Boyd

If you want to know the God Honest truth about BOYD, I'll tell you.

I've been with boyd for 2 years Plus. Before I started with boyd, I quized their drivers about them, and all but one driver said good things about boyd, that was 3 years ago (2006). After typical home work,
including checking this forum, I took the plung.

They were as expected, tough, but fair. Tough meaning, if you broke it, you paid for it, fair meaning they paid as promised.

What most of you drivers don't realize, is that every Co. give you a honey Moon period, where everything is great for about 30 days, and then business as usual sets in. Honey Moon was good, and when it was over, things remain OK. My Dispatch tells the usual lies, and I argue with him, but he gave me miles, although waiting 4-5 Hrs. for a load became a common ritual. They promised Home ea Wkend, and that quickly erroded.

All and All for 2 yrs. I couldn't say that boyd was a rotten Co, Until recently. BOYD Borther's has went through a radical change as of the last 6 months. They parked over 100 trucks at Birmingham, fired the Boyd Logistic Fleet, Lowered drivers pay 4 CPM & Lease Op Pay 5CPM, Hike the Insurance some $20 Wk, cut driver's Avg miles from 2300-2700 to 1500-1850, institute Short pay, %Pay (these are pay you can't compute, or verify). And in this Bad economy, they're hiring drivers like crazy (24 in some weeks), while they having other drivers run only 350 miles on the Labor day 4 day wkend . I've defended boyd saying they were fair, but now I've found flat out lies, double dealing, and straight out sabatage. Sabatage like purposely putting things on people DAK report, so that they won't or can't leave Boyd for another Co.

Million Miles Driver ( those who have been with Boyd For Over 12 yrs. have been steadly leaving.) ON XM radio ADs Chris Cooper (the grandson of Mr Boyd) sells a great Family Co, what New drivers don't know is that he's using you to drive down pay, and in the end, once you become exp, they will no longer need your expensive experience service. I could go on, and on with stories of guys who still work at boyd, and who left yrs. ago, about Software they're purchasing from companies who have expertise in skillfuly designing software that give them $ at the Driver's/employees expense, but I'll end it here.

After saying all that, If anyone find Boyd to be the best out of the worse, I would still say, go ahead and work for them, but do not risk your CDL, because they are not a company you'll likely stay with for more than 1 yr., so do what you must, and take full advantage of the Honey Moon, but when you find them asking you to break the Law, or take a risk, don't do it, because they will Absolutely leave you holding the BAG!

Oh, yeah One more thing, this is just my personal observation, I think they were and want to be a Honest, and upstanding Co, but this Economic down turn I believe caught them off gaurd, and the Management made a decision to go down the road of cheating the drivers to make up for thier past bad decisions, or short fall. Most Co.s lies and play games, but lets say if Boyd was on the scale of 0 (being the worse Co.) and 100 (being the Best) Boyd was (90) 10 yrs ago, (75) 5Yrs ago, (60) 3Yrs ago, and (30) Today. I will not be around when they get to being the worse.

BOyd is very savvy, and If you see Politicaly sounding posting on this forum, It's likely a boyd recruiting Dept Damage control team rebutting Postings. ( and saying that, Betty in recruiting is a very Nice lady, and I respect her, but she will not be your dispatcher or Planner, those guys live in another Universe.)

Good Luck.

 

Well they're different from other trucking Co. that anyone who inquired about Boyd say 2-4 Yrs. ago would've gotten glowing reviews of how they're the BEST! and now that reputation is being cashed out. And they were big on Family Values - home time.

10yrs. ago the Co. was still ran by the original Creator, and his children were young w/o much control. I've never met him personaly, but all accounts have him to be a unwordly man- simple (simple meaning: not needing 2 Corporate Jets etc.) and he paid drivers well.

Contrast that with today, the children's business philosophy is like that of a typical American Corp.

Another thing, they're BIG on Religious values, unlike other Co.'s who don't mix the 2, they have a Corp. Chaplin, so they still keeps some of Daddy's traditions, but it's in words only, deeds are too expensive. You can't make 6 & 7 Figure salaries treating your Dirvers well, and they've realized that.

I don't see them as super greedy, I think they are truly fearful, maybe panic, and maybe feel that If they can't beat the other Co.'s it's time to join them.