What's new

Central Transport | The Truth about Vitran?? South Bend Terminal?

F

Flip Flop

TB Lurker
Credits
0
I have been seeing a lot of postings in the local paper and online looking for linehaul and p&d drivers for the South Bend, IN Terminal. I have no clue about this company other then the little that I have read on here. I had a few questions.

1) Anyone have info pay and how you start out at Vitran. (south bend, in)

2) Do you work docks?

3) Uniforms?

4) Slip seating? I assume, yes.


Basicly is this place worth looking into. I dont know if they are growing around here or if the place just sucks. Conway, USF holland, Central Transport (of course) are also looking for drivers as well. I am just curious if business is picking up or if this place junk..

I know there are some ppl that have a bad opinion of the place, but if anyone can give an outsider with no LTL experience an idea, i'd appreciate it.


Thanks..
 
they pay scale is different from terminal to terminal so i cant speak for SBN. probably around 19. hr. for city driver. Line haul is going to be around .40 cpm. A few more cpm for sets. Uniforms = yes. slip seating for new city drivers, and you will get the worst trucks they have ( worst in the industry ) and for most line haul drivers have assigned newer ('10 - '13) tractors. where im at the city drivers do no dock work and just a few of the L.H. drivers just started doing dock work. Other drivers do have a bad opinion of this place and its warranted. The company is growing so thats why they are hiring. Ask the T.M. manager if you will have a steady start time. You dont want to be calling every morning at 6am to get a start time. B.B. shield health benefits. cost me $35 a week for health-dental-vision, with $1000 annual deductible. Vitran is on the lower end of the LTL companies but its not the worst. I work for con-way and it was a HORRIBLE time. I would suggest not working for con-way based on the flex schedule you will be on for the first two years = both city and L.H... your basically hired as a combo driver. and con-way will send you out knowing your going to run out of hours. Its pretty much go **** yourself @ CON-WAY.....
 
Thanks honkey lips. I appreciate the info.

I think i would like Line haul. Are all their linehauls at night? Or do they do daytime as well. I see pretty modern equipment up here on the 80/90 toll road pulling 53's. I'd dont know much about the LTL world. I like the idea of going to work, doing my job, and going home. I like being home to take care of my house and hobbies. I've been over the road and now I am running a dedicated run but the company doesnt have a future. I probably opened up a can of worms but I am looking for a place I can grow. (i.e. better runs, better days off, etc) .

What makes them on the lower end? I cant believe that anyone is less then CT or even Saia. Based on equipment I see out there. But I dont know much bout LTL.

So they must have dockworkers?

I get leary about seeing the same company advertising in the paper every week. Especially around south bend. Makes me wonder.. It also seems that a lot of the fellas on here have an axe to grind with them.. But thats with any company though.

I appreciate any and all info. Thanks!
 
speedracer21 said:
vitran is bottom of the barrel ! junk tractors,trailers.lowest pay in ltl.
Click to expand...

Youtube Central Transport if you think you have it bad. Watch the videos of the absolute crap the Central Drivers have to work with. You will be surprised.
 
well for linehaul you are going to need all the credentials,doubles haz mat fingerprinted etc. South Bend is in a great location for Vitran, At least you are not on the east side of things being intimadated by the Pjax people. New things are a comming. New president working directly for Gaetz. Soon all the past Pjax thinking on operations will be gone, and probably a lot of management who can't or won't conform. I think you have a wonderful opportunity to witness the future. There will be bidding for runs, don't know if the guys there would rather work day or night. There are day runs though. Fill out the app, take the drug test and see where you fit in, i think you will be suprised. If you can understand you are at the bottom and have to take what is available and not complain you will be fine. Ran to that term. out of Clv. for many years. Dont forget you are right on the pike and winter is 6 months away, that is a good thing.
 
Badw900 said:
well for linehaul you are going to need all the credentials,doubles haz mat fingerprinted etc. South Bend is in a great location for Vitran, At least you are not on the east side of things being intimadated by the Pjax people. New things are a comming. New president working directly for Gaetz. Soon all the past Pjax thinking on operations will be gone, and probably a lot of management who can't or won't conform. I think you have a wonderful opportunity to witness the future. There will be bidding for runs, don't know if the guys there would rather work day or night. There are day runs though. Fill out the app, take the drug test and see where you fit in, i think you will be suprised. If you can understand you are at the bottom and have to take what is available and not complain you will be fine. Ran to that term. out of Clv. for many years. Dont forget you are right on the pike and winter is 6 months away, that is a good thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I do have all my endorsements, so im all set. I have absoultly no problem starting at the bottom. I understand that I have to work my way up and pay my dues. I just want a future, thats all. I know the South Bend terminal used to be PJAX i guess before the buyout.

Are you still with Vitran Badw900?

It seems that they're making changes from what I read. I understand that buyouts can be a pain. Whats the problem between PJAX and Vitran?
 
basically vitran bought pjax out and took on most of their bad business habits. in north american theirs two headquarters, one in indiana and one in pennsylvania. indy was vitran all along and pit was pjax headquarters. indy controls the west and pit controls the east and operate differently since day one. the pres of pjax was canned because he ran the place into the ground and now new guy was from fed ex. everything he's doing is cookie cutter fed ex. they're going through company top to bottom and completely overhauling it. at my term p&d starts @ $17.50. we have not had a raise for over 3 yrs and had 5% concessions for 2 yrs awhile back, but slowly got it back.
 
Yeah still here and it was tough for the Vitran drivers because we moved to there terminal and they closed another one . Constantly fighting about policy. Saw them fire 3 or 4 because of union activity. One got settlement others just faded away. Now finally the Pjax debt has been paid down where Gaetz can inforce Vitran policy and not have to kiss the Pjax behind. Keep a low profile and try and fly under the radar and you will be ok. It was tough for us but all of us (22) are finally seeing the beginning of the end of Pjax. Thats why the new guy was hired.
 
vitran is not worse then CT .... worse then most other ltl companys though . but its a job . some people like it , others hate it .
 
I lived in laporte for 4 years before moving back home down south don't go to Vitran they lost 8.5 million in the 1st qtr and they are making their last efforts to keep from going under was the
Worst company I have ever worked for. The industry analysts are only giving them a 52 percent chance of staying a float the next two yrs. Trust me on what I am telling you go to Conway or
One of the big boys that's already established if you can like Conway
Or old domIon of at all possible.
 
If Flip flop wasnt in South Bend I might say go to Conway but the flex board and just filling in for vacations lead to unemployment in 6 months. Ct is worse than anyone. If you want to work weekends then OD is where you want to go. One thing about Vitran its 5 day or nights and little or no dock weekends are yours.
 
After July 9th all Linehaul at Vitran will be required to work dock unless they have a bid run over 400 miles a night or somewhere around there. I have a lot of friends that still work at Vitran and things aren't real good over there from what I am hearing and a lot of guys are juming ship as fast as they can. I do know that Vitran is a lot stronger up north than down here in the south. Things aren't good for the southern boys and they are having to drive equipment that is falling apart and shouldn't even be on the road for 14.50 hr and .335 cents a mile
 
Stepnstone said:
After July 9th all Linehaul at Vitran will be required to work dock unless they have a bid run over 400 miles a night or somewhere around there. I have a lot of friends that still work at Vitran and things aren't real good over there from what I am hearing and a lot of guys are juming ship as fast as they can. I do know that Vitran is a lot stronger up north than down here in the south. Things aren't good for the southern boys and they are having to drive equipment that is falling apart and shouldn't even be on the road for 14.50 hr and .335 cents a mile
Click to expand...

yep, linehaul has to get forklift certified also. no more sitting in a/c and bumping docks, there's work involved now. then comes the gps handhelds around the corner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top