biglarry28
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First I would like to thank all the CT apologists that seem compelled to post on Vitran's board, Thank you for riding in on your white horse, slaying the dragon and saving us all. I wish I had the crystal ball that told you Vitran was going to close in a matter of weeks if not for your heroics. It's a shame they didn't fire Keylon after the first year. We saw a significant reduction in costs once the Sierra West area was closed and would have seen even larger savings had they completed the Milan shutdown. Vitran still had money in the bank and so on but I guess we have been down this road before. There were other options as well, Vitran Corp could have spun off the US LTL and issued stock. My guess is, if the employees had been given the choice between purchase a controlling interest in company stock or being sold to CT, Vitran would be an employee owned company today. During the 2007-2008 economic slow-down SAIA and Vitran were similar in size and performance, today SAIA employs 8,000 people and has an O/R in the low 90's. With the right leadership Vitran could have been saved.
Here in the midwest Vitran was comprised of 50-60% legacy employees and 40-50% that were second tier wage or short term employees. For second tier people CT might work out ok, for legacy employees it is a total bust. We have been told we will not see a reduction in pay but when you make 20 cents a mile more than a CT driver there is little chance you will ever get a raise. The loss of 10 paid days off is crushing and the chance of recovering them is between slim and none. Much higher insurance costs don't help either. How much more can you give up? The reality is there is no reason for any legacy employee to stay, you have hit the glass ceiling.
I can here it already from the CT bandwagon " if you don't like it then don't let the door hit you in the ace on the way out" I suppose it makes you feel good to say it but honestly if you have ever had to hire people (and I have) you would realize just how stupid a statement it is. Young people aren't becoming truck drivers, the labor pool is getting smaller and older, and good people are hard to find. Oh I know the attitude that has been promoted lately has been "yeah CT may suck but at least your getting a paycheck". Let me ask you something, if you're with the family in your vehicle driving down the interstate in a snowstorm and there are trucks all around you, who do you want behind the wheel of them? Someone with at least a million accident free miles, who is paid well and looks at their profession as a career that they want to keep? or someone with a few tickets and few fender benders and who could give a F... less as long as he gets a check on Friday?
To my buddy Joe, as to why people haven't been fleeing in large numbers? My guess would be concern over being hired at this time of year and potentially being laid-off in January. If you ever get an official payscale let me know how it stacks up against the premier carriers that are paying 54 to 62 cents a mile with better benefits. Once spring rolls around I think the departure will be slow but steady.
As for me, I'm taking my 2+ million accident free miles and I'm leaving the industry. I could spend the next 10 years working my way up the ladder at FedEx, OD or Conway but honestly I'm just not having any fun anymore. It's time to pursue a career where I will get paid for my experience even if I have to change employers.
So with that all being said, this will be my last post as Vitran is truly dead. R.I.P.
Here in the midwest Vitran was comprised of 50-60% legacy employees and 40-50% that were second tier wage or short term employees. For second tier people CT might work out ok, for legacy employees it is a total bust. We have been told we will not see a reduction in pay but when you make 20 cents a mile more than a CT driver there is little chance you will ever get a raise. The loss of 10 paid days off is crushing and the chance of recovering them is between slim and none. Much higher insurance costs don't help either. How much more can you give up? The reality is there is no reason for any legacy employee to stay, you have hit the glass ceiling.
I can here it already from the CT bandwagon " if you don't like it then don't let the door hit you in the ace on the way out" I suppose it makes you feel good to say it but honestly if you have ever had to hire people (and I have) you would realize just how stupid a statement it is. Young people aren't becoming truck drivers, the labor pool is getting smaller and older, and good people are hard to find. Oh I know the attitude that has been promoted lately has been "yeah CT may suck but at least your getting a paycheck". Let me ask you something, if you're with the family in your vehicle driving down the interstate in a snowstorm and there are trucks all around you, who do you want behind the wheel of them? Someone with at least a million accident free miles, who is paid well and looks at their profession as a career that they want to keep? or someone with a few tickets and few fender benders and who could give a F... less as long as he gets a check on Friday?
To my buddy Joe, as to why people haven't been fleeing in large numbers? My guess would be concern over being hired at this time of year and potentially being laid-off in January. If you ever get an official payscale let me know how it stacks up against the premier carriers that are paying 54 to 62 cents a mile with better benefits. Once spring rolls around I think the departure will be slow but steady.
As for me, I'm taking my 2+ million accident free miles and I'm leaving the industry. I could spend the next 10 years working my way up the ladder at FedEx, OD or Conway but honestly I'm just not having any fun anymore. It's time to pursue a career where I will get paid for my experience even if I have to change employers.
So with that all being said, this will be my last post as Vitran is truly dead. R.I.P.
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