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ABF | change of operation

.........And they STILL can't attract the caliber of people that left, probably.......
Won't matter if they erect a 10 story palace with heated docks , indoor parking , and a 24 hour catered lunchroom........waste of money if all they can hire are Larry, Daryl and Daryl,....Moe, Larry and Curly......The deplorable trying to get hired by the desperate....
 
To some ABF employees this change of operations is a good thing and to others it is a bad thing. In Jackson, the road and garage employees are not happy being given a choice; relocate or find another job. On the other hand, I know several Atlanta employees who want to make more money and are thrilled at the possibility of having the opportunity to run longer runs. I talked with an employee last night who says they are checking out different locations to use their Southern Modified Seniority to move to a larger terminal with better runs. Me (and this is personal), I don't want to work 70hrs a week and run longer runs. I think there is a lot of health problems in that but I look at the increase in pay and wonder (not a lot of wondering though) what I could do with the extra pay. May we live in interesting times (Chinese curse).
 
Homesick said:
To some ABF employees this change of operations is a good thing and to others it is a bad thing. In Jackson, the road and garage employees are not happy being given a choice; relocate or find another job. On the other hand, I know several Atlanta employees who want to make more money and are thrilled at the possibility of having the opportunity to run longer runs. I talked with an employee last night who says they are checking out different locations to use their Southern Modified Seniority to move to a larger terminal with better runs. Me (and this is personal), I don't want to work 70hrs a week and run longer runs. I think there is a lot of health problems in that but I look at the increase in pay and wonder (not a lot of wondering though) what I could do with the extra pay. May we live in interesting times (Chinese curse).
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And the answer I always gave when the company dangled the carrot of more overtime pay for working more hours in front of me was: "I can use the extra money to buy that Solid Gold Casket I got my eye on!"........

Remember this when the companies make their inevitable pitch to Congress about how "Increasing the Hours of Service will alleviate the Driver Shortage..."

Nothing about how paying better money and protecting pensions and benefits....(..a strategy that worked well when 80% of truck drivers were Teamsters way, way back in the '80's....)....would, in itself,....cure the driver shortage "problem".
There are very few factories who require their employees to work 70 hours in 8 days..(..or 84 , if you use your 34 hour re-start expeditiously..)......
And,....I seem to recall that pretty much ALL occupations.......other than Truck Driver, Taxicab Operator, Tree-Sap Gatherers, Motion-Picture Operators, and Fishermen.......get overtime pay after 8 and 40 hours by Government Mandate.....

Electricians, Steel workers, and Plumbers....and other occupations....make more by the hour than we do..(..and there's less chance of dying while "on Duty", too...)....

But,....the Captains of our industry seem to think the answer is : Longer runs and more hours behind the wheel.......
Lookit Alla' money Yinz 'll Make !
 
Homesick said:
To some ABF employees this change of operations is a good thing and to others it is a bad thing. In Jackson, the road and garage employees are not happy being given a choice; relocate or find another job. On the other hand, I know several Atlanta employees who want to make more money and are thrilled at the possibility of having the opportunity to run longer runs. I talked with an employee last night who says they are checking out different locations to use their Southern Modified Seniority to move to a larger terminal with better runs. Me (and this is personal), I don't want to work 70hrs a week and run longer runs. I think there is a lot of health problems in that but I look at the increase in pay and wonder (not a lot of wondering though) what I could do with the extra pay. May we live in interesting times (Chinese curse).
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Those are also the same guys who would stab their mother in the back for longer runs. The same guys who will do D&H’s off the clock to save time. The same guys who log off duty while waiting to be dispatched. The same guys who will log on duty not driving in traffic jams just to get that extra mile. The same guys who will bobtail 20-30 miles off the clock to a hotel after running 600+ miles. Are they the so called “Union” men you’re talking about?
 
I don't begrudge anyone the wages they work for and it does take longer to get a plumbers or electricians license (only 3 weeks in a CDL school) but brother Canary is correct about managements idea of how to fix the driver shortage (and we all know it). I think the Teamsters Negotiating Committee knew this was coming based on some of the language in our contract. For example, there is the clause that we get paid all bed time if the company delays a BID run to the point the driver cannot complete the run (that is paraphrased). I know nightowl is correct because ATL still has a problem with drivers not logging into the ETC (electronic time clock) because they want to 'save their hours.' But I believe this change of operations is not about operational efficiency but a way for labor relations to stick it to the employees/Teamsters for allowing YRC to pay less wages and pension than ABF.
 
Boilerpeddle said:
These guys all have plenty of ways to die.
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Not to denigrate the work those people do,.......but the Dept. of Labor goes out of their way to hide the fact that "Fatal Occupational Injuries" occur more often....in just raw numbers, not "per capita".....in Transportation-related industries.

Plus,....those occupations' fatalities occur on job-sites,....and it's rare that a non-associated third-party (civilians)...cause that fatality. We are in the public domain,...and any drunken fool can wipe out the safest driver in the world.....

Increasing the Hours of Service,...and raising the 80,000 lb. weight limit,.......are the proposed "answers" recommended by the ATA to "fix" the driver shortage.....
A driver on his/her 84th hour pulling a 110,000 Long Combination Vehicle.....is definately not my idea of "highway safety".......

I've always said that overtime is a PENALTY your employer pays ,....for keeping your CDL license at risk longer than 8 hours. If more drivers regarded their time behind the wheel in the same way, instead of regarding overtime as some sort of "bonus" the company allows you, the companies would be forced to alter the way they dispatched.....and abused......their employees.

Lot of coal bucket drivers here in W. Pa.......Constantly bragging about how overloaded they are on the C.B......Ain't that great? They're hauling next week's freight at this week's rates.......Amazing what employers can talk drivers into....There's nothing "manly" about driving 16 hours straight,..or hauling 100,000 lbs. illegally..........In fact....."gullible" "cowardly" "craven" and "stupid" are the adjectives that come to mind, instead of...."manly"......
 
canaryinthemine said:
Not to denigrate the work those people do,.......but the Dept. of Labor goes out of their way to hide the fact that "Fatal Occupational Injuries" occur more often....in just raw numbers, not "per capita".....in Transportation-related industries.

Plus,....those occupations' fatalities occur on job-sites,....and it's rare that a non-associated third-party (civilians)...cause that fatality. We are in the public domain,...and any drunken fool can wipe out the safest driver in the world.....

Increasing the Hours of Service,...and raising the 80,000 lb. weight limit,.......are the proposed "answers" recommended by the ATA to "fix" the driver shortage.....
A driver on his/her 84th hour pulling a 110,000 Long Combination Vehicle.....is definately not my idea of "highway safety".......

I've always said that overtime is a PENALTY your employer pays ,....for keeping your CDL license at risk longer than 8 hours. If more drivers regarded their time behind the wheel in the same way, instead of regarding overtime as some sort of "bonus" the company allows you, the companies would be forced to alter the way they dispatched.....and abused......their employees.

Lot of coal bucket drivers here in W. Pa.......Constantly bragging about how overloaded they are on the C.B......Ain't that great? They're hauling next week's freight at this week's rates.......Amazing what employers can talk drivers into....There's nothing "manly" about driving 16 hours straight,..or hauling 100,000 lbs. illegally..........In fact....."gullible" "cowardly" "craven" and "stupid" are the adjectives that come to mind, instead of...."manly"......
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Don't forget about longer trailers. I agree that the ATA has a warped idea of how to fix the driver shortage but with CDL mills pushing drivers out after only 3 weeks and so much traffic on the road now, the answer is difficult
 
It has been inevitable that our runs would be lengthened, The fact that our trucks are turned up is a tale of times. We dont run 54mph anymore. That is why the relay system and plentiful 400 mile runs were so big. As our speeds went up, so did length of runs. We all on road are enjoying 65mph trucks, but i cant believe anyone expected to run 400 miles at 6.5 hrs and then a company paid motel to boot. This Change of Operations stuff is getting old, seems to never end effecting many. There is no true Commitee, its a meeting, dinner, drinks, reunion of sorts.. While i dont expect the world, there are many changes that effect many that deserve to have concerns heard. Me, Im losing a 406 mile run, but have the seniority to be ok as far as hrs, lifestyle. Many wont..
 
canaryinthemine said:
.........And they STILL can't attract the caliber of people that left, probably.......
Won't matter if they erect a 10 story palace with heated docks , indoor parking , and a 24 hour catered lunchroom........waste of money if all they can hire are Larry, Daryl and Daryl,....Moe, Larry and Curly......The deplorable trying to get hired by the desperate....
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EgERsZa.jpg


And with the influx of not only the one in the picture, but the ones buying CDL’s, and medical cards and working for companies owned by immigrants, or US truckload carriers that are putting people with no where near the training behind the wheel. This contributes to the trickle down effect on wages for everyone. The saying,earn UP to this much money per year will not attract the people needed to do this job.
 
iam4us said:
It has been inevitable that our runs would be lengthened, The fact that our trucks are turned up is a tale of times. We dont run 54mph anymore. That is why the relay system and plentiful 400 mile runs were so big. As our speeds went up, so did length of runs. We all on road are enjoying 65mph trucks, but i cant believe anyone expected to run 400 miles at 6.5 hrs and then a company paid motel to boot. This Change of Operations stuff is getting old, seems to never end effecting many. There is no true Commitee, its a meeting, dinner, drinks, reunion of sorts.. While i dont expect the world, there are many changes that effect many that deserve to have concerns heard. Me, Im losing a 406 mile run, but have the seniority to be ok as far as hrs, lifestyle. Many wont..
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I expected this to happen after the 65 MPH speed was put in the contract. Some thought they would just have more truck stop time with 65 MPH tractors.
 
canaryinthemine said:
Yup......go for 75......maybe 80...or 90 mph....
Then the companies will request 750-800 mile runs....

I hear O/O’s brag all the time that they can run 30 mph over the speed limit.......

I don’t regard that as acting professionally.....
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I cannot imagine driving a 35-40 ton unit down the road at 75 plus. Don’t want any part of that.
 
BIG R GUY said:
EgERsZa.jpg


And with the influx of not only the one in the picture, but the ones buying CDL’s, and medical cards and working for companies owned by immigrants, or US truckload carriers that are putting people with no where near the training behind the wheel. This contributes to the trickle down effect on wages for everyone. The saying,earn UP to this much money per year will not attract the people needed to do this job.
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At least the turban color is OSHA approved.
 
iam4us said:
It has been inevitable that our runs would be lengthened, The fact that our trucks are turned up is a tale of times. We dont run 54mph anymore. That is why the relay system and plentiful 400 mile runs were so big. As our speeds went up, so did length of runs. We all on road are enjoying 65mph trucks, but i cant believe anyone expected to run 400 miles at 6.5 hrs and then a company paid motel to boot. This Change of Operations stuff is getting old, seems to never end effecting many. There is no true Commitee, its a meeting, dinner, drinks, reunion of sorts.. While i dont expect the world, there are many changes that effect many that deserve to have concerns heard. Me, Im losing a 406 mile run, but have the seniority to be ok as far as hrs, lifestyle. Many wont..
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6.5 hrs is about right for a 406 mile run. I run 402 a night and that is my time too. But, with waiting in dispatch, pre trip, loading my personal stuff, signing in-out, waiting on a motel ride, the overall time is more like 8.5 hrs. And with via's, traffic, weather, construction, it is not unusual to take 10 hrs. My average eld log says 47-50 hrs for 6 days 2,450-2,500 miles.
 
BIG R GUY said:
EgERsZa.jpg


And with the influx of not only the one in the picture, but the ones buying CDL’s, and medical cards and working for companies owned by immigrants, or US truckload carriers that are putting people with no where near the training behind the wheel. This contributes to the trickle down effect on wages for everyone. The saying,earn UP to this much money per year will not attract the people needed to do this job.
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There is a 064 drivers that comes into 086 who wears a white turban. And it looks just like that.
 
iam4us said:
It has been inevitable that our runs would be lengthened, The fact that our trucks are turned up is a tale of times. We dont run 54mph anymore. That is why the relay system and plentiful 400 mile runs were so big. As our speeds went up, so did length of runs. We all on road are enjoying 65mph trucks, but i cant believe anyone expected to run 400 miles at 6.5 hrs and then a company paid motel to boot. This Change of Operations stuff is getting old, seems to never end effecting many. There is no true Commitee, its a meeting, dinner, drinks, reunion of sorts.. While i dont expect the world, there are many changes that effect many that deserve to have concerns heard. Me, Im losing a 406 mile run, but have the seniority to be ok as far as hrs, lifestyle. Many wont..
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You’re right about the committee, I was told this change has already been decided. The hearing is just a formality....
 
Let's remember that the reason companies hire those guys with the turbans...........is because of the corporate belief they can use, abuse, threaten, and cheat them to accept wages lower than ours......

It ain't about the turban or the religious belief,..........it's about institutional corporate discrimination..........and , if they can create hatred and class division in the process....Hey! that's just icing on the cake....

Historically, corporations always are able to lower wages by pitting one group of workers against another.....And, they could care less about long-term social inequities they create. Chicago's South Side is a memorial of the time when USS Steel actively recruited rural black people to work in the Gary, Indiana works,...just to forestall the Union organizing effort.

But,.....being a truck driver myself........
Trucker 206 said:
At least the turban color is OSHA approved.
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I find that pretty funny......
 
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