Keim Ts. Is A Bad Company

I just went up to Sabetha KS. I applied and spoke to one of the recruiters. I have much driving experience and know what to ask up front. They were honest, up front and did not mince words. Moreover, I found them to be one of the most down to earth people I have ever spoke to in the trucking industry. I drove up there to bring them some of my paperwork, and to check out their operation in person. The place is clean, the people are friendly and the equipment is top shelf. They gave me a tour of their facility also. I even got to see the dispatch office. Obviously when I went in there I kept my ear open. The dispatchers were friendly and professional. Some of them didnt even know I was in the room.

My first impression is that they had nothing to hide, no concealed agenda nor did I sense any animosity among the employees or drivers. They appeared to be good friendly people.

I go for orientation next week.

 

Good post! I talked with Daniel K on the phone a few times and found him to be a real smartaleck but then again I'm sure he's a bit spoiled. Only answers the phone when convienient and never responds to emails. Good luck there though!

 

Just don't talk to Daniel K though. Lol

 

I am heading up there on Monday 3/17/14 for orientation. Truth be known I get a kick out of smartalaks lol. I have a dry sence of humor and kind of understand it lol. It doesnt bother me. I have pretty thick skin. I will post some more after I get up there. I dont expect the business to be full of lollipop dreams and teddy bear lunches lol. My expectations are pretty realistic, and I am sure I will fit in just fine there

I would work for a family owned company any day of the week rather than the mega carriers. I have worked for a family owned trucking company before, and they were really nice people.

More to come

 

Wow this company has good and bad reports ,thing about this is ....are the drivers crybabys or does the company have plants on here disguised as drivers

 

Well, the bad reports were not really specific regarding the circumstances. Basically they are nothing more than a short rant. Based on my experience its good to give the dispatchers a significant heads up regarding home time, getting back to the terminal etc. It requires some planning. They have customers to service. Trucking companies are not travel agents. Its about appropriate communication, and understanding that they have a business to run at the same time. Its a balance. Also understanding the lanes of traffic the carrier operates in, and the way their freight flows is a big help. Understanding how they run is they key.

If I see a negative report I would like to see more specific information/detail other than someone stomping their feet in the forums.

More to come...............

 

So how about an update on how things are going? I would love some insight on what the company is like from an experienced hand... You see a lot of feed back from guys who just don't get trucking and it's frustrating listening to all the whiners. So any ways would love to hear how things are going, thanks!

 

He's probably too tired to update. It's such a great deal there though. Lol

 

Hi all...the detailed update will be coming soon. I really do not want to show my hand to soon to let people know who I am, I am pretty sure they peek at the forums. Currently they are updating their fleet with some really sweet looking 2015 KW T660. To be honest there is nothing wrong with their fleet. Its all solid equipment consisting mostly of 2013 and 2014 trucks. The trailers are top notch.

I actually found their approach to trucking and flat bedding very pragmatic and reasonable. They put safety and customer service at the forefront of their operation. I have seen some activity at their terminal regarding other drivers. Simply put...they are amazingly tolerant and work with drivers. Understand this is from my personal observations and fact finding. The best way to describe Kiem TS is that they concentrate on the steak and not the peas. Their priorities seem to be in the right place and they do not let themselves get bogged down in minutia.

As for the trainer forcing a trainee to buy him coffee and dinner....I really find that hard to believe. And if it did happen I am positive that Kiem would deal with it. On that note if I had a good trainer I would not mind showing a little appreciation and offer to pick up the tab once and a while on my own accord.

More to come...

 

I am have been assigned a 2015 KW660. I have had no problems with them what so ever. They have been very nice to me so far. I have spoken to many of the drivers who have left Keim to search for greener pastures only to return. The grass is not always greener on the other side They don't do a lot of hand holding because they expect their professional drivers to get the job done. To put it bluntly...they don't want to have to baby sit you. However, if you have a question or need advice they are more than happy to help you out. Its flat bed work...what can I tell you. Yes there will be tarping at times. Yes you will be outside in the sun, rain and soon snow. ITS FLATBED WORK lol. However, they have several areas where the loads will be already preloaded and tarped. All you need to do (depending on the load) is strap it up, put on corner protectors, bungee the tarp down a bit more and hit the road.

I recently went to one of their safety meeting at their main terminal in Sabatha KS. The owner was there and actively participated in the meeting. He was open to hear driver input and concerns. The owner seems like a good guy and his heart is in the right place. He wasn't wearing a suit and tie. He was dressed very casually. If I didn't know any better I would think he was one of the dispatchers or one of the drivers lol. He was very grounded and understood the drivers very well as he once drove himself at one time. You can tell that he still remembered he was once a driver, and still carried a lot of the real world trucking knowledge and experiences with him. You don't see many owners these days with this type of concern or care. Other companies usually delegate these type of meetings to their subordinates or underlings.

Looks like I will be staying here for a while