foodliner employment

There are some threads all ready out there on the company. From what I read, its somewhat of a stable workforce. They do most of their business out of company based terminals. Is there a terminal near you?

 

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...less-bros-blue-grass.html?highlight=foodliner

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr.../90503-detention-pay.html?highlight=foodliner

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...liner-inc-dubuque-ia.html?highlight=foodliner

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...oodliner-in-chatt-tn.html?highlight=foodliner

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...vers/18868-foodliner.html?highlight=foodliner


Good luck

 

I can't speak from personal experience, but, I have a friend who started with them after the company we were with let him go when they downsized. He wound up getting on at Foodliner in the northern Indiana-Chicago area. He hauls flour and is home everyday. I know he works a lot, but he is the type to work himself to death. He started with them 7 years ago and is still there and has everything good to say about them.

 

Here is the quick and easy version:

To this day, the best company I have ever worked for was Foodliner. Back in 2007, I made $71,000 with them. I worked hard, but got paid good for it. Then in 2008, I only made $65,000. In 2009, my gross went down to $62,000. If I had finished 2010 with them, I would have grossed less than $60,000.

At one time, this company was the place to be. Top notch trucks, that ran like bears. Then the pay goes down. So does the top speed of the trucks. First the speed went from 72 MPH, to 68 MPH. Then it goes down again to 65 MPH. All the while my pay is in a steady decline.

Finally, in late August of this year, I wrote a few negative comments about the company, and mentioned I was going to start looking for other work. I was with the company for a full 5 years, but enough was enough. Somebody informed Foodliner about what I wrote, and 2 days later, I got fired.

Now Foodliner is within their rights to fire me, even if I do think it was a bit heavy handed. That is fine with me. But then I start looking for another job, and find out there isn't many good jobs out there. I apply for unemployment, so I can at least keep my child support paid up, and maybe give my wife and daughter enough money so they can eat. They denied my claim. That was like taking food out of my daughter's mouth, and I will not soon forget that. But still, there is no hard feelings, since I was glad to be away from some of the people I worked with there.

BUT THEN.....they played dirty ball with me.

I applied to a bunch of companies, and got a good offer. The problem is that the guy will not need me for about 6 months. I decide to get a job with one of the big companies to pay the bills, till the other job opens up. I get approved with little effort, and start preparing for orientation with the new company.

There was just one small issue. Foodliner listed my job history as "OTHER", as they also listed my safety record. The new company calls to clarify what they mean by other......suddenly I get told that my application has been denied!

The fact that they lowered my pay year after year was OK by me, as was firing me, and even denying my unemployment, but then to screw me over after I am out of their hair? That was completely uncalled for. I am now working at another job, making good money, but I will not soon forget how Foodliner put the screws to me.

Just to clarify, let me tell you, back in 2007, this was the best company I ever worked for in my 25 year career. As the company gets bigger, things are getting worse. The trucks are getting older, and the maintenance is being cut back. I had a trailer one day, about a week before I got fired, that had a brand spanking new tire on it, on the outside of the same dual wheels, as a tire that had steel belts showing through. What kind of company has 2 bad tires, and only replaces 1 of them, so it looks OK from the outside? A company that is having financial troubles, that's who!

There are many warning signs to look out for, to know a company is on it's way down. One major thing is when the equipment maintenance starts going down. And if you are smart enough to quit, or lucky enough to get fired, as I was, they put the screws to you even after you are gone.

Take what I write for what it's worth. I am just one guy, but let me tell you, the last month I was with Foodliner, all the old timers were complaining, not just me. Some guys with 7 or even 9 years with the company were searching for new jobs. What does that tell you? Take me at face value, but don't believe the sunshine and lollipops stories you hear as being the gospel either.

 

STAY AWAY from this company. The absolute worst year of my driving career. You can do better.
Joe

 

I have been considering going to work for Foodliner in the Savannah, Ga. area. I decided to look on here to get a vibe for them and so far it seems that there are a couple drivers that are very dissatisfied with their experience with them that have posted all about it under various threads. There are a lot of good comments on here also. 60-71k in this industry is pretty good especially for a regional position. I am pulling liquid bulk hazmat now regionally and only make about 40-42K. I think it is safe to say that no matter what company you look up on here you are going to find a handful of drivers that hated them and a handful that loved them. That's the beauty of this industry, if you think you like a company and then learn the hard way you hate it, driver demand allows you to change easily and most companies pay for orientation so you don't take such a hard hit making the change. I have learned over the years and several different companies that you hear more from the ones that hate their job than you do from the ones that love it. And unfortunately my opinion is that the guy at the truck stop telling you how great his company is is only because he wants a recruiting bonus for bringing you on. It sucks but more often than not it is happening.