[Wile E. Mile]

Has anyone driven for ABF recently? I'm in training right now, and should be done by mid-November. I heard their mileage rate is one of the highest in the industry, but they require you to drive doubles and possibly work the docs before doing any driving at all. Anyone care to offer suggestions?

[Ian Williams]

Until you get some seniority being on call will suck. Your income will be irregular. It will help to have savings, low overhead and/or a casual side job.

Once you get some seniority and get a start time (bid) its one of the better jobs in trucking.

Any LTL job is going to require you to pull doubles (and triples if allowed in your area). In many ways they are easier than pulling a 53' van once you are used to them.

How much dock work you do varies from LTL and you location; At Con-Way you do a lot (I'm effectively a well paid dockworker with a CDL.

IIRC the current rate under the NMFA is .53 cpm and $22.00/hr.

[One]

Originally Posted by Ian Williams

Until you get some seniority being on call will suck. Your income will be irregular. It will help to have savings, low overhead and/or a casual side job.

Once you get some seniority and get a start time (bid) its one of the better jobs in trucking.

Any LTL job is going to require you to pull doubles (and triples if allowed in your area). In many ways they are easier than pulling a 53' van once you are used to them.

How much dock work you do varies from LTL and you location; At Con-Way you do a lot (I'm effectively a well paid dockworker with a CDL.

IIRC the current rate under the NMFA is .53 cpm and $22.00/hr.

not all LTL carriers are like that...My co. ( Wilson ) does not run doubles, eventhough they have some pups and converter dolleys. We run 48' and 53'ers. Drivers do no dockwork atall. They require you to do 2 mos. of local P&D b4 qualifying you to go to line-haul wich starts you at .47cpm.
Wilson runs SE only. VA to FL and coast to TN+ AL

[dollarshort]

It seems if you can stick it out you will be setting pretty good. I overheard 2 ABF drivers talking about their pension paychecks the other day. The one was getting $4,400 a month and the other was like $3,500 a month. They have an age requirement or a driving minimum of something like 25 years. But that seems like a pretty nice retirement to me. Good luck!

[Ian Williams]

Originally Posted by One

not all LTL carriers are like that...My co. ( Wilson ) does not run doubles, eventhough they have some pups and converter dolleys. We run 48' and 53'ers. Drivers do no dockwork atall. They require you to do 2 mos. of local P&D b4 qualifying you to go to line-haul wich starts you at .47cpm.
Wilson runs SE only. VA to FL and coast to TN+ AL

Interesting..it seem like that would be difficult from a breaking trailers perspective. Its bad enough when you need to get the one pallet in the nose of a pup. On the other had you don't spend 10-15 min making and breaking sets.

But I guess for a smaller regional player its a bit different that a big national player.

When running line to you get paid for fueling, delays etc. or just straight mileage?

[One]

Originally Posted by Ian Williams

Interesting..it seem like that would be difficult from a breaking trailers perspective. Its bad enough when you need to get the one pallet in the nose of a pup. On the other had you don't spend 10-15 min making and breaking sets.

But I guess for a smaller regional player its a bit different that a big national player.

When running line to you get paid for fueling, delays etc. or just straight mileage?

Oh, i dont touch the freight, and we only accept freight that delivers in our region as far as I know...
No, we dont get paid for fueling/delays, but I havent seen much of any delays, we'll see if the winter snow will bring some...Sometimes i find my truck serviced and fueled when i get back in it in the 'eve, if not fueling is extra time to pretrip. Most of our terminals have fuel on site, only if i dont plan right do i have to make an extra stop at a terminal to fuel...in wich case they dispatch you to that terminal to fuel and then to your dest., so i guess you do get a few extra bucks...

[feederfred]

No offense, Mr. One, but I'd bet you are a non-union LTL carrier. We get paid for everything, every moment we are on the job. As far as doubles/triples, I'd rather haul them than a 53'. They turn better and are quite easy once you get used to them. ABF is a good, solid outfit. Yes, you do have to "climb the proverbial ladder", but once you get some seniority, it's a great gig. NMFA (National Master Freight Agreement) wages, full health and welfare for you AND your family and a good pension. I will retire from "Brown" in about 2-3 years (depending on whats happening in my personal life). I will realize an accrued monthly benefit of about four thousand a month for the rest of my life and retiree health care. Should I die, my spouse will get 50% for the rest of her life. When I retire you all will recognize me. I'll be the one on I-10 pulling an RV with a boat, NOT using his turn signals driving way too slow, pissing you guys off....BOL

[BigSlim]

Originally Posted by One

Oh, i dont touch the freight, and we only accept freight that delivers in our region as far as I know...
No, we dont get paid for fueling/delays, but I havent seen much of any delays, we'll see if the winter snow will bring some...Sometimes i find my truck serviced and fueled when i get back in it in the 'eve, if not fueling is extra time to pretrip. Most of our terminals have fuel on site, only if i dont plan right do i have to make an extra stop at a terminal to fuel...in wich case they dispatch you to that terminal to fuel and then to your dest., so i guess you do get a few extra bucks...

One, I'm looking to work for wilson, but I can't get in touch with them, do you know how I can obtain this?

[movinit]

http://www.wilsontrucking.com/

[One]

You'll have to contact the local terminal if I'm not mistaken, terminals listed on website. We did start running some doubles now and dbl. endorsement is required now. PM with questions and/or post in the4 Wilson Forum at www.truckingboards.com