Coca Cola Enterprises

[dk1ben]

Ok so most of you know I have been flirting with several companys these last few months. Maverick should be a go. I talked to them this morning and all they are waiting for is my current job to fax employment verification to them.

BUT Coca Cola called earlier this week. I had applied for a driver/merchandiser position with them about six months ago and heard nothing back from them. So I went to the interview expecting it to be underpaid overworked delevery guy with a big truck. To be honest I REALLY liked just about everything. I would be driving a day cab with the delevery trailer. Of coarse the main work is moving the product from the truck into the stores, but that type of work doesnt bother me. I like working outside, thats why flat bedding appeals to me.

So without giving info on pay and bennifits (I dont know if Coke wants that info released). I will say that the pay is as good as Maverick. If you figure it with the 2600 miles a week Maverick advised me I would get. I know there is other things to consider like tarp pay and so on. However that extra cash doesnt change my mind when I consider being home every day and having the weekends off.

Just thought I would put it out there and see what type of responses I get. Thanks for any advise or insight.

[unkut2003]

I worked for Coca Cola Enterprises in Toledo, OH as a driver for 5 1/2 years. I resently resigned, as a lot of drivers for them are doing, due to being slaved, overworked, and just disrespected!!! Its a great place to work for from the outside looking in, but once your in, they EXPECT everything for nothing.... TRUST me!!! I can give you phone numbers to a number of drivers with A MILLION complaints!!!

Yes, they do have great equiptment, and being union, great benefits, but thats it! As a driver/merch. you will be screwed over and take what ever load the other drivers don't want.... which is usually the most distant from the plant with the most stops...... that is IF you are applying in a base/commission plant, if its an hourly plant, you are gonna get the smallest, with the fewest stops.... so that pay you think your gonna get.... WRONG!!! Its all about senority and the older drivers let it be known, haha!!!

I've got A TON of info and can answer just about EVERY question you have about the company, job, ect... So anything you wanna know.... feel free to ask.....

[unkut2003]

What location are you interested if you don't mind me asking???

[dk1ben]

Columbus Ohio. The supervisor I meet was really cool. He even took me out to the loading area to check out the operation and all. He had to help some guy with something so I was able to talk to a few drivers who were waiting to be loaded. They seemed very cool and positive. But maybe that was planned or they knew the boss was just around the corner. However I dont think so. Or maybe thats what I want to think.

He went through the entire contract. Page for page which surprised me. He told me I would start off hourly while in training which should take 1 to 4 weeks. It all depends on how I catch on. Then I would go to a base salary, then you add in 14 cents per case for your days route. He said the case number is based on the drivers ability to get it done. 350 up to 650 or so a day. He made it sound like I would control the number of cases I want a day. I want as much as possible of coarse but even at 350 cases the pay is fine with me.

After I left I was able to talk to a driver getting into his car. He spoke highly of his job. He said he came from a beer company and likes coke much better. He has been there for 2+ years.

To be honest I was expecting nothing but good about the company and job. I felt the interview went beyond good. I really didnt feel like he was trying to sell anything to me. In fact the majority of the people at that plant have over 1 year with them. The wall is covered with 5 years and up plaques.

Now you have me really thinking. I was wondering if it was to good to be true. Thanks for your input.

Ok so most of you know I have been flirting with several companys these last few months. Maverick should be a go. I talked to them this morning and all they are waiting for is my current job to fax employment verification to them.

BUT Coca Cola called earlier this week. I had applied for a driver/merchandiser position with them about six months ago and heard nothing back from them. So I went to the interview expecting it to be underpaid overworked delevery guy with a big truck. To be honest I REALLY liked just about everything. I would be driving a day cab with the delevery trailer. Of coarse the main work is moving the product from the truck into the stores, but that type of work doesnt bother me. I like working outside, thats why flat bedding appeals to me.

So without giving info on pay and bennifits (I dont know if Coke wants that info released). I will say that the pay is as good as Maverick. If you figure it with the 2600 miles a week Maverick advised me I would get. I know there is other things to consider like tarp pay and so on. However that extra cash doesnt change my mind when I consider being home every day and having the weekends off.

Just thought I would put it out there and see what type of responses I get. Thanks for any advise or insight.

Lugging 4000-5000 cases per week of that coke stew around on a two-wheeler will wear you out fast. Those guys are up at the crack of dawn and don't finish till the cows come home. Coke wants you to be a salesman too. If you sell more product to a customer then ordered, you get a commision.

The key is to get aboard the gravy train = bulk driver. These guys drive around town to the big stores like Wal-Mart and tailgate pallets using an electric pallet jack. Trouble is, it takes anywhere from 10-15 years before you can bid on one of those routes since those drivers NEVER quit.

I know all this because we get alot of beverage guys in LTL. That's because the pay/hours are better and you don't have to bust your ***** as much. But if you like that kind of phycial work, it just might be your ticket. To each their own, as the saying goes.

[unkut2003]

Columbus Ohio. The supervisor I meet was really cool. He even took me out to the loading area to check out the operation and all. He had to help some guy with something so I was able to talk to a few drivers who were waiting to be loaded. They seemed very cool and positive. But maybe that was planned or they knew the boss was just around the corner. However I dont think so. Or maybe thats what I want to think.

He went through the entire contract. Page for page which surprised me. He told me I would start off hourly while in training which should take 1 to 4 weeks. It all depends on how I catch on. Then I would go to a base salary, then you add in 14 cents per case for your days route. He said the case number is based on the drivers ability to get it done. 350 up to 650 or so a day. He made it sound like I would control the number of cases I want a day. I want as much as possible of coarse but even at 350 cases the pay is fine with me.

After I left I was able to talk to a driver getting into his car. He spoke highly of his job. He said he came from a beer company and likes coke much better. He has been there for 2+ years.

To be honest I was expecting nothing but good about the company and job. I felt the interview went beyond good. I really didnt feel like he was trying to sell anything to me. In fact the majority of the people at that plant have over 1 year with them. The wall is covered with 5 years and up plaques.

Now you have me really thinking. I was wondering if it was to good to be true. Thanks for your input.

Ok, for one, you will be a base+comm driver at that location. When there isn't a route available, which happens quite often in the "off season", you'll be merching for A LOT lower pay... hourly!

As far as the cases go, its needs of the business, not something "you" control, haha, believe that! Coca Cola's routing is generally based at another location, either Florida, Michigan, Atlanta, ect.... depending on the plant/division. I'll tell you now that 650 cases is a BI*CH!!! Especially when they send you 100+ miles away with 22 stops, all 15+ miles apart!!! Then you put in a 12+ hour day for what another driver did for a 6 hour day!!! When I first started we were at $88 base and $.18 a case.... which averaged to $130-$175 a day, depending on the load, season, ect.... Then we went to the new OFS system, which ALL Coke plants are switching too, and it went to $135 base, and $.07 a case!!! It drastically reduced our pay and the Union couldn't do nothing as long as they provided us with the basics to complete the job. If I'm not mistaken, I believe you'll be a Teamster too?? Anyways, the cases will depend on the customer, the "forgot" to transmit/order loads, ect... So you'll have a route in a generalized area one day.... and then they'll add a stop onto you that'll mix up your entire truck.... and you'll make like $2-$3 dollars for a 40+ miles one way delivery.......SUCKS....... and happens A LOT!!!

TRUST ME.... if everything ran normal and mgmt. acted according to the contract... it would be an O.K. place to work.... with a crappy pension of course, haha! But thats NOT the case!!! Check their stats.... Toledo, my previous location, blew EVERY other CCE location off the map.... besides detroit, which we always gave a run for their money! My bro-in-law worked for Cincy and quit after 8 months..... I lasted 5 1/2 years, and others usually go between 2-4 years! CCE has a VERY HIGH rotating door..... That alone should speak loud enough!!!

But look, for the first year I was there it seemed like a great opportunity.... newer equiptment, union, benefits, good pay, ect.... The labor involved is VERY intensive!!! Especially when you deliver a 80+ case stop, invloving 12+ handcarts full of pop through snow/ice and into a location, then have to put stuff away, rotate, and kiss butt because of whatever the plant or salesman did to piss of that location!!! Its a really stressful position and VERY demanding on the physical tip. But my last 3 1/2 years, I was constantly stressed out, always injured, and on the very of exploding about their CONSTANT disregard to employee safety and work emvironment!!! But hey, everyones different, but in this position 85% of drivers do not last...... its not a "Will It Happen"..... but more "When Will It Happen"!!! If your in need of a job, I'd say go elsewhere..... If you do decide to take the role.... just be carefull, use the union AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, and always remember.... SAFETY and YOU before anything!!!!! Because if you take nothing away from everything I've said...... take this...... at Coca Cola you aren't a person..... YOUR A NUMBER!!!!!!

[MADLUX]

if your gonna do coke, see if your local distributor has an option to do bay delivery ( just loading dock to loading dock) The local one here in Norfolk does this. Other than that don't do the merchandiser thing. A buddy of mine did it for a while, If you like low pay and working 12 to 13 hours a day it might be for you.

[dk1ben]

well thats a lot of information. i am still a little shocked to be honest. the impression i got during the interview just seemed great. ok so the base pay is basically what i am making now at my current job. so anything more is extra. getting up in the morning is no biggie to me. bad weather and hard work would come into play with Maverick as well. good god this is all hard to weigh out. yes the Columbus location is union "Teamster". I worked in law enforcement for over 8 years and loved being in the union 95% of the time. however it may not be the case at Coke.

Until I got on here all the people I know who work for other company's like Pepsi and Budweiser told me to take the job. And that I would be crazy not to. They even stated Coke was really hard to get hired by. Maybe just at this location? Could other locations be that different from one another?

How long ago did you work for Coke?

Thanks again. So by all this I can assume you all think Maverick is the place to go? BTW the hourly rate after I get my driver number is $17.?? a hour. While in training it is $14.??. The ? marks are not to be smart, I just dont remember the exact cents.

[BigAtrukn]

I drove for coca cola as my first driving job and it sucked big time. Try getting to your first of 5 stops to wait behind an Albertsons truck to unload. Once he unloads you back in only to have another Albertsons truck pull in and you have to move. When he finaly leaves you back in to have the reciever jerk you around for an hour than refuse the load and now you have to work around those pallets for the remainder of your stops. With all this you still have to make the stores recieving hours not to mention all the stacking of empty plastics and pallets. Plus its slip seat with a different piece of crap each morning and all the working pallet jacks are locked and you end up with one that has no breaks or a battery that dies after 5 min of use.

[ajritter04]

First off, listen to Unkut...that's EXACTLY how it is.

Short Version: Run, don't walk, away from a job like this unless you're 20 and can't do anything else.

Long Version: See below.





While I didn't work for Coke, I did work for Pepsi.
I quit earlier this week after a whole 7 months with them. In that time I started to develop arthritis in my hands and knees, my right foot is deeply bruised from using the dolly, and I have chronic lower back pain from lifting anywhere from 600 - 700 cases per day, EVERY DAY.

At Pepsi, we had to arrive no later than 6:30 so that we could get our trucks ready to leave no later than 7. However, if you arrived that late, you would easily be out running your route until 7 that night. A 12 hour shift isn't uncommon these days in many fields, but consider that you will be doing hard manual labor during the majority of those 12 hours.

I typically had 18 - 20 stops per day with an average of 650 cases. Some of the larger convenience stores I delivered to would take in 200+ cases and if you were quick, it would take approximately 2 hours to do the entire delivery. This is of course assuming you don't have to work around all the beer guys or Core-Mark..both are notorious around here for just leaving stuff wherever they feel like it and making everyone else work around their crap in the middle of the cooler.

Once a week, I had to drive 100 miles south of Albuquerque to even get to my first stop, which was a truck stop in Socorro, NM. They usually took 250 cases or so. If I left the warehouse at 5:30am, I would arrive to the truck stop by 7am, spend 2 1/2 - 3 hours delivering and stocking, and by then it's already 10am. I still have 16 other stops to go to, one of which was the cafeteria at New Mexico Tech...another 200+ case delivery...EVERY week. So it's noon, and I have 14 stops to make, most of which average about 30 minutes. I would usually finish around 6pm and then spend another hour and a half driving back to the warehouse. I can count on one hand the number of time in the 7 months I worked at Pepsi that I got home before 8pm when I did that route.

Once a week I was working almost 16 hours straight - usually with no lunch break because that would only make me get home that much later.

We were paid a base salary of $475 per week plus 10 cents for every delivered case. I would average about 3200 cases per week, so that's $320 + $475 = $795.

I'd gross almost $800 a week. Sounds pretty good, right?
Consider the fact that I regularly worked 65 - 70 hours per week.

$800 / 70 = $11.42 / hour. Still look good?
My average take home pay was around $550 after taxes and insurance.

$550 / 70 = $7.85 / hour.
McDonalds around here starts at $7.50 an hour and is a lot easier.

Keep in mind, that if you think all you're going to do is take it into the cooler and leave it, you are very wrong.

You take it in, one dolly load at a time, then the manager/supervisor on duty will verify the order, then you'll take it into the cooler, again, one dolly load at a time. Once you get it all in the cooler, you'll have to rotate the entire stock of your brand, then stock the shelves with the oldest stuff in the cooler. Then you get to take all the empty shells out and hope like hell you have room on the truck to store them for the rest of the day.

I was in decent physical shape when I started with Pepsi back in January. Fast forward to today and my hands look like that of an 80 year old, I walk with a hunch, my knees are constantly sore, and my lower back hurts constantly. All for less than $8.00 an hour.
Hell, last week there was a girl who passed out from heat exhaustion in a Circle K parking lot and had to be taken by ambulance because of the work involved and the heat outside.

Sure I got to come home every night and sleep in my own bed and be off on the weekends, but I would get up at 4am, be at work by 4:30, and then not get home until around 6:30 that night. The exception being the route to Socorro which was always a 14 - 16 hour day. When I got home, I would eat and then go to bed. I may as well have been driving OTR because I hardly ever got to see my kids..they were asleep in the morning when I left and I was too tired to do anything when I got home.

[greg3564]

Stay away from Coke. I worked for them too. Throwing hundreds of cases every day in the cold, rain, snow and heat sucks. Then your body just takes a beating. Your back, neck and shoulders lock up. Your legs are jelly at the end of the day. And the worse for me was my hands and especially my fingers hurt so damn bad I could hardly move them.

Then you have to help build those horrendous displays. You know the ones you see in stores for the Super Bowl. It takes you and some other guy hours to build this on friday and hours again to tear it down on monday, and then you still have your regular deliveries to make those days.

The money can be good. But in the long run your body will pay the price. There are other driving jobs out there where the only unloading you need to do is with a pallet jack.

[Double R]

I come to the conclusion that ALL Coke and Pepsi warehouses are the same. CCE and Pepsi are always looking for drivers in the Pittsburgh area. I know a few drivers that worked for both and they all say the samething. Stay away. They are going down hill fast. CCE and Pepsi use to be the job to have around here. Great pay, benifits, ETC. Anymore they are the place to avoid. I have down Foodservice for four years and HHG for four. Your going to get a work out and yur body will take a hit. Check your local Keebler(Kelloggs snacks) warehouse and see if they are hiring. Since you said that you don't mind physical work. I started at the one in Pittsburgh about a month ago. It's union and you start in the warehouse as a relief driver BUT the work is easy. All hourly pay. That's it. No case count, stop pay, ETC. Or try SYGMA. I hear that they are decent to work for but stay away from CCE.

[Sheepdancer]

Keep in mind that if you are driving one of those sidebay trailers, a lot of companies arent going to count that as experience if you ever want to switch jobs.

[Double R]

Keep in mind that if you are driving one of those sidebay trailers, a lot of companies arent going to count that as experience if you ever want to switch jobs.

And 35' trailers. Some of CCE's warehouses are getting rid of sideload and going to some pups. I have that same problem. I have driven mostly 48' and 28' trailers. Most OTR compaines would not treat that as experience. I do have 6 months pulling a 53' but that is another story.

[dk1ben]

No good stuff about this company? LOL well that made the choice easy. Thanks again.

[unkut2003]

No good stuff about this company? LOL well that made the choice easy. Thanks again.

Well there is one good thing...... they are established around the world and their "competition" is only in the U.S. So the job will always be there..... if your into slavery and peanuts that is....

[dk1ben]

ok i do have one question with all that info you shared with me. how can you work a shift over 11 hours in a 14 hour period and still drive legally? or does this rule not apply to this type of work or this style of truck?

another thing i thought of while reading these posts is while i was there for the interview i am pretty sure every day shift driver was back at base between 2 and 4 pm. i know this because i arrived for my interview at 2 but the interview didnt start until 4. that was my fault, i was scheduled at 4. so i sat in the parking lot until then. watched what i figure to be the majority of the fleet since it filled the lot up pretty close to full. and while i was on the tour the night shift drivers were prepping there trucks and the loaders were loading. this was all right around 4:30. there couldnt of been to many trucks still out since night shift drivers were in and ready to go. or maybe the night shift has fewer drivers? but he did tell me that most drivers are back at base and heading home between 2 and 3.

any thoughts?

[unkut2003]

ok i do have one question with all that info you shared with me. how can you work a shift over 11 hours in a 14 hour period and still drive legally? or does this rule not apply to this type of work or this style of truck?

another thing i thought of while reading these posts is while i was there for the interview i am pretty sure every day shift driver was back at base between 2 and 4 pm. i know this because i arrived for my interview at 2 but the interview didnt start until 4. that was my fault, i was scheduled at 4. so i sat in the parking lot until then. watched what i figure to be the majority of the fleet since it filled the lot up pretty close to full. and while i was on the tour the night shift drivers were prepping there trucks and the loaders were loading. this was all right around 4:30. there couldnt of been to many trucks still out since night shift drivers were in and ready to go. or maybe the night shift has fewer drivers? but he did tell me that most drivers are back at base and heading home between 2 and 3.

any thoughts?

Ok, Coca Cola IS supposed to follow all D.O.T. regulations, but they "sneek" around them. Your not allowed to drive more then 11 and off 3, but they consider your "off" time part of the delivery time.... since your not driving and off the roads/truck!!! So yes, you WILL see MANY 14 hour days of throwin cases and HATE it!!! Then you'll start to see that everything you read days, weeks, or months ago on this site was putting it lightly to say the least! Oh, and about the night drivers, yes, there are less. Most stores/carryouts/ect will only accept day deliveries... but Speedway, Barneys, B.P., Pizza places, ect.... will and prefer PM deliveries.... so thats where the whole PM routes originated. Here in Toledo, there was myself and another PM driver, and 1 utility driver, or driver merch, whatever you wanna call it. And we ALWAYS stomped Cincy's numbers, haha!! But thats because of the base+commission factor.... EVERY driver busts ass to keep his pay rate high enough to consider the work/hours even worth part of the effort.... But most AM drivers will arrive between 5-6 am and if its anywhere near a O.K. day, you'll be off in 8-10 hours, and make the same money as if you worked 5 hours, haha! thus the bustin ass and EXTREMELY HIGH injury rate of the beverage industry!!! Any more questions.... feel free to ask. The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask..... 8)

[greg3564]

ok i do have one question with all that info you shared with me. how can you work a shift over 11 hours in a 14 hour period and still drive legally? or does this rule not apply to this type of work or this style of truck?

another thing i thought of while reading these posts is while i was there for the interview i am pretty sure every day shift driver was back at base between 2 and 4 pm. i know this because i arrived for my interview at 2 but the interview didnt start until 4. that was my fault, i was scheduled at 4. so i sat in the parking lot until then. watched what i figure to be the majority of the fleet since it filled the lot up pretty close to full. and while i was on the tour the night shift drivers were prepping there trucks and the loaders were loading. this was all right around 4:30. there couldnt of been to many trucks still out since night shift drivers were in and ready to go. or maybe the night shift has fewer drivers? but he did tell me that most drivers are back at base and heading home between 2 and 3.

any thoughts?

When I worked there the drivers and merchandisers all started between 4am and 6am. They hit the bigger 24 hour customers first and then everyone else as the day goes. You can count on working 50+ hours per week. More during the holidays.

[ajritter04]

ok i do have one question with all that info you shared with me. how can you work a shift over 11 hours in a 14 hour period and still drive legally? or does this rule not apply to this type of work or this style of truck?

another thing i thought of while reading these posts is while i was there for the interview i am pretty sure every day shift driver was back at base between 2 and 4 pm. i know this because i arrived for my interview at 2 but the interview didnt start until 4. that was my fault, i was scheduled at 4. so i sat in the parking lot until then. watched what i figure to be the majority of the fleet since it filled the lot up pretty close to full. and while i was on the tour the night shift drivers were prepping there trucks and the loaders were loading. this was all right around 4:30. there couldnt of been to many trucks still out since night shift drivers were in and ready to go. or maybe the night shift has fewer drivers? but he did tell me that most drivers are back at base and heading home between 2 and 3.

any thoughts?

The HOS regulations allow one 16 hour day for drivers who operate within 150 air miles of the location they are dispatched out of. Conveniently enough, I only had a run like that once a week......

As for the guys arriving between 2 - 4...that's entirely possible. Find out what time they usually leave by. I remember at the Pepsi plant here, we had one route driver who would come in between 3:30am and 4am and he would usually roll back into the yard around 3pm...well before most of the other guys.

Obviously, it's up to you if you want to take the job or not. But in the end you'll end up working yourself to death, will be injured frequently, and will be burned out in a relatively short period of time and all while earning a relatively low wage compared to the work you are doing.