| So you’re a trucker...
You may be a short hauler, and probably unionized. You may be an owner/operator hiring yourself out, or work long-term for a big long-haul firm. There are some 3.1 million truck drivers in the U.S. today, and the $585 billion trucking industry makes it a big engine indeed. In fact, trucking is responsible for about 5 percent of the $11 trillion American economy, as well as 87% of the $677 billion transportation industry.
About 1.4 million truckers belong to the Teamsters union, about 45% of all truckers. But union membership has been steadily falling, despite the overall growth of the industry.
For up-to-date information about events affecting your pension right now, take a look at our Recent Articles section.
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What type of plan do I have?
Unionized short-haul truckers tend to have multi-employer pension plans negotiated by their unions. Long haulers are more likely to have single-employer plans. And both types of plans are usually Defined Benefit Plans.
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Is your plan good for the long haul?
Trucking has grown vigorously over the last decade and that growth – combined with a shortage of drivers – has been keeping salaries high. But this fragmented, highly competitive, and low-margin industry remains sensitive to the economy, interest rates, and the price of diesel. This has contributed to the underfunding epidemic of many trucker pension funds.
A December, 2005 study by the Central States Pension Improvement Committee compared the Teamster's Central States Fund with six other larger Teamster funds. The report, as discussed on the Teamsters for a Democratic Union website, found that despite deeper cuts in benefit, the Central States fund had "the same employers, the same demographics, the same ratio of retirees, and a similar funding ratio." The group has called for more detailed information so they can produce an independent actuarial study of the fund.
According to an October 2004 article in Financial Planning magazine, trucking was underfunded by 33% in the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) multiple-employer program.
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Pension plan road hazards
Although the trucking industry itself is generally healthy, the private pensions covering truckers face uncertainty. This is particularly true for short haulers, who tend to be unionized, and therefore often have multi-employer plans. A failure by one or more employers in a multi-employer plan can threaten others. As that employer’s contribution drops out of the plan, other companies have to make up the difference in future contributions.
Also, the Teamsters pension funds have been plagued with numerous financial problems. The largest, the Central States Pension Fund – with approximately $16 billion in assets – was down about $6 billion as of March 2003.
Therefore, all truckers – and particularly short haulers – should take the time to look into their pensions to make sure their funds are safe. If you aren’t up-to-date on how your pension is doing, our Understanding Your Pension section can help you make sense of your pension plan materials and get more information.
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Where do I go to find out about my pension
Good intentions and complex legal mandates are not enough to protect your retirement income. Truckers should take steps to inform themselves about their company pension plans – through your company’s Human Resources organization and, if unionized, through your local union representatives as well.
This website has been designed to help you. Click to our easy-to-follow Understanding Your Pension section for more detailed information.
You can also click here to see contact information for the trucking industry.
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Contact Information for Truckers
Major Trucking Companies:
Contact information for the major trucking companies is listed below. Where possible, we have included direct numbers or web addresses to the relevant pension, benefits, or human resources departments.
ABF Freight System, INC.
www.abfs.com
Main: 1-800-610-5544
Benefits: 479-785-6000
American Freight Company
www.freightcenter.com
Main: 727-595-5950
Averitt Express
www.averittexpress.com
Main: 1-800-283-7488
Bax Global Air Freight
www.baxglobal.com/US.asp
Benefits: 714-442-4518
Bullet Freight
www.bulletfreight.com
Main: 1-888-506-7437
Bullocks Express
www.bullocks-express.com
Main: 1-800-459-3614
Central Freight Lines, Inc.
www.centralfreight.com
Main: 1-800-782-5036
Central Transport
www.centraltransportint.com
Main: 1-800-334-4883
CNF, Inc.
www.Cnf.com
Main: 650-494-2900
Benefits: 503-450-2000
Dayton Freight
www.daytonfreight.com
Main: 1-800-860-5102
DHL Worldwide Express
www.Dhl-usa.com
Main: 954-888-7000
Benefits: 954-888-5716
Estes Express Lines
www.estes-express.com
Main: 1-866-ESTES4U
Benefits: 1-866-ESTES4U x2211
Federal Express
www.Fedex.com
Main: 901-369-3600
Benefits: 901-434-4800
G.I.Trucking
www.gi-trucking.com
Main: 714-523-1122
Benefits: 714-223-2540
J.B. Hunt
www.jbhunt.com
Main: 1-800-643-3622
Kane Freight Lines, Inc.
www.kaneisable.com
Main: 1-800-845-KANE (5263)
Benefits: 1-800-374-4631
Nebraska Transport Company, Inc.
www.nebt.com
Main: 1-800-347-6331
New England Motor Freight
www.nemf.com
Main: 908-965-0100
Benefits: 732-940-7216 x263
Nussbaum Trucking
www.nussbaum.com
Main: 1-800-322-7305
Oak Harbor Freight
www.oakh.com
Main: 1-800-285-6254
Benefits: 1-800-858-8815
Old Dominion Freight Line
www.odfl.com
Main: 1-800-432 6335
Benefits: 336-822-5230 (Bill Tittsworth)
Pilot Air Freight
www.pilotair.com
Main: 610-891-8100
Benefits: 610-891-8122
Roadway Express, Inc.
www.Roadway.com
Main: 330-384-1717
Saia Motor Freight
www.saia.com
Main: 1-800-765-7242
Benefits: 800-950-7242
Schneider National, Inc.
www.Schneider.com
Main: 920-592-2000
Benefits: 800-558-6701 x4183
Southeastern Freight Lines
www.sefl.com
Main: 800-637-7335
Benefits: 1-800-637-7335 x3266
Swift Transportation
www.swifttruckingjobs.com
Main: 1-800-669-7943
Benefits: 1-800-800-2200 (ask for benefits)
UPS
www.ups.com
Main: 404-828-6000
Benefits: 1-800-643-4442
US Freightways
http://www.usfc.com/
Main: 773-824-1000
Viking Freight (re-branded to FedEx Freight West)
www.fedexfreight.fedex.com
Main: 901-369-3600
Benefits: 1-800-525-4478
Vitran Express
www.vitranexpress.com
Main: 800-366-0150
Benefits: 317-803-4039
Ward Trucking
www.wardtrucking.com
Main: 1-800-458-3625
Watkins Motor Lines
www.watkins.com
Main: 1-800-274-9099
Benefits: 1-888-552-6215 x3700
Werner Trucking
www.werner.com
Main: 402-895-6640
Benefits: 1-800-228-2240 x2681
Wilson Trucking
www.wilsontrucking.com
Main: 540-949-3200
Benefits: 540-949-3276
Wichita Southeast Kansas Transit (WSKT)
www.wskt.com
Main: 1-800-879-9758
Benefits: 1-800-879-9758 x152
Yellow Roadway Corporation
www.Yellowroadway.com
Main: 913-696-3028
Non-Union Benefits: 800-458-3323 x6163
Union Benefits: 800-458-3323 x3443
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Teamsters and associated pension funds
Contact information for the Teamsters – and associated pension funds – is provided below:
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
With 1.4 million members, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has 521 Teamsters local unions in North America. There are 32 regional Teamster pension plans.
www.teamster.org
Tel: 202-624-6800
mbutler@teamster.org
Central Pennsylvania Teamsters Pension Fund
www.centralPAteamsters.com
Tel: 610-320-5500
PensionFund@CentralPATeamsters.com
Central PA Teamster Reform Committee
www.saveourpension.org
admin@saveourpension.org
Central States Pension Fund
The largest, the Central States Pension Fund, owed $31 billion to about 460,000 workers and retirees at the end of 2002, according to the New York Times. It has approximately $16 billion in assets – down “about $6 billion in the last three and a half years.”
PenInfo@CentralStatesFunds.Org
Tel: (800) 323-5000
Michigan Conference of Teamsters Welfare Fund
www.mctwf.org
Tel: 313-964-2400
New England Teamsters & Trucking Industry Pension Fund
http://www.nettipf.com/
New York State Teamsters Conference –
Pension & Retirement Fund
benefits@nyfund.org
Tel: 315-455-9790
Western Pennsylvania Teamsters & Employers Pension Fund
www.wpapensionfund.com
Tel: 800-362-4201
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan
Its agreements cover over 300,000 Teamsters through pension agreements with 5,200 employers in 13 states. Joint Councils are set up in areas with three or more local unions.
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Joint Councils by State
Alaska
Joint Council 28: 206-441-7470
Arizona
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
California
Joint Council 7: 415-467-7768
Joint Council 42: 626-573-4242
Joint Council 38: 209-577-0500
Colorado
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
Hawaii
Joint Council 42: 626-573-4242
Idaho
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
Montana
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
Nevada
Joint Council 38: 209-577-0500
New Mexico
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
Oregon
Joint Council 37: 503-251-2337
Utah
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
Washington
Joint Council 28: 206-441-7470
Joint Council 37: 503-251-2337
Wyoming
Joint Council 3: 303-477-1623
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