ClassA Newbie Curious About Tyson

Here is another interesting fact about private fleets. Sometimes their own accounting department deems them to be too costly.

I have been on a dedicated account for almost ten years now through my employer, Knight Transportation. We serve the world's largest supplier of extruded aluminum products. They were previously known as "SAPA," but now as "Hydro." They once had their own fleet to haul their products. They dropped all of that when they realized they could get it done cheaper by contracting it out to a large company who would take on the risks and figure out how to make it work by introducing their own efficiencies that had been developed over years of practice.

The drivers in that private fleet found out their job had no stability after the whole department was dismantled and reinvented by a company who had a better way of handling the problems they were inneffective at dealing with.

Ryan wrote:

Any class A position with a private fleet (hauls its own freight) is a good situation because you have better job stability than many other companies.

Subjective. Can you please expand on this Ryan? Factually I’m not aware of one (TL and LTL) being more or less stable than the other. I’ve worked for both and did not notice anything supporting your point. Fact is most private fleets (Tyson being an exception) do not train and require experience. So for a rookie, it’s typically moot.

I’ve read this a half dozen times and at the least I’d like to see some clarification given that many of our readers know very little about this industry.

I said many companies, not every company. Tyson is one a small handful of private fleets that hire without experience, but it's not the only. My comment was in no manner intended to speak on the hiring practices of any private fleet.

Private fleets have more stability because they are not relying on things like market fluctuations for broker rates since they exclusively haul their own freight. Private fleets will obviously fluctuate on the amount of freight needing to be hauled, thus the reason it is more stability versus absolute stability.

Here is another interesting fact about private fleets. Sometimes their own accounting department deems them to be too costly.

I have been on a dedicated account for almost ten years now through my employer, Knight Transportation. We serve the world's largest supplier of extruded aluminum products. They were previously known as "SAPA," but now as "Hydro." They once had their own fleet to haul their products. They dropped all of that when they realized they could get it done cheaper by contracting it out to a large company who would take on the risks and figure out how to make it work by introducing their own efficiencies that had been developed over years of practice.

The drivers in that private fleet found out their job had no stability after the whole department was dismantled and reinvented by a company who had a better way of handling the problems they were inneffective at dealing with.

As it pertains to Tyson, I would say that the trucking industry as a whole is in a dire situation if Tyson does away with its private fleet. It means that something other than trucks is becoming the primary mode of freight transportation.

I should have better worded my statement to indicate that the stability is unique to Tyson and small number of private fleets.

About private fleets. Hiring can come and go, especially in the current economy. I was at Johnsonville in WI this week and they have a recruiting poster in the shipping/receiving office. Very attractive driving job with lots of perks. I checked out their website which states that the position has been filled. Translation: We are not currently hiring.

Got a pulse and a CDL? Amazon.

Got a pulse and a CDL? Amazon.

Got a pulse and a CDL? Amazon.

You'll see when you're out here on the road with them.

10-4 👍

Got a pulse and a CDL? Amazon.

You'll see when you're out here on the road with them.

Got a pulse and a CDL? Amazon.

Unfortunately quite accurate. It's not exclusive to the drivers, either. If the truck starts and rolls forward, run it.

About private fleets. Hiring can come and go, especially in the current economy. I was at Johnsonville in WI this week and they have a recruiting poster in the shipping/receiving office. Very attractive driving job with lots of perks. I checked out their website which states that the position has been filled. Translation: We are not currently hiring.

Their website is accepting applications for OTR drivers out of Sheboygan Falls, WI (as well as Milwaukee, WI). It does specify 2 years of experience preferred. What catches my attention: "paid on hub miles," which is stated in the job listing. Man, it sounds like a pretty good gig there. 80 hours PTO right from the start. 10 paid holidays/year. Bruce, might be something to get in while the getting is good.