switched trucks with a new route, too. It's coming along, but still work to do. I am not a neat freak by any stretch, but ####, most of these guys are pigs.

I drove a rental with that seat material the other day. Not a fan.

 

Go into any GFS truck in the fleet I don't care if it's brand new or 10 years old the seats on the drivers side are not necessarily ripped, but they sure are greasy and dirty that one is really bad. I threw out 5 towels cleaning that truck up and probably used 20 towels total the interior was awful. It looks almost like brand new now compared to what it was. I try not to generate a lot of trash and when I do I try to throw out as I go, but yeah your right pigs is pretty much the word that hits the nail on the head.

 

That rental truck I drove has been in our yard for a couple months. It was originally a sub for when my truck was down, and it hasn't left yet. It was clean the first time I drove it. Last week when I got in it, somebody apparently had a big cup of soda in the cup holder in the middle, and it must've fell out. Down the dash, all over the radio, the cubbyhole under the radio, the shelf under that, and all over the floor. It was a sticky mess, and he didn't make any attempt to clean any of it up. I cleaned what I needed to and avoided the rest.

I never know when I'll get stuck in something else, but I always leave it like I found it. Unless I'm too grossed out by how I found it. I've cleaned half of the windshield many times. I always travel with Clorox wipes for those truly nasty things I find after the sun comes up. And I'm guilty of the occasional spill, but I have the courtesy to take care of it.

 

I have a gallon of Simple Green in my 4 wheeler and a spray bottle of Simple Green too, plus some towels. I have more towels then anyone else I swear it's like I'm running a small textile service. Yeah some of these trucks get pretty trashed no doubt. The good thing about us is we really don't slip seat so once I clean my truck it'll stay that way for the most part. Until it goes to the shop for maintenance and then if the warehouse people drive it, it'll come back a rolling garbage can, but until then it's alright.

The beer company I worked at though, you talk about filthy equipment there was more dust and cigarette and tobacco spit grim all over the console and cup holders it was gross the amount of tobacco spit over the cup holders. The amount of garbage in the trucks was awful, I remember opening up the passenger door of one of the beer trucks and garbage just falling and spilling out on to me, oh well that's how they did it.

 

I sure see a lot of whiny complaints about MBM and other food service companies on these threads. It's work people!!! That means work is involved. I have been with MBM For just over ten years since retiring from the military. I have worked out of four different DC's including Riverside, CA and Aurora, CO. They all have different ways of doing things and how routes are ran and delivered. Some are ramp, some are liftgate and some are a combination of both. It's hard sometimes. Your route can get changed or altered because of an overweight issue. If you are in this business you have to be more than flexible, you must be fluid. As for pay, I average $95K per year. The 401K has a 2 for 1 match and the Dental and Vision are not bad. (I don't have medical because I am still under Military coverage.) What I am saying is, this is hard work. I come home sore and tired sometimes. My back hurts on occasion. I'm almost 50 and still able to do this so, you younger guys should have no problem. Now, all that being said. I would much rather be wearing a suit and sitting in an air conditioned office making 150K a year. I, like most of you reading these posts have chosen our paths and this is where we are and what we do. Every occupation has its drawbacks. Suck it up and quit acting like little girls.

 

I kinda like the work. It's frustrating at times for sure, but I think it can be good for you if you're smart about it. We seem to have our fair share of injuries and chronic problems, but it seems like it's the guys that are wide open all day, every day. I'll be 46 in a couple months, and I hope I have at least ten years left.

I don't quite make $95k, but 70 and logging not quite 40 hours in a week keeps me happy.

 

Oh I don't mind the work not really, it's no big shake once you know the things the warehouse does you can work around the way they do things and you can work around it, it's not a big deal. All you have to do is take the proper steps if your 1100 cube then you have to start earlier get to your first stop earlier and just allow for extra time all you have to do that's all. For the most part it's fine I have no issues.

 

I enjoy what I do. There's bs to it sometimes but, all in all it's a good job. It's definitely a workout. I know delivery drivers are sometimes looked down on by over the road guys but, we're driving the same roads, dealing with the same idiots cutting us off and then having to deal with maneuvering thru parking lots that were not designed for trucks. I've known a lot of dock bumpers that come over trying to do foodservice and can't hack it when they discover that you are touching everything on that trailer and driving and dealing with restaurant managers that may or may not be happy to see you.