ABF | US mail carriers file for bankruptcy

hangbelly

TB Lurker
Credits
223
I just learned today that Lanier Brugh in Portland Oregon is closing their doors July 31st. Employees were notified about the middle of June of this closing. Didn't give them the mandatory 60 day notice. Brugh has about 100 trucks and 150 trailers and had several mail contracts on the west coast. They started hauling mail 85 years ago. No reason was given, but when I worked there last year during Christmas, they were having problems hiring drivers in Portland. They wanted me to come to Portland and work out of a motel. The US mail contract mandatory scale for drivers is $31.00/hr. This will be a big hit to local 81 in Portland. Also just learned that trucking mail contractor RB Matheson has also filed for chapt 11 bankruptcy protection as of May 5th. They are a large national mail contractor. This will have a dramatic impact on mail carrier contract service in the west. Not sure of all the implications of this, but I will try to get more info. If anyone else has any info, please weigh in. Hauling mail is a lot easier work than bucking freight, (I've done both) and if no one appears interested at $31.00 /hr ....?.
 
I used to run US Mail with my trucking company out of Gettysburg. They themselves were bought out by a breakbulk outfit that year.

Its the only trip that I remember getting to Springfield Mass Postal Distribution 4 minutes early to the appt time that was TO THE MINUTE. I think it was 4:07 AM into a very specific numbered spot to drop the trailer and take paper work into their yard office to get signed.

They were IRATE and bawled me out for 4 minutes early and for actually dropping a trailer in the spot (Which they knew in advance of...) without being told to. Sure I told the yelling suit to call my company owners in the office and they will tell him just what I told him about that blessed space number and orders to drop trailer there.

Finally but not least. Blasting into Mass at 112 from Connecticut upgrade all out trying to get there on time is not for me. Its just not worth it for that trouble. I think the whole damn trip was 4 hours of dollar terror with many states gunning to catch me for maybe 90 dollars gross pay for the overnight run.

For such a hot trailer when I hooked to it at the yard I was over 5 hours late. I had to make that stupid time somehow. I should have refused it. Serves them right for diddling about while I sit in the drivers room waiting for a load a whole ******* day.

I might get maybe three items of mail that matter a year. The rest of it goes straight into the trash. If the US Postal Service will just stop schlepping junk mail ::shit:: all over the ******* USA for their own self fulfillment and pay the haulers what they are worth to run US Mail then maybe they will be around another 50 years.

At this point I no longer give a damn if there is any US Mail trucking at all. Serves them right. Constantly crying poverty for 30 years.
 
I love the US Mail, unfortunately, it's being abused by the Federal Government and Amazon,....come to think of it, is there really much of a distinction between the two? I just mailed a large bundle of important documents yesterday, the process was fast, easy, and inexpensive compared to the alternatives.
 
I used to run US Mail with my trucking company out of Gettysburg. They themselves were bought out by a breakbulk outfit that year.

Its the only trip that I remember getting to Springfield Mass Postal Distribution 4 minutes early to the appt time that was TO THE MINUTE. I think it was 4:07 AM into a very specific numbered spot to drop the trailer and take paper work into their yard office to get signed.

They were IRATE and bawled me out for 4 minutes early and for actually dropping a trailer in the spot (Which they knew in advance of...) without being told to. Sure I told the yelling suit to call my company owners in the office and they will tell him just what I told him about that blessed space number and orders to drop trailer there.

Finally but not least. Blasting into Mass at 112 from Connecticut upgrade all out trying to get there on time is not for me. Its just not worth it for that trouble. I think the whole damn trip was 4 hours of dollar terror with many states gunning to catch me for maybe 90 dollars gross pay for the overnight run.

For such a hot trailer when I hooked to it at the yard I was over 5 hours late. I had to make that stupid time somehow. I should have refused it. Serves them right for diddling about while I sit in the drivers room waiting for a load a whole ******* day.

I might get maybe three items of mail that matter a year. The rest of it goes straight into the trash. If the US Postal Service will just stop schlepping junk mail **** all over the ******* USA for their own self fulfillment and pay the haulers what they are worth to run US Mail then maybe they will be around another 50 years.

At this point I no longer give a damn if there is any US Mail trucking at all. Serves them right. Constantly crying poverty for 30 years.
it may just be one more piece of the puzzle. Information is empowerment
 
I love the US Mail, unfortunately, it's being abused by the Federal Government and Amazon,....come to think of it, is there really much of a distinction between the two? I just mailed a large bundle of important documents yesterday, the process was fast, easy, and inexpensive compared to the alternatives.
yes it is. priority mail goes by fedex air. they don't tell you that, but it does. It is cheaper and faster than ANY alternative.
 
I just learned today that Lanier Brugh in Portland Oregon is closing their doors July 31st. Employees were notified about the middle of June of this closing. Didn't give them the mandatory 60 day notice. Brugh has about 100 trucks and 150 trailers and had several mail contracts on the west coast. They started hauling mail 85 years ago. No reason was given, but when I worked there last year during Christmas, they were having problems hiring drivers in Portland. They wanted me to come to Portland and work out of a motel. The US mail contract mandatory scale for drivers is $31.00/hr. This will be a big hit to local 81 in Portland. Also just learned that trucking mail contractor RB Matheson has also filed for chapt 11 bankruptcy protection as of May 5th. They are a large national mail contractor. This will have a dramatic impact on mail carrier contract service in the west. Not sure of all the implications of this, but I will try to get more info. If anyone else has any info, please weigh in. Hauling mail is a lot easier work than bucking freight, (I've done both) and if no one appears interested at $31.00 /hr ....?.
USPS changed how they pay companies that haul mail about 2 years ago. A bunch of companies have either closed or got bought out. In the east long term mail haulers all sold out in the last year to larger ones. Lots of stickers covering old names up.
 
I used to run US Mail with my trucking company out of Gettysburg. They themselves were bought out by a breakbulk outfit that year.

Its the only trip that I remember getting to Springfield Mass Postal Distribution 4 minutes early to the appt time that was TO THE MINUTE. I think it was 4:07 AM into a very specific numbered spot to drop the trailer and take paper work into their yard office to get signed.

They were IRATE and bawled me out for 4 minutes early and for actually dropping a trailer in the spot (Which they knew in advance of...) without being told to. Sure I told the yelling suit to call my company owners in the office and they will tell him just what I told him about that blessed space number and orders to drop trailer there.

Finally but not least. Blasting into Mass at 112 from Connecticut upgrade all out trying to get there on time is not for me. Its just not worth it for that trouble. I think the whole damn trip was 4 hours of dollar terror with many states gunning to catch me for maybe 90 dollars gross pay for the overnight run.

For such a hot trailer when I hooked to it at the yard I was over 5 hours late. I had to make that stupid time somehow. I should have refused it. Serves them right for diddling about while I sit in the drivers room waiting for a load a whole ******* day.

I might get maybe three items of mail that matter a year. The rest of it goes straight into the trash. If the US Postal Service will just stop schlepping junk mail **** all over the ******* USA for their own self fulfillment and pay the haulers what they are worth to run US Mail then maybe they will be around another 50 years.

At this point I no longer give a damn if there is any US Mail trucking at all. Serves them right. Constantly crying poverty for 30 years.
my idea of the US Postal Service delivering to every rural mail box in the good ole USA.
IF they were a private company (not subsidized by the good ole tax payer) then they wouldn't serve EVERY address EVERY day.

like most folks with a computer and internet access, I get ALL of my bills electronically. So, the US Mail could cut me off completely. I can do without the junk mail. One or two days a week would be fine if they actually had to deliver something.

Kinda like a rural route in a major trucking company

Make those rural folks get a P.O. Box , like in the old days...but hey, it is not a private company and worry about profits.
 
I love the US Mail, unfortunately, it's being abused by the Federal Government and Amazon,....come to think of it, is there really much of a distinction between the two? I just mailed a large bundle of important documents yesterday, the process was fast, easy, and inexpensive compared to the alternatives.
that's great...and I have done this also, BUT, you have to have a "cushion" as to how long it will take to get there..PLUS, I actually took it to the post office...Kinda like a "dock delivery"--I guess?
 
The mail hauling places around southern Wisconsin are getting bought up too. Mail Contractors of America was a union one and I think they are gone now. URSA, Sheehy, Hoovestal, and 10 Roads now what we see.
 
The mail hauling places around southern Wisconsin are getting bought up too. Mail Contractors of America was a union one and I think they are gone now. URSA, Sheehy, Hoovestal, and 10 Roads now what we see.
That 10Roads outfit advertises like $31.00 an hour, but read the whole package. About $5.00 comes out of your pay for your benefits. So it’s more like $26.00.
 
Thats one of the reasons I stopped Ebaying, amazon or any of that trash.

We had actually a VERY needed medicine from the VA due to us Friday. Friday night the person who needed it to arrive would have a medical problem requiring ER at Little Rock VA without the medicines.

Well the US Postal Service failed to deliver the medicines that friday. We took time to visit the postmaster and explain nicely why that mail did not arrive on time and the medical emergency that came of it.

SHE explained to us that they had deemed it a small package. So gave it to a third party shipper out of Cabot to run around in a panel van and deliver in the late afternoon on Friday. The boy was only 20 and what does he do on a friday night? Let the ::shit:: bake in the van until Monday AM. He could give ****all about the blessed mail in the small pile back there.

As a side note my company found the excessive speeds on that tractor when I got back to the yard the following day. The shop boss got irate how dare I etc. I told him come with me. Found the company suits, had him explain to the speed problem in the computer records and then told shop boss in front of suits that particular trailer sit in the yard all day then leave 5 hours late with absolute orders to be there on time or do not come back. (Fired etc)

It was there.

I left that company soon after. And began to develop a very bad attitude that I'll slam the door on the trailer, hook on. Throw the bills into the sleeper and go.

It will get there when it gets there. The gaurd shack can always throw me back out when its late.

And they do.

And back around we go when I call dispatch and tell them its refused for being late to their own ****abouts being too slowly in dispatching. Not my problem anymore.

Sometimes I got fired. Again and again and again. No problem for them. 50 more in orientation ready to hop into tractor.

So goes the industry.
 
Part two.

I have been developing a theory that anyone and everyone now wants and demands the 18 wheeler to be there at a appointment time anywhere in the USA at any time or they are not paid.

Well enter the elogs, nanny speeds and untrained drivers in flip flops and so on and no wonder the freight is late. Again. Serves them right.

At the end of my active trucking we were delivering either Blood Plasma or high dollar medicine anywhere east of Denver next day at sunrise out of memphis no matter what. Most people cannot get across town to a local doctors appointment without being 10 minutes late. And here we are doing it in all of North America provided there is time to do it....

at 62 mph.

If they arrived and delvered. They find the pay is not enough. So close the entire trucking company or sell out completely. Let some other chump lose sleep at night on the precious US Mail.

Fedex, etc are the US Mail today. If you absolutely must positively be able to track it to the ends of the world and see it arrive ship with one of those. Not the US Mail.

We had one incident with US Mail that was memorable. We showed up at the click of lock opening the doors to enter to mail a very hot document for court in Alaska. (Fairbanks to be exact) This document must be at the court house no later than 9 am, 24 hours away. Can you do it?

Oh yes suh. hand it here. 30 dollah. It will be there. Sign here there and over that. Thank you buh bye.

At 8 am it was climbing out of Seattle on a fat 757 bound for Anchorage 5 hours away. It was late. Cost us another 1500 to soothe the lawyer for another try at the court again. Cost us 3 months more.

So much for their hottest Eagle Delivery Service. What a waste. Turned out to be such a turkey.

Next time we hire a time share jet and have it in Fairbanks right about the 9th hour. It would have been about a 12000 dollar trip one way.
 
Last edited:
Top