Best LTL company?

BigChevy80 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 12:55 AM

Hey,
New guy here. Currently working for a small LTL company in central IL (been here 3 years). Looking at other options. I'm not really interested in Linehaul. P+D is what I like.

Looks like there are a million horror stories and a million good stories for each individual company, so I guess everyone has their opinions.

At my company, I am a 4 day P+D driver. I work anywhere from 12-14 hours a day. We do not get personal/sick days. We get 2 weeks vacation, but you have to take it a week at a time. The pay structure is kind of bizzare here: you have an hourly rate, but you are paid a set amount of hours per day. 5 day drivers get 12 hours per day and 4 day guys get 15 hours per day regardless of how many hours they work. Good for us 4 day guys because I'm always getting paid more hours than I work. The 5 day guys are always running around 12 hours a day or more.

I guess I can't complain too much, but this is the only LTL company I have ever worked for. I hauled grain and feed before this.

Apostolic · #2 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 01:18 AM

It all depends on what the hourly rate of pay is,if you have a beef or not?
You've got to be able to live on what your receiving,or go elsewhere to make a better wage you can live on.

Working long hours are ok for a while,but doing it all the time,it tends to get old.

I've worked for 15 trucking companies in 44 years.
All but two are out of business.

Everyone that went under stated it was because of poor managment.
They all ran their companies into the ground.

Every single company I've ever worked for has,or had some bad things wrong with their operation.
None of them wanted to listen to any of their employees to try and make things better.

I can put up with a lot,as long as I'm making a good living.
But finding one that could stay in business was a good trick.

My advice is that if your making enough to live on,then just do your best,and don't worry about any of the negatives.

If your just getting by,and think you can do better,then get out,and start looking for something better.

You alone know what you want out of your life,and what you can deal with.

The only other thing I can do for you is to say a prayer for you.
"Have fun,be safe,and may the Lord direct your path,it works for me"

There you go my truckingboard friend,I really hope everything works out for you!

River17 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigChevy80

Hey,
New guy here. Currently working for a small LTL company in central IL (been here 3 years). Looking at other options. I'm not really interested in Linehaul. P+D is what I like.

Looks like there are a million horror stories and a million good stories for each individual company, so I guess everyone has their opinions.

At my company, I am a 4 day P+D driver. I work anywhere from 12-14 hours a day. We do not get personal/sick days. We get 2 weeks vacation, but you have to take it a week at a time. The pay structure is kind of bizzare here: you have an hourly rate, but you are paid a set amount of hours per day. 5 day drivers get 12 hours per day and 4 day guys get 15 hours per day regardless of how many hours they work. Good for us 4 day guys because I'm always getting paid more hours than I work. The 5 day guys are always running around 12 hours a day or more.

I guess I can't complain too much, but this is the only LTL company I have ever worked for. I hauled grain and feed before this.

BigChevy80

One thing that you did not mention is if the outfit you work for now is union or non-union.
Either way being a small company, even if they have been in business for 90 years, only means that eventually they will go out of business or get bought out by some other carrier wanting to grow. It is very hard for a small operation to compete with the big boys unless they really have a niche play that the larger carriers don't want to go after.
Depending on how old you are, you have to think that if you put in another ten or fifteen years and then get taken out or go out of business, then you have to start all over again with your seniority somewhere else.
One thing I like about your pay package options is that your company is basically paying you folks a "salary" so that you can get more work or more money than if you got paid by the hour and then stopped out at 40 hours because other carriers don't want to pay for overtime unless they are short on help or overwhelmed with too much freight.
Actually the most important thing would be to see if they offer a good 401K with a company match. Usually with the smaller outfits you will find that their 401K plans are not as generous as with the larger carriers.
You can check with FedEx Freight East and talk to HR and see if they can tell you about the 401K plan so you can compare it with yours.

BigChevy80 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 01:14 PM

River,
Yes the pay package is good, as long as you're on a route that allows you to work less than the 60 hours a week (like me). They start out less than alot of the places I've looked at, but after you take into account the fact that I'm only working 50-55 hours and getting paid for 60, it doesn't seem so bad. They started me out at $13.50 when I first started.

The 401K they offer isn't so great. They only match $400 a year. Used to be they would match 50% of whatever you put in, but of course that got canned 8 months after I started. My 3 year mark is coming up in August, and after 3 years you get to keep all 401K match money, so I'll at least wait for that.

This company in non-union and has been around since 1923. I doubt it will go anywhere until the owner dies. He is a multi-millionare and has a million other business ventures here in town. They are growing by leaps and bounds. Just opened up a terminal in Indiana and Wisconsin. They are also planning another in southern IL.

Don't get me wrong, I like LTL and love peddling. I'm just sick of the 15-20 stops a day and anywhere from 5-10 pickups. Starts to wear you down after a while.

3 of the big company's around here are CCX, Vitran and Estes. I haven't looked onto any of them yet.

stldude44 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by River17

BigChevy80
One thing that you did not mention is if the outfit you work for now is union or non-union.

I thought that the pay structure clearly indicated that it was non Union.

River17 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stldude44

I thought that the pay structure clearly indicated that it was non Union.

stldude44

Very good point. I just thought that being a small carrier they were not part of NMFA and could have been a me too carrier, but just paying salary.
Once again you brought out a very good point that I have should have seen myself.