New horizons with Holland Enterprises (Fargo,ND)

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by chowick1966, Feb 19, 2014.

  1. chowick1966

    chowick1966 Medium Load Member

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    As some of you on here know my shortish spell with Gordon (Heartland) came to a hasty end last week....for one reason and another that I will not go into here. I am looking forward to my new start with Holland. Pay is not the greatest I have ever seen, but I am happy with everything else. They will install (for free) my 2000W pure sinewave inverter and have fridges in the trucks.

    As with my Gordon start I will endeavor to keep up with the day to day things as much as possible, although I know what I am like!!

    I will be leaving Bloomington on Sunday morning getting the Amtrak train to Chicago and then on to Fargo for Monday morning into a hotel and then orientation on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    Holland have around 300 trucks and 400 trailers (all reefer trailers) run ALL 48 have long hauls and good miles (or so I am told!!). Obviously with the lower trailer per truck rate then most will be live load/unload not a problem with me....

    Anyway....more on everything later!!!!
     
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  3. Bumper

    Bumper Road Train Member

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    Good luck to you! Like all companies they have their good and bad but they will keep you moving.
     
  4. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    Good luck... I think ozark could have been a good choice as well... they are on my back up list.
     
  5. chowick1966

    chowick1966 Medium Load Member

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    I read a lot of pretty good stuff on Ozark also considered Earl L Henderson out of Salem,IL and Nussbaum out of Normal,IL (yes,close by me!!) and also a return to Crete but I liked what Holland had to tell me and felt a good vibe from them that they take care of their drivers. It was time to go to a smaller company.
     
    vikingswen and tow614 Thank this.
  6. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    I know what you mean about good vibes from a company. That is why I chose the company I did and so far it has been great. I have never had to sit waiting for a load yet. Been going the whole time.
     
  7. Jrdude5

    Jrdude5 Heavy Load Member

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    Subscribe looking forward to your new adventures.
     
  8. Victor_V

    Victor_V Road Train Member

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    Glad to see your new thread, Chowick.

    Your input on GTI/HTLD has been helpful to many. I've looked forward to your posts and will follow you here at Holland as well. (Would have preferred to have you in the 'Inside Scoop' section--Motor Carrier Questions, Inside Scoop--until you've had more time at Holland.) Anyway, you are now an official GTI 'alumna'--graduated and moved on--from both HTLD and GTI.

    Yes, time to move on...

    In my opinion, we need to shake up the economic uncertainty OTR drivers face when companies can put you out of work at any time they want--at little or no cost to them--while your truck is repaired. In my old Teamsters Union days we figured that our guys could not recover from a strike that went over 5 working days--you just couldn't get a wage concession large enough to offset the lost wages from the time off (and we were all hourly). That gave us guidance, especially if the difference between what we wanted if we had to go out on strike and what the strike-target was likely to offer was large.

    An unexpected forced week off does permanent damage to a family's household budget, yet OTR drivers routinely face this prospect from breakdowns and repairs--and, lately, weather as well.
     
    Transporter77 and jldilley Thank this.
  9. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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    I have talked to a half dozen drivers for Nussbaum
    they get home quite a bit just staying Midwest
    but sometimes miles are low
    but they were all happy
    it was on my mind when wife wanted to be back in Chicago area
     
    MikeLaFredaTrucking Thanks this.
  10. chowick1966

    chowick1966 Medium Load Member

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    appreciate the words, vic.....it wasn't so much that they put me out than they put me in a corner where I could either sit and take it or move on. I have never been the sit and take it kind and after an initial explosion of temper and beligerance I do calm down and think things through rationally. Although the person who ultimately put me in a corner was nothing higher than a service writer he DID have enough power that my truck would sit there until I did what he wanted. That made things untenable for me and merely hastened a decision I had already 80% taken anyway. Oh well!!
     
    finbyrd Thanks this.
  11. chowick1966

    chowick1966 Medium Load Member

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    Sep 19, 2007
    Bloomington,IL
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    So, 2 and a bit days until I leave home, wife is getting steadily irritated with me I think!!!!! havent been home this long since my month off for cancer back in 07!! Sorting out all my stuff this morning and getting the suitcase packed ready for departure on Sunday morning. I am really looking forward to this!!

    However not looking forward to the weather.....going to be in the -20's there this coming week!!!!
     
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