Profile For Delco Dave

I've heard that the application process is really long with ABF. How long did the whole process take you from application to getting hired?

I applied online, took about 3 weeks. I already had a friend working at my terminal who referred me and spoke with the terminal manager so my application was recognized and processed pretty quick. Get your tanker and doubles/triples endorsements prior to your interview. Being prepared to roll will improve your chances of being hired. They will provide the Hazmat class during training and submit your paperwork to the State and FMCSA around week 4 of training. Then you can go test and add that endorsement before your road testing.

I work for ABF, if hired you will be sent to a schooling location and learn to drive a manual truck and build and break a set of doubles. Upon completion of your training and passing your road tests (state and company), you will report to your home terminal and have to complete 80hrs of dock training. All city and utility drivers are combination workers which means we are paid by the hour all work the dock as well as drive. I interviewed with YRC/YELLOW, their program was basically the same.

If your near a main ABF terminal, you could be a road only driver, they are paid by the mile, drop/hook, placarding, etc… and bid on routes to specific local terminals. They do not work the dock at all.

You can check out my training diary to get an idea of what to expect.

I say go for it!!! I run them most nights. I bring a 53 Van from my home terminal to our main. 9 out of 10 times they send me home with a set. I’m still new to it all and enjoy building a set, haven’t had to do it in winter yet though! I prefer a set due to my home terminal being very tight. Pups are easier to dock. Docking a 53 blindside is tough anywhere, even more so at my terminal. Theres no where to turn around to sight side when I get back and just enough room to pull off the blindside with a single screw.

As Bobcat said, smooth lane changes and slower then posted speed on/off ramps. Your tail pup follows your lead so less off tracking on turns. More things to check with pre/post trip. Double check your paperwork, lighter trailer must be the tail. If heavier pup is on tail it will sway and possibly tip over.

Keep a hammer and extra glad hand seals in your truck. Sometimes the pintle locks get stuck and you need to tap them open to hook your gear. You can use the safety chain hook but its a pain and dangerous for your fingers.

We seem to do a lot of loads going from distribution centers to LTL places

I’ve been looking for you!!! Theres been a Barr-Nunn truck at our main ABF terminal in Carlisle almost every night around midnight-1am the past 2 weeks. Hopefully we’ll cross paths at some point

A lot of people frown on dockwork, but it's not that bad (at least in my experience with FedEx). My run is 102 miles each way and I work the dock 3-4 hours. I work 45 hours a week and make 1,700-1,800 a week.

I’m with ABF in a similar gig and pay scale as Banks. I do yard moves and work the dock 4-5 hrs then run to the main terminal in Carlisle PA, 230 miles round trip. We have been absolutely slammed since I started in April, no slow down at all.

As far as dock work goes, its 99.9% forklift, very little man handling of freight. Having the dock work is a blessing in disguise, if your short on HOS hrs at the end of the week you just stay put and work the dock.

I’m currently learning to load my trailer and had longer days early this week, its more difficult then you would think. Takes a while to learn what can be stacked on and what has to be tracked, what has to stay on floor, weight distribution, etc… I had just enough hrs to make my run last night pending I completed loading by 9:30pm. I did complete in time but my manager opted to keep me on dock rather then risk an HOS violation if I ran into any problems on the road or at main terminal. Without the dock option, I may have lost a days pay at another company

Thats crazy!!! In my landscaping days I used to haul a skid loader around quite a bit. That truck didn’t move until I personally secured and double checked the 4 ratchet chains.

The back part leaned back. If the seat bottom tilted back I would be golden but its in a fixed position

I had a similar issue in the 18 FL I drive. I ordered a memory foam cushion from amazon, $30 or so. Didn’t solve problem but helps quite a bit.

Also like Packrat said, play with seat settings. I have seat leaned back and as far down to floor without losing sight of my right fender mirror, very little air. I’m almost in same driving position as seat in my F-150

Having recently trained and tested on a manual, I can relate to JJ’s concern. There is a lot to take in, in a short period of time and the fear of messing up shifting can eat you alive. But.. if you were given ample time to practice during training, come test day, you’ll be fine. After getting through the pre trip and maneuvers, you’ll be so focused on completing the test the shifting will come naturally. A little grind here and there is no big deal, the testers know we are all new at it and its expected. My trainers and tester all said most fails are due to forgetting to flip the T bar between 5th and 6th and coasting or coming to a stop in 6 and forgetting to flip it down to start from 1st and stalling.

I would like JJ to explain the difference in backing a manual vs an automatic, too. I never encountered a difference in geometry with either type. In my observations, backing is backing

The geometry is the same. The difference is the speed control. The manual creeps as fast or slow as you allow it to by clutch. In an auto its the brakes. I use different trucks all the time for yard moves. Some autos creep back nicely. Others you need to force them with the pedal. Some brakes grab quickly and stop your momentum, some just rub the drum and slow you just like you want. Then theres the grade gripper function where your feathering the fuel pedal but not moving, hit pedal a little harder and you take off. I will grab a manual whenever possible for the moves for the speed control aspect

Only the city and utility drivers are paid hourly and held to the 7/60 rule. The road drivers who operate out of the main terminal are paid CPM plus drop/hook, placard, delays, etc… They run on the 8/70 rule. Not sure if they reset or also run an endless recap. I’ll ask one of them this coming week.

Delco do you have any idea why they run on 60/7 and don't allow a reset even though legally you satisfied the 34 hour requirement? I'm assuming it's in the contract to prevent drivers from working too much but I'd be annoyed.

I have asked why and the only answer I’ve gotten is its been that way forever. I too think its the Union’s way of protecting the drivers from being over worked. It does add a bit of stress to the job for me because I feel like I’m always racing the clock. Some of the other guys have told me staying on the dock Friday will happen here and there when the day guys run into problems and get back late with the Freight and thats fine, just don’t purposely make it a steady schedule to be done around midnight on Friday’s.

We strip and stage all the freight from the day time city trailers then load road trailers to be taken to Carlisle. Some trailers are unloaded and reworked there, some are loaded for other main regional terminals and are just relayed through Carlisle

We have to walk to the back of our trailers and make sure the door is closed and either the safety chain is up or the door on the dock is closed before we pull a trailer from the door. If you don't, and the trailer isn't closed it's basically an automatic firing since it can get someone hurt or killed.

At the terminal, we are always required to check the trailer for people and pull the dock plate, also, close the door if its a roll up. Air horn must be blown twice, toot, toot, and pull away very slowly. Basically same procedure at customers in addition to a verbal OK from dock staff or green light if not in building.

Let me share my endless recap experience in the union LTL world to cover another area of this discussion. As I said early in this conversation, we run on a 7 day/ 60 hr clock, no reset over weekend. Our daily clock is the same 11/14 but we cannot maximize all that time because we would burn most of our clock up by Thursday and have to stay on the dock Friday. It is essential that we get out everyday so our days are set up to be 11-12 hr shifts.

I run city as well as utility to the main terminal in Carlisle. My day starts at 4pm with either yard moves, dock work or a city run pickup/delivery, sometimes all 3. I take lunch around 8-8:30pm to satisfy my required 30 min break. I leave for the main terminal between 9-10pm. Need 5-1/2-6 hrs to complete the trip there and back.

Since my shift splits calendar days, I get recap hrs back every day at midnight so I don’t have to worry about hrs till Friday night into Saturday. I try to keep my 1st 4 days to a max of 11:30 hrs each week so I have a full 14 going into my last day just in case I run into any problems. I am the last person at my terminal for the week and would have to call my manager at home, in the middle of the night if I ran out of hrs and needed to be rescued. Don’t wanna be that guy. Any leftover hrs from the week are there for Monday in addition to your recaps from The previous Monday.

Couple side notes…. If I was to switch bids and get a day shift, I might have to take off that 1st Monday to set up my recaps going forward depending on the previous weeks hrs. I usually start my week with 9-11 hrs available which may not be enough to complete the Monday runs.

The only time our clock completely resets is if you take a week vacation. Upon return to work that next Monday you would have your full 60hr clock available.

This is what my typical HOS week looks like. Available hrs for tomorrow is 11:21, wouldn’t fit in screenshot

I work for ABF Freight, they provided the Hazmat training then sent the info to the fed and state on my behalf. I imagine any companies that require Hazmat would do the same. For OTR companies where Hazmat is not required you might have to find the training on your own if you wish to get the endorsement for more load availability. There are a few accredited online courses, community colleges and private CDL schools may also have programs as well. Just gotta poke around google to find them.

The only endorsement that requires training before taking the test is Hazmat. Once you complete the class/course/training your info will be sent to the FMCSA and your home state allowing you to take the test.

All the others can be studied for on your own and taken at anytime

At ABF Freight, Teamsters union, we run on a 7 day/60 hr cycle. All recaps, our clock never resets even though we have close to 60 hrs off every weekend.

I’ve asked a few other drivers and no one knows why our contract is set up this way, just has been for many many years.

Interesting Packrat! Can’t wait to see your tally. I’m at around 450 on the low end since April 18th based on a 10-12 per day average. Actual number is definitely higher. Our yard jockey has been down for awhile and may not be coming back so a lot of my moves have been with a manual tractor

Sorry, forgot to add. As PJ said, local work requires a lot of backing. I reverse 15-25 trailers everyday. Mix of 53’s and pups. Most moves are at my terminal which is pretty tight quarters. Rest are at customers and our main terminal.

Just a thought!!! There is a nation wide shortage of school bus drivers. You could get your CDL B license, drive a school bus until she heads off to college, then train and upgrade to an A.

I was trained by and work for a local LTL company, ABF Freight. I am home everyday and weekends, but am on the 4pm-4am shift. Not able to get on a day shift until I get some seniority which could take a few years.

Wish you the best of luck whatever you decide!

I’m currently driving a single screw, 2018 FL Cascadia. All us night guys slip seat with the day shift. All the Macks were already spoken for so I had 3 FL’s to choose between. Took a different one my 1st 3 nights out and liked the 2018 the most.

I think its a pretty smooth, comfortable ride. I’ve noticed it bounces me around more with 30k plus in a 53 then a lighter load. A set of heavy doubles seem to be the smoothest overall ride.