Coldworld
60 months and counting
True but it's an easier march when we get some help from the top
Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ
- Thread starter 104Feeder
- Start date
104Feeder
Phoenix Feeder
They are manning the mortars but every soldier has to carry a shell.
retiredTxfeeder
cap'n crunch
Down here in Texas, they created over 25 sleeper team runs. Some of the runs were only 3-3.5 days long (though still mileage). What was happening was, instead of being happy with their short runs, these drivers were bidding to work on their days off for extra work. These jobs all paid time and a half. The feeder department budget blew up. Pencil pushers took note. Management took work off some runs and added it to the jobs that drivers were bidding for extra work, thereby keeping them busy at straight time. the senior drivers who were affected grieved it. The newbie drivers were afraid to grieve because they didn't want to make waves. The drivers who grieved it got big checks. I can't blame the drivers who took the extra work. It is hard to turn down $800.00/day when they they throw it up there.
Johney
Well-Known Member
Misinformed? No. Allowing and facilitating? How? So please inform me oh knowledgeable one! We have very little sleeper runs in my area and none out of our building. So tell me who allowed them to cut sleeper runs and hand them over to independents? From what retiredTXfeeder says it seems they may have cut their own throat. Attitude? That's funny. I can work my 60 if I want why would I care if I'm pulling an empty back or a load? Please tell me. Every feeder driver on our list is working and they still ask some to work a 6th day(and a few do) so please explain to me again my attitude?
Dracula
Package Car is cake compared to this...
It doesn't matter if your area has sleeper runs. We are a whole. When they start cutting sleeper teams (bid jobs) for peak, and when we carry empties while contractors carry the real loads, it sets a bad precedent. And just because it doesn't affect you now, if it continues at this rate, it won't be long before we get phased out. My mileage run was carrying railboxes to the railyard from my meet hub. That was a lot of extra OT and miles. Now, this week, we are carrying empties back to our home hub. Management says contractors aren't taking the rail loads, but who's kidding who? Someone is taking them, and it isn't a Teamster.
If UPS is using contractors to move our loads while we carry empties, you can bet they won't be paying us 60 hours to move around empties for very long.
Johney
Well-Known Member
All I'm saying is what you all are seeing, we are not. Should they be using independents at all? No of course not, but they do. Just like hiring off the street p/c drivers they've been doing that for years for peak yet no one seems to care about that. Seems this practice has and will be allowed so who do we blame for that? The Teamsters? Oh that's right WE are the Teamsters. So whose to blame? If it's a violation of the contract, file and get your money for doing nothing seems open and shut. If it is not in violation of the contract? Then I guess someone was sleeping(no pun intended)during contract negotiations.
I know last year the independents around here were getting a flat rate, something like $660 for 10 hours.
Mugarolla
Light 'em up!
That equates to $66/hr. See....I can do math!
Similar to what MaceFremonti posted. He said he heard $60/hr up to 10 hours.
After expenses, the contractors are making $25-$30/hr.
This is somewhat comparable to what they pay us.
Bottom line, they are not doing it to save money, they are doing it to get the loads moved on time. We do not have enough feeder drivers for these 4 weeks.
It is not right to displace the sleeper guys, but just like seasonal package drivers and part timers, it is what it takes to get the volume delivered during peak.
We all just need what Johney's local has. Feeder drivers should get as many hours as they want as long as they are using shiny wheels.
Bratty Brown
We Want Beer
Shutting down the sleeper teams for peak sets a bad precedent. It makes it easier to do it again and in different parts of the country.
Our hub did a sneaky thing when they had the dispatch drivers bid for peak runs. We thought we were bidding on longer runs with pickups/shifting/wad added to round out the shift but we're really just pu/shift/wad with an occasional pull that takes us out of town. We still get all the hours we want but not doing what we bid on. Not all runs are affected because pu/shift/wad is what some bid on. Anybody have a similar experience or am I just delusional?
Our hub did a sneaky thing when they had the dispatch drivers bid for peak runs. We thought we were bidding on longer runs with pickups/shifting/wad added to round out the shift but we're really just pu/shift/wad with an occasional pull that takes us out of town. We still get all the hours we want but not doing what we bid on. Not all runs are affected because pu/shift/wad is what some bid on. Anybody have a similar experience or am I just delusional?
BostonRStar
New Member
At $60 a hour is about a Dollar a mile (60mph) that is crap pay.
They get paid whether they're rolling or sitting in the yard waiting for a load so it's not the same as getting paid by the mile. Most of these guys are working local so not running anywhere near 600 miles a day.
So you could park a sleeper tractor for 10 hrs and not allow it to make money?
The whole point of a sleeper team is to keep moving correct?
Obviously yes... just sayin I'd like the days worked, and it'd be even better if I could do it alone
BostonRStar
New Member
I have only seen road trucks here in the northeast. I was under the impression they were being used for long runs.
Even if they are $1.00/mile is way better than industry standard.
BostonRStar
New Member
For a Owner Operator A dollar a mile was good pay 20 years ago. Today you cant make it on that. But if they are running local then it's good pay. With the 70 hour rule that we are doing now they could put on solo sleeper trucks.
retiredTxfeeder
cap'n crunch
I believe it was a quick dump for air in case the brakes wouldn't release. Kind of like what is on the dollies now. I remember them as well, but never used them.
