Bowman trucking ?

I don't, and never have, nor ever will work for them. I've seen and heard enough from their bulk tanker drivers. Can't say I've ever met one that likes their employer.

 

Which one?? Company in Md, Or, etc.

 

I am personally speaking of DM Bowman out of Maryland.
As luck would have it, they sent me yet another text today..

 

Something I've noticed about their bulk tank drivers, they carry all their hoses on the truck, strapped to the deckplate. Meaning everywhere they go, the have to unstrap the hoses and drag them to the back of the trailer. Seems like a complete waste of time and energy to me. But I'm spoiled

 

wow...even 75 degrees outside with sun shining down on your truck will make it unbearable in a truck. Depending on the humidity, and time of year, of course!

 

I did their bulk supporting Tamko Frederick off English Muffin way (Yes the english muffin factory is there) . Using Lime from Bittenger PA off US 30 quarry.

I recall there was a computer that tracked shifting and engine RPM in those days. You literally were not allowed to make shifts in any turning situation, any situation where the engine is able to lug and so on.

I had to stop it and to this day carry lime powder inside of my upper lungs as detected by the scanners not too long ago as part of the damages Ive accumulated over the years.

Another thing was a 12 hour shift. Your rig will be moving at 1 minute after your official assigned start time. Not 5 minutes, not trading stories over a pot of coffee or paperwork (Should have been done before you got to yard...) etc etc etc. Very rigorous.

I am a American Trucker not a effing robot.

 

How many years ago did you work there?

 

Mid 90's I was one of thier top drivers running to Fishertown off Altoona PA 56 in the dead of winter serving one hardware yard customer who absolutely demanded and required my truck and load to be there 2 minutes to 8 am regardless of how thick or slippery that ice was on that mountain range.

Later the following spring I decided to leave the company due to a corporate attitudes that were really not compatible to truckers. It was one of my first true companies where professionalism was demanded and enforced by the old Tripmaster computers in each cab back then. That company was very influential in some ways, particularly their flatbed division in Frederick when I hauled Aluminum from the smelter to Lancaster daily among other things. Term was about a year give or take.

From there I moved into steel and aluminum hauling by covered wagon out of Logan County Ky for Williamsburg Busch OR large coil to ship yards out of what we called Gary-Hammond back then near Chicago. So Ive got abit over two to three years total flatbed. Plenty for that time period.

The difficult parts of DM Bowman was their speed enforcment. However it was balanced by a really cool dispatch situation where you were never late and no appts either. One exception, hauling pre-made Mack Truck bodies out of a factory above Roanoke down fancy gap into NC to Mack Assembly there. That required precision.

I can go on, but for me Ive had my time there for better or worse and frankly if I wanted to run for them again? I would not absolutely not. HOWEVER I try to balance the good with the bad and not be so negative. I had quite a few good moments with them in face of adversary.

 

Well, they're so great nobody out of their homebase in Williamsport MD other than newbies will drive for them. That should tell you something.

 

I second that. A total dog$hit outfit.