Western Railroad Discussion > So, you want to be a van driver for Railcrew Xpress...

well here ya go:

http://www.jobsinmotion.com/jobs/drivers---no-cdl-required/J3G8BW60X9F2SZBPV72?siteid=0010J0111



Allen

Hey look at that, as long as you haven't had a felony conviction in seven years you can drive for them. There is only a five year wait after you get out of prison.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey look at that, as long as you haven't had a
> felony conviction in seven years you can drive for
> them. There is only a five year wait after you
> get out of prison.

Good thing your not sarcastic.

OTOH....I know some excellent people who got felony convictions when they were 18 and doing something incredibly stupid while hanging out with a crowd and trying to "fit it". Not everyone who gets a record is a thug. Good people ought to get a 2nd chance, IMHO.

OK,driver don't pass this up! The only thing more exciting than
driving a crew van in Bill WY is watching paint dry in Siberia!

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

That's a big 10-4 rubber duck.
And all for 7:25 an hr and milage.
I ain't tradin my machinist wages for that. Although if I had to have one, a job is a job.
Im already on 24-7 365. Sorry Charlie!!
Same ad they've been running pretty much everywhere.
I'm sure most of those drivers are decent but wasnt there a story on the rr nostalgia forum of a crew caught up in a quick trip robbery while they were snoozing in the van. Talk about a bad day.

Posted from Android

I think this is the same taxi service that a fellow BNSF co-worker was being transported in a couple weeks ago and got T-boned. He's working the Amarillo-Belen long pool. Entire crew and driver are $@#! up, photos posted on Facebook.

Posted from Android

I have toyed with the idea that once I retire from my regular job, that I might hire on with the local van provider. I figure I could probably last a couple weeks before getting fired for using common sense on the job.

Gary

There used to be a web site called "JobVent" where folks posted good and bad things about their employers. It's been a few years since I have been there (it may no longer exist or have been merged into some other site) but Verizon ranked first and Progressive Insurance ranked last, but virtually all of the rail crew transport companies had mostly negative remarks about wages, hours, safety, treatment, etc.

Tom Y

If you're breathing, you're qualified and they'll consider you a candidate for hiring. This is what's known as the "race to the bottom." Here's a story that probably is worth reviewing:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,2948363,2948363#msg-2948363

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> webmaster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hey look at that, as long as you haven't had a
> > felony conviction in seven years you can drive
> for
> > them. There is only a five year wait after you
> > get out of prison.
>
> Good thing your not sarcastic.
>
> OTOH....I know some excellent people who got
> felony convictions when they were 18 and doing
> something incredibly stupid while hanging out with
> a crowd and trying to "fit it". Not everyone who
> gets a record is a thug. Good people ought to get
> a 2nd chance, IMHO.

I agree. IF, somebody made a mistake and has kept themselves out of trouble since, their felony shouldn't screw them for the rest of their life.....

66



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/14 13:28 by goneon66.

I know several people who drive for Renzenberger at Barstow, hauling road crews to Bakersfield, LA or Needles. They are paid on a combination of hours and miles, and apparently make decent money. A trip from Barstow to Needles and back will pay them over $150.00 in about 8 hours. The yard drivers that stay within the yard make much less apparently.

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

If the railraod companies valued their employees, and considered their time to be a corporate asset, tings would be a lot better. For example, requiring a driver to have a clean motor vehicle record for five years, and paying $15 a hour would make a huge difference in the people driving their crews around.

Even a very minor change like developing apps which take a driver to one of the God-forsaken recrew points would be a big improvement. Punch in "recrew point 3" and get driving instructions.

Earlier this week I listened to a 30 minute saga of a relief van driver trying to find the crew he was supposed to pick up near Manville Yard in NJ. The guy was really confused, but trying hard. The crew finally got off the train, walked a block and flagged him down. I know the area, and I probably would have had 10 minutes to figure out exactly where the crew was.

I had a driver who played in the NBA, was an ex-Navy SEAL and also a local police officer, driving on the side. Those are impressive credentials.

No doubt, our taxi drivers are a colorful bunch of people.

Hookdragkick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had a driver who played in the NBA, was an
> ex-Navy SEAL and also a local police officer,
> driving on the side. Those are impressive
> credentials.
>
> No doubt, our taxi drivers are a colorful bunch of
> people.

I'm retired and IF I needed the money OR just wanted something responsible to do, I'd have NO problem driving rails around.

I used to really enjoy talking to some of the drivers who were retired but just want to earn a little extra scratch while holding down a responsible job.......

66

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the railraod companies valued their employees,
> and considered their time to be a corporate asset,
> tings would be a lot better. For example,
> requiring a driver to have a clean motor vehicle
> record for five years, and paying $15 a hour would
> make a huge difference in the people driving their
> crews around.



These are NOT railroad employees.

How does higher pay help you find something?

Amazing, every time people talk about these guys that drive these vans, they make them out to be Norman Bates, Charles Manson, organized crime, the Mexican drug cartel, etc. If you have a driver you think is not safe, refuse to ride with him, guys, just tell your dispatcher "NO". You don't have to do anything that will endanger your life. Your big boys, act like it.
As for the guys that drive the vans, they are no different than trains crews, working odd hours, being called out 24/7, suffering sleep depravation, same as you.
Face it, some of you rails are rude, inconsiderate, hard headed, act like overgrown children. Act like men, and you'll be treated a s such. Be respectful, and you'll get respect. Think about, then go do it.

My van driver the other day said he was abducted by aliens at Kinsley, KS a little while back while waiting on a train to show up. His description of the event was rather comical!

Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the railraod companies valued their
> employees,
> > and considered their time to be a corporate
> asset,
> > tings would be a lot better. For example,
> > requiring a driver to have a clean motor
> vehicle
> > record for five years, and paying $15 a hour
> would
> > make a huge difference in the people driving
> their
> > crews around.
>
>
>
> These are NOT railroad employees.
>
> How does higher pay help you find something?

-----------

Re-read my first sentence

>>If the railraod companies valued their
> employees,
> > and considered their time to be a corporate
> asset,

railroad companies would be less interested in letting their crews rot on trains waiting for a very late crew driver. They bid the jobs to the lowest cost contract provider, and ignore the fact that their crews' time is being wasted.

In the example I mentioned at Manville, the railroad lost 45 minutes of crew time while this guy was blundering about town. Since the railroad doesn't care about how quickly crews are rested, that's OK.

We had a guy with a ankle bracket on and didn't tell us. Then at the state line pulled over and wouldn't go any farther. Hour later we got moving. He didn't know he had to drive out of state.
Female truck driver nearly had meltdown driving in rain storm. After ten miles she stopped and refused to keep going. You could see the end one mile ahead. She cried to her husband and boss before we got her moving again. She quit that day.
Driver went dead hauling us. Our van 10 miles away waiting to take us home. He refused to come get us. Told to wait at depot for us. 1:40 later he came. And it was on the way home to boot.
Had a driver from Louisiana tell me he knew how to drive in the snow. He didn't.
Had a driver set the cruise on icy road. Spun out flipped the truck. Crushed one conductors arm when windows broke and it fell out.
They are hiring Nigerians as well. They drive worse than most 80yr olds.
Bern hiring kids as well. They can't go without their peer support (party). Never rested.
Had one stop and proceed at a stop light the other day.. She laughed.

And refusing a van is fine. Now the 12-14hr day just went to 16. IF they have one.

And for those of you not used to working with stupid people, stop sticking up for them. Not all are stupid. The smarter ones quit.

And in poor towns, it pays better collecting from the government.

Good news, had a well off retiree last ride home. He fought 50 mph gusts in downpour to get us home.
Real trooper. Wish we had more like him.



And the Master conductors will solve the van problems.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/14 15:27 by SD45X.

SD45X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We had a guy with a ankle bracket on and didn't
> tell us. Then at the state line pulled over and
> wouldn't go any farther. Hour later we got moving.
> He didn't know he had to drive out of state.
> Female truck driver nearly had meltdown driving in
> rain storm. After ten miles she stopped and
> refused to keep going. You could see the end one
> mile ahead. She cried to her husband and boss
> before we got her moving again. She quit that
> day.
> Driver went dead hauling us. Our van 10 miles away
> waiting to take us home. He refused to come get
> us. Told to wait at depot for us. 1:40 later he
> came. And it was on the way home to boot.
> Had a driver from Louisiana tell me he knew how to
> drive in the snow. He didn't.
> Had a driver set the cruise on icy road. Spun out
> flipped the truck. Crushed one conductors arm when
> windows broke and it fell out.
> They are hiring Nigerians as well. They drive
> worse than most 80yr olds.
> Bern hiring kids as well. They can't go without
> their peer support (party). Never rested.
> Had one stop and proceed at a stop light the other
> day.. She laughed.
>
> And refusing a van is fine. Now the 12-14hr day
> just went to 16. IF they have one.
>
> And for those of you not used to working with
> stupid people, stop sticking up for them. Not all
> are stupid. The smarter ones quit.
>
> And in poor towns, it pays better collecting from
> the government.
>
> Good news, had a well off retiree last ride home.
> He fought 50 mph gusts in downpour to get us
> home.
> Real trooper. Wish we had more like him.
>
>
>
> And the Master conductors will solve the van
> problems.
>
> Posted from Android

Good Lord man You better quit the railroad, at the rate your going you won't live to see tomorrow!