Con-way or UPS Freight?

[LilCohen1978]

Need some advice,I have two job opportunties.The first is Conway for a driver sales rep or UPS Freight for a Fulltime Dock w/CDL,which is the better company for the future & if You know about the companies Id like some info on them Thanx

[Sealord]

Isn't that what drivers who deliver food and beverages to c-stores and groceries are called? Don't they also set up the in-store displays? BOL

[Kintama]

I would go UPS.

[fireman932003]

I would go UPS.

I second that!

[greg3564]

I would go UPS.

I third that! Seriously, my brother has been a package driver for 20 years with UPS. He's got great pay and benefits. They've been good to him.

[ben45750]

At Conway being hired in as a Driver Sales Representative is just like being hired as a driver for any other company.

I have worked for Conway and I know several drivers at UPS freight. Both are great company's! If it were me, I would go to UPS. Conway is a good solid company but UPS is growing and growing quickly, so if you get in now you have a good chance of building seniority quicker than if you worked for Conway.

BOL

[p1tickethead]

UPS maybe the better company but you could probably move up quicker with Con-way. They have good benefits but do not pay as much. Just a question are you talking about UPS package or ltl that was Overnight and do you want to drive or just work the dock. UPS ltl you should be able to move up fairly quickly there. Which ever you choose good luck

[ben45750]

At Conway you have to get out of the bottom 10% to get off the extra board and then your only going to hold a dock bid, maybe after 2 years you might hold a city bid. 5 years might get you a linehaul bid (my experience in Columbus,Ohio.... Big terminal) .

UPS Freight hires most of the people as CDL/Dock Workers but you end up in a truck right off the bat.

Conway's terminal up in Cleveland (assume thats where your going) is a small terminal so it will take a while to even get out of the bottom 10%.

Find Snowman on here, he works for UPS Freight up in Cleveland. He also worked at Conway to0 so he would be a great person to talk to.

[ben45750]

http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...profile&u=6266
his profile to pm him^^^^^^^^^^



PM Snowman7. He prolly will be able to answer all your questions.

[Snowman7]

Ben is right on the money about Conway. I was at the Cleveland (Parma) terminal. You will be on the flex board for 1-2 years. You will be on call 24 hours a day Mon thru Fri. In the summer you should be able to get 40 hrs sometimes upto 55-60. In the fall and winter you may only get 20 hrs. I was laid off in Oct because it was so slow. Plan on getting called in around 4-5pm to work the dock. You should be done around 8-9pm. Then IF there are any extra runs you will get one. It will most likely be the shortest run 80-140 miles, you will go there and work the dock until 3-4am, then you will return to Cleveland around 5-7am. This how you get your hours but your exhausted. If you dont get a run you go home with 4 hrs pay. If you dont get called at all that day you'll probably be first up the next day so you may start anywhere between 4am to noon, In which case you might work dock or run the city. Now they might have changed things to 2 flex boards, one for city and one for road. If so you would have a better idea of when your starting but the hours will still be erratic and unpredictable. After a couple years you should move up enough to get a steady start time. Most likely noon or 1:00 dock. Work 8hrs on the dock till 9 and go home. Then maybe you can get 10-11 am as a city driver or maybe you can get linehaul. Bottom line, I'd go back OTR before I ever worked at Conway again. Its a good job if you have 5 years seniority but its hard getting there. I'd go to UPS Freight. I love it and there's plenty of work. We're swamped. I'm a road driver so I dont know about the dock but from what I hear there's all the work you want. Steady start time, consistent hours. We're growing fast so get in now and you'll move up quick. UPS is the 800 lb gorilla of the entire transportation industry. Just verify that its full time. I heard we are only allowed to hire part time dock workers from now on (the UPS way ). But maybe its different if your dock with CDL. Full time dock/cdl should start at 18.05 an hour. Part time dock is only like 11/hr maybe?I heard Richfield city guys are getting 50-60 hours. Are you looking at Richfield or Cleveland?

Its a good job if you have 5 years seniority but its hard getting there.

The reason it takes so long to move up at a good-paying LTL carrier is that nobody quits those jobs once they get a nice run and bid time.

That's why I always tell guys and gals in their 20's and 30's to apply there and get in while they're young and in good shape and thier bills are low. Once you start gettinng into your 40's, it gets harder and harder to be the FNG. And your back, knees, and joints will throw a hissy fit at you.

[Snowman7]

Once you start gettinng into your 40's, it gets harder and harder to be the FNG.

Ain't that the truth!

[LilCohen1978]

Im from Youngstown,Ohio & the conway is in Lordstown & UPS freight(Overnite) is in Masury right out side of Youngstown & its a fulltime Dock w/CDL

[Ian Williams]

Both are good companies.

There are some trade offs, Con-Way has slightly better bennies (for now at least) while UPSF pays a bit more and you will top out sooner in 2yrs vs 5 at Con-Way.

Snowmans description of the extra board odyssey as Con-Way is spot on.
I got lucky and only had to endure it for about about 3 months until someone with a dock bid left for FedEx Freight and I got his bid. It took the other guy who hired on with me for dock-to-driver about 8 months to get a road bid.

Here on the Left Coast we also throw chaining and going over Donner twice a night into the mix. Our bottom of the extra board turnover is huge in the winter. Folks get sick of 14-16hr days and running out of hrs coming home fast. We actually take bets a la "Shawshank Redemption" which of the n00bs will drop 1st. :twisted:

The plus side to not having a wall between road and city like most every other LTL is once you have some strap you can go back in forth between the two worlds. Having a "Hog Board" can be good:Need earn some big $ for the down on a house? Bid Line. Want more family time bid City or AM dock! Kids in college, go back to the road. Several of the guys in the top 20% of seniority like to jump back and forth as bids open through the year.

BOL and feel free to PM me if you have any ?s