Pilot/Flying J Fuel Hauler 1 year Review

Haven't seen any recent posts about the company so figured I would put some fresh info out there. Been with PFJ for a year. Overall, it's been a good experience, especially considering the previous gas company I worked for which was horrible.

The Good:
-Hourly pay (varies by region but Im at $30) with overtime (1.5x) after 40 hrs, I've grossed around $120k since starting, with about 10 or so of the last 52 weeks of working my full 70 hour clock
- Decent benefits, we're paid every monday, 401k w/ 6% match, family Health Insurance is $75 weekly, vision/dental is reasonable
- no micromanaging IF you do your job and show up on time, I rarely talk to my supervisor or manager
-very easy job IF you pay attention, plenty of room to move around, etc.
-you usually can work up to your 70 if you want the extra $$$, normally I'm around 55-60 hours per week
-They give you an extra $100 per week for working sat/Sundays and 1$/hr differential for night shift

The Bad:
-pay raises are not guaranteed and are mainly based off how many people leave for competing companies
- Night shift, I was on nights until about a month ago, I managed but I was on the verge of taking another job for a dayshift (for several different reasons)
-working weekends
-dealing with Truckers who parked on your fuel drops then fell asleep
-hauling gas (we mostly do diesel) through crowded metro areas where people can't drive

Overall Rating: 7/10
I was aiming to originally get on with Gemini (Loves) but they were not hiring at the time and they currently have a 7-10 year wait to get onto dayshift (or so I've heard). I plan to stay at PFJ for the foreseeable future unless another company offers me a promotion/significant raise/better hours within the next year or two.

 

It's not an employee stock purchase program, it's just a normal 401k with a match.

 

Truth be told I haven't been using their 401k yet, been paying off debt so I don't know for sure. They just advertise it at 6% match, which they don't match it until after you've been here a year.

That being said they just changed the weekend differential pay, which for most drivers here will be a pay cut. Pilot does the bare minimum to be above the average in the fuel industry, no guaranteed pay increases.

I'll be looking at moving to a better carrier after my house is built next summer/fall. I'd look closer at Loves or other companies in your area if you want to be treated the best but otherwise not a bad place to get fuel experience.

We have a decent amount of turnover in any competitive market. Denver for example has had high turnover since I started here last summer because pilot pays among the lowest of all fuel hauling companies and they drag their feet to give raises.

 

The lowest starting pay I'm aware of in like the Midwest is $26/hr, it wouldn't surprise me if it's lower in other areas but again i don't know cause I'm in the Rocky Mountain region and the cost of living out here requires them to be higher ($30-31/hr).

If they list a range its usually only a $2 dollar difference, the higher amount is a night shift. There are probably better employers in your area to go for such as Loves or Sheetz.

 

There's been a few other negative developments since I wrote the original post two months ago. Not the end of the world, still a decent company but not top tier.