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Central Transport | What is Vitran's Goal?

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Diesel Chaser

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Hello,
I'm new to the forum and would like to know if any of you have more insight to what Vitran's Goal is? When they bought Chris they told the Chris Employee's they wanted to build a Transportation Infrastructure second to none, and they wanted them to be part of it.
It's now a Year and 1/2 later and Chris is still only Vitran by name only. Line haul is still run from Wichita, Wages, Benifits haven't changed, employee's are told in Wichita nothing is going to change for them. Chris terminals are still run as Chris with Offical letter heads and phone messages only as any mention of Vitran. The Sign on the Terminal in Wichita say's "Chris Truck Line"....What's up with That?:1036316054:
 
I don't know but there are Chris Drivers in the overlap cities driving Vitran Trucks and still getting Chris Wages.
What ever they have planed it's being kept secret, which normaly means the company dosn't have "the best of intentions" for the employee's.
 
I do not know either.I am a chris driver when vitran bought us every one was positive about it now it's getting to be a negative enviroment.Most customers call us vitran now. We got a bunch of new trucks the last couple of months and they say vitran but on the fairing in small letters it says operated by chris truck line. In my area we are the lowest payed drivers by far and working our tails off.
 
freightmover said:
I do not know either.I am a chris driver when vitran bought us every one was positive about it now it's getting to be a negative enviroment.Most customers call us vitran now. We got a bunch of new trucks the last couple of months and they say vitran but on the fairing in small letters it says operated by chris truck line. In my area we are the lowest payed drivers by far and working our tails off.
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That does not surprise me, when I worked for vitran in the mid 90's, we were called overland transportation, half the trailer's said frontier, or parrish, are parent company was Vitran, and are paychecks said DPcartage co. It sounds like this game has been played for along time by Vitran. The question is why?
 
freightmover said:
I do not know either.I am a chris driver when vitran bought us every one was positive about it now it's getting to be a negative enviroment.Most customers call us vitran now. We got a bunch of new trucks the last couple of months and they say vitran but on the fairing in small letters it says operated by chris truck line. In my area we are the lowest payed drivers by far and working our tails off.
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how much are you guys paid
 
city starts arond 16h/r ,line is salary depending on run witch averages around .34 a mile.I have been here 7yrs. at 18h/r usally get .50 raise every year no set pay scale.
 
Diesel Chaser said:
Hello,
I'm new to the forum and would like to know if any of you have more insight to what Vitran's Goal is? When they bought Chris they told the Chris Employee's they wanted to build a Transportation Infrastructure second to none, and they wanted them to be part of it.
It's now a Year and 1/2 later and Chris is still only Vitran by name only. Line haul is still run from Wichita, Wages, Benifits haven't changed, employee's are told in Wichita nothing is going to change for them. Chris terminals are still run as Chris with Offical letter heads and phone messages only as any mention of Vitran. The Sign on the Terminal in Wichita say's "Chris Truck Line"....What's up with That?:1036316054:
Click to expand...
Welcome to the boards Diesel Chaser!:1036316054:

FM
 
Maybe so, I don't know! I don't think they care for people with attitudes though. I understand they are real picky about who they hire, so if you apply you may want to keep this in mind.
 
What is Vitran's plan? 100% coverage of the viable markets in the USA. That's it. I don't think their plan had anything to do with employee moral and happiness. Vitran, I'm positive, will likely buy a southeastern company in the near future. I feel like they are going "ALL IN" in a Texas hold'em tourney. The trucking industry is changing and Vitran is making a play at survival. All these aquisitions are for the company's benefit. I really get the sense that this might be the last stab at life Vitran is attempting. They are going all out in getting zones for new business. If they didn't make these moves, I don't think Vitran had snowball's chance in hell at continuing. With that said, their are now four different companies merging. They all have different pay scales, different health plans, 401k's, benefits and so on. What I think the VIPs are doing is trying to equalize the pay structures and scales to unify the wage rates. So of us get OT after 40, other's get it after 45. I think Vitran will see the success of the 45 hour week and go with it, that'll save them money, therefore they'll do it. I don't think the give a rat's butt about the employees. Never have, never will. Having happy, well paid employees is last on the "TO DO" list for sure. They're going to cut and cut and cut to stop the bleeding. Get use to the Idea of small paychecks. THe changes are coming. I really think the "PLAN" is already set in stone, I just don't think the VIPs understand how to impement the Darn thing with out upsetting people.

What is Vitran's plan? Staying alive.
 
I also agree, but in my opinion they are taking from the wrong people. Dead beat mangement runs rapid @ Vitran in 2 of the 4 companies.

The drivers can only do there job after mangement does there's. The drivers must be qualified to do there jobs or the company would let them go.

So, with that said the problem must be with management. In my opinion operational management. These are the key people to success.

Can you run a cafe without cooks that can not cook? No!
Can you run a auto repair business without techs that could not repair cars? No!

You can't run a trucking company with manager's without skills stong on Operational Management that can get the proper people, the proper attitude for the proper performance it will take to be successful against the competition.

They say; S#!t rolls down hill, so I say instead of making changes from the bottom up they need to make changes from the top down.
Operational managers should be able to do anything that the drivers can do, plus be the problem solver, not someone that just pushes these things down on the drivers.

We all know what the qualifications are to be a driver. If Vitran is to be successful they must have a mangement team stong in Operations. They must not only know the freight business,trucks, drivers and customers they need to be able to deal with problems the drivers can't. In my opinion this isn't what is currently occupying these jobs at Vitran.

Strength is in leadership is the path to success, if the leader is weak the company will be weak.
The success of the company relies on these things, not the wages of the employees. But if it did the Drivers should be last.

These things can only be acomplished with Mangement that is Knowledgeable, fair, honest,and open to there subordinates, these things will show on the customers docks and the companies.

No, in my opinion your post is right on, but it is not the the path to success.
 
The axe....

When management has to swing the cost cutting axe. Do they swing it at themselves? I don't think so. Then who's left? The first to get the axe is HR. Next is the poor schlubs--that's us, the drivers.

My Theory on Vitran:

Poor management is just part of the problem. Low wages, years and years to top out on the pay scale, weak benefits, weak or non-existant retirement, below par equipment, and so on.

When a company offers peanuts as pay, who's going to work for that company? You get the slackers, the losers, the bums, and the leftover/castoff of other trucking companies, guys that didn't know better until they got hired, and a few decent guys duped by having a good run or too many years to change jobs now. That's the type of driver you find at Vitran. I've made a point of looking for this.

What I'm saying is, most guys I work with don't make enough money to be scared of losing their jobs. They know in a day in a half, they could have another trucking job no problem.

If Vitran went the other direction with the pay, and held us, the drivers, more accountable. I think the boost in pay and the fear of losing that great pay would push the driver here to better perform.

If they continue to cut pay....I don't see Vitran lasting.
 
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