XPO | Looking to Make A Move

Rollin

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I have been doing foodservice delivery for a # of years now. Looking for something a little easier on the body, closer to home and with some flexibility. I asked myself what the senior drivers are doing now if that's something I really want to do in the years ahead and I keep saying no it's not. I find most companies just don't want to pay for 20 plus years of experience. Most of what I'm finding is in the high teens and not having to work weekends, with the exception of line haul Saturday mornings return. XPO is the closest to home, working the extra board.

The idea of starting over being bottom / utility guy doesn't sound great. It's a pay cut to start, not to mention schedule change for family. Losing all the benefits, and all the seniority would come at a cost.

I would just appreciate some feedback. I know the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. I haven't talked to any XPO drivers on the street either, but I do have an offer to work.
 
Most terminals are running very tight on staff to keep costs under control. Have you spoken to anyone at the terminal your interested in? You need to find out if there are open bids, or will you be forever stuck on the dock, maybe getting an overflow run. The grass is never greener on the other side, but sometimes you need to mow a different lawn!
 
Yes, I have talked with TM and it's driving position, but dock work is involved, or can do dock work. Sounds like their very busy. Kinda sounds to me like you just call in every morning, with typical start times 10-12. I'm us to starting at 4-5 am.
 
Yes, I have talked with TM and it's driving position, but dock work is involved, or can do dock work. Sounds like their very busy. Kinda sounds to me like you just call in every morning, with typical start times 10-12. I'm us to starting at 4-5 am.
That's called TM double speak. You need to find out if there's an open bid your filling, or are you on the flex board.
 
I have been doing foodservice delivery for a # of years now. Looking for something a little easier on the body, closer to home and with some flexibility. I asked myself what the senior drivers are doing now if that's something I really want to do in the years ahead and I keep saying no it's not. I find most companies just don't want to pay for 20 plus years of experience. Most of what I'm finding is in the high teens and not having to work weekends, with the exception of line haul Saturday mornings return. XPO is the closest to home, working the extra board.

The idea of starting over being bottom / utility guy doesn't sound great. It's a pay cut to start, not to mention schedule change for family. Losing all the benefits, and all the seniority would come at a cost.

I would just appreciate some feedback. I know the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. I haven't talked to any XPO drivers on the street either, but I do have an offer to work.
I done foodservice and it beats the hell out of you body. When I came here I was like you with 20+ years exp. I was drive long then both of my trainers had there licenses and have more years driving then 80% of the driver at my barn and some here no nothing but this company. With that said every barn runs different, what times, runs, and work schedule are at my barn is different at the barn 40 mile away. You need to talk to as many driver at the barn you are going to work at. I will tell you, you will get tons of different responses. You will hear of driver with great runs and nice start time cry like the biggest babies on earth and talk about way back when in the CCX day and how well they thought they were treated.
You take from the job what you put into it. The simple fact is that the only thing that separates driver here is seniority, years of experience and skill level mean nothing at an LTL company and as long as you can deal with that you'll be fine. Like you said you will be on the bottom and all the ::shit:: flows to there. You will have the crappy runs, start time, lots of dock time and even force to work on some weekends if there is any at that barn.
Good luck in what ever path you take.
 
Not that I'm aware of, another terminal over 1 hr away from that one does.
Location is always a key ... getting hired this time of year you may act as a summer vacation guy and when october rolls around there maybe not be a lot of work .. I stress maybe pending on your location ... I worked for this company 11.5 years and moderated this forum in the past and I have seen this happen to good guys who hired on at an end of the line terminal .. just becareful on your decision making here
 
Location is always a key ... getting hired this time of year you may act as a summer vacation guy and when october rolls around there maybe not be a lot of work .. I stress maybe pending on your location ... I worked for this company 11.5 years and moderated this forum in the past and I have seen this happen to good guys who hired on at an end of the line terminal .. just becareful on your decision making here

Ok, very good point. I have never been involved in LTL freight before and figured a slow down in winter, but hadn't thought of starving or sitting. I basically live between the two terminals, just that ones closer than other. Thanks!
 
I live between two terminals also. I chose to go to the bigger one with the FAC. Well, the FAC now has only a few drivers come in each night and has not grown at all in the 13 years I've been here. The other terminal has not only grown, but they also run more miles than I do and get paid more per hour and per mile due to "market value"! So while I agree that location is important, things do change as time goes on. It's a crap shoot for sure.
I find that I'm in a similar situation as you, rollin, except after 13 years in, I don't like the direction XPO is going and I would like to get out of what I see as a sinking ship.
 
I live between two terminals also. I chose to go to the bigger one with the FAC. Well, the FAC now has only a few drivers come in each night and has not grown at all in the 13 years I've been here. The other terminal has not only grown, but they also run more miles than I do and get paid more per hour and per mile due to "market value"! So while I agree that location is important, things do change as time goes on. It's a crap shoot for sure.
I find that I'm in a similar situation as you, rollin, except after 13 years in, I don't like the direction XPO is going and I would like to get out of what I see as a sinking ship.
What do they give for an explanation of the term market value?
 
I done foodservice and it beats the hell out of you body. When I came here I was like you with 20+ years exp. I was drive long then both of my trainers had there licenses and have more years driving then 80% of the driver at my barn and some here no nothing but this company. With that said every barn runs different, what times, runs, and work schedule are at my barn is different at the barn 40 mile away. You need to talk to as many driver at the barn you are going to work at. I will tell you, you will get tons of different responses. You will hear of driver with great runs and nice start time cry like the biggest babies on earth and talk about way back when in the CCX day and how well they thought they were treated.
You take from the job what you put into it. The simple fact is that the only thing that separates driver here is seniority, years of experience and skill level mean nothing at an LTL company and as long as you can deal with that you'll be fine. Like you said you will be on the bottom and all the :::shit::: flows to there. You will have the crappy runs, start time, lots of dock time and even force to work on some weekends if there is any at that barn.
Good luck in what ever path you take.
si
I done foodservice and it beats the hell out of you body. When I came here I was like you with 20+ years exp. I was drive long then both of my trainers had there licenses and have more years driving then 80% of the driver at my barn and some here no nothing but this company. With that said every barn runs different, what times, runs, and work schedule are at my barn is different at the barn 40 mile away. You need to talk to as many driver at the barn you are going to work at. I will tell you, you will get tons of different responses. You will hear of driver with great runs and nice start time cry like the biggest babies on earth and talk about way back when in the CCX day and how well they thought they were treated.
You take from the job what you put into it. The simple fact is that the only thing that separates driver here is seniority, years of experience and skill level mean nothing at an LTL company and as long as you can deal with that you'll be fine. Like you said you will be on the bottom and all the :::shit::: flows to there. You will have the crappy runs, start time, lots of dock time and even force to work on some weekends if there is any at that barn.
Good luck in what ever path you take.

Simply put, the truth and right on. Well said.
 
What do they give for an explanation of the term market value?
Basically they don't pay you any more then they have to, right? If they are having a hard time finding drivers, the market value goes up. If it costs more to live in a certain area, Boston for example, your pay rate will reflect it.
 
Basically they don't pay you any more then they have to, right? If they are having a hard time finding drivers, the market value goes up. If it costs more to live in a certain area, Boston for example, your pay rate will reflect it.
Kinda of thought it was something like that. So they sell that crap to a driver in say,the middle of Indiana, who happens to be more productive,and safe than a slacker working in Boston, that he makes 4 bucks an hour less because of where he lives... Although I will say if they used production,and safety as the formula for hourly pay,there would be several at my terminal making less than 10 bucks an hour. Thanks...
 
Basically they don't pay you any more then they have to, right? If they are having a hard time finding drivers, the market value goes up. If it costs more to live in a certain area, Boston for example, your pay rate will reflect it.

It's not the cost of living so much, but the cost of acquiring and retaining a driver. Let's say it's relatively easy to find drivers in the Boston area, but a lot more difficult in the middle of Iowa. The Iowa driver would get paid more. That's why there are some low cost areas with higher pay, and high cost areas with lower. Not a whole lot, but some.
 
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