Hello all. I have an "appointment" tomorrow at the Addison location for a feeder driver position. (SEASONAL)
Which brings up my first question. Is this an interview? Will I be in a room with a bunch of other people that applied? Should I bring my resume? Do I dress up? Just need clarification since it's just called an "appointment."
I am not familiar with what goes on in Addison Ill, but I will answer as well as I can. You already answers 5 questions on the computer that got you to this appointment. Now, they are going to feel you out a bit on this interview. They are going to see if you want to do the job, try to figure out if you didn't lie on those five questions before they decide to invest more time and money on a drug test and criminal background check.
You don't need a resume at all, but you might want to bring a sheet of paper containing information for jobs held for the last ten years. Dates of hire and leaving, names of companies, supervisor names, phone numbers etc. Names and dates of schools attended. The reason you might need all of this is that if they decide they want to continue the hiring process, they might throw you on a computer and have you fill out sections that ask for all of this. Or you might be able to do it at home. But if they insist on filling the info out there, they might send you for a drug test that day, unless you have pressing business and then they could let you do the drug test the next day.
You don't need a suit and a tie, but if that is your style, then go for it. But regular pants (with no holes), "polo" shirt and decent shoes or even workbooks will be fine. Whatever that is presentable that you are comfortable with. Now, if you are looking to parlay this into a supervisory position, then a suit or tie might help. If not, you can lower the standards.
Do feeder drivers haul containers, vans, triples/doubles? I've been doing containers as an O/O for the last 5 years and I can honestly say I love doing them. I have double/triple endorsement but have never done it, will they make me go through a training for that? Yes on containers, vans, and doubles. Containers are generally to and from the rail yard. As for triples, if that is allowable in your neck of the woods, then yes as well. Will you be trained on doubles and triples? Maybe yes and maybe no. Depends on the willingness of your trainer and the loads that are available during your training week. If you trainer wants to but no triple/double runs available. Then no. If loads available but trainer does not want to go through the trouble of training, then no. If the only loads available are triple/doubles, then your trainer might be forced to do the training. If work is light during your training week and your trainer is willing, he might have you hook up empty doubles and triples and drive them around a little with him in the passenger seat. In other words, it all depends.
Looks like the position is starting at night. I was used to starting at 4-6AM but I'm open minded on doing it and it helps I only live 10 minutes down the road. Since it's seasonal, do they usually keep some the drivers after the season? I own 2 trucks so I can continue doing that after the season if they don't. UPS is the only company I see is worth being a company driver for. Since you are in the world of trucking and are an owner operator, you know the load boards get rather thin after christmas and sort of stay that way for two months. Same thing at UPS. Most casuals get let go after Christmas (within a few weeks). If there is a need for new driver, there is a 6 to 1 ratio, where you(your category "off the street" anyway) are(is) the 1. The other six are from package, and transfers. That need for a new driver, driver(s) , may manifest itself soon in january , or perhaps later in the year. So honestly, getting hired permanently from the outside can be bit of a long shot. All depends on retirements, and other things like the economy and if an amazon warehouse is opening up in that area in February . Get what I'm saying? Also depends where they are in that ratio of 6 to 1 . The next opening might be the "off the street" hire or they might be right at the beginning of the 6. They might also owe positions to the package car drivers who want to make the jump to feeders(tractor trailer). So that 6 can be a bigger number. Also, they are choosing from amongst many to be that 1 in the ratio. That much being said, where I am at which aint where you're at, we've had a lot of off the street hires in the last few years preceded by years where the gates were shut. So there are many variables.
What's the approximate pay starting from the bottom? I hope I can net 1,500/week, but I can live off 1,000 since I will have income coming in from my other truck that I will have running.
Ahh, yes the money part.. you might be disappointed, but I am at top rate and at 40 hours a week( I got a job with little over time) I don't gross 1500 so obviously I don't net 1500. That's me and that's my choice . But I do have a choice. I could have gotten a job that started late at night and got me 2 hours ot. but I choose to come in during daylight and leave when it is daylight due to the fact there ain't nothing going on when I hit my eight hours. The guys with seniority over me don't want that sort of job(with little overtime) so that is why I can get it. Oh occasionally I will get some extra hours but i ain't looking for it.
When you say the bottom, let me clarify. As a casual, temp, whatever, you will get paid what they think they can get away with, with a bottom dictated by the contract. It could be 33 an hour, it could be 25 an hour. You will find that out tomorrow. Obviously peak is coming and there will be weeks where you will work more than 40 hour with overtime counting towards the hours past 40. And then there will be weeks, where you might work 5 hours one day and they will tell you "go home" and you might end up with 39 hours for the week.(some of that overtime). So that is that for the temp part.
If you are hired permanently after peak (which can happen , if at all, months down the line). The bottom isn't going to help your bottom line. The pay rate is 18.75 an hour the first year. Around 21 an hour the second year. 25 the third year and top rate the fourth year, which is close to 35 an hour. (a little lower where I am at because we kicked in a part of our raises towards the pension)
So I think I answered your questions as best as I could. Some of the answers you seek will become a little more clearer if you actually do the job and get to talk to some drivers and they can tell you if they are ready to hire more guys in the future. They know who is retiring. Management will tell you that they are intending to hire people permanently just to get you to chase that carrot.
You can also use the search function and type in "casual feeder drivers" and see what pops up . Might be more information out there.
Thanks in advance and I would appreciate further feedback.
