What are some examples of well care visits? Are women's visits to gyne covered at 100%? I know sounds kinda funny but can be expensive! lolWal-Mart's insurance is more of a "major medical" plan unless you want to pay allot out-of-pocket monthly. But once the insurance kicks in it is pretty good compared to what is out there (teamsters insurance excluded lol). I know that my insurance pays 100 percent on well-care visits for my family and also comes with 1,000 or more in yearly cash coverage so the first 1,000 dollars worth of medical bills and prescription drugs are covered 100 percent before the deductible starts. I'm not in any way, shape or form trying to "brag" about Wal-Mart insurance but after leaving a major union LTL company to come here my income increased by WELL OVER 10,000 dollars yearly while being treated well and driving equipment that isn't flattening out the discs in my back so maybe i'll also save money on insurance by having better mental health, less anger and depression possibly less back issues in the future lol. Maybe i'm wrong but i look at Wal-Mart Transportation as being good alternative to the LTL atmosphere but with LTL pay and i personally like that.
I really think if the only reason you wouldn't take a Walmart driving job is the insurance, you are missing the big picture. I drove for Walmart for roughly 3 months. Walmart new I was a Teamster and still treated me with the utmost respect, because they value safe professional drivers more than any company that I know of. You could make enough money there to compensate for not having free insurance and a pension. I ran the numbers and with their contribution to a 401k you could have a monthly income comparable or better to my Teamster pension when you retire, assuming the stock market performed as it had over the last 100 years. The insurance definately was not as good as my Central States plan, but very few plans are and if you are making roughly $100,000 a year, you can afford to pay a few bucks a week for insurance. I did not stay there because I didn't like being gone from home for 5 days, my carhaul job gets me home every other day or so. I also did not like sleeping in the truck, but Walmart pays you $44.00 a night laid over, so I payed for a room and used the $44.00 towards that and wrote off the entire amount on my taxes. Thus the room really didn't cost me anything. Walmart is an excellent place to drive for a living, they really treat their drivers well, but it wasn't for me due to the reasons I listed. However for most people it would be hard to beat, even with a lower quality insurance plan than Central States. I would go back there in a minute, when I retire, to work 2-3 days a week. They do have part time drivers who are usually retired. The DC I worked at had many former and retired Teamsters working there and all liked Walmart because they were treated with respect and paid well.
If you like your job, then I would agree you are better off staying with ABF. Being home every other day or so was the deciding factor in me not staying there. The Teamster insurance is second to none. My wife is a Ford UAW Nurse and she is on my insurance because several of her regular prescriptions are much less than when she was on her plan.I make 85,000 a year now. With the cost of the benefits and extra out of pocket expenses with the insurance it didn't make sense to leave abf. For example 3 vials of my wife's insulin cost me 200 dollars because we have a max of 200. The total cost was 2600 dollar . I bet I would have paid way more than that with the Walmart insurance. She has insulin pump supplies, test strips etc. I have a 400 dollar deductible and don't pay a dime for my insurance. I also am treated well at abf and I am usually home same day or next day. I know Walmart is a good job, but in my case it just didn't make sense to give up 10 years at abf
I have been at walmart a few months now from YRC and I do know the prescr. coverage here is superior to the teamster plan now the health Ins. not sure yet but have filled plenty of scripts free at walmart pharmacy some at yrc rates were 15-30$I make 85,000 a year now. With the cost of the benefits and extra out of pocket expenses with the insurance it didn't make sense to leave abf. For example 3 vials of my wife's insulin cost me 200 dollars because we have a max of 200. The total cost was 2600 dollar . I bet I would have paid way more than that with the Walmart insurance. She has insulin pump supplies, test strips etc. I have a 400 dollar deductible and don't pay a dime for my insurance. I also am treated well at abf and I am usually home same day or next day. I know Walmart is a good job, but in my case it just didn't make sense to give up 10 years at abf
The largest corporation in the WORLD cannot compete ? or is it they wont?I understand that Walmart cannot compete with Union insurance. I was just stating that because you pay Union dues, the insurance is not free. Unions do not offer the benefits that they once did, to justify the dues. However, insurance is a big one.
I pay $3588 for the year, for the best insurance available, including the best dental, for our family. Like yours on the dental, most is free short of major. I do understand that the insurance plans are different based on where you are based out of.
I don't know how your pay works out. In Dec, I will have been here 2 years. In that time, I will have received 4 raises, with another probably coming in March of next year. So, in most cases the increase in pay goes a long way to mitigating the increase in insurance costs................. plus more on top of that.
I came from a very good tanker job to come here. My first year pay was equal to my best year there, with a lot lower costs for insurance. This year will be significantly higher. What I have gained in lack of stress, respect, and job security can't even be measured in money.
Just keep it in mind for the future.
My wife is a chronic asthmatic, and we have a son also, so I certainly understand.
Agree with you there B. LTL is a very tough, and sometime aggravating experience. I have a Walmart DC a mile from my house and really want to apply but my wife will be more pissed off at me than she is usually with their schedule. 5.5 out and 3 off.Wal-Mart's insurance is more of a "major medical" plan unless you want to pay allot out-of-pocket monthly. But once the insurance kicks in it is pretty good compared to what is out there (teamsters insurance excluded lol). I know that my insurance pays 100 percent on well-care visits for my family and also comes with 1,000 or more in yearly cash coverage so the first 1,000 dollars worth of medical bills and prescription drugs are covered 100 percent before the deductible starts. I'm not in any way, shape or form trying to "brag" about Wal-Mart insurance but after leaving a major union LTL company to come here my income increased by WELL OVER 10,000 dollars yearly while being treated well and driving equipment that isn't flattening out the discs in my back so maybe i'll also save money on insurance by having better mental health, less anger and depression possibly less back issues in the future lol. Maybe i'm wrong but i look at Wal-Mart Transportation as being good alternative to the LTL atmosphere but with LTL pay and i personally like that.
Change the future wife. Lol! Sorry I had to.I don't know about the future of the pension, but if it goes down hill I am sure I will have a very good 401k match from abf. Walmart is a good driving job, but they need to offer there drivers better insurance. I have had surgeries and paid nothing. I go to the dentist they tell me it's the best dental they have ever seen. I get prescriptions for a dollar or two for three months worth. With my future wife being diabetic and needing insulin, pump supplies, and other medications there was no way I could leave abf for walmart private.
Bingo, Driving days and sleeping nights...less stress . Just give her an allowance to spend while your gone.With a 6/3 you are out 5 nights. If you have a 5/2 you are only out 4.
You will make more money, be a happier and less stressed person, and have job security. Your wife will be surprised at the difference in you, and your happiness and excitement over the job will carry over to her.
Is there a driving job without long hours...?You have to tell guy's that you have to work 14 hrs a day to make the money. So you will sleep REAL good at night!! lol
You need to look at how much time you actually spend away from home in the LTL world even if you get to be home every day doing turns. if your gate time is 8pm you must be at the terminal at least 1 hr before your gate time. then when you arrive back at your Terminal its another 1 to 1.5 hrs to fuel clean unload etc. on average if I did a 520 mile turn it would take 9.45 drive hours, 2.00 hrs unpaid time, .50 drop and hook swap time, .50 drop time at the terminal. that's 12.5 total hours from the time I get to the terminal until the time I get in the car and leave the terminal. then there is the commute to get home. the Math you are doing to justify your Biased point of view is not intellectually Honest. If you are at the top of the board at a LTL Linehaul board and can hold down a daylight turn then NO you should not consider leaving for any other driving job. but if you are still on nights grinding away in the middle to lower ranks then YES you should explore other options.You have to tell guy's that you have to work 14 hrs a day to make the money. So you will sleep REAL good at night!! lol