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bmb1977

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I will be starting at ABF in a few days. Several drivers that I talked too mentioned something about accumulating days off. Just curious on how this works? Also, can I use my 34 restart on logs or do i just run on recap? Looking forward to starting at ABF, and also any good advice from you guys.
 
The Union does not recognize the 34 hour restart so recap only. Sounds like you will be a road driver so you can take 48 hours off after 6 trips or 72 hours off after 12 trips.
 
Sumting Wong said:
The Union does not recognize the 34 hour restart so recap only. Sounds like you will be a road driver so you can take 48 hours off after 6 trips or 72 hours off after 12 trips.
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Thanks for the info Sumting Wong. Give me any good advice or tips. Willing to listen to any info you guys can share.
 
I would find your Shop Steward and ask him if there is anything you should look out for and any advice he might have. If he wants to he'll give you his phone number and tell you to call if you need to. I would recommend getting a copy of the contract and reading it. There is also a supplement that has things in it that are particular to your area that will differ from other areas, get that and read it too. They are both available on line at teamster.org. You will need to know what supplement you work under. You get 1 week of vacation after 2 years and 2 weeks after 8 years.
 
Do not hesitate to ask for advice or help. I have not been here very long and found almost everyone is very helpful with anything to help u get thru the paper work, get to different terminal fastest route or anything else you need. Great bunch of people.
 
Just wondering if you are starting out as an experienced driver at ABF or if you are new to the industry. I am brand new and in the process of obtaining my CDL with all the endorsements they require, but have no experience driving. Am wondering if they hire and train new Class A recipients with no experience like myself and any helpful tips you can provide. I would like to work out of the South Chicago terminal as OTR. Have already applied several weeks ago but no response. Thanks much.
 
Well,....at one time, ABF had a policy that they wouldn't even look at you unless you had 10 years experience. Back then, I was told that ABF would accept a hundred applications, qualify ten of those, and hire two out of the ten. Obviously,......things have changed. Since roughly half of our workforce is within two years of retirement,....I would say all bets are off as far as driver experience and qualifications. They're currently on a hiring spree,....the "lipstick" on this particular pig is that they are "growing"........but I think they've finally looked at their demographics and realized they better get busy hiring just to replace retirees. Even though you have just got your CDL, ....and hopefully all your endorsements,......ABF may consider hiring you,.....and I might want to qualify that by warning you,.....and other new-hires,...that ABF may be looking at some contract re-openers in the very near future,....and flooding the company with new-hires unfamiliar with a Union culture, or unaware of the long struggles just to get what we have now,...(i.e.: Overtime,..seniority,..solidarity....)...........is a very good way to possibly get conditions they want removed or changed,....by subtly "pressuring" new-hires to vote certain ways. I would highly recommend stopping at the Local Union Hall, and talking to a Business Agent. He can fill you in better on what it means to be in a Union,......and it doesn't mean just paying dues. You have quite a bit of responsibility to your fellow employees. He can probably give you the ABF road steward's phone number. He may even be aware of jobs other than ABF that are in desperate need of qualified drivers, irregardless of their experience. It may take you years to get on with ABF,........or not.....but when you do,....you have one of the few remaining career jobs in trucking. They expect you to stay 30 years,.....the pension and pay structure is geared to that,....there is very little turnover,....other than retirement,.....and ,..unless you're a complete fool,...or an evil, immoral person,.....you have Union protections to prevent ......discriminatory discharges,....or layoffs without recall (in seniority order),...or "economic" layoffs just to adjust their operating ratio.. If you're a normal, hard-working person,......your first couple of years might be a little squirrelly,.....but the next 28 will be a piece of cake.............and a career.
 
Each road board has a personality of its own. At one terminal the seniors will be very supportive of new hires and at the next terminal the seniors will do everything possible to get the bottom guy laid off. You might get more information if you let us know which terminal you will be working at.
 
Thanks so much guys. This is a wealth of information for me to work with. The idea of making contact with the the local hall is a good one. I was actually looking at either the Bedford Park or South Chicago terminals but probably SC as it is closer for me. Is either one a better place to be then the other?
 
There apparently are a few terminals there that work under one seniority list and Bedford Park rings a bell. You can work at any one of them when bids go up (we bid start times at least once a year in this industry) and will probably work out of more than one in your career if you go there. It is posted on one of the threads here I just don't recall where. SCH might be the only one with road drivers.
 
I too should be starting at ABF in a few weeks. I had an interview with the TM last Thursday and he said everything looked good and I just have to wait for Arkansas to clear my application. He said it could be 4-6 weeks but since I was with New Penn for 14 years I'm hoping it may not take that long..The job will be linehaul out of Orlando.
 
Being with Jew Penn for 14 years makes the job history part much easier. Just make sure you included any and all accidents or tickets or they'll bury your app.
 
ABFer said:
Being with Jew Penn for 14 years makes the job history part much easier. Just make sure you included any and all accidents or tickets or they'll bury your app.
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And he's not kidding. They will find out anything and everything about you.
 
I competed in the Georgia Truck Driving Competition this week and had several chances to speak with the our safety manager. One of things that came up was the new driver requirements at ABF. According to Mr. Bugg, the hiring age is now 21 years old for truck drivers. That tells me you do not have to have much experience to get hired as a truck driver at ABF. How much experience can a person really have at age 21?
 
Homesick said:
I competed in the Georgia Truck Driving Competition this week and had several chances to speak with the our safety manager. One of things that came up was the new driver requirements at ABF. According to Mr. Bugg, the hiring age is now 21 years old for truck drivers. That tells me you do not have to have much experience to get hired as a truck driver at ABF. How much experience can a person really have at age 21?
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No less than the guy straight out of Allstate driving school that they send to their own school for a week or two.
 
Homesick said:
I competed in the Georgia Truck Driving Competition this week and had several chances to speak with the our safety manager. One of things that came up was the new driver requirements at ABF. According to Mr. Bugg, the hiring age is now 21 years old for truck drivers. That tells me you do not have to have much experience to get hired as a truck driver at ABF. How much experience can a person really have at age 21?
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Congratulations for qualifying to compete, Brother Homesick! Last time I did that was in 2001 and 2003,.....never got beyond the state level,....but what an interesting experience! Should've done it this year because the Nationals are in Pittsburgh,.....right in my back yard. I guess I'll be in the stands.....
 
Thanks brother Canary, I compete every couple of years but I too never make it past the state level. ABF Georgia does haves. 2 drivers who made it to the Nationals in Pittsburgh. I was not one of them but it was nice to just to be with the group. VP of linehaul transport, Tim Thorne, was there and he let us know that ABF is definitely hiring “drivers in all areas of the country” but that ABF just was not getting that many qualified applicants.
 
Good Luck bmb 1977. ABF is a great company I really enjoyed the time I spent there. I was out of the Hagerstown MD terminal. The only reason I left is because I got offered my dream job other than that I would've never left. Try to make this opportunity your last job it's by far the best LTL company to work for.
 
canaryinthemine said:
Well,....at one time, ABF had a policy that they wouldn't even look at you unless you had 10 years experience. Back then, I was told that ABF would accept a hundred applications, qualify ten of those, and hire two out of the ten. Obviously,......things have changed. Since roughly half of our workforce is within two years of retirement,....I would say all bets are off as far as driver experience and qualifications. They're currently on a hiring spree,....the "lipstick" on this particular pig is that they are "growing"........but I think they've finally looked at their demographics and realized they better get busy hiring just to replace retirees. Even though you have just got your CDL, ....and hopefully all your endorsements,......ABF may consider hiring you,.....and I might want to qualify that by warning you,.....and other new-hires,...that ABF may be looking at some contract re-openers in the very near future,....and flooding the company with new-hires unfamiliar with a Union culture, or unaware of the long struggles just to get what we have now,...(i.e.: Overtime,..seniority,..solidarity....)...........is a very good way to possibly get conditions they want removed or changed,....by subtly "pressuring" new-hires to vote certain ways. I would highly recommend stopping at the Local Union Hall, and talking to a Business Agent. He can fill you in better on what it means to be in a Union,......and it doesn't mean just paying dues. You have quite a bit of responsibility to your fellow employees. He can probably give you the ABF road steward's phone number. He may even be aware of jobs other than ABF that are in desperate need of qualified drivers, irregardless of their experience. It may take you years to get on with ABF,........or not.....but when you do,....you have one of the few remaining career jobs in trucking. They expect you to stay 30 years,.....the pension and pay structure is geared to that,....there is very little turnover,....other than retirement,.....and ,..unless you're a complete fool,...or an evil, immoral person,.....you have Union protections to prevent ......discriminatory discharges,....or layoffs without recall (in seniority order),...or "economic" layoffs just to adjust their operating ratio.. If you're a normal, hard-working person,......your first couple of years might be a little squirrelly,.....but the next 28 will be a piece of cake.............and a career.
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How much experience do they require for hauling doubles? (Linehaul).
 
The application shows one year. But I know they’re not too strict about it. I know a couple guys that had zero doubles experience and got on.
 
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