FRITO-LAY Salaries, Bonuses and Benefits.

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: I did really well on the aptitude test they told me, the background check was clean. No formal interviews yet. I go ride with this guy on Tuesday, then they tell me I will have an interview with somebody (who I do not know) and if that goes good then I get my drug test.
They did tell me I will be a RSA first. This woman said RSA's make $500 a week plus VROT....sounds kind of low compared to other areas like Akron, Columbus, etc. Much less than I was making before at my old job, but oh well. She didn't tell me how long you have to be an RSA before you can bid on your own route though and become an RSR.
No, I will not have to be a merchandiser. They don't do it that way in the Wooster region.

They have you go on the route ride first because they have had a lot of people come back and say no thanks, not what they had in mind. The route ride is a cake walk because you have two people doing the job of one. They don't want to invest the time in someone who they think won't stick around. They tell you that you don't actually have to do any work while your on your route ride, just observe. Don't do this. You better work your butt off because who do you think they are going to talk to when you get back? That's right, the guy you went out on the ride with. They want to see how good of a worker you are, and if you can make it. After all this, if they call you for the interview, you probably have the job. You will probably go on at least three interviews. They do not get in any hurry during this process, so you will have to be patient. With jobs scarce, you will probably be a RSA for quite a while. In the Charlotte are, this isn't a problem since they can't keep drivers at their DC. You've been laid off a while, so right now you are just desperate for a job. I get that. However, after about a year with Frito Lay, I know you will look back and say now I understand what that girl was talking about. Good Luck

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: And Carolina, I think you must know I was referring mostly to you with my lazy comments, and it looks like I touched a nerve. I would apologize, but I'm not sorry. All I've seen you do on here is badmouth Frito, and yes I've had route jobs before. Don't go speculating about my past because you don't know anything about it. In this particular time in the world, I'm choosing to NOT wait for something better like your husband did. It's tough to find ANYTHING in my area right now. I wanna work....not wait around because I think I'm too good.

Not badmouth. Just tell it like it is. No sugar coating the truth. Hubby didn't wait around because he thought he was too good, he just knew what it was like being in route sales and didn't want to go back to that, knowing what he would be getting himself in to.

misscarolinagirl in gastonia, North Carolina said: Not badmouth. Just tell it like it is. No sugar coating the truth. Hubby didn't wait around because he thought he was too good, he just knew what it was like being in route sales and didn't want to go back to that, knowing what he would be getting himself in to.

That was a good post. I appreciate that. I do see that fully 50% of people who get an RSR job don't care for it. I will just have to experience it for myself, if I get the chance. I gotta say though that the ungodly long process a person has to go through is just insane. This is potato chips for Christ's sake, not the Pentagon!!
I'm gonna let everyone know how the ride goes. Carolina, I'm not on here to make enemies, And I really do appreciate your last couple posts. If you're right about this job and after a year or so I see it's not a great job, I'll be the first to say "hey, ya know, you were exactly right". But at this time I feel like I gotta at least try if they want me to. I've heard everything you've said, and I will definitely keep it in mind. I happen to now it's got a lot to do with who the supervisor is for a particular area too, isn't that correct??

Like I said, the jobs not for everyone. You may love it. The upside is that you can make really good money with Frito Lay. I made $53,000 my last year with the company. Sounds like you are definitely in the running for a job.

Sale yourself in the interview. Ensure them that with your vending experiance, you know the hard work and hours it takes to run a route, and you don't mind putting the time in every week. You want these people to say hey, I think he'll stick around and be a good one. The main thing is to make them think that you are going to stick around. The training process is 4-6 weeks, and they don't want to waste their time with someone they think will leave. They use to would hire just about anybody, but now with jobs so scarce, they can afford to be more picky. They prefer people with route experiance.

So you made $53,000. What did you average for hours per day?? Is it the same every day or does it just depend? And is Saturday the same as any other day? How early can a guy start in the morning? I'm an early riser, so 4 or 5AM would not be a problem for me.
Now this TRAINING you keep mentioning; what should I expect with that? Is it training on the route or is it something else?
Yes I know, I ask WAY too many questions. But I really appreciate having your experience to draw from :)

Training is with another route driver. You will be with this same driver the entire training process helping him with his route. You will work 8-12 hours per day. Just depends on how much you have to do, and if any problems arise. Getting checked in will be your main time stopper. Getting started early depends on two things: how early you can start loading your truck, and what time you can get started at your first stop. Now some DC's have people that work overnight to load trucks, while others have to go in and load their own trucks. I don't know how it is set up in your area. Most of my stops wouldn't even open until 5 a.m. I don't think there is a set time as long as you can make your cut off times at your grocery stores which is usually 1 o'clock. RSR's average $40-$60 per year, but I think it's safe to say most drivers average in the $40's. The best routes are the ones with the higher volume grocery stores. For example, my route was around a lake area surrounded by million dollar homes. I had two grocery stores. My sales were good all four weeks of the month. Now, your lower volume stores will be "food stamp" stores. These stores are surrounded by poorer neighborhoods. Your sales will be good the first week of the month when foodstamps come out, but will drop of significantly the last three weeks of the month. I am going to start a new reply because I know I am running out of space.

Part 2
I assume if you get a job, you will run vacation routes. They don't make commission, but they don't have the stress of making sales either. Enjoy this time while you learn the tricks of the trade.
Now, when a route comes open, everyone that is eligable can bid on it. By eligable I mean people who have been on their routes for at least one year. The route will go to the person with the highest senority. This will then leave their old route open, and the process begins again. Your first route will probably be less than desirable, but hey, you have your own route now. Trust me, eveyone knows who has the best and worst routes. When I say worst routes, I'm talking crappy grocery stores and you end up having a million convienant stores. People with the best routes usually don't go anywhere, and they've been with Frito for quite a while.
I think I covered everything. Having said that, I have been gone for two years now and things may have changed. So I hope if I have given any misinformation, some of the current Frito Layers out there will write in and correct me.

OK, yes they did say I will be covering other routes in the beginning for guys on vacation and whatever else. I suppose someone doing that stays pretty busy, and I bet it'll take a guy all over the region. But the woman told me I was eligible for VROT during my tenure as an RSA. You tell me that When I'm doing the vacation routes I won't get commission. Was this woman at Frito Lay incorrect when she told me I would?
This woman also told me that next Tuesday would be the only time I'll ever be going with this guy on the truck.
So some guys have to load their own truck....that DOES sound like a drag.

I have heard, and I don't know that it's true, but I heard that Frito Lay has cut salaries of RSA's and RSR's a couple times. Do you know if it's true? Because I will be very honest in saying that I don't think $500 a week, (which is what this woman tells me I'd be making as an RSA), is very much money considering what the job actually is; hard work and long hours. In other cities the same RSA job is making $700 plus each week. I don't really know how the VROT works, but I've read that it usually doesn't amount to much more than 2 or 3 bucks an hour for everything over 40 hours.
Now I know I got all on my high horse about taking a job and wanting to work and all that, and being glad to have any job after having no work for 6 months, but $500 divided by, say, a 50 hour week, is ONLY $10 an hour.... Shoot....I make $9.25 an hour on unemployment! It doesn't sound like a great deal really, and chances are I'll be working even more than 50 hours.
I'm trying to be realistic here, seems like they want to really pick all their candidates apart, then pay them very little if they want them..

And misscarolinagirl, you get an A++ for all the help and information you've provided. Thanks to you I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what to expect from here on out.
It means a lot, thank you for taking the time.

Eric, I work for Frito, and you might call it complaining and whineing, but its only the truth. I am in Texas where you can fry a egg on the INSIDE of my truck, because they don't have air, or radio. I have been with them three lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng years, kinda like dog years! I work 55 to 60 hours a week, every single holiday, and every single weekend, both Sat, and Sun. When you go in at 3am, and get back home at 6:30pm, somethings wrong with the job. I 'used' to love it, but they did a route revisions and condenced routes, and not to many of us like it. All the Rsr's in my area hate the job now, there is NO BALENCE with this job! You sell your soul to work there, and then one day you wake up, and leave! Ask your DSL to have the day off to go to your kids graduation from school, and they ask you where your priorites are!
You are going to make the money, but you won't have any kind of life!

Host said: What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at FRITO-LAY?

What do you like best about working at FRITO-LAY? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

In Dallas its a $400.00 base, plus commission. A average RSR is going to bring home $900-$1100 a week.

misscarolinagirl in gastonia, North Carolina said: They have you go on the route ride first because they have had a lot of people come back and say no thanks, not what they had in mind. The route ride is a cake walk because you have two people doing the job of one. They don't want to invest the time in someone who they think won't stick around. They tell you that you don't actually have to do any work while your on your route ride, just observe. Don't do this. You better work your butt off because who do you think they are going to talk to when you get back? That's right, the guy you went out on the ride with. They want to see how good of a worker you are, and if you can make it. After all this, if they call you for the interview, you probably have the job. You will probably go on at least three interviews. They do not get in any hurry during this process, so you will have to be patient. With jobs scarce, you will probably be a RSA for quite a while. In the Charlotte are, this isn't a problem since they can't keep drivers at their DC. You've been laid off a while, so right now you are just desperate for a job. I get that. However, after about a year with Frito Lay, I know you will look back and say now I understand what that girl was talking about. Good Luck

You will start out as a swing, which means for a couple years you will get dumped on by a lead. If something goes wrong its always the swings fault! I am praying you get the job, but take it as just that a job, untill something else opens up. Don't stop looking for something else, this is a stressful, back-breaking job.

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: I have heard, and I don't know that it's true, but I heard that Frito Lay has cut salaries of RSA's and RSR's a couple times. Do you know if it's true? Because I will be very honest in saying that I don't think $500 a week, (which is what this woman tells me I'd be making as an RSA), is very much money considering what the job actually is; hard work and long hours. In other cities the same RSA job is making $700 plus each week. I don't really know how the VROT works, but I've read that it usually doesn't amount to much more than 2 or 3 bucks an hour for everything over 40 hours.
Now I know I got all on my high horse about taking a job and wanting to work and all that, and being glad to have any job after having no work for 6 months, but $500 divided by, say, a 50 hour week, is ONLY $10 an hour.... Shoot....I make $9.25 an hour on unemployment! It doesn't sound like a great deal really, and chances are I'll be working even more than 50 hours.
I'm trying to be realistic here, seems like they want to really pick all their candidates apart, then pay them very little if they want them..

What they did was cut our commission percentage when they revised all these routes. In Texas we make $400 plus commission of from $450 to $600 on a mega route, bulk routes are $400 plus two percent.Bulk routes are the easiest now with the revise routes.
Mega's, and Pre-pick SUCK!!!! You work your butt off, 2 to 3 grocery stores, PLUS, 4 to 5 little stores, EVERY DAY!

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: So you made $53,000. What did you average for hours per day?? Is it the same every day or does it just depend? And is Saturday the same as any other day? How early can a guy start in the morning? I'm an early riser, so 4 or 5AM would not be a problem for me.
Now this TRAINING you keep mentioning; what should I expect with that? Is it training on the route or is it something else?
Yes I know, I ask WAY too many questions. But I really appreciate having your experience to draw from :)

You are sleeping in if you are not pulling 'out' of the DC by at least 3am! You will never hit all your doors, and if you don't get your orders in, you will have a PO'd DSL screaming at you like your a three year old! If a store manager gets upset with you for 'anything' and calls in on you, you are subject to lose your job! No matter what, customers first, you 'LAST'.

Yes, this is true. They did that to us right before I left. They cut our percentage by 3 percent. I remember one of the veteran drivers, who has been with the company 15+ years, said they do this about every five years. He said he makes about the same money now as he did back then because everytime you start to make money, they cut your percent, and it takes time to work your way back up to where you were.

When you're on your route ride, ask the driver all of these questions.

misscarolinagirl in gastonia, North Carolina said: Yes, this is true. They did that to us right before I left. They cut our percentage by 3 percent. I remember one of the veteran drivers, who has been with the company 15+ years, said they do this about every five years. He said he makes about the same money now as he did back then because everytime you start to make money, they cut your percent, and it takes time to work your way back up to where you were.

When you're on your route ride, ask the driver all of these questions.

Collins: You're bringing back memories for me. When I first started Frito, we where pre-pick. We were a small district. We merged with a neighboring small district and they restructured all of our routes. As you know, we had to rebid on all routes. I was at the bottom of the totum pole, so I got a sh*tty route with three crappy grocery stores. On top of this, they cut our commission by 3 percent. Guess how much I was going to lose in a year? $10,000. People, I am not lying when I tell you this. This is why I left the company. If I am a part of helping a company to grow, then I expect to be rewarded. If the company was struggling, I wouldn't have had a problem with it, but as you know, Frito Lay makes their projected profits every year. When a company has millions to spend on advertising (just count how many superbowl commericals Frito Lay/Pepsico had)and millions to give to celebrities to appear in their commercials, then there's no reason to cut the hard working route salesman. Now can I get a AMEN. Bottem line, Frito is like any other company. They are there to make profits, and they do this by one of the three main ways: They increase the price of chips, or they decrease the ounces of chips, or they cut percents from their employees. My own supervisor made the comment that Frito will do whatever it has to do to make a profit.

I only have one more question: How do you make commission? It is based on how much sells off the rack each week, or is it based on how much extra you sell the store, or how does that work?
End of questions if someone will be so kind to answer this please.

collinsdll1 said: Eric, I work for Frito, and you might call it complaining and whineing, but its only the truth. I am in Texas where you can fry a egg on the INSIDE of my truck, because they don't have air, or radio. I have been with them three lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng years, kinda like dog years! I work 55 to 60 hours a week, every single holiday, and every single weekend, both Sat, and Sun. When you go in at 3am, and get back home at 6:30pm, somethings wrong with the job. I 'used' to love it, but they did a route revisions and condenced routes, and not to many of us like it. All the Rsr's in my area hate the job now, there is NO BALENCE with this job! You sell your soul to work there, and then one day you wake up, and leave! Ask your DSL to have the day off to go to your kids graduation from school, and they ask you where your priorites are!
You are going to make the money, but you won't have any kind of life!

This is why most drivers don't make it. Stress and no time off. And like Collins said, Lord forbid if you need a day off for personal reasons. Most supervisors don't like this because they are usually the ones who have to run your route while you take that day off. Hell, we had people who were too scared to ask off when they actually had deaths in their families. My boss just about blew a gasket when I needed a day off to have injections put into my back.

If you have nerves of steel, and can deal with a**holes, you will probably make it. If not, it will break you down over time almost to a point of a nervous breakdown. I sat in the back of my truck many a days crying and trying to get it togeather so I could go in and get my job done.

If you need money, go for it. You can make money with this company. Maybe not at first, but you have to stick with it. For anyone considering joining Frito Lay, ask questions on your route ride. Chances are, the driver won't sugar coat anything. He'll tell it like it is.

This is based off your total sales for the week minus your stales.

misscarolinagirl in gastonia, North Carolina said: This is based off your total sales for the week minus your stales.

You and I are telling Eric the truth here, and I hope he takes heed. The other day I popped a thermostac in my truck it went to 107 degree's, and it was only 90 outside! Frito can spend millions on a commerical and we drive around 12 to 14 hours with no AC in Texas! I am so praying I get that job this week, Please God!!

Captain Kangaroo in Raleigh, North Carolina said: Transferring to another Zone Office with Frito Lay is not as easy as you think. If the area is in desparate search for RSR's then you might be in. I know that some zones are very poorly managed and people do not stay for the way they are treated. If the zone is established with "good" RSR's even though you are in with the company at one, that does not guarantee you are able to move to another quickly. When you decide to transfer or relocate to another zone at your expense, plan on it taking around 6 to 18 weeks to finalize this. The zone you currently work for will do everything they can to hold up the process. They will not just transfer you, you will have to go at your own expense on your day off to meet with zone management the same way you did when you came on board with your current zone office. Also beware they do contact alot of management at your current zone office to find out what kind of RSR you are. If one or more management people are in doubt, there is good chance you will not get or have the opportunity to transfer leaving you the decission of either staying where you are or quiting the company. Each zone is run like an independent company even though it all falls under the Frito Lay umbrella.

Plus, you lose on your bidding rights when you transfer, the ten months you put in won't count. Its starting at day one when you get to your new DC.

misscarolinagirl in gastonia, North Carolina said: Collins: You're bringing back memories for me. When I first started Frito, we where pre-pick. We were a small district. We merged with a neighboring small district and they restructured all of our routes. As you know, we had to rebid on all routes. I was at the bottom of the totum pole, so I got a sh*tty route with three crappy grocery stores. On top of this, they cut our commission by 3 percent. Guess how much I was going to lose in a year? $10,000. People, I am not lying when I tell you this. This is why I left the company. If I am a part of helping a company to grow, then I expect to be rewarded. If the company was struggling, I wouldn't have had a problem with it, but as you know, Frito Lay makes their projected profits every year. When a company has millions to spend on advertising (just count how many superbowl commericals Frito Lay/Pepsico had)and millions to give to celebrities to appear in their commercials, then there's no reason to cut the hard working route salesman. Now can I get a AMEN. Bottem line, Frito is like any other company. They are there to make profits, and they do this by one of the three main ways: They increase the price of chips, or they decrease the ounces of chips, or they cut percents from their employees. My own supervisor made the comment that Frito will do whatever it has to do to make a profit.

This is absolute TRUTH here. It is what it is, and thats not much!!
The money is there because that is the only way they can keep help.
I am leaving to go for $10.000 LESS a year, but I have to have a life. Some people stay suckerd in, three years is all I can do at the plantation! When they told me 4 on 3 off at my new job, and no weekends, no holidays, I about cryed!

Believe me, I hear what ALL you guys are telling me. And it's gonna cause me to ask this guy I'm gonna ride with some questions he probably never dreamed he'd have someone ask!!
One thing I have a hard time doing is keeping my mouth shut. I say what I'm thinking and I don't discriminate on who I say it to. If they truly treat people like fu**ing crap then I won't make it there. I'm a pretty hard headed guy, but I expect to be treated fairly and to get some respect for being an honest, hard worker. The minute that doesn't happen in a time when I need a day off or something, then somebody is gonna have problems.

Collins, I really hope you get that new job. You are obviously miserable and that's no way to live your life.
Man. I thought when I got that letter in the mail asking me to go take that aptitude test that I really was getting a great opportunity. The more I read about it, the less and less excited I am about this potential job.
I guess what I still don't understand is where all the stress comes from. Carolina said she sat in the back of her truck crying. What is it that causes all the stress in this job? Is it the people you deal with, is it the rush to get all the stops done, what is it?? If a person is an a**hole to me, that doesn't stress me out. I know it varies from person to person how much we can take before we break down, and I suppose that's the difference of who likes this job and who doesn't.

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: Believe me, I hear what ALL you guys are telling me. And it's gonna cause me to ask this guy I'm gonna ride with some questions he probably never dreamed he'd have someone ask!!
One thing I have a hard time doing is keeping my mouth shut. I say what I'm thinking and I don't discriminate on who I say it to. If they truly treat people like fu**ing crap then I won't make it there. I'm a pretty hard headed guy, but I expect to be treated fairly and to get some respect for being an honest, hard worker. The minute that doesn't happen in a time when I need a day off or something, then somebody is gonna have problems.

As long as you go in with your eyes wide open you'll be okay untill something else comes up, KEEP LOOKING!
I have to go to bed at 4pm to get up at 2am, to be pulling out at the DC by 3am. I work from 3am untill done, sometimes up to 14 hours! I work every holiday, and, every single weekend. You will grow to hate the place! And because of what they pay, they don't care what you think, or weather you like it or not! And a DSL will tell you that in a heartbeat! These DSL's don't care about nothing but numbers!

The stress is in my oppinion is trying to beat last years numbers, even tho people are not buying because of the reccession. Long hours, no life balence. When you get two days off, everyone you know will be working. You lose friends, and spouses with this job.
And its not worth it! I have sat in my truck and cried my self. This jobs just costs you to much, and its not worth it..
Holidays are bad enough having to work, and a DSL will send pallets of chips into the stores to make more money, and then they want you to do double pulls on these days! Last 4th I worked 15 hours! I have worked every holiday this year already! You work untill you can barely stand up. The Store Managers give you crap, and the DSL will give you some more.

collinsdll1 in Dallas, Texas said: This is absolute TRUTH here. It is what it is, and thats not much!!
The money is there because that is the only way they can keep help.
I am leaving to go for $10.000 LESS a year, but I have to have a life. Some people stay suckerd in, three years is all I can do at the plantation! When they told me 4 on 3 off at my new job, and no weekends, no holidays, I about cryed!

Collins, I left Frito Lay for a job making $10 an hour. Yes, I miss the money sometimes, but I am so much happier now. I haven't worked a weekend since I left the place. Good Luck. I hope you get that job you are talking about. You'll get use to the reduction in money, but it will be well worth it. You'll probably miss some of the guys, but I'm willing to bet you will never regret leaving Frito.

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: Collins, I really hope you get that new job. You are obviously miserable and that's no way to live your life.
Man. I thought when I got that letter in the mail asking me to go take that aptitude test that I really was getting a great opportunity. The more I read about it, the less and less excited I am about this potential job.
I guess what I still don't understand is where all the stress comes from. Carolina said she sat in the back of her truck crying. What is it that causes all the stress in this job? Is it the people you deal with, is it the rush to get all the stops done, what is it?? If a person is an a**hole to me, that doesn't stress me out. I know it varies from person to person how much we can take before we break down, and I suppose that's the difference of who likes this job and who doesn't.

Eric, I am just like you, I was so proud to be working for Frito, not now. They just beat you down. On this new route revision they did to make them more money, I lost my lead route, and had to go back to being a swing! It will be 6 to 8 years to get 'back' to where I was a year ago with Frito. They cut all these routes so tight, and they cut 40% of all routes, they even sold the trucks.
So now I get two weekends a year off, because I will be on vacation. Also, you can be the best worker at that DC, work days off, don't complain, eat s**t all day, and it won't help you with Frito. Everything is done by seniorty, period! There is some sorry leads out there, and Frito know its, but they will get everything before you because they survived years, and years! For the 1st 5 years, you will be last at everything at Frito. Vacation is bid on by senority, after they get done you get to pick whats left! Route bidding they pick 1st, you are always last, so don't kill your self. Its a big waste of time..

Thank You!! I think I got it, I already passed all the tests.
Wed is a route ride. I'm praying!! I have been looking for 6 months.

I just talked to my "route guy" and we set up the ride-along for tomorrow. This guy only has 3 stores; A Wal Mart Supercenter in Millersburg, a fairly good sized IGA store in Millersburg, and a Buehler's grocery store in downtown Wooster. Takes him about 10 hours he said, with Wal Mart taking 5 hours by itself. But a Wal Mart would be a good account to have for commission purposes, right??
I wanted to be there when he loaded his truck, because they do load their own, but he said I didn't need to be there for that at 5:00 in the morning.

And I just got told by a friend of a friend that Fed Ex treats their driver's like crap.

Walmart is always a good store, but they make you jump thru hoops.
I guess your area has converted over to the new route revision yet,
its coming! I went in at 3am today, and got home at 6pm! I had 3 grocery stores, one being a walmart, and 5 other stops, and it was 93 degree's and no air! I got to pull out in the morning by 2:30!
This is what I mean no life, just work... Let me know after the route ride, and don't believe crap a DSL says, they lie their butts off. If their talking they lying!

collinsdll1 in Dallas, Texas said: Walmart is always a good store, but they make you jump thru hoops.
I guess your area has converted over to the new route revision yet,
its coming! I went in at 3am today, and got home at 6pm! I had 3 grocery stores, one being a walmart, and 5 other stops, and it was 93 degree's and no air! I got to pull out in the morning by 2:30!
This is what I mean no life, just work... Let me know after the route ride, and don't believe crap a DSL says, they lie their butts off. If their talking they lying!

I would be there for the truck load, you want a honest view of whats going on. How many hours is that bulk driver really running?

I asked 2 times if I should be there to load, and he said no. He said it takes almost 2 hours and it's just what it implies; loading a truck. Very simple he said and I don't need to be there.
And I can't figure it out, what does DSL stand for???
What are some KEY questions I ought to ask this guy? I am making a list right now....

DSL- District Sales Leader- aka; pain in the butt boss.
Ask how long will you have to stay a swing, average time. What is average commission, and hours a week. Which DSL do you NEVER EVER BID on a route in their district for. Every DC has a tyrant DSL find out who he/she is to avoid at all cost!

Erik Kauffman in Creston, Ohio said: I asked 2 times if I should be there to load, and he said no. He said it takes almost 2 hours and it's just what it implies; loading a truck. Very simple he said and I don't need to be there.
And I can't figure it out, what does DSL stand for???
What are some KEY questions I ought to ask this guy? I am making a list right now....

Don't forget that two hours is a freebie, no commission! If he is taking 2 hours to load every day thats 10 hours a week, your wasteing with no pay! 10 hours a week is a full workday for most people. So is the 50 hours he working, before the loading, or after the loading?

I went on my ride today. I'm gonna start from the beginning here......
The Wooster guys are union. I talked to 3 of them, they all like their job. The guy I went with has 11 years doing it, and the one other guy has 20 plus years and he is now a trainer, and the other guy has 14 years in. These guys say nothing bad about any boss they have, they get the major holidays off, They say they make really good money and they have NEVER had their commission cut. They all agree the hours are sometimes long, and the trainer told me straight up that in the first 6 months as I train, there will be many times I'll just want to quit. He said the thing for me to remember (since I come from a factory/manufacturing background)is that doing the RSA or RSR job is not a factory job, so there are no personal days, no calling off just because you don't feel like working, etc. The stores count on their shelves being maintained and that's the RSR's or RSA's responsibility no matter what. I'm completely OK with that.
These trucks are pretty nice, they all have a radio at least. I don't care about A/C much, but they said they also have good heaters.
They did tell me that the VROT is worthless pretty much, so not to work any more than I have to, although as an RSA to begin with, I will be eligible for VROT if they hire me.
These guys are permitted some leniency on their schedule, like if your normal days off are Wednesday and Sunday, you can choose to work on your Wednesdayif you'd like to have Thursday off instead that week. You can also load up whenever you want, but you can't take the truck home. It seems very flexible there.
For the most part, I heard none of the complaints from these guys in Wooster that I have heard on here. These guys are perfectly happy, and the evidence is that they have all been there a long time.

The key word being Union! I wish we had Union help, our lives would be so much better! But, that being said you will see everything for yourself if they hire you. I wish we could get holidays off, and they are right you don't call in, its a no-no.
If they didn't have the union backing, it would be the same as every where else with Frito!

Wow, I did forget about some Frito Lays being unionized. There's not a lot of them. This sounds like a good thing. May just work out pretty good. Be glad for it. Here in the South, Union is a bad word.

Your right very very few have a union. God knows we need one down here! But, I caught the sentence where they said that he would want to quit, withen the 1st 6 months. I hope it does work out for him, employed is better then un-employed any day of the week. Monday I worked 3am to 6:30pm so its kinda hard for me to see Frito in any other word except, what they are down here Tyrants.

He was just making a point when he was up front with me by telling me I might want to quit during that training period. I have no problem with that, I'm not that timid. At least he didn't feed me bullsh** about it. I appreciate his honesty, and knowing that now will help me make a better decision should I get offered a job.
He even showed me the union pay scale for this position and what I'd be making.
Noone seems to REALLY understand VROT though. Even Dave the trainer had a hard time even trying to explain to me how it worked. Can anyone explain it in simple terms for a simpleton like me??

VROT is chinese overtime at best. This last paycheck, I had 11.5 hours overtime I was paid $125.35 in overtime pay which is $11.00
a hour but my check was take home $1046.73 w/commission of $722.46.
This check was for the memmorial weekend, so it was higher. Normal checks are $700-$800 a week take home, which is very good money.
But, its not worth what you got to give up...

So collinsd, what kind of route do you have? What stores and how many stops?
Yes that is good money.
The trainer was also honest with me in saying that if I get the job and I stick around, it will be perhaps a long time til I could get a prime route because guys stick around in Wooster so long, not willing to leave or give up their routes. He said I will most likely end up with a bulk route, and those only pay 1.5% commission here. But the WalMart in our town is a Supercenter that does 1 million in Frito Sales in an average year. So even at 1.5%, that's hellish good commission for the guy doing that bulk route.

And also, I heard that most places like the new superbulk system that's being implemented. It's coming to Wooster too here very soon, but because of the union backing noone is going to have their route re-structured and noone is going to have their commission cut. That's what they told me.

What is a UDS route?

I don't know of a soul that likes super-bulk! They told us we would have our lives back, more family time, all a bunch of lies!
My whole DC will tell you that it Stinks!! Maybe the union will help them, we didn't have anyone to help us because we are non-union! We went from working 10 hours aday to 12-14 with superbulk.
The only ones that like it is Frito, they make more money!

I am on a mega I have 7 to 8 stops a day, 3 being grocery stores that take 1 1/2 to 2 hours a piece, then go catch the other little stores.

Yea, but you are going to work alot harder hours, on your knee's.
The little mom & pop stores are bigger pain in the butts to get along with then the big stores are. You have to hit 6 to 8, of them to make the same money that one big store will do.

I was just wondering if any of you know anything about other types of Ftio-Lay/PepsiCo opportunities available to recent graduates? I just went through the entire interview process to become a DSL. They flew me out to their regional headquarters in Birmingham, AL and everything, then after two weeks went by I finally called and although they said they like me, I was told they didn't think I was the best fit for that position -that they see me doing something more marketing-based (which is what my degree is in). My contact person mentioned she was looking into something called Food Service Vend I believe it was, it is supposed to be more marketing-based, or less "sales-like," but I haven't heard from her since (after almost 3 weeks). Any ideas what this may be, I can't find any information about it on the web. I'm looking to find something in Shreveport, LA, which makes things a little bit more restrictive. Any insight would be much appreciated as I still feel very invested with Frito-Lay after spending 2+ months in the interviewing process.

I can't answer your question, and I'm surprised noone else has responded to you.
I'd call that woman back, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I've found that during this process of trying to get hired, they don't give much info unless you ask. If you don't ask, everything is very vague and you have no idea what to expect next. That's just the way it is I guess, so if you've got contact, use it.