Dont work for Gardner Trucking out of California

yes they still haul hay and brad is still a joke he tells his drivers he will jerk them out of there trucks and kick there buts thats a good co owner and dispatcher i think

 

Yes they are still doing the hay thing under lanting hay

 

I worked for Gardner for a year and a half in their northwest heavy haul division. i was good at first. home weekends and worked around family needs. When the truck boss was "let go" from the Springfield mill all bets were off. i was told that the "company was a machine and didn't stop for anything or any one". They will tell you what you want to hear just to get you in a seat. In my year and a half there i seen 2 managment position changes. As they changed so did the weekends off and time for family needs. I do have to say that our didpatchers were top notch A-1 people that did understand our needs but hands were tied. They seen the changes also. As far as Chino main office and the office personel there? Well the most awful, rude and degrading people I have ever delt with. That is if you are patient enough to wait 3 pluss weeks for them to help you. Insurance for employees outside California is a rip off. highway robbery!!!!!! Bottom line; watch what they tell you and get it in wrighting. Even then dont trust it. And be able to live on about $450.00 a week take home.

 

Just got a call for an interview. I was offered local line hauls. I mentioned I would like local for now but come winter I'll go down south.

 

i have work for gardner out of chino for nine years as a line driver and they has always been good to me if you need time off they will work with you

 

I never worked for Gardner, but I definitely would see their trucks a lot in the several years I lived in Chino. Probably the only company with sense not to use their jakes in a residential area (they had no choice but to go through my area), and I've never seen their drivers do anything unsafe. Talked with quite a few drivers there, they had nothing but good things to say. That, combined with their SMS, has me wondering. I guess the only thing I can say is, if the company is that bad, find the next job before you quit them. Many companies today won't hire an experienced driver unless they already have a job (go figure).

 

Been with Gardner out of Maytown/Olympia, WA for over 5 years; it used to be a good place to work, however, in 2009 they took everything that benefited the drivers away... the hourly wage is something you would expect as an entry level driver (with no raises and everyone making exactly the rate); the load pay usually works out to less than minimum wage and the dispatchers are sure give you a run based on load pay if they think you're getting close to overtime; they just reinstated holiday pay for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, News Year Day, and 4th of July (took that and sick pay away in 2009 when they also dropped everyone's wage).

The benefits are ridiculous, you can get better medical/dental on your own and pay about half as much; there is NO driver appreciation at all ... they had a driver appreciation day a couple of months ago while all of the drivers were out driving ... hope the office and shop staff got to enjoy it!

If you even act like you're unhappy the dispatcher will ensure you get a couple of weeks with the worst runs available, if you get to work a full week; and there's no-one around to hear your complaints!

There are two positives ... good equipment and home every night.

 

Is it possible that Brad isn't sayin' "kick", ..... butt rather he's sayin' lick? Big difference,
as one might be considered a terrorist threat.
Either way, I'm surprised that no one has encouraged Brad to bring it on, .... yet.

It's said that it isn't what'cha know, but who y'all know.
Perhaps Brad would benefit from an introduction of Mr. Fist to Brad's Mr. Face.

Strange, .......For some reason now I keep hearin' the song Big Bad John in my fool head,
especially the part about a mighty blow from John's right hand sendin' a Louisiana man to the Promise Land. :smt107
Imagine that.

Come-on Brad, --- Kick my buttox!
​

The front office loves it when a good plan comes together.
Funny thang 'bout driver appreciation daze is how the same faces seem to appear at those functions, many of which aren't Big truck truck drivers.

The Big truck truck drivers oughta throw a huge shindig in appreciation of those in the front office, but arrange for it to be somewhere really Big, Lost Wages, Nevada would be a good place. Reserve an entire floor in a luxury hotel, catered by the finest caterers and have live dancin' girls and Chip-N-Dales males. Make it a two day 24/7 party with all y'all can eat, drink, whatever makes 'em merry.
Then, --- just before the midnight hour, --- all the Big truck truckers mount up and pull out, --- leavin' the front office with the bill, --- out of appreciation, of course. ​

That's only one positive for me.

Seriously though, I see Gardner Big trucks all over SoCal and they appear to be well maintained.
It's difficult to determine if they maintain their drivers as well.

 

i worked for dirksen owned by gardner. they took away money instead of giving me a raise.no tics or accidents in 5 years i worked there. forsed me many times to do two loads to vegas per day. had me sit over 40 hours in mantica yard with no pay.please take my advice. if you need work get a job at burger king you will make more money. at times i made $1.50 an hour. its to bad they could be a great company. they just dont care about there drivers. all they will do is use you abuse you and toss you when there done.

 

The operation out of WA State pays a flat 15$hrly,for what ever local is supposed to be, ever wonder where the cost of those nice trucks come out of? Drivers I'd spoke over 1yr ago with said same thing as above,cheapo operation to the extreme, nothing to put your drivers license on the line for.Even Swift would be a better bet. Its like when you hit town and just looking for an in between filler until the real job comes along, maybe and only then,by the way, 15$hrly? late 90's wages