| My Experience # Boyd Bros
Allow me to start off by saying that I did some research, all be it online, concerning Boyd before going with them. I had high expectations based on my research and discussions with the recruiter. We (there were 6 in my class - 2 students & 4 exp) were greeted (to say the least) that Monday morning by a long haired hippie looking guy (no offense - just giving details) who walked in, looked around, and loudly exclaimed "The bus for Boyd is here and leaving in 5 minutes, lets load up!" He didn't take a roll & didn't say anything to anyone on our way over to the terminal. I shrugged it off thinking that maybe he was just a driver. As it turns out he was the instuctor.
Orientation (Cin.Oh) was a joke in my opinion. Our "instructor" was more interested and worried with his upcoming vacation than orientation. He always seemed very pre-occupied with other things & somewhat behind in his duties. He did however share with us just how great a driver he was and all the "big" loads he hauled. I realize most orientations are pretty boring and stale so maybe my expectations were just to high. Our last day covered load securement outside actually tarping & strapping. I felt that more could have been covered and or more proper instruction given. Again I got the impression that the instructor was more concerned with his vacation and staying in the shade than out in the hot sun directing training.
O.K., I continue to try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. We had met a few drivers during the week and received mixed opinions from all of them about the company. We met the Terminal manager who gave everyone the opinion that he was looking down his nose at us. I tried to make coversation with him a time or two and he just really seemed to have this higher than thou attitude. Let me also say that around this time I had called and talked to what was suppose to be my DM. Needless to say he didn't seem at all enthusiastic about his job or mine. Long story short he quit about 2 weeks after I started. Including myself there was only three of us that finished orientation. A student & a returning driver (who quit the last day - he stated nothing had changed since his first time with Boyd.)
I took my chances and hit the road. It wasn't bad out there on my own. I had a different dispatcher almost every day it seemed like but they kept me rolling. The miles/pay was good and they got me home when I wanted. I can't complain about that part of it. I sat one weekend in Laredo which I didn't mind and one in San Antonio.
As for maintenance - well, not alot to say. They just don't have any. OK that is a bit of a stretch, they have it but they don't know what to do with it. They don't make road calls, they can't seem to fix anything, and they have no urgency with dealing with safety related issues. I was literally right around the corner from the terminal in Birmingham and they could not, repeat would not, come out and fix the truck. On another occasion I had to return twice to the Cincinnati terminal because no one could seem to figure out how to fix the truck.
As for management, I ran into a few folks in Birmingham figuring that they would be more laid back and "family oriented." NOT! They to had this same higher than thou attitude. The only "friendly" people I met were a few of the drivers. I did however talk to two people in Clayton that had to be the friendliest out of everyone and for what it's worth the DM that I finally ended up with seemed pretty cool.
I stayed around for as long as I could but finally had to say goodbye. Believe it or not there were alot more issues than just what I stated above that I went through while at Boyd. Perhaps I should have stayed on and given my DM a chance but I had just had enough.
Overall, the miles, pay, and hometime were fine. It was just the people and the processes that aggravated me. I wasn't impressed with anything, except maybe the new equipment they were getting! I'm not so sure that I would go back to work with them. The way I see it, all the people I met are reflections of upper management so until they change their leadership styles nothing is going to change. Pay only goes so far with me. I am a profressional and expect certain things from management which I do not see being projected at Boyd.
Well, those were my observations for what it's worth.
 | 
10.28.2007
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