Magnum ltd - fargo, nd

Welcome!

Drop and hooks arent incredibly common, but we do have several D&H customers. If I had to estimate, id say I get one at least once every month, maybe even more than that. But if you run hard going into Minneapolis or Fargo, you can drop trailers there for local guys to deliver as long as you're running early enough for it to make sense and they have something else for you to keep moving.

No super singles.

Most of our dispatchers have been here several years. For the most part they're pretty solid. But... There was a bit of a rough patch in late 2017/early 2018. We switch over to this driver manager system, started getting more technology in trucks. They were trying with the pay structure. They seems to have trouble keeping someone handling Minneapolis outbound long term. They had two people handling that, but one of them just recently left. But who we have there now has been doing excellent in my opinion. I think she started early this year, but I could be wrong on that. There is never really a shortage of people who will step in when someone is absent. I really like our dispatch team right now to be honest. They're pretty solid now, with the exception of the one person who left a couple days ago, but we had 2 people there like I said, so we'll keep on trucking without her.

Our pay scale starts with experience and we get monthly bonuses based on miles, idle %, cruise utilization, and having hazmat or not. You also get $50 a month if you watch monthly training videos, and it's not required.

They don't tell us where to fuel, but we only utilize pilot flying j. If you're doing the right things, you won't hear from anyone! My driver manager called me the other day just to say hi because we don't really talk much in the phone. I liked that.

I'm on my second truck here (I started August 2016). My stuff has been well kept. In my old truck, I leaned in my arm rest too aggressively and it broke off. I was too bashful to ask them to replace it, but on one of my PM services they surprised me and fixed it. I liked that.

We use Drivewyze for weigh station bypass. It's annoying in North Dakota because it tells you to bypass all the rest areas. I'm very easy going person, but I do know a ton of drivers hate it. We used to use prepass. You can purchase your own prepass subscription if you'd like, but I haven't done that.

Overall I really like it here. I'm treated well, nobody pushes me to do anything I don't want to do or can't do. It's a solid company.

Oh yeah, apparently next year we're getting free single health insurance, but I haven't heard anything on that for a couple months.

 

Hey buddy thanks, I appreciate the info. I also heard ur bi weekly pay but switching to weekly In January. My biggest concern in switching companies is the growing pains of getting to know the small issues that are present in every company and learning to deal with them. I really like that they run Pete's and I can stop at any flying j or pilot. Schugel has a paperback booklet full of fuel stops but they are. So mismatched it's incredibly difficult to plan out my week ahead of time. As far as toll roads I heard all tolls are allowed and encouraged from Tony, is this actually the case currently at schugel I'm on a pa to wi load driving an extra 128 miles to avoid $300 in tolls. They're forcing me to avoid the tolls but refusing to pay me the extra mileage it takes. To. Go. Around them. So I get 806 miles when I'm driving 930ish. I. Dislike. Working for Free. Imo this is a business relationship and if you can't pay me for my work there is a serious issue. Anyways, how are the Pete's turning radius? Any winter driving issues? As far as fueling do you need to save fuel receipts to be scanned in with paperwork? Do you get preplans to plan you out for a week or do you just go load by load? And how hard is going from Qualcomm to peoplenet? Also idc really about the dryvewyze I'd just as well go thru all the weight stations bc I don't drive overweight anyways.

 

Usually have a reload the day before you get unloaded. Paid miles are pretty close to actual miles, but can’t ibr a interstate only type.

 

Switching to weekly pay? News to me! Lmao

We just use pilot flying j. Excluding road rangers. Fuel when you want and as often as you want, just don't run out of fuel! Lol they trust is with that. There aren't any caveats or anything.

We only have one load from Colorado to North Dakota that had specific instructions... It says "don't go through North platte' (or something similar to that). Other than that, every load comes with a list of states and mileage by state. Not specific routes. You can kind of figure out where they "want" you to go. But it's just a computer calculation I believe. If you go crazy out of route they may say something. I just put it in my GPS, verify my GPS isn't trying to make me do anything crazy or stupid... And go! I almost never look at the "calculated" route. Nobody has ever said anything to me about going "out of route". Nobody ever tells me to avoid tolls either. Literally it's like... "Here's your appointment details... Good luck!" From some of the more experienced drivers here... I've heard them say being a company driver at Magnum is about as close as you can be to being an owner operator. There is a lot of freedom.

I very rarely deliver without already knowing where I'm going next. They are very good at pre-planning. Not perfect, but very good.

As for turning radius, I've only driven Peterbilt so I have nothing to compare to. I've never had issues. Someone else can help you better with that.

No fuel receipts. We have fuel cards.

Qualcomm to PeopleNet... Again someone more experienced will have to help with that.

 

Cat scales are covered on the fuel card and driver's can use the app to scale. Any fuel purchase can be set up on the pilot/fj app so you don't need to punch in on the keyboard...nice for when it's nasty out. You will want to make sure you scale! Some of the shippers go crazy and don't give a flip about loading legal. The trucks are set up at 63/64 mph so a scale bypass can keep you moving. I'm sure you got info on running areas. I might see you Dec 10th if all goes well...got sick in late Feb and have been off the truck since. Like Zata said, once they get to know you, they pretty much leave you alone. Try and get yourself set up for your next load out as soon as you have delivery info so you can keep moving. Any delays just keep dispatch is aware as soon as possible. It'll take several weeks but once you get to learn the way ops works, you'll have it good here. I'm glad to come back and work for Magnum! When you get out of orientation, they'll give you a list of driver trainers and mentors...use these guys and gals as much as you can! It's kind of weird but drivers here aren't so butt-headed that they think their in competition with everyone else. And some of the best info is on this thread!! Good luck and I think you'll enjoy it here!

 

Thanks guys I appreciate the info. I'm waiting to hear back from Tony this morning. I still have to put in my 2 weeks here bro I quit as its the respectful thing to do. It's not like they mistreated Me they just are paying what I think is a fair pay for the work I do. I get currently .42 cpm and a few bonuses that total. About $500 a month. Having a year I feel I can do better elsewhere it's strictly buisness. Jr is a good company if ur new. They treat u like family. They just don't pay u like family my miles otr out 6 weeks at a time are 2300 on a good week and 1600 on a week I go home. I just think being otr and out so long there should be absolutely no reason why this is an everyweek thing. anyway, as far as Magnum trucks anyone got recent pics of the interior and exterior? I'd like Something to look at on the flight my name's Mitch if u were interested. I look forward to working with you all in the near future and God bless.

 

As far as cat scales at schugel they aren't covered on the app or card, u pay upfront then they reimburse u on the paycheck if u scan it in. Also our fuel network is a booklet of stops of mismatched truck stops u find one on ur route and then they require u to scan the fuel receipt as well as having a long list of tolls that are not allowed and they route u around them without paying u the extra miles it takes to go there. That being said they r t a bad company. They just aren't the right one for me. I prefer a path of least resistance. The quickest shortest way is the way I Wana go.

 

Message just went out.

Starting in January 2019:

- Magnum goes to weekly paychecks
- free single health insurance is a real thing

 

I'm gonna have to call Magnum.

 

I’ve had both. I hate the Qualcomm I like the peoplenet much at least to me it seems easier to use.