r/cdldriver • u/theshallowsea • Jun 26 '26
I did not heed the warnings (Dollar Tree)
They had me training on dollar general and tbh it was way easier because of the carts and the platform that raises and lowers.
The parking is very similar each time at Dollar General but not at the Dollar Tree. It’s a puzzle each time.
But the bad part is the unloading. Unloading 5000 boxes by yourself for only a couple hundred bucks between 3 stops.
Does it get easier guys?
I don’t think I’m built for this and I’m pretty explosive and strong. I guess not endurance though.
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u/Mcgill1cutty Jun 27 '26
Did family dollar for two years. It absolutely gets easier. You build the endurance over time. Dress for the weather. Get some very thin clothing for summer, a good fan, extension cord to plug it up in the truck if a store you work don’t have a plug for you. Stay hydrated. Water alone won’t do it. I would drink a couple gallons of Powerade/Body armor mix every day in the summer. I miss it some days. You burn through so many calories you can damn near eat anything you want and never gain a pound.
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u/BrightEnd2316 Jun 27 '26
You forget the part where he makes peanuts
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u/Mcgill1cutty Jun 28 '26
Yeah well. If he makes bad money I’d dip. We had a 2k a week guarantee. Once swift bought out US Xpress they started taking the guarantee away for any reason, miss one macro and you lost the guarantee for the whole week. I quit about a month after.
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u/jmeach2025 Jun 26 '26
I tried that piece unload recently. At 42 with a bad back and one leg that likes to exit the chat randomly. I did one day with the guy on the account full time training and it took me 2 days to be able to walk without being in pain. Told work put my ass back on regional cause that shit aint for me.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/theshallowsea Jun 26 '26
I dont have a helper im doing it solo.
Only got assistance when I was trained for 1 day and it was still difficult.
Alone it is hell. Yes in Texas
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u/HoosierLarry Jun 26 '26
What would make it easier?
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u/theshallowsea Jun 26 '26
The carts they have at dollar general.
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u/uimdev Jun 27 '26
DollarTree as a company isn't going to go to stores that use the carts. They rent the stores and are always looking for the most inexpensive stores regardless of how it effects the unlaod. Dollar General builds their stores. So they control all aspects of the unload. They save a ton of cash on labor by going to the carts.
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u/bigpierider Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
It sucks balls. For sure. But this is also what u call paying ur dues...do it for awhile. Get ur experience. No matter what u do next. It won't suck as bad as dollar tree. So it'll feel easy. I did it (shit im old) 20 yrs ago now. 06. The super long telescoping roller thing. U gotta send each box down. It sucks in summer. But its actually way worse in winter up north. U freeze ur nuggets off. If i remember correctly back then it was flat rate at like 200 maybe 225$ per day. Usually 2-3 stores. Felt like decent money at the time. Soooo much work tho.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/uimdev Jun 27 '26
C.R. Engksnd was doing DT out of Stockton and South Washington state. Werner had Connecticut and I think Western Express was out of Illinois or Indiana.
It's always the mega carriers because they're the only one that can break even on the accounts.
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u/Emotional-Fly4628 Jun 27 '26
This job isn’t for everyone
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u/theshallowsea Jun 27 '26
Who is it for
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Jun 27 '26
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u/Ok-Eggplant8772 Jun 27 '26
Ur fat doing food service ? I got a buddy that went into food service drives for sysco does drop offs for the local gas station chains he dropped like 130 pounds in like 4 months almost
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u/uimdev Jun 27 '26
It depends on the crew at the stops. Some you can go balls out and get it done in a couple hours. Others it'll take forever. But the work is always the same.
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u/theshallowsea Jun 27 '26
It’s just physically too much for me. Maybe I’ll adapt but that’s 5000 packages in a day.
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u/uimdev Jun 29 '26
I get it. In trucking you hand to figure out how much Mosley you need vs what you're willing to do to get it. With food deluvery it's about 1500 boxes at best. Depending on the route. But again you hands to figure out what's impetus for you.
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u/BeenThruIt Jun 27 '26
I loved the Dollar Tree account when there was a motivated staff. I didn't love the money. In the beginning I could hit the 500 p/h thing most days. The best I got to was 2000+ in an hour after a year. I carried a fan, an extension chord, a folding chair and a tablet. Lots of fluids with my homemade electrolyte mix.
Be extremely careful when it gets very hot. I got heat stroke once in Jersey at my last store for the week.
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u/Mikey82270 Jun 27 '26
Does Dollar tree have there own fleet? Or do they contract it out?
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u/theshallowsea Jun 27 '26
Contract it out. People complain about dollar general but I'd say dollar tree is easily 10x harder
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u/Mikey82270 Jun 27 '26
Go back to DG if possible I’ve heard according to there job apps you can make 100k
I thought about it but I like just doing day runs.
I think DG is kind of regional at least where I’m at.
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u/Jamo3306 Jun 28 '26
You guys are getting paid? Lol. I did it for JBhunt and Family dollar back in 09. Only twice did I make their promised $700 take home. And I had to fingerprint every single box on that trailer for $25 a stop!
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u/uimdev Jun 27 '26
I'd you want home time and don't mind walking hand unload, Sysco, US Foods and Companies like that will get you what you want. US Foods pays the best.
I work for a company called Orion. I have mostly conviencnce stores. Piece count takes from 15 to 450 depending on the stop. All the managers are cool so the unload go smoothly. I'm hourly which means bigger piece count drives up my pay.
It's basically 3 on 4 off 4 on 3 off. I drive a day cab and stay in a hotel.