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FedEx Freight | From PT dock 2 FT road driver tips, please!

Cali4nia said:
Cool SwampRatt, and thanks! Thing is, there are driver apprentice jobs popping up here and there in California, and BOY, do I have questions!!!

I put in for my cdl a with doubles, triples, hazmat, and tanks to the dmv today.....and now I have to take the tests for them asap. I will have to do my TSA and med screening around next week. With all this effort, though, if I ever get a driver apprentice job, will it be enough for a decent standard of living? What happens after you are done training as a da? Do you have to go to part time city before road??? Also, are there even full time city driver positions for da's right after? That is my real concern if I relocate....no hours.
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There is such a variety of different situations, depending on LOCATION. As Mike noted, it's all about what is needed.

Some locations you can go straight to road, others you wait in line by seniority. Generally you can always get hours on the dock, ahead of part time dock workers, but not over 40. As far as starting part time in city, I'm not aware of any part time city.
 
Mike432 said:
SwampRatt, Yes you're right about Ca. But I believe that IF your runs goes OUTSIDE the state,Then you would be on mileage,and Task pay,But within,AND staying INSIDE the state ,ALL hourly...
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That is incorrect Mike. Anywhere a Ca domiciled goes, he is compensated at his regular hourly rate. Except the CHI to POR lay down. Their hourly rate goes up between MED and POR when pulling triples to compensate for the loss of triples pay. Out of state drivers coming into Ca stay on mileage and task pay. Ca drivers have a lower hourly rate for dock, education, sick/PTO, and holidays.
 
""Update"" So, I've applied to 3 positions at Freight- 1 full time Dock and 2 full time da's in SoCal. My pt dockwork is all about "yes sir" "yes ma'am", and am doing what I'm told and keeping it strictly work, work, work.

I don't think it will take too long to get where I want to be the the company now
 
Cali4nia said:
""Update"" So, I've applied to 3 positions at Freight- 1 full time Dock and 2 full time da's in SoCal. My pt dockwork is all about "yes sir" "yes ma'am", and am doing what I'm told and keeping it strictly work, work, work.

I don't think it will take too long to get where I want to be the the company now
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Good luck to you.
 
Cali4nia said:
""Update"" So, I've applied to 3 positions at Freight- 1 full time Dock and 2 full time da's in SoCal. My pt dockwork is all about "yes sir" "yes ma'am", and am doing what I'm told and keeping it strictly work, work, work.

I don't think it will take too long to get where I want to be the the company now
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Sorry to be so late to this thread, I've, um, been away.
Cali4nia, why do you want to be a road driver?
 
Hi Richard Cranium. I've always wanted to drive long haul- "check out the scenery", sort of thing. Even though FxF hauls shorter distance than I first assumed that a LTL would, driving has always been a passion of mine. Thanks for asking!
 
Cali4nia said:
Hi Richard Cranium. I've always wanted to drive long haul- "check out the scenery", sort of thing. Even though FxF hauls shorter distance than I first assumed that a LTL would, driving has always been a passion of mine. Thanks for asking!
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Ok, I have questions for you that while they should be answered, it's not necessary for you to answer them here in the forum.
Do you work in a yard that has AM relays?
If you don't, I can tell you with great accuracy that there really isn't much to see at night, except when the car next to you turns on the dome light. That is usually something you don't want to see.
Can you wait until one of those AM runs opens up? Might take awhile. Only took me 15 plus years.
Single? Girlfriend? Married? Kids?
Is she that special person that doesn't need you home at night?
What will you do if you come home and the toilet seat is up?
What will you do if all of a sudden she wants to be single again and without her child?
I've seen it happen more than once.
If none of this scares you, by all means go for it.
25 years linehaul and can't think of any other job I'd rather have.
 
Lol! I work at a dock that has a.m. hub shifts.....but I'm flexible to work anywhere in California. The dock I work at has a.m. Starts. I'm single, no gf ATM, no kids, hehe. I'm willing to work city or line haul anywhere they will have me, thanks!
 
Cali4nia said:
Hi Richard Cranium. I've always wanted to drive long haul- "check out the scenery", sort of thing. Even though FxF hauls shorter distance than I first assumed that a LTL would, driving has always been a passion of mine. Thanks for asking!
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There's always an opening in RSP and sometimes MLC.
Lots of wide open space to gaze out on.
 
Become a hostler while you're on the dock. That'll get you used to the concept of backing up trailers of different sizes. Go to dmv & get your permit. Test for class A, general knowledge, combination, tank, hazmat airbrakes & doubles. FEdEx Freight doesn't have tanker trailers, but DOT rules for hauling large totes make the tank endorsement necessary. Test for all of that, but leave the road test date open. Leave the road test date scheduling up to your DDI. Most of the DDI program is classroom instruction/lecture. You save alot of time by reading the CDL book yourself & teating for the endorsements I mentioned earlier.
 
I've already spoken to a few people for a hostling position, and just need to wait for now. Thank you for the tips, kitty cat!
 
**2nd UPDATE**

Ok, so my performance on a forklift peaked at 15 hu/hr- but that's only one travel copy. In any case, I did what I was told by my OS and OM, while working my butt off on the dock for nearly 3 months, and am now officially being trained as a hostler! Now at this point, I have a few concerns...the hostler position is still dockworker pay, correct? I am getting more hours for training( 6 hours a day instead of 3), but what happens after? Once I finish my hostler training, am I sent back to dock, and have to wait for a city or road driver apprentice job to pop up before I can enter the driver development course, or am I doing that now? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to do this right with my FedEx family.
 
Cali4nia said:
**2nd UPDATE**

Ok, so my performance on a forklift peaked at 15 hu/hr- but that's only one travel copy. In any case, I did what I was told by my OS and OM, while working my butt off on the dock for nearly 3 months, and am now officially being trained as a hostler! Now at this point, I have a few concerns...the hostler position is still dockworker pay, correct? I am getting more hours for training( 6 hours a day instead of 3), but what happens after? Once I finish my hostler training, am I sent back to dock, and have to wait for a city or road driver apprentice job to pop up before I can enter the driver development course, or am I doing that now? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to do this right with my FedEx family.
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I would think once you are finished with hostler training you would be put on full time, as for the ddc you have to wait for a job posting and apply for it. Good luck to you.
 
Ok, thanks pops11359. I am reviewing videos on hostler duties and tractor/trailer videos at the same time- I wonder if they are just having me do everything I need to do to get my cdl and endorsements...
 
Cali4nia said:
**2nd UPDATE**

Ok, so my performance on a forklift peaked at 15 hu/hr- but that's only one travel copy. In any case, I did what I was told by my OS and OM, while working my butt off on the dock for nearly 3 months, and am now officially being trained as a hostler! Now at this point, I have a few concerns...the hostler position is still dockworker pay, correct? I am getting more hours for training( 6 hours a day instead of 3), but what happens after? Once I finish my hostler training, am I sent back to dock, and have to wait for a city or road driver apprentice job to pop up before I can enter the driver development course, or am I doing that now? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to do this right with my FedEx family.
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Dependong on your center, you will be either working some dock, some hostling, or hostling your full shift. Depends on operational needs. The pay is the same. After you become certified, just wait for a driver apprentice position to become available and apply. Or they'll just offer it to you. Depends on the center.
 
Cali4nia said:
Ok, thanks pops11359. I am reviewing videos on hostler duties and tractor/trailer videos at the same time- I wonder if they are just having me do everything I need to do to get my cdl and endorsements...
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Hostling is to get you comfortable moving trailers. It's the first step to be eligible for the DDC program. Everything you need to get your CDL permit and endorsements will come out of the DMV CDL handbook. I would recommend focusing on just the hostling. Once you're certified, start reading the DMV CDL handbook.
 
Ok, so I went to my OM, and he told me that i would be doing yard mule training next week. I mentioned that I needed to take my cdl tests for my permit, but he said I could wait, and implied that in under a year, I could do that or wait under a year to join the ddc program....I think he wants to see how I do with my mentors in the yard, before he makes a decision to have me go for the ddc program....but that's better than nothing at this point, right?
 
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