Good Companies and Bad Companies

There is always alot of talk about the good companies and the bad ones.

It has been my experience that 99% of "Good" companies come with the same problems and issues as the "Bad" companies. It just seems to be a matter of how much you can take and how often are you willing to deal with it. Some drivers are better able, and more willing, to put up with the "norms" of the industry.

It is interesting to hear people talk about their issues and I find it equally interesting to hear others chime in about it.

I suppose I am in the 1% of drivers that have absolutely NO complaints about their company...and it's not because I have a high tolerance. Quite the contrary.

I have a dedicated run that takes me from Port Huron, MI to San Antonio, TX for a live unload & live reload...from there I head to Peoria, IL for another live unload & live reload...and then I head back to Port Huron, MI where I drop my trailer and head home. My full trailer (dunnage) gets unloaded when I show up for my load heading to San Antonio, TX. All freight for the same Fortune 500 company.

I get paid actual hub (odometer) miles (about 3150 miles/week) make 40 cents/mile. They don't run with a satellite...truck doesn't even have one installed. They provide a cell phone. I get a new truck every December and the trailers (Great Dane) are new every other year.

And...as long as the log books look legal, they don't bother you at all. They DO stress to run safe and get your rest but they also understand that the drivers want to be home as much as possible...I get 3 full days at home each week. Driver turnover is 0%.

This may sound odd in this current industry, but these jobs are out there. Talk to your buddies and ask questions to drivers about their company. Don't just listen to the CB and take everyone's word as gold!

There are alot of comapnies out there that are old school and want to keep drivers, pay them well, and cater to them.

Keep your eyes and ears open...and don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

I can tell you it is a Canadian carrier based in Ontario.

I can also tell you the freight is ALL for Caterpillar.

 

To answer your question...No, there are no special demands or requirements. We operate no machinery. We only haul parts to different assembly and machining plants in the U.S. and Canada.

I only run the U.S. side. Any freight that comes from Canada is brought by "shuttle drivers" to a yard in Michigan. Any freight that is going to Canada is taken to that same yard, where those same "shuttle drivers" come accross the bridge and take it back with them.

At the risk of sounding mean and nasty, I cannot, at this time, tell you who the company is. There is much talk about adding 40-45 new drivers to the U.S. staff (currently, there are only 11 of us) within the next year.

The only way they do any hiring is thru certain conditions...word of mouth from a current driver (character witness)...Perfectly clean record for 3 years...must live in a certain area close to the yard.