Could Use Some Advice About A Couple Potential Job Offers I Have

I'm scratching my head over your response to the LTL suggestion. You already said you don't mind nights. You are aware that the extraboard is possibly something you'll have to put up with at one of the two jobs you did list. And you mentioned being a diabetic and hard physical labor. I remember you mentioning health issues before, months ago.

You want to make more money. You want to be home more. Why in the world wouldn't you be interested in LTL? To me, that's exactly what you're describing when talking about your wants. And why do all the hard labor of food service when you can run linehaul and make even more money?

6 String, perhaps I should take another look at it, but I don't think it's really a good fit right now. There's some really good money to be made in linehaul but I think I would I would want to shoot myself after about six months of the same monotony. I think I'd love P&D , but I'm concerned about the diabetes. It's not that I can't do the job, but there are very strict regulations I have to follow concerning the diabetes and I know they would be much more difficult to adhere to in that type of job.

Don't get me wrong--I can, have, and will do any job to support myself and my family--but it's a driver's market. I'm ok with making a little less money if I love the job and I have enough flexibility to ensure I'm following all these regs.

I can appreciate your response. Monotony is certainly a major part of linehaul. Some embrace it. Others not so much.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’ve decided to go with American Furniture Warehouse. I was going to wait around and see if something better popped up, but I decided to just go ahead with these guys because I was stressing way too much about all this and I really don’t want to wait another six months to get rid of one of my cars. I’m not very good at making decisions like this, so every time a company made me an offer I’d go a little nuts even if it wasn’t a very good offer. I’m sure if I’d waited around I could’ve found something better paying, but this gig is also pretty much exactly what I was looking for:

- Gone for a week at a time

- Beautiful equipment, well maintained, with a few extra creature comforts

- Great pay

- Reasonable weekly mileage

- “Chill” work environment (hopefully—that remains to be seen)

I’m sure there are greener pastures, but I don’t need the greenest pasture in the world. A good solid job working for good people works for me—and I’m thrilled. Besides, I don’t really plan on being in this profession for an incredibly long time anyway. Part of the reason I want to go back on the road is so I can focus more on teaching myself IT/computer programming without all the distractions at home.

Anyhow, I’m super excited and can’t wait to get out there and start driving for them. I officially put in my two weeks with Swift yesterday—my last day will be Friday the 25th and I’ll start with AFW on Monday the 28th. I wasn’t originally planning on going back on the road until at least January so I have a lot to get ready in the next couple weeks.

I’ll post a new thread when I get started with them.

Good for you Pianoman. Well thought decision, I am sure I am not alone in wishing you "all the best" with this new endeavor.

This goes for anybody in a situation similar to Pianoman (The current gig just isn't getting me the time/miles/whatever I was hoping for).

If you want to leave on good terms, and you might be open to stick with your current company, the best thing you can do is have a sit-down with your Fleet Manager. Your FM certainly does not want to let a good driver go (and you know you are in the top 5%, right?). Discuss what you are looking for, listen to your FM's answer. You may be surprised.

Then, if you still want to leave the fold, smile, shake hands and say thanks anyway. Chances are you will have an "OK to rehire" in your record.

Good for you Pianoman. Well thought decision, I am sure I am not alone in wishing you "all the best" with this new endeavor.

Thanks G, I'm looking forward to it. I appreciate your advice the other day as well.

If you want to leave on good terms, and you might be open to stick with your current company, the best thing you can do is have a sit-down with your Fleet Manager.

Excellent advice Errol. I did this a couple months ago and I've known others who did this--it makes a big difference. Unfortunately there's not alot my fleet manager could do in this case, but she has made it very clear that I'm welcome back if things don't work out at AFW. This is actually the only time I've ever left a job with such an open invitation to return--feels good.

Good luck Pianoman, I checked their CSA scores and they are amazing and I also checked their CAB report which gives you a historical of a company from the day they started till where they are today and that was one of the cleanness I have seen..... thhe few violations they have you can tell come from some knuckle head drivers that did no do a proper pre trip such as inoperable lamp and stuff.... having an idea about your work ethic and thoroughness, I am sure you will be a superstar there..... congrats and good luck

Good luck Pianoman, I checked their CSA scores and they are amazing and I also checked their CAB report which gives you a historical of a company from the day they started till where they are today and that was one of the cleanness I have seen..... thhe few violations they have you can tell come from some knuckle head drivers that did no do a proper pre trip such as inoperable lamp and stuff.... having an idea about your work ethic and thoroughness, I am sure you will be a superstar there..... congrats and good luck

Thanks Cornelius. Yeah they're really proud of their CSA score, which is why they have all their new hires pass a pretrip test in addition to a road test. I actually learned a couple things on the road test as well.