R&L | Abco and out teams

Talked to an ABCO driver the other day,they are having a big turn over in drivers since being bought by the Roberts. Most seem to want to make what we make per mile,they make less. They also don't like the terminal to terminal thing. I also found out that they have a contract with McDonalds to haul into Florida,that is HUGE. Most companies don't like to haul into Florida because it is hard to get a load back out of there. Since ABCO is based in Florida and most of their customers are there they love it. SR. bought into a gold mine when he bought them. Since our teams seem to be getting cut back or out because of them,it seems to me that SR. should at least offer our teams a chance to transfer over to ABCO,or pull their trailers. Transfering would mean some sort of pay cut for now,but they should be able to keep their seniority and make top pay over there. I have seen and talked to too many teams that are getting the shaft,it's time for SR. to step in and do SOMETHING about it. When the economy picks back up those outside carriers will not haul our freight for what they are paying them now,they do it now because there is not any higher paying freight out there. When that happens we as a company are going to be screwed,they will be needing teams to haul out west and we won't have any.

leftlanecruiser said:

Talked to an ABCO driver the other day,they are having a big turn over in drivers since being bought by the Roberts. Most seem to want to make what we make per mile,they make less. They also don't like the terminal to terminal thing. I also found out that they have a contract with McDonalds to haul into Florida,that is HUGE. Most companies don't like to haul into Florida because it is hard to get a load back out of there. Since ABCO is based in Florida and most of their customers are there they love it. SR. bought into a gold mine when he bought them. Since our teams seem to be getting cut back or out because of them,it seems to me that SR. should at least offer our teams a chance to transfer over to ABCO,or pull their trailers. Transfering would mean some sort of pay cut for now,but they should be able to keep their seniority and make top pay over there. I have seen and talked to too many teams that are getting the shaft,it's time for SR. to step in and do SOMETHING about it. When the economy picks back up those outside carriers will not haul our freight for what they are paying them now,they do it now because there is not any higher paying freight out there. When that happens we as a company are going to be screwed,they will be needing teams to haul out west and we won't have any.

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Very interesting observation....I have to say I agree with a lot of what you say..

These are unpresedented times...The employers definitly have the power at this point in time, and they can pretty much do as they choose...

This won't last forever, the pendelum will swing the other way, it is just a matter of when...

I don't think SR. is making the decisions anymore, he certainly knows what is going on, and allowing it...It seems others are making the decisions, and they seem to be the more corporate type, numbers driven people, with less concern for the actual employees...

It is all about the numbers at this point, that is just the way it is...

I believe SR. is getting over the hassle of the trucking business, and IMO, he preparing his company, to be sold...

Nothing lasts forever, R&L is certainly a diiferent company than it used to be..

For those of us still here,R&L is still a good place to work.

Just hang in there, if you still have a job, and you are getting your hours in, you are better off than a lot of people..

I was a team driver for R&L and unfortunatly I was one that was forced out. They shut our team down. I was however very fortunate that I got on with a company running solo, home every week and making damn near what I was making running teams. I just check back here every so often to see how my old friends are making out. As far as ABCo goes I can tell you I have seen them at many truckstops and from what I see thay are getting what they pay for. Many when they walk by you had better hold your nose. I was at the pilot in Tifton just this past Friday and seen an ABCO pull up so I was watching and I kid you not, the passanger door opened and as the guy was trying to get out the driver began to pull away almost throwing the guy to the pavement, they when they finally got stopped a total of 3 very grown men got out. Looked alittle funny to me, but whatever.

I can't say that R&L wasnt a good place to work for many years, but the last year and half that I was there (out of 12) was pure h***!!! The Roberts are doing what they have to for their future and forgetting that it wasn't just them that got them where they are today. There are alot of good employees there that gave alot to help make that company, and now alot of them are having to start over while The Roberts reap the rewards. I guess they are just smarter than most of us average folks and to some degree alot more heartless.

Good luck to all of you, but know if need be there are other companies out there that are just as good if not better.

dont feel bad rl team driver...what few are left...working in the shop i talk with abco and spirit drivers. both are not happy with things and some are leaving and going owner opp.

What you gentlemen fail to realize is there are many SOLO ABCO drivers. We built the company pre teams I make what a team splits my insurance is your insurance,I Fuel my tractor at R+L TERMINALS! I ALSO DROVE 4,300 MILES LAST WEEK! Did I mention that I run from Ellenwood Ga, w/pups to Dallas leave fri mid night back sun eve w 1600 miles in my pocket for first thing monday morning.You dont want to work weekends any way,I have worked in transportation for the last 29 yrs and have an acredited 3.5 MILLION accident free miles. WE ARE PROFESSIONALS And like it or not, R+L has launched into the cold storage industry,the team thing will iron its self out in time,as for me when the smoke clears I'll still be trucking!I agree Sr should let drivers transfer within and vis versa and I think the tm in fl would go for it too!





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the abco driver said they fuel up at ellenwood terminal i don't think so . don't no what they make but i talk to one of the driver and he not happy he said they cut alot of their wait time and the pay is bad and to fuel up in ellenwood you have to have fuel ipass on the truck and they don't

well well,wow.4,300 miles by yourself. what a fool you are.can you log it?i dont think so.just shows even at 29 years in the industry, some people never learn. and by the way, we do work weekends.also, i cant tell you how proud i am to see you abco drivers at our terminals in your flip flops, barefooted, all manner of crap wtitten on your shirts, and a lot of you just smell bad. oh, thats right, at 4300 miles a week who has time for a shower.sad thing is you have to run 1000 miles of that more to equal our pay. i guess you are right.rl got into the reefer business because they can operate so CHEAP.

better look closer tagalong some if not all the ABCO trucks have the fuel tag i've seen them fueling at more than 1 terminal

just wondering said:

well well,wow.4,300 miles by yourself. what a fool you are.can you log it?i dont think so.just shows even at 29 years in the industry, some people never learn. and by the way, we do work weekends.also, i cant tell you how proud i am to see you abco drivers at our terminals in your flip flops, barefooted, all manner of crap wtitten on your shirts, and a lot of you just smell bad. oh, thats right, at 4300 miles a week who has time for a shower.sad thing is you have to run 1000 miles of that more to equal our pay. i guess you are right.rl got into the reefer business because they can operate so CHEAP.

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The pay period ends on mon I stand corected it was fri thru the following sun night, BTW I got an inspection @ Ringold Ga., for every one we pass we pocket a ben franklin If you saw my "TAGGED TRUCK" getting fuel you would have also seen my R+L Shirt slacks and Boots No wonder Bob sends you home 4 days a week ! Oh thats right you make so much money you don't need to work! perhaps you need to work for DOT, must be nice to have a spotless back yard oh thats why you trash everyone elses .:TR10driving03:

just wondering said:

well well,wow.4,300 miles by yourself. what a fool you are.can you log it?i dont think so.just shows even at 29 years in the industry, some people never learn. and by the way, we do work weekends.also, i cant tell you how proud i am to see you abco drivers at our terminals in your flip flops, barefooted, all manner of crap wtitten on your shirts, and a lot of you just smell bad. oh, thats right, at 4300 miles a week who has time for a shower.sad thing is you have to run 1000 miles of that more to equal our pay. i guess you are right.rl got into the reefer business because they can operate so CHEAP.

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Yep, Some of these guys look a lot like the homeless guy on the street corner holding a sign.
And they can't back up either, our rookies don't pull up that many times and last very long.
Geez driver get out and I'll do it for you...........

SOUTHBOUND62 said:

What you gentlemen fail to realize is there are many SOLO ABCO drivers. We built the company pre teams I make what a team splits my insurance is your insurance,I Fuel my tractor at R+L TERMINALS! I ALSO DROVE 4,300 MILES LAST WEEK! Did I mention that I run from Ellenwood Ga, w/pups to Dallas leave fri mid night back sun eve w 1600 miles in my pocket for first thing monday morning.You dont want to work weekends any way,I have worked in transportation for the last 29 yrs and have an acredited 3.5 MILLION accident free miles. WE ARE PROFESSIONALS And like it or not, R+L has launched into the cold storage industry,the team thing will iron its self out in time,as for me when the smoke clears I'll still be trucking!I agree Sr should let drivers transfer within and vis versa and I think the tm in fl would go for it too!

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i would consider yourself lucky then, i have ran with 2 ABCO trucks within the past couple of weeks and neither one of them had anything nice to say about what was going on

Calm down people,we all work for the same man. We may be working closer than you think before it's all over. I'm going to start a new thread to tell you what I found out today,please don't fuss and argue there. read,learn and add on what you know.

jimmy buffett said:

better look closer tagalong some if not all the ABCO trucks have the fuel tag i've seen them fueling at more than 1 terminal

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Most of the brand new volvo's don't have tags yet. And they're working on putting tags on the reefer units. They sent a message over the ABCO onboard computers informing them that they can fuel at R+L Terminals. However (at WIL at least) if the truck doesn't have a fuel tag, the driver must use their original fuel method. The same goes for Spirit Express. We've not only purchased new trucks for the ABCO side but we've also purchased used trailers. At our shop meeting about 2 months ago, we were told that within 2 years, Spirit Express and ABCO line trucks would be in the R+L Carriers paint scheme. My question is (which doesn't get answered.. ever) why would R+L purchase used lease tractors, then paint them blue? Why not go ahead and paint the tractors green, and strip the ABCO decals when they're ready to change it all to R+L?


Off topic:

And for the record, my estimated count on my WIL tractor roster for NEW-USED trucks purchased (some from FALCON, all daycabs with 100,000 to 400,000 miles on them, International Single/Tandems and Freightliner Single/Tandems) anywhere from 120 to 140 tractors. The PS numbers are now in the mid 600's (PS619) and the PT numbers are almost in the 1000's (PT989?)