Canadian good and bad trucking companies

So do you think he believed everything he told you?

 

I think he did, yes. It's worthwhile to note that Day and Ross took direct control of Fastrax a couple of months ago, and then everything went down the tubes. The last time we spoke about my problems, he told me he wished he could say it would get better but couldn't, then told me how many guys he had lost in the previous week.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

For that matter, if they have recruiting buses...chances are they're not exactly a driver friendly firm either.

 

i know an outfit with red yellow blue stripes that has 2 recruiting buses,,does that count..lolll

 

My cousin is an owner operator in his second year of running for Arnold Bros. container fleet. Some guys live in Vancouver, and there are some that live in Calgary. My cousin has hauled all over N. America, is a 30 year veteran, and has hauled for just about everyone. Likes A Brothers. Plans to stay with them-nobody else has treated him that well. Bison treated him the way they treat most owner operators-like crap (being polite here, but you guys know the word I mean.) Takes stuff from Vancouver to Calgary-brings pork for Japan back. Does not go into the port-takes it to a drop off point. Often goes from Vancouver to Winnipeg to pick up pork. AB pays for his insurance, pro-rate, etc. His take home he tells me runs between 8600 to 9800 a month, clear. Usually on higher end. Had a couple of shorter months when he was down for a repair so it was in the 8600 range then.Company is big on driving log book legal. He is on satellite. If he has a repair, he can get a purchase order from the company to pay it, then arrange with them a payment plan to pay it back-he can decide how many months he wants to pay it back over. Company pays about 50 to 60% of the fuel. He might do 2 Calgary's in a week-has on occasion done one Calgary rounder and then headed out to Brandon. All of his resets are done at home. Sometimes he will take load from Vancouver to Saskatoon, then go empty from Saskatoon to Brandon or Neepawa for pork load. Still gets full rate. His wife loves Arnold Brothers and has threatened to shoot him if he ever tries to leave Arnold Brothers and go looking for that "greener grass" once again. Maybe others want to search for bigger money, but cousin has no intentions of ever running US again-got tired of the rat race down there, and loves just running Canadian side, time at home, and he can let company know in advance when he would like to have a week or so off for a holiday, etc. One guy on the container crew just got back from three weeks on holiday. They have applications on their website, and I believe they probably have a phone number you can call directly. Cousin phoned and talked to someone, then downloaded their application from the web site, collected all the information they needed, and faxed it off. There was a thousand dollar sign on bonus too, at that time. You can inquire about that, if it is still in effect. Anyhow, cousin says hell will freeze over before he ever leaves Arnold Brothers. I think they might be one of the few big ones in Canada that still will pay outright for your insurance and not claw it back monthly. It is simply what they do, cousin does not have to pay it back. Most others you pay it back through monthly debits-they "finance" it. There is no dispatch fee or administration charge. Just go out, do the job safely and legally and bring money home, and if there is any kind of a problem, get on the satellite and tell someone. Hope this helps.

 

Oops, forgot to mention. Arnold Brothers flew cousin out to Winnipeg head office for new driver orientation, and paid his air fare from Abbotsford Airport to Winnipeg and back. Paid for his hotel-across the street from the Arnold Brothers head office, reimbursed him for his taxi from airport, and gave him a voucher for taxi fare from hotel back to Winnipeg airport. He was there for 3 days doing orientation, I think. Cousin was amazed that they were going to do all that-he figured they might find him a load to take to Winnipeg and then do orientation when he got there. Yup, he's staying with AB and doesn't plan to leave-ever.

 

Oops, replied on wrong page. See answer to Arnold Brothers query on page 34

 

OK, sorry guys. Getting the hang of the page thingy now. Obviously need to up intake of quality beers. Night all.

 

I have a friend (not a driver) at Vitran in Concord, Ontario. I'm impressed with the company's new distrib. hub and organization. Not sure what rate their pay is. Anyone work for them?

 

its nice to see .a company beaing fair to the guys that make them there money . not stealing and riping off