Toyota and Mazda Building Plants in Alabama

[alexava 6,973]

20 minutes ago, HVAU said:

The issues of infrastructure aren't non-issues, but I would think the city has plans in place to mitigate the strain of increased traffic.  Logic would indicate that the plant be located in one of the old cotton fields just of I-65 with a spur access road.

Traffic in that area is pure hell now certain times of the day.  My wife works in Jetplex industrial park and when she works past 5:00 she may as well stay till 6 -6:30sometimes.. 565 is a nightmare most mornings 6:30-8:00 and every evening. Research park( ride out rd) Countyline rd, US72, Capshaw rd, it's all jammed now. It needs improvement if we are not adding 8-12000 new jobs soon. This new site is on Greenbrier rd. The best route to or from Athens is Mooresville rd to old highway 20...there's an effing bridge out on old hwy 20 for about 3 damn years now. Keeps me from eating at Greenbrier BBQ because it adds miles to the drive. Do we scrap this plant over traffic concerns? Hell no. It can probably be improved. Had I known mentioning it was going to cause a semi meltdown, I would have said more than. " gotta figure traffic out" and offered some effing holy water to quell the anxious meltdowns such a statement brings. 

[HVAU 673]

I didn't realize it's at Greenbriar.  That will make 565 a mess, depending on your direction and time of day.  If the 565 can be expanded before the plant opens, like Huntsville proper, it could end up improving the situation.  Here's hoping anyway.

I'm over in Bailey Cove.  Traffic is fine here save for the occasional Parkway snafus with the new overpass project.

[Barnacle 9,064]

33 minutes ago, HVAU said:

I didn't realize it's at Greenbriar.  That will make 565 a mess, depending on your direction and time of day.  If the 565 can be expanded before the plant opens, like Huntsville proper, it could end up improving the situation.  Here's hoping anyway.

I'm over in Bailey Cove.  Traffic is fine here save for the occasional Parkway snafus with the new overpass project.

It would be nice if 565 were at least 3, preferably 4 lanes all the way to 65. 

I'm in the Medical District. Generally, I'm spoiled by the lack of traffic. 

[HVAU 673]

19 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

It would be nice if 565 were at least 3, preferably 4 lanes all the way to 65. 

I'm in the Medical District. Generally, I'm spoiled by the lack of traffic. 

I used to live right at Surrey and Whitesburg.  We could get anywhere worth getting in no time.

[alexava 6,973]

The only time traffic is bad is during those morning and evening rush hours. But it’s at a stand still at those times. The morning shift will likely plan on starting up at 6:00 and have no problem. But the 2nd shifts start time which will likely be 4:45 will be on the verge of disastrous. Moving the start times up an hour each shift might be necessary. But there still needs to be improvements in the area. Extra stress with shipping and deliveries will just strain it all.  But I must point out for some; these are good problems to have. 

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I used to drive from Hampton Cove to NASA and/or Research Park. When I fist moved there it was a breeze. When I retired and moved to Auburn traffic had gotten to be a mess. The Army BRAC caused a lot of it but again that was a plus for jobs. The problem is we had guys like attorney Joe Ritch working BRAC without giving any advanced thought to things like traffic.

[4AUsince62 10]

On ‎1‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 11:07 AM, TitanTiger said:

PayPal pulled out of a plan to expand their business into North Carolina, which would have brought about 400 jobs to the Charlotte area, all over that LBGT law the NC legislature passed in 2016.  I would not put it past any company to opt for a different location if AL voters had put a man accused of sexual assault into office, not to mention his stance on LBGT issues.  How much of a factor it was, I doubt we'll ever know for sure.  But to say it's not a realistic possibility would be to fail to pay attention to events on the ground culturally.

 I don’t believe Roy Moore being elected would have changed “this” decision; too far along. Future business here, most definitely.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

4 minutes ago, 4AUsince62 said:

 I don’t believe Roy Moore being elected would have changed “this” decision; too far along. Future business here, most definitely.

I agree. Businesses come to the Huntsville area because it is a great area........just like Auburn is booming.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

18 minutes ago, 4AUsince62 said:

 I don’t believe Roy Moore being elected would have changed “this” decision; too far along. Future business here, most definitely.

Hard to say because we don't know what the tipping point in Alabama's favor was over who we were competing against.  How close was the margin between us and the next runner up?  If the packages were close from us and our closest competitor, what non-financial factors could have played into them finally choosing Alabama this time instead of whoever?  If it was indeed a close decision and non-financial factors played a role, I don't think it's too late in the process to watch the firestorm that would have ensued if Moore was elected play out over the past month, decide you want no part of that PR mess and decide to go with the other viable option.  No one's broken any ground or invested a dime yet.  It could totally have changed.

I'm not saying that's definitely what happened, but in no way do I think it's an unreasonable thing to consider.

[4AUsince62 10]

2 hours ago, Proud Tiger said:

I agree. Businesses come to the Huntsville area because it is a great area........just like Auburn is booming.

 Love that area of the state. My best friend is a rocket surgeon at Redstone and Hartselle is named after my Great grandfather.  

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

1 minute ago, 4AUsince62 said:

 Love that area of the state. My best friend is a rocket surgeon at Redstone and Hartselle is named after my Great grandfather.  

Absolutely agree but I never heard the term "rocket surgeon." My friends always called me a "rocket scientist."

[4AUsince62 10]

6 minutes ago, Proud Tiger said:

Absolutely agree but I never heard the term "rocket surgeon." My friends always called me a "rocket scientist."

lol, just something I do, like, "not the sharpest marble in the drawer."

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

9 minutes ago, 4AUsince62 said:

lol, just something I do, like, "not the sharpest marble in the drawer."

Did you finish AU in 62?

[alexava 6,973]

I am really surprised it happened. I have worked at the current Huntsville engine plant since 2003(TMMAL). We have about 1400 Toyota and VWF employees now. A lot of things have changed in hiring methods over the past 6-8 years. You must start through Coast and basically be a temp for 3-6 years now. Not sure of the starting pay. Then you qualify for employment directly with Toyota. After you are hired it takes 8 yes EIGHT years to reach top pay. Needless to say we lose a lot of attrition to fill manpower needs. Some use this high turnover rate to push the theory that the area workforce cannot support any more expansion. My theory is they do this to deter more development to keep other companies out and not compete with them. Information is slow from our management about how this will be kicked off but it seems this plant will be seperate from us aside from the fact that we will supply the Corolla engine. It is 14 miles away. Rumors are also going on that it will be two seperate plants for TOyota and Mazda. Not sure about that either. No one knows why this is a (joint venture). I do know they will have to approach the hiring process different than they have been doing at TMMAL for the past few years.

[4AUsince62 10]

3 minutes ago, Proud Tiger said:

Did you finish AU in 62?

No, I came out of the womb and screamed War Eagle when the doctor smacked me on the azz in 62. lol

[homersapien 11,367]

3 minutes ago, alexava said:

I am really surprised it happened. I have worked at the current Huntsville engine plant since 2003(TMMAL). We have about 1400 Toyota and VWF employees now. A lot of things have changed in hiring methods over the past 6-8 years. You must start through Coast and basically be a temp for 3-6 years now. Not sure of the starting pay. Then you qualify for employment directly with Toyota. After you are hired it takes 8 yes EIGHT years to reach top pay. Needless to say we lose a lot of attrition to fill manpower needs. Some use this high turnover rate to push the theory that the area workforce cannot support any more expansion. My theory is they do this to deter more development to keep other companies out and not compete with them. Information is slow from our management about how this will be kicked off but it seems this plant will be seperate from us aside from the fact that we will supply the Corolla engine. It is 14 miles away. Rumors are also going on that it will be two seperate plants for TOyota and Mazda. Not sure about that either. No one knows why this is a (joint venture). I do know they will have to approach the hiring process different than they have been doing at TMMAL for the past few years.

My understanding is you have to start work at Honda as a temporary also.  (No benefits)

I don't understand why Obamacare isn't more more popular in Alabama. 

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

1 minute ago, 4AUsince62 said:

No, I came out of the womb and screamed War Eagle when the doctor smacked me on the azz in 62. lol

Now that's funny. Stick around and and post more often. This place could use some humor.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

On 1/10/2018 at 6:26 PM, alexava said:

Gotta figure out traffic. 

Couple months in Austin and then you will laugh at traffic in 95% of the rest of the US.

[alexava 6,973]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

My understanding is you have to start work at Honda as a temporary also.  (No benefits)

I don't understand why Obamacare isn't more more popular in Alabama. 

Some of the variables ( they don’t call them temps anymore) tell me the insurance they are offered is terrible. The couple I have discussed it with don’t pick it up and payed the penalty. I haven’t talked to many of them  about this so I don’t know if anyone buys on the exchange. Many are under 26 and use their parents plans. 

As for Obamacare in Alabama.... we have so many people who are .???? I can’t think of a correct way to put it. But clueless as to what may benefit them vs their ideals that they really don’t know Obamacare would work to their benefit. 

[homersapien 11,367]

16 hours ago, alexava said:

Some of the variables ( they don’t call them temps anymore) tell me the insurance they are offered is terrible. The couple I have discussed it with don’t pick it up and payed the penalty. I haven’t talked to many of them  about this so I don’t know if anyone buys on the exchange. Many are under 26 and use their parents plans. 

As for Obamacare in Alabama.... we have so many people who are .???? I can’t think of a correct way to put it. But clueless as to what may benefit them vs their ideals that they really don’t know Obamacare would work to their benefit. 

I have a pregnant cousin who found she had breast cancer.  Her husband works at Honda - but not long enough to have medical insurance.  Fortunately, she also worked and was covered by her employer.

[alexava 6,973]

https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/gov_kay_ivey_tommy_battle_spar.html

[AU64 10,122]

BMW in our area also has pre-hire policies for incoming workers before the get the lucrative benefits.   Of course back in the day it usually took 3 months to qualify for health coverage as a new hire...even salaried.

[alexava 6,973]

2 hours ago, AU64 said:

BMW in our area also has pre-hire policies for incoming workers before the get the lucrative benefits.   Of course back in the day it usually took 3 months to qualify for health coverage as a new hire...even salaried.

What area?

[AU64 10,122]

7 hours ago, alexava said:

What area?

plant is in Upstate South Carolina.....near Greenville.  I am in NC...about 30 minutes away.