Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[barnyard]

Are you backup????

Yep. Extra board in a building with 4 feeder jobs. I only work feeders when 2 guys are on vacation. So far, this is my 3rd week of the year and I think I am working 2 more. Then I will probably be done till next year.

 

[Johney]

Yep. Extra board in a building with 4 feeder jobs. I only work feeders when 2 guys are on vacation. So far, this is my 3rd week of the year and I think I am working 2 more. Then I will probably be done till next year.

And I suppose you pick off their vacation schedule?

 

[barnyard]

And I suppose you pick off their vacation schedule?

Kind of. All drivers pick from the same calendar in my building. I turn in my picks, if there are 3 feeders on vacation, then I have to change. This year, I did 4 weeks in a row, but had to move them back 2 weeks.

The #1 qualified cover guy picks his weeks to maximize his time covering feeders. I do not. I missed 2 weeks in feeders, because of the 4 weeks in a row. I've done 3 weeks, plus a couple of single days and am doing at least 2 more weeks. Ends up being a very nice break from package cars. I used to get really stressed out about long breaks from feeders.

 

[Johney]

Kind of. All drivers pick from the same calendar in my building. I turn in my picks, if there are 3 feeders on vacation, then I have to change. This year, I did 4 weeks in a row, but had to move them back 2 weeks.

The #1 qualified cover guy picks his weeks to maximize his time covering feeders. I do not. I missed 2 weeks in feeders, because of the 4 weeks in a row. I've done 3 weeks, plus a couple of single days and am doing at least 2 more weeks. Ends up being a very nice break from package cars. I used to get really stressed out about long breaks from feeders.

So who covered those weeks?

 

[barnyard]

There are 2 other guys on the feeder extra board, 1 higher and 1 lower in seniority. The #1 guy never refuses feeder work. The low guy and I have flipped a coin on some weeks, I chose some weeks and refused some weeks (over the years.) For single days, if the #1 guy does not do it, me and the other guy decide based on who has better weekend plans.

 

[Coldworld]

Yep. Extra board in a building with 4 feeder jobs. I only work feeders when 2 guys are on vacation. So far, this is my 3rd week of the year and I think I am working 2 more. Then I will probably be done till next year.

That sucks....so close but so far ...

 

[Coldworld]

There are 2 other guys on the feeder extra board, 1 higher and 1 lower in seniority. The #1 guy never refuses feeder work. The low guy and I have flipped a coin on some weeks, I chose some weeks and refused some weeks (over the years.) For single days, if the #1 guy does not do it, me and the other guy decide based on who has better weekend plans.

Do the guys who work feeder everyday have like 40 years in???

 

[BrownCubster]

Do the guys who work feeder everyday have like 40 years in???

I think i have 40 DAYS in.

we have 2 drivers with 40 plus years. top 25 have at least 30 years.

I have at least 25 more years and will probably still be at the bottom.

 

[barnyard]

Do the guys who work feeder everyday have like 40 years in???

Nope. The #1 guy is at 35, the other 3 are between 20 and 28 years. I have 14 FT years and do not think that I will ever hold a FT feeder bid. The only way that it would happen is if some of the jobs that were taken away from our center were brought back to my center. I would be shocked if that happened.

The 35 year guy is talking about retiring, but the #1 extra board guy would sign that bid. The other guys are close to my age and we will probably all retire in the same time frame. So, technically, it is possible, but I would not hold a FT bid for any length of time. I seriously do not see it happening.

 

[Coldworld]

Nope. The #1 guy is at 35, the other 3 are between 20 and 28 years. I have 14 FT years and do not think that I will ever hold a FT feeder bid. The only way that it would happen is if some of the jobs that were taken away from our center were brought back to my center. I would be shocked if that happened.

The 35 year guy is talking about retiring, but the #1 extra board guy would sign that bid. The other guys are close to my age and we will probably all retire in the same time frame. So, technically, it is possible, but I would not hold a FT bid for any length of time. I seriously do not see it happening.

How many years do you think you have left?? You have 14 feeder years or just 14 ft years??

 

[barnyard]

I am vested in a bit over a year. Once I am vested, I'll take it year by year. I have been saving enough so that a pension does not matter. I am close enough though, that I might as well stay until I am vested and get something.

 

[1Low59]

Can anyone on here who has gone through feeder training this year tell me if pulling and parking 53' trailers is part of their training? I had to take a newly liscenced driver on my run last night which involves moving zzz and LC 53' trailers. He informed me that his trainer told him to let me (an hourly) teach him the ins and outs. Why is this my responsibility?

After I completed my training and obtained my CDL. I had to go on a 2 day "Mentoring" ride along with a 35 year C.O.H driver. It helped out. He gave me a lot good advise that is useful day to day. He told me it's the first time they have done that with a new feeder driver. Might be something new company wide.

 

[brownburro]

After I completed my training and obtained my CDL. I had to go on a 2 day "Mentoring" ride along with a 35 year C.O.H driver. It helped out. He gave me a lot good advise that is useful day to day. He told me it's the first time they have done that with a new feeder driver. Might be something new company wide.

I think that's what I did with this new driver.

 

[Covemastah]

I think that's what I did with this new driver.

That's a great idea , you will learn more from an experienced feeder driver , than a sup that read a book and did two weeks at DTS in Chicago

 

[BrownCubster]

I had a senior driver go with me on two nights under the new mentor program our feeder department has. I learned more in 2 nights with her than I did in my 2 weeks of feeder training.

 

[burrheadd]

I had a senior driver go with me on two nights under the new mentor program our feeder department has. I learned more in 2 nights with her than I did in my 2 weeks of feeder training.

Was it olroadhead

 

[BrownCubster]

Was it olroadhead

who?

 

[silenze]

who?

A member from the feeder safety committee does a one day ride with new drivers here.

 

[barnyard]

Everything that is old, is new again.

The senior guy in my building was trained by the senior guy, back in the day. The same guy also trained me when I was a shifter. Came in one morning at either 5a or 6a and spent 2 or 3 hours training me and showing me common mistakes and explaining what would happen if I made those mistakes. Gave me my 1st feeder flashlight when he was done.

Used to be that the senior guy that did the mentoring got an extra $1/hour.

 

[Pickles]

Question for other hub feeder drivers...



If you are on the extra board (vacation coverage) and there aren't enough vacations to fill can you bump the lowest seniority bid run?