Estes | New rumors!!!

Also, most of these new hub runs are laydowns... I, don' see why we need to wait till March to hire more people, most terminals iv talked to added 2-3 runs... lay down hub runs, those positions will be hard to fill..
 
We've had problems keeping hub drivers. Hopefully some of our new runs change that. No one wants to drive an hour and a half and work the dock for 5 hours at some other terminal and drive back.
 
We've had problems keeping hub drivers. Hopefully some of our new runs change that. No one wants to drive an hour and a half and work the dock for 5 hours at some other terminal and drive back.
I'm good with that, to be home everyday. Of course I am used to that kind of thing.
 
They're anticipating freight levels to go up to support the new schedules. Right now they're not high enough to start. Also some terminals don't have enough drivers to run all the schedules and will be hiring drivers off the street to fill them.
 
Other ltl companies chip away at Estes by taking the drivers. Estes is in a bad spot when it comes to training drivers for OD and Dayton and others. Estes pay package is not as attractive as the rest for starters. Too many short runs on linehaul. Getting treated like the red headed step child at every terminal. Well I could go on, you get the point. The government could let us drive 13 hrs, Estes would still only use 6 to 7 of it and send ya home or to bed on average. Estes does not have a driver shortage, it has a driver utilization problem.
 
54 schedules total this year at 024. 3 or 4 of them hub runs. 3 hub drivers. About 65 drivers total on linehaul board. Long empty extra board sign up sheet. Needless to say a lot of drivers, up and down the seniority board are disappointed this year due to cutting a good amount of really big runs and the word spread amongst drivers in the past months we would have more runs than drivers this January. Curious to see how many of the bottom guys quit due to forced extraboard schedule
 
Other ltl companies chip away at Estes by taking the drivers. Estes is in a bad spot when it comes to training drivers for OD and Dayton and others. Estes pay package is not as attractive as the rest for starters. Too many short runs on linehaul. Getting treated like the red headed step child at every terminal. Well I could go on, you get the point. The government could let us drive 13 hrs, Estes would still only use 6 to 7 of it and send ya home or to bed on average. Estes does not have a driver shortage, it has a driver utilization problem.


You are right. No accountability for the dockmen we put through driving school that leave after a year or so. However, I disagree with our package being inferior to other companies. Should be mid .60's cpm this year, 7.50 break/hook, 27 or so for city work, plus all the increases in 401k, etc this year. There is big money to be made at Estes, but only for the guys that are willing to pay their dues
 
We were told at these meetings that Estes does not have enough drivers so Estes jacked up recruiting pay. I will not tell a driver to come work here when Estes is not using me to my full potential. It's silly to say to drivers nation wide at meetings that they are short drivers when they short drivers miles. Grant it top senior guys can get miles on big runs, so in theory if you stay long enough it will be your turn. Estes can keep more GOOD lower senior drivers by feeding them miles. Why not let the good dogs run, don't make so many short runs! Good drivers will make money in this market either here or other ltl carrier that will use them fully. Now is the time to make money when freight levels are high. If Estes can't utilize drive hours fully now, when can they?
 
We were told at these meetings that Estes does not have enough drivers so Estes jacked up recruiting pay. I will not tell a driver to come work here when Estes is not using me to my full potential. It's silly to say to drivers nation wide at meetings that they are short drivers when they short drivers miles. Grant it top senior guys can get miles on big runs, so in theory if you stay long enough it will be your turn. Estes can keep more GOOD lower senior drivers by feeding them miles. Why not let the good dogs run, don't make so many short runs! Good drivers will make money in this market either here or other ltl carrier that will use them fully. Now is the time to make money when freight levels are high. If Estes can't utilize drive hours fully now, when can they?

Nailed it. Extra board can be an exercise in pure frustration for a runner when you get 3 to 5 short hooks in a row and still don't break 500 for the night. Fine for some, but others who want to run have to pull teeth to get it all too often.
 
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