YRC Freight?

They’ve been on the balls of their ### for years. But seem to keep plugging along. When the government was handing out money during Covid, they got $775 million dollars. Granted, they updated their fleet, but if this economy keeps tanking, they’ll just file bankruptcy and come back as a smaller company. I know I might get some flak for my thoughts, but it’s just a matter of time.

 

Well, I worked there for 3 years starting 8 years ago (actually I was at USF Holland before it was merged into Yellow, but Yellow owned them) and I am amazed they still exist. As for the pay and bennies... I dont think there are many LTLs - much less union shops - that pay worse. The company somehow gets the union to give back part of the pay to the company. When I was there it was 15%. Depending on where you are the retirement is only 25% of what it should be (Central States). Also the union gave back 1 weeks of vacation as well. Someone has pictures of the union leadership doing bad things me thinks...

The only real plus is they have fully paid family health insurance, and its actually pretty good.

 

Given the current environment for freight--and the fact that you only have about 7 months experience--you may well need to start out with YRC/Yellow, anyway.

One big advantage with them--usually, they pay for your health insurance, completely. Also: many of their locations are unionized. Because of this--if they were to somehow go out of business--it would not catch you by surprise.

Most of the other LTL carriers are gonna want at least a year's experience. More than that of course would make you still even more competitive.

The GOOD news: Texas is probably one of the BEST places in the US to be a truck driver. Lots of terrific opportunities there--once you get in some more "seat time" (2 years experience--or more).

-- Lual

 

A big plus with the health insurance is pre-existing conditions are covered, no questions asked.

 

All of the Yellow locations are Union.
Your health care for you and your family is paid by company. Teamsters administrate the Health and welfare plans.
Dental,Vision, Drugs.... No questions asked....
Pension is not what it used to be but still better than some...

 

I agree with what @JohnBoy stated. I was in the LTL game for 7 years about 10 years ago, and every few months the big rumor was “YRC is closing next month”. I don’t know how they keep hanging on but they do. They were in trouble financially one time and the rumor was Estes bought all of their terminals, and then turned around and rented them back to YRC. I guess so they didn’t have to show so much property “owned”. Who knows. It might be all ######## anyway. 2 things for sure, someone at YRC made out like a fat cat, and the LTL community could give any number of high school teen girls a run for their money in the gossip category.

 

Estes only bought 10 of them or so I was told by the Estes terminal manager in New Brighton as I was interviewing there about 10 or so years ago. They had 10 year leases with an automatic renewable 10 years. I believe they were bought in 2008, so Estes (in theory) take them over in 5 years or so. I KNOW they want the Minneapolis terminal as soon as they can get it (the one in Blaine), I also know Yellow is getting ready to move everything from that yard to their Burnsville yard (I worked there from 15-18). Estes had outgrown the yard they are in when I worked there (13-15). Yes, I was stupid enough to go from Estes to Yellow (actually Holland at the time).

Minneapolis and Indianapolis are 2 of the 10 I know for sure. I think Milwaukee is another. Not sure about the rest.

 

I can only give my perspective from the Canadian side, but here's my take. I've actually worked for them twice. Before and after the changes.

Before the changes, I was proud to be driving around their worn out old junk. I was full time, so the wage was acceptable and the benefits good at that time. I was surrounded by decent people in that era, and management was actually good to work with. I ended up quitting to pursue something else.

Fast forward to a few years later, I was hired back on as a casual again. I wasn't really aware of all the changes that had taken place, and thought I was walking back into what I had once known. I was very, very wrong. The wage was now a joke, benefits slashed, management was toxic and not easy to work with, and half of my co-workers were cranky to be around. I was no longer proud to be driving around their old junk, so I quit and made more money driving a dump truck around in circles.

 

So you quit for 'greener pastures' only to find more brown than green, then went back and found even worse conditions so you went on to something else?

Congrats, you have contributed to the driver shortage myth.