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Estes | Combo driver

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Champion bulldo

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Few questions about combo driver position.

1. Do u get to work dock early in the morning and then drive in afternoon? Or drive then have to come back and work the dock?

2. Will u get sent to cover linehaul occasionally? Do they have daytime linehaul?

3. Do they send tractor trailer to do residential deliveries or are those put on box trucks?

4. Do combo drivers have more of a set schedule or is it one day u start at this time the next day at this time?
 
Each terminal is run differently based on demand. Some terminals need combos to cover linehaul runs( big breakbulks). Some need dock and city( end of the line). That being said , Estes in my opinion is location specific. Unfortunately you will find out all your answers on the job.
 
If combo driver you will do whatever is needed. Yes you will do some line haul and probably hub and even some city if needed. Yes they do send some tractors to residential usually with a pup, but i have heard p&d drivers talk about 53 foot vans in residential occasionally. Question 4 im not sure about, but i do a driver who was combo and one week he would work daytime p&d and the next night time hub. He eventually swapped completely over to night time hub. As Ghost said each terminal can be different. Some places are laid back and others could be jerks. Get your foot in the door and then try to swap over to line haul or depending where you live maybe even another terminal. Estes is not a bad place at all. They have their issues that will irk you sometimes like any trucking company, but they have been good to me even though i do complain about some things. I don't plan on leaving them as long as my health holds up.
 
Champion bulldo said:
Few questions about combo driver position.

1. Do u get to work dock early in the morning and then drive in afternoon? Or drive then have to come back and work the dock?

2. Will u get sent to cover linehaul occasionally? Do they have daytime linehaul?

3. Do they send tractor trailer to do residential deliveries or are those put on box trucks?

4. Do combo drivers have more of a set schedule or is it one day u start at this time the next day at this time?
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The first assignment you will have every shift is walking around for an hour looking for a truck you can use
 
ED FORCE ONE said:
The first assignment you will have every shift is walking around for an hour looking for a truck you can use
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So true and the dispatchers act like it takes them an act of congress to get you one. I got put in a tractor and had to dead line it and they told me they didn't have any more. I look out the door and there is like 50 plus tractors on the yard. Im like are we here to haul freight or just a tractor parking lot. Finally did get one.
 
Rounding3rd said:
If you have all those questions before even starting something tells me you ain't going to work there long anyway
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Maybe or perhaps trying to find out from drivers who do it instead of getting what ever terminal manager or dispatcher pitches them. I got told by one company that id be home 2 days after every 5 out. Right before i was to start that company a driver told me is be out 2-3 weeks at a time then 3 days off and repeat. It was a tanker company. I never showed up for the first day and just kept looking because i can't be out 2-3 weeks at a time and expect to a good family life.
 
steercrazee said:
Maybe or perhaps trying to find out from drivers who do it instead of getting what ever terminal manager or dispatcher pitches them. I got told by one company that id be home 2 days after every 5 out. Right before i was to start that company a driver told me is be out 2-3 weeks at a time then 3 days off and repeat. It was a tanker company. I never showed up for the first day and just kept looking because i can't be out 2-3 weeks at a time and expect to a good family life.
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That post made me appreciate Estes more
 
Champion bulldo said:
I think it's smart to get as much info as possible before making a decision.
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It is. The more info you have the better a decision you can make if it's for you or not. I will say some of the smaller terminals don't have as much opportunities as the larger ones. If you get your foot in the door you can transfer to other terminals if there is an opening. Ive never ran combo so i can't tell you the inns and out just what my combo friends have said, but line haul isn't that bad especially if you can land a bid run.
 
Champion bulldo said:
Few questions about combo driver position.

1. Do u get to work dock early in the morning and then drive in afternoon? Or drive then have to come back and work the dock?

2. Will u get sent to cover linehaul occasionally? Do they have daytime linehaul?

3. Do they send tractor trailer to do residential deliveries or are those put on box trucks?

4. Do combo drivers have more of a set schedule or is it one day u start at this time the next day at this time?
Click to expand...
Which terminal are you looking at?
 
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