ABF | New Hire Advice

I put my two week notice in with my employer yesterday... I will email ABF HR back and tell them they can contact my boss. I have a start date of March 4th to start hauling fuel... Still undecided, but needed to make a move.
 
I put my two week notice in with my employer yesterday... I will email ABF HR back and tell them they can contact my boss. I have a start date of March 4th to start hauling fuel... Still undecided, but needed to make a move.

Good move and good luck.
 
I put my two week notice in with my employer yesterday... I will email ABF HR back and tell them they can contact my boss. I have a start date of March 4th to start hauling fuel... Still undecided, but needed to make a move.
Congratulations and hope all works out for you.
 
here is my take on ABF. I had some really good old timers teach me the ropes at my barn, both on the dock and the street. At the bottom of the board, sometimes things get slow and you sit, nature of the beast. take work when they call you, no matter what the time or day. unless of course you can afford to sit at home..things do get better, but you have to put your time in. put your time in, move up on the board and figure out the inner workings of your barn, your golden.
 
here is my take on ABF. I had some really good old timers teach me the ropes at my barn, both on the dock and the street. At the bottom of the board, sometimes things get slow and you sit, nature of the beast. take work when they call you, no matter what the time or day. unless of course you can afford to sit at home..things do get better, but you have to put your time in. put your time in, move up on the board and figure out the inner workings of your barn, your golden.[/QUOT

You are exactly right. 15 yrs ago I had the same type of advice & I kept a low profile & took every job call & did it by the numbers. How you act & perform in the first 90 days @ your barn pretty much sets the perception your fellow workers have of you. They can make your job easy or hard.
 
TM called today. Wants to schedule a drug test and DOT physical. I haven't yet scheduled, and am thinking more and more about turning down the job. I am thinking more and more that hauling fuel is more for me. I appreciate all the advice I've been given in this forum, and want to say thanks! I will talk to the TM next week, and I'll decide then.
 
TM called today. Wants to schedule a drug test and DOT physical. I haven't yet scheduled, and am thinking more and more about turning down the job. I am thinking more and more that hauling fuel is more for me. I appreciate all the advice I've been given in this forum, and want to say thanks! I will talk to the TM next week, and I'll decide then.

Good deal.

What's tanker yanking offering you? Pay and schedule wise.

I know a guy that drives for Gemini (Love's Truck Stop ). He likes it.
 
Good deal.

What's tanker yanking offering you? Pay and schedule wise.

I know a guy that drives for Gemini (Love's Truck Stop ). He likes it.

Pay starts around 19 an hour, 1.50 more for nights/weekends. I don't know what it goes to year after year though. Schedule wise I have a choice of 4am,6am,4pm,6pm. 12 hour shifts. I will be working Thurs-Sun, or Mon. Terrible schedule, but have to start somewhere. I plan on working nights, as driving around the metro area is far more enjoyable at night for me. In a few years I would like to go to a Mon-Thurs, or Tues-Fri 4am-4pm shift. I like the stable schedule, and steady work year round. I looked at applying for Loves, but they don't have anything close enough to me.
 
Pay starts around 19 an hour, 1.50 more for nights/weekends. I don't know what it goes to year after year though. Schedule wise I have a choice of 4am,6am,4pm,6pm. 12 hour shifts. I will be working Thurs-Sun, or Mon. Terrible schedule, but have to start somewhere. I plan on working nights, as driving around the metro area is far more enjoyable at night for me. In a few years I would like to go to a Mon-Thurs, or Tues-Fri 4am-4pm shift. I like the stable schedule, and steady work year round. I looked at applying for Loves, but they don't have anything close enough to me.

My honest opinion, take the tanker job. Is there OT after 40?
 
My honest opinion, take the tanker job. Is there OT after 40?

That was/is my only negative about the job... NO If they offered OT, I wouldn't even have considered ABF. They do offer an owner/op opportunity after 5+ years, so that is something I may think about getting involved with in the future if I enjoy the job.
 
It will take a long time to get any kind of regular schedule at ABF 19 hr to start not to shabby better than abf me thinks.
 
It will take a long time to get any kind of regular schedule at ABF 19 hr to start not to shabby better than abf me thinks.
thats the truth. depends where you are, but at a DC you can expect to be on call w no schedule for at least 8 to 10 YEARS....thats right i said years not months.
 
It will take a long time to get any kind of regular schedule at ABF 19 hr to start not to shabby better than abf me thinks.

thats the truth. depends where you are, but at a DC you can expect to be on call w no schedule for at least 8 to 10 YEARS....thats right i said years not months.

When I talked with the TM Friday, he told me there were 2 guys laid off working 1-2 days a week. I don't know how guys can make a living working a schedule so unpredictable... I need stable income and work, and hauling fuel provides that... I think if I had applied to ABF 5-10 years ago, it would have been far easier to manage. I don't know if I should take the drug test/physical in case the fuel job isn't what I thought the first few weeks, or if I should decline the offer from ABF.
 
It is much easier if you are a youngster without the responsibilities of a mortgage and a family. However, there is $5.00 or so per hour difference in the full pay scale, which comes to $200/wk without adding the OT, which is a standard in the freight industry. BTW if you want a job where you know when you will be done on any given day freight is not for you either. So many things to consider.
 
Started training/hauling fuel this week... I think I made a great decision! Outstanding equipment, people, and all the hours I can work, year round! Again, wanted to say thanks to all who responded in this thread, and I hope everything turns out for the best with the ongoing contract talks, and in the future. I will also consider ABF as a great choice for anyone looking for employment, it just wasn't right for me!
 
Started training/hauling fuel this week... I think I made a great decision! Outstanding equipment, people, and all the hours I can work, year round! Again, wanted to say thanks to all who responded in this thread, and I hope everything turns out for the best with the ongoing contract talks, and in the future. I will also consider ABF as a great choice for anyone looking for employment, it just wasn't right for me!

Good deal! Good luck driver. Keep us up to date on your adventures of tank yanking!
 
Started training/hauling fuel this week... I think I made a great decision! Outstanding equipment, people, and all the hours I can work, year round! Again, wanted to say thanks to all who responded in this thread, and I hope everything turns out for the best with the ongoing contract talks, and in the future. I will also consider ABF as a great choice for anyone looking for employment, it just wasn't right for me!

Good luck to you . Hope your adventure is a good one !!
 
I hear that once you get it down pat you get your own oil for free.
 
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