Estes | Applied at Dallas terminal......

NewTruckGuy

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I just sent in an app to run linehaul out of Dallas, i have previous LTL/Linehaul experience. Can any recent hires tell me about how long it took to be contacted and what the process was like?

While were at it, any Dallas drivers care to share any info about the terminal? How are the runs? How do the extra board guys like it? Equipment?
 
There was a 2 month period between the date I applied and the date I started. Had to call and ask about my application status twice during this time. It was a slow process for me personally. Love the job and I've had 2 new (glider) trucks within 2 years here. Pay and benefits are great, equipment is nice and maintained.
 
A couple days after I applied some one from HR called me and asked me some general questions about myself. About a week after that I got a call from the terminal to schedule an interview with the TM. I did a drug test and DOT physical after the interview and they started my background check. All in all it took about a month and a half from when I applied to when I started.

I have no complaints about the job. I'm home every morning and make a honest living. Everyone seems to let you do your thing and doesn't really bother you.
 
What kind of runs might I be looking at as an extraboard driver?

I think I saw something on the Estes site about 90% of linehaul drivers being home every day or every other day. Is that true for extraboard or just guys with bid runs? It doesn't matter to me either way, just curious.

Are you guys extraboard or do you have bid runs now?

Estimate how long do you think it might take for sometime to land a decent 500+ mile run? A few years?

Sorry for all the questions. As with any portential job opportunity im.excited and nervous at the same time.

HR called me today for the phone interview. Only a few hours after I applied.......

Thanks for the info.
 
Wow that was quick. When I applied they were still using paper applications. Extraboard guys are usually out and away for 5 days and who knows what start day you may get. You may fill in for a bid driver possibly when they're out or on vacation. Most times if you want you can stay out 6 or 7 days or longer in some cases if you don't mind resetting on the road. I'm on the east coast so I don't know what kind of runs they have or how long it could take to secure a bid run. Drummerforhire is familiar with that area and will chime in soon I'm confident.
 
Cool. I just have to fill out forms for MVR and Consumer report online tonight. I'm really hoping the terminal calls me for an interview in the next few days. I am.on vacation from my current job next week so it would be great to do that next eeek. We'll see.
 
Cool. I just have to fill out forms for MVR and Consumer report online tonight. I'm really hoping the terminal calls me for an interview in the next few days. I am.on vacation from my current job next week so it would be great to do that next eeek. We'll see.
As an extra board driver, you will be at their mercy to send you anywhere, but for the most part, being out of Dallas, you'll more than likely stay below an imaginary line drawn from Phoenix to Kansas City to St. Louis to Atlanta.
 
Dallas is a good terminal to run out of. You'll run up and down 35 a lot. You probably won't go much further east than Atlanta too often.

Extraboard is 5 on / 2 off. It'll take some time (a few years maybe) to get to where you start on Monday night. In Dallas as a new hire, expect to start your week on a Wednesday or Thursday. You may get home a day or 2 during the middle of your week but it's never guaranteed.

Getting a bid will also take some years. Estes utilizes extraboard drivers a LOT and is slow to add a scheduled run even in a very heavy lane.

Right now we're extremely busy and you can just about write your own paycheck around here.
 
They should all be 10 speeds with the occasional auto thrown in there. Tractors are a mix of Internationals, Kenworths and Volvos.
 
I submitted my forms for MVR and Consumer report a few days ago.

If I don't hear from the terminal in a week or two would it be a good idea to call them up?

Or should I just sit tight?
 
Call them about Thursday. When I got hired, I had interviewed, gave them my mvr and everything, and about 2 weeks later they called me wondering why I hadn't come to work yet. I told them I was never offered a job. They laughed and said "come on." Turns out I lost about 8 spots on the seniority board from waiting on them to call me. (We were hiring like mad at my terminal.)

Moral of the story: call. Don't wait for them. They're not going to pass on you just for calling them.
 
Sounds good. Im.eager to get hired on but id hate to be annoying. If I have to call do I ask for the TM or will they have someone else doing the hiring there?
 
Im extra board out of Dallas, it's not bad. Run extra 2yrs I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I was out all week. I get back at least 1x a week not uncommon to get back even more. They'll keep you in Albequre, Elpaso STL southern texas, out towards Memphis kinda radius.

Sometimes you sit 20-40hrs if you make it back to dallas (they get the guys in hotel our before they let us out) recently dallas have been getting me out on my 10

Also, they'll have you covering scheduled runs.
 
I was in Dallas in 2011 during bid time. They had runs posted all across dispatch all the way out to the stairwell. That barn moves a ton of freight.
 
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