Tyson foods

This thread is from a while back but thought I'd post some info to help drivers make a informed choice when looking into Tyson.

I've been driving 8 years and been here at Tyson 3 months. Remember the following is just my opinion. The miles are good I stay around the 2600 miles range. The money per mile is below average for refrigerated but the benefits make up for it.
It's a very large company so if yoh like to feel important or need attention this is not the place for you. Tyson is a training company as well. The loads tend to be short. I will run 4 or 5 loads a week to make those miles so it's a whole lot of either drop and hooks or bumping docks. I pick up one day deliver the next most of the time. I drive nights and days bout even on that. But yes nights are required here.
There are a lot of rules and although most don't quit Tyson the largest part of their openings come from people getting fired. Getting fired here isn't hard to do. Lol
There is a strict no cell phone policy. Not even with a Bluetooth. So if you have a family at home this place will be difficult as you can not use your cell phone at all while driving. Other drivers will call in on you as well as Tyson employees in their personal vehicles that see you on the highway if you are on your phone. Getting home isn't a problem but getting there on time is difficult. I'm normally a day late sometimes 2 but I don't stress over that. I wanted to include it cause some people do. Also on home time you mist park the truck at a Tyson facility. So if you don't live near one you are going to be hating life. No exceptions. Like a lot of companies empties are sometimes hard to come by and you will burn your clock up chasing a empty. We are on Elog and we use people net. And the driver has no access to edit anything. Not even off duty or sleeper berth time. They audit each drivers logs each month as well. It is forced dispatch also.
Now on to orientation. It's 4 days long. You are paid at the end "providing you are hired" there is a referral bonus paid at 1500.00 so beware of the golden stories from drivers seeking the bonus. If you are a smoker you won't like orientation smoke breaks are speratic at best. Tyson does encourage quoting smoking.
As far as the Tyson plants go. Tyson drivers are not treated any differently or expedited in and out. We wait in line with everyone else. It's not like some other private fleets where the company treats it's drivers a little better at Tyson there really isn't much difference coming in or out of the facility no matter you you work for. Well I hope this answers a lot of questions. If you think of something I didn't talk about here drop a message and I'll try to answer when I can. Take care and God bless

 

Let me add a couple things I forgot lol.....we have an account with blue beacon. You can get a trailer wash inside and out anytime. Truck washes are allowed every 21 days. 1 day off for every 6 out. No pets allowed. All automatic fleet. We use comdata fuel cards. .01 com bonus if you don't have a accident every 90 days.

 

I worked there right out of school at .40 which was good at the time. They will run you if you have hours. They work with you if you need home time.

 

@Coltgrimes36 theres a fella runnin for Tyson that brings his company truck home and parks it down from where my aunt lives when hes on hometime. So they must make a few exceptions.

 

Yes, once you've been there while, they don't really care what you do.

 

They use the trucks for slip seating when your off. One way I've found to do it is to stop when under a load cause that's not home time. But that's the reason for parking at the plants.

 

I have been with Tyson Foods as an OTR Driver for 6 months now. What would you like to know?

 

Freight Lanes here for OTR Drivers are mostly Denver, CO on the West and then going as far East as PA. We have guys in PA that handle everything further East from there. Tyson Foods has 16,000 loads a week, and our private fleet is only able to handle about 40% of our loads, so the other 60% go out to Reefer companies to deliver. I've been getting between 2400 - 3200 miles per week, and our company average is 2600 miles per week. When I ask for home time, they always get me back in time. The benefits are great, with Blue Cross Health Insurance costing me and my wife only $38.40 per week for low deductible coverage. Our Stock has averaged over 40% growth for years, and many drivers who put money into our Stock Purchase Plan through the years have been able to retire with a nice nest egg. I like it here.

 

I haul dedicated Tyson but an outside carrier. Done it off an on a little over 4 years. I’ve heard several good things about the company side of Tyson, such as the benefits. I’m actually taking a load to the New Holland PA plant when I come off my break. Favorite plant bar none. What I’ve hauled with Tyson has been from Denver all the way to Maine, and very very rarely out west towards Cali etc although I think their company guys do that. Tyson doesn’t seem to be any different than any other mega out there. Once you get used to it the only plants that are truly horrid are dog food and Holcomb beef plant lol.