Profile For

Actually, it is “The math”. If you bothered to actually read my op instead of scanning it looking for points to make infantile objections to you would have seen the part where I said very clearly that $100k working in your home yard is easily obtainable, and when deployed they pay rate is doubled - 2 X $100k = $200k. Only thing left on the table is your pointless comments. The hourly rate varies based on experience and location, my starting hourly rate was $26 I believe. This rate is how you are paid when doing pre/post trip, transport to/from deployment, and when assisting in the yard or other non-commission work. The bulk of the pay is commission per vehicle hauled, and is based on a zone system which is essentially a distance factor and is different for each yard and the insurance company/account the vehicle belongs too. When hired I was told to expect an average of $50 per car, and an anticipated 8 cars per day. In the yard I trained at and on the schedule we worked my trainer and I did 12 cars most days, his average was between $700-$800 a day. Add to that his hourly work. Honestly you don’t have to like the job, or the fact that I posted it here. I figure if one person who comes here decides to look into it and finds it to be the perfect job for them it was worth my time.

Gregg

1 - Not a 1099 job. Full benefits including all the bells and whistles, as well as employee stock purchase plan. 2 - No, not recruiting. This is a company/job that I encountered through my job searches in the towing field - a place most readers here won’t be looking. I feel it’s a great opportunity for the right people, and given that many here are unsure where to go career-wise I felt sharing was appropriate. 3 - Really? I thought $23,000 in 30 days was pretty clear. If your calculator isn’t working, that’s on target for a $200,000 plus W2. Yes, lots of time away from home, but sleeping in hotels, day time hours, and weekends off. So there’s the math.

Gregg

I also think there is another factor in this issue that I’m shocked most people in this industry are unaware of. While testing and “acceptable” levels are well known, and often a legal “slam dunk” many states (maybe all) have provisions for conviction based entirely on the arresting officer’s testimony of his judgement of level of impairment. Why? Because there are numerous circumstances where testing cannot be performed, ranging from circumstances to equipment and others. So this means there are two things you need to know: First, just because you “passed” a blood alcohol test, or weren’t tested for something else in your system, doesn’t mean you will get a walk. And second, if you are arrested and NOT blood tested you need to do it yourself, as soon as you possibly can. Otherwise you have nothing to refute the officers testimony.

Gregg

So first I want to apologize if this post runs long. And second I want to say that I have been here a while, and I understand this is a resource/recruitment tool for CDL-A drivers. I am offering this information because I think it might be a good alternative driving career for some of the folks who wander through here, and I personally always like options. Copart is the largest vehicle reseller/liquidation company in the U.S. They have hundreds of yards here and in Canada, as well as operations overseas. They primarily auction insurance vehicles, but will also handle donated vehicles, direct buys, and non-vehicle insurance loss items. I was hired by them in January to run a 4 car rollback/carrier. This is a class B CDL truck, their newer trucks are twin screw Kenworths. They also run 2 car rollbacks (under CDL) and hotshots - heavy pickups with 4 and 5 car trailers, a CDL-A rig. They train, and will even help you get a CDL in some cases. The job consists of picking up vehicles from body shops, impounds, and private residences. The pay is both hourly and commission, and for the position I had would do $90-$100k a year, from your home yard. Home yard? Yep - in addition to working from your home yard, you are also expected to be available for “deployment”, or being sent wherever they need additional resources. They pay for travel time, room, rental car, and per dining for food. Oh - and double rate on commission . . During my training my trainer was deployed for 30 days (2 hours from home so he was home weekends) and he earned something just over $23,000. You do the math. I know it’s not for everyone, and many simply won’t have a Copart facility near enough, or one that hiring. But if you have any interest at all Google them and check out their website, especially the Careers pages and the Catastrophic Response stuff.

And if you post questions here I’ll be happy to share what I know.

Gregg

We’ve had this discussion where I work ad nauseum. Obviously those who use want to believe that legalization will change the landscape. The truth is, as far as work related issues, nothing will change. What you have to understand is that DOT testing and regulations are the MINIMUM hurdle. How many companies test above that level for pre-hire and post incident, by using hair follicle and other methods? Most? All? And why do they do that- because their insurance carriers require it. And do the insurance carriers care about “fair” testing for “level of impairment”? Not one damn bit. Because if you drive with any detectable level of a substance known to cause impairment, and cause or even get caught in an accident or serious incident, some attorney will grab hold of that and make someone - the insurance carrier - pay. So it’s simple really - if you chose to put yourself in the position of being a liability, you will be invited to work somewhere else. Assuming somewhere else will still hire you. And sure, someone could spend millions researching and validating “impairment level”, but whose paying for that? The insurance industry? Lol - no. Why would they? They already have a standard of performance - zero. So legal or not, there won’t be an “acceptable” level any time soon.

Gregg

As the title says - I did a search and there isn't much recent feedback/information regarding XPO.

I've had my CDL for many years and did not drive CDL-A trucks since finishing school, although I have been driving B and light mediums for years. XPO is advertising for home daily positions in the local (Allentown) terminal with 5 or 7 week training for unlicensed/inexperienced drivers, which appeals to me. I spoke with a recruiter and they are instead going to offer me the opportunity to come in for a road test to evaluate my skills, and if acceptable will simply train me in Allentown for a few weeks.

They are offering either P&D or line-haul. I'm looking for any feedback about XPO in general, and maybe some opinions about choosing between the two job options if I sign on . . .

Thank for anything you care to offer

Gregg

I know its been a while, but I'm also in SE PA and considering XPO Logistics - I was wondering if you ever signed on with them?

Gregg

I don’t know if they fit your desired parameters for an employer, but have you looked at Prime? I’m 59, have had my CDL-A and all endorsements for 25 years but never drive professionally, have a current medical card, and recently started looking into the field again, much like you. Prime was very interested in hiring me for flatbed, even with my medical history (typical for an old guy), and my recruiter told me they hire lots of guys like me and have a program to help get us on the road quickly. Basically they run you through their normal training but skip the DOT testing, and if you re-acclimate quickly they move you along quickly. I applied to Prime through this website, but if you like I can give you the contact information for the recruiter I spoke to.

Gregg

A cult that drives! I want to join! Especially if they’re in a conspiracy - how much fun would that be! 🤣😂

Gregg

It is incidents like this that create a public perception and environment that leads to more and more regulation, and more aggressive/mandatory sentences for violations. Were you afraid for your life? No doubt - I would have been. But how do you think the two four-wheelers felt? And how many of their friends and family got to hear the story? And it doesn’t matter if they recognized the true hazard, and proper response - they were put in danger by a commercial driver.

Now I was taught to “merge aggressively” or in other words make a space. If anyone here has ever merged onto I95 from South Street in Philadelphia you’ll understand why - short steep incline ramps with no opportunity to build merging speed, and fast moving high density traffic to merge into. You stop and in could be 30 minutes before you can get out. That being said I was also taught that I can’t see everything, especially around or through other vehicles. How often does someone in front of you brake for no apparent reason, only for you to discover there was another vehicle in front of them that you didn’t see, or some kind of hazard (around here it’s deer) that you also hadn’t seen?

The sign on the ramp clearly reads “YIELD” - we all know that, and in the end that is the governing law, regardless of best practices and professional courtesy. That drivers behavior was not only unprofessional and inappropriate in every way, it was hazardous and unnecessary. Me, I would have videod everything that happened after the merge incident and called the State Police from the rest stop.

Here’s the hard truth - nobody wants to throw another driver under the bus, but this industry needs to start self-policing incidents like this to get dangerous drivers off the road.

Gregg