Estes | Extraboard or Utility

[FrkyBgStok]

Ok. As you guys know DMO went to a hub and lost runs. Here is the scenario.

Currently there are 3 linehaul routes and 1 hub route. These drivers consist of the only seniority in each class. I was a hub driver and lost my run as well as one other driver. They have offered me the opportunity of choosing utility or extraboard. I am guessing the other driver (above me in seniority) will go utility, but i could be wrong. They also mentioned that while there is no guarantee, they forecast that the extraboard drivers will be home most days of the week as they want them to be able to cover any extra freight the hub will create.

So my question is this. Looking at overall money per year, and potential for the future which route would you guys go? I am guessing that if a route does open up, it will likely be a linehaul route. So i am leaning towards extraboard just to get linehaul seniority (as i am close enough to the bottom of the terminal seniority to be stuck on utility if any linehaul runs open) but I don't have any clue about the utility class in general, as we haven't had one up until this point.

So I am looking for your guys input. i have 3 kids and a wife that is at home, so what would you do in my situation. I don't care about working 14 hour days, in the end, i need the money. i am not trying to come across as greedy and money hungry, i just need the money right now because of my past stupidity.

thanks.

 

[mildew]

You'll make more money on linehaul. If I was in your shoes. I would talk to a financial advisor and take the utility to have a more secure job and be home more.

 

[Kings disciple]

That's a hard choice. Utility work depends alot on the terminal you work out of. We have 3 at my barn and they do mostly p/d and fill in for schedule bids when needed. The only time our utilities ever lay over is when they fill in for a lay down bid. But go down the road to another barn and the utilities run out wild and sometimes central keeps them out several days. In your situation with the new hub I would suspect that your utility man is going to do alot of extra loads off the hub (leaving around 3-4am when the hub is done) and right back home usually empty. When we had a hub we had a couple of utility guys do that. It's because the hub frieght is next day, so the extra loads have to move as soon as the nights hub is done.

They also mentioned that while there is no guarantee, they forecast that the extraboard drivers will be home most days of the week as they want them to be able to cover any extra freight the hub will create.

Be very careful about biting on this one. If there is or has been a E/B man out of any terminal that got home most days then I've never met him! And I've met a bunch of 'em over the years.

I've worked E/B out of a hub terminal with utility drivers in it.
As a E/B guy you will probably get a extra load off the hub to start your week and then central has you for the rest of the week. That means you MIGHT get back thru the house, but that's real ify. Once your in the system as E/B they usually keep you out all week. While your T/M might hope they get you back most days to cover extra hub freight he's dreaming. The utility man and passing thru drivers will cover it while your gone.

Still yet, if the your barns new hub does not generate enough extra, and your a utility, you might find yourself sitting at the house some days unless your boss will give you p/d work to fill in the gaps. But at that you wind up trying to flip-flop from days to nights and you end up losing a days work when you do that.

But once you get out the first time as a E/B you run pretty good all week.

So to me the money is better and the prospects for future schedule bids is better in L/H and I don't mind running the system, so I would probably take the E/B.

 

[booser]

. i have 3 kids and a wife that is at home, so what would you do in my situation.

This place IS NOT WORTH missing out on your kids and wife. Nor is any other place for that matter. These are years you will never get back, once you get sucked into the money, it's awefully hard to get away from it when your missing them recitials, practices, base ball games, etc. Take the Utility you'll make plenty of money, if it gets tight, you can always volunteer to central when you call them to stay out or try to pick up some weekend work..

 

[Kings disciple]

booser is right about that. My kids are grown and in college so staying out is no big deal right now. I need the extra money for tuition etc.
When the college days are done and grand-kids start coming I'll take a bid run and be home again even if it pays less.
So it boils down to a personal choice and what works for your situation at the time.
That's what I like about the new bidding rules. Lives change and it's nice to able to change work schedules to fit.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

my intention is not to stay on extraboard. my intention is get through one of these bids until a scheduled run opens up. that is why i am interested in extraboard as it would give me a start on linehaul seniority as i am waiting for that bid run. right now i am just looking for the most money to get ahead on my debts so i can take the first scheduled run regardless of what it is.

 

[Kings disciple]

my intention is not to stay on extraboard. my intention is get through one of these bids until a scheduled run opens up. that is why i am interested in extraboard as it would give me a start on linehaul seniority as i am waiting for that bid run. right now i am just looking for the most money to get ahead on my debts so i can take the first scheduled run regardless of what it is.

Sounds like a good plan. I hope it works out for you! Alot will depend (just like everthing else in this biz.) on freight volumes in your area.
Spike in volume, runs go up. Volume stays flat it might take awhile to get a bid.

 

[driver4a1]

if it was me i would take extra board. you will earn time to bid on a run when it comes or if one of those other drivers leaves the company for any reason. it happens all the time.

the new rule ive seen, not sure if all terminals follow it is, if no linehaul takes run man with most time at company gets it no matter the class he is currently in. so a city driver or hub driver could get it before you. lot of guys think cause they are utility they will get it first. not true.

if you are thinking of getting a run one day only choice is extra board. also i have seen places hire off the street into linehaul and leave you on utility. then you lost that spot to a new guy.

if all you care about is today and being home take utility. just dont whine when you get screwed later.

 

[INTOTHENOW]

It all boils down to if this place was like most companies they would go by company time. Like Fed Ex, Con way, etc. Two boards a City and Road.
This place causes all kinds of confusion on WHAT TO DO.
I have been Linehaul ever since I have got here and have seen Linehaul go by the wayside at my barn, less runs and more Hub and Utility.
So what does a guy do, who knows.
I am thinking about Utility, cause I got years in linehaul and more time in Linehaul then guys below me, so I can go Utility or Hub and then a year or two go back to Linehaul and get my 90 days in and get all that Linehaul time back, but looking at the situation my barn is in we are not gonna get much for Linehaul runs anymore.

 

[mildew]

my intention is not to stay on extraboard. my intention is get through one of these bids until a scheduled run opens up. that is why i am interested in extraboard as it would give me a start on linehaul seniority as i am waiting for that bid run. right now i am just looking for the most money to get ahead on my debts so i can take the first scheduled run regardless of what it is.

The thing about linehaul. The should have named it extratrash. It doesn't matter what you've done, how much you do or who you are. When the economy slows the trash gets dumped out on the street.

 

[Matt]

if you go EXTRA Board Have an "OPEN MIND" if money is what you want remember that

 

[Wild Turkey]

Something to think about: Was told by TM that Utility drivers are exempt from layoff when freight levels drop due to their ability and classification to do anything (P&D, Hub, Line Haul, Dock work etc.). Therefore, the extraboard and less senior drivers will be let go first if the economy drops again or continues to worsen.

 

[Kings disciple]

Something to think about: Was told by TM that Utility drivers are exempt from layoff when freight levels drop due to their ability and classification to do anything (P&D, Hub, Line Haul, Dock work etc.). Therefore, the extraboard and less senior drivers will be let go first if the economy drops again or continues to worsen.

That TM is gunning for more utility guys. Utility is better on his numbers. Beware!
If utility is so exempt then why did my barn chop 8 out of 10 utilities in this last reduction in work force and less from E/B?

 

[Wild Turkey]

Same at my barn, but it had more to do with seniority than anything. Check it out. Things have changed after the last go-round. Seems to be company policy now. Think about it for a sec. If seniority doesn't matter for utilities anymore, would you lay off an EB or Linehaul driver when a utility driver can do all jobs and you didn't have to pay him/her linehaul pay? It is all about economics and that is where the company seems to be headed and in about 10 years a linehaul driver may be a thing of the past. Just my thoughts and observations.

 

[Starkravinloon]

"Utility"..A word in the English language to describe someone or something with the ability to perform any task,that gets the job done......Since I've been in the freight business,that would describe anyone..It was only put into "The Book" for legal reasons...City drivers or dock worker,with CDL's, have been running weekends since I've been here at Estes..Also have been covering vacations for Hub and Linehaul..Never seen one run Extraboard though... "Utility"..A word management came up with to insure that the work gets accomplished,without hearing," I wasn't hired here to run Linehaul or Hub"...Well.. I wasn't hired here to pick up trash either..But if I'm walking across the parking lot,and I see a piece of trash on the ground,I'm not going to "pull out the book" and see if it's my job to pick it up..Be a man!! Do what's right...

But..Back to the question..If I were a young man,and I wanted to make quick money, I would go Extraboard..But, that's me..

 

[Kings disciple]

that is where the company seems to be headed and in about 10 years a linehaul driver may be a thing of the past. Just my thoughts and observations.

I kinda doubt this. I've been hearing drivers (mostly Hubs) say this since I started working here and it's not happened yet.
I've run in and out of alot of different barns during the re-bid and I've seen what's been posted in 'em.
There are still 3 to 1 more L/H runs posted over anything else. But hey 10 years is long time so who knows?

 

[Starkravinloon]

Same at my barn, but it had more to do with seniority than anything. Check it out. Things have changed after the last go-round. Seems to be company policy now. Think about it for a sec. If seniority doesn't matter for utilities anymore, would you lay off an EB or Linehaul driver when a utility driver can do all jobs and you didn't have to pay him/her linehaul pay? It is all about economics and that is where the company seems to be headed and in about 10 years a linehaul driver may be a thing of the past. Just my thoughts and observations.

I think I know why you think this..Some of the larger terminals hired a lot of Linehaul Extraboards when freight was peaking..Now, with reductions in force going on,you're seeing more Linehaul laid off,than city or utility..It's all in where you are..Some concentrated areas of the country,there are large termainals surrounding each other,and I think that is what you seeing..I seen the same thing happen too..

Linehaul will never be eleminated..Cut backs..Yes..In certain areas..But freight is starting to pick up in the South and as soon as this winter breaks,look out..Estes is already rehiring laid off drivers back,in 4 different locations,that just I know of..

 

[Kings disciple]

I think I know why you think this..Some of the larger terminals hired a lot of Linehaul Extraboards when freight was peaking..Now, with reductions in force going on,you're seeing more Linehaul laid off,than city or utility..It's all in where you are..Some concentrated areas of the country,there are large termainals surrounding each other,and I think that is what you seeing..I seen the same thing happen too..

Linehaul will never be eleminated..Cut backs..Yes..In certain areas..But freight is starting to pick up in the South and as soon as this winter breaks,look out..Estes is already rehiring laid off drivers back,in 4 different locations,that just I know of..

Yea that's the deal there. It all depends on what area and barn your seeing.
Some places are putting back on more utilities and some are putting back on more E/B.
The reason I know this is right, is like I said in my above post, I run the system right now and that's exactly what I see happening.
You can't predict what's going on by looking at only one or two terminals.
L/H is alive and well and a large vital part of the formula.

 

[rjjr]

frieght lanes change hour by hour, day by day, and week by week. With this being said....linehaul will never go away, reduce ?? ...yes

 

[booser]

ha ha.. there isn't a one person on here that knows what will be in a years time more less 10 years. They could hire some more great hopes or rejects from another company who do something none of us expect. Although I agree L/H probably will always be in some capacity. I know one thing, with the matrix of BS rules they have conjured up, it's doing it's job nicely. TM telling people Utility's are exempt from cuts, others saying they are not, nobody plays by the same rules and Richmond thinks they have a nation of employees who are playing by the same play book. There isn't anyone who knows how :: works around here, except that they have a rule for everything somewhere that allows them to do what they will and eliminate whom they want. That's so much easier than using hire in dates for everything.. isn't it..