Barr-Nunn--Worth a try???

OK, just wanted to bring things up to date. I spent about 3 months deciding what or where I would go. Thanks for the suggested companies by everyone. I did check them out and had some differenes of opinion with them. I decided to go with BArr-Nunn and have been with them for a month. They have treated me with respect, gotten me plenty of miles, my paychecks bring home are larger than the gross pay at the company I left, etc. It has taken some getting used to using the QualComm, driving a FrieghtShaker instead of a Pete, and not dealing with dispatch by phone. I cannot say anything has been bad or horrible. I always see the glass as half full though. I have been able to talk to management if I have a concern and they have addressed it. Being old school I have had to adjust my logs to match the QualComm, NO running off the books anymore. I believe I made the right choice in coming to Barr-Nunn. The recruiters did not tell me what I wanted to hear, they told me how things were done and so far they were correct. The shop has gotten my truck in for service when I requested it. This was for necessary repairs not nit pik stuff that I can fix myself. They have increased the HazMat pay since I started. Overall, if you can understand that trucking is not a 9 to 5 job, you will not be home every weekend, and that you are able make decisions on your own, and nobody will be there to hold your hand, this could be the job for you.

 

OK, it has been almost 3 months since coming to Barr-Nunn. Things are still going good. Are they the perfect company? No, but there is no perfect company out there. I can say that the recruiters did not tell me anything that hasn't been true. I am running every week and making good money for the week. Some weeks I have brought home after taxes almost $1200.00, with my average being mid $800.00. I have only had to sit for 1 weekend without a load. I was able to turn it into a 34 hour reset and was paid lay-over pay for waiting. The shop has done a good job of fixing problems with my truck which were minor and they did while I was on hometime. This kept me on the road so I can keep making money. I have been able to talk to my dispatcher and others when I needed to. They do not leave me hanging out in the dark if I have an issue. I have been home when I want to be home, but sometimes because of frieght needs I have not gotten home until the evening instead of at lunchtime. All in all, I am happy I came to Barr-Nunn.

 

OK, It has been 6 months since I came to work for Barr-Nunn. My previous posts said that I was happy I came to Barr-Nunn. Well after the first 3 months they started to show their true colors. I have only averaged a little over 1900 miles a week. The recruiters will tell you the drivers average 2500 miles a week. Most weeks I only get 1400 to 1500 miles. I am supposed to be an Over The Road driver. At least 2 times a week I sit for over 24 hours between loads, most weeks it happens 3 times. I have spent 18 weekends out and only had runs 3 of them. The rest of the time I sat in truck stops waiting for a load on Monday. I have only gotten home at my requested day for my weekend off twice. The load planners can schedule pick ups and deliveries around your clock but not to get you home. They seem to think that if you are home within 24 hours of your request that it is OK. Then after spending 3 weeks out and getting home a day late they will call you at home and tell you they have a load and you HAVE to come back early. Another favorite of them is to let you sit up all day and then give you a load that picks up at 10pm for a 6am delivery. If you are on paper logs you will be told to get the loads there, even when you tell them you don't have the time to make the run. Then Safety will call you and threaten to put you on probation for doing what the Team Leader tells you that you must do. If you call and complain about your miles or home time they retaliate by not giving you decent miles or loads. They used to tell you that they did 95% drop and hook loads. I have been doing more live loads and unloads then drop and hooks. If you tell them you don'thave enough time to get to a delivery then they say you have a window of time. But, you will get messages on the QualComm asking why you aren't there on time. You are checked every week for you idle time. If you are over 20% you will get put on probation. If you tell them you have been running at night and trying to sleep during the day when it is 90 to 95 degrees, you are told that you are to idle the truck until it is cool, go back to sleep until the heat wakes you up and then cycle the AC again. So much for restful sleep. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to work for this company unless you can live on $300.00 to $400.00 a week. Forget about having a life with your family. They have even threatened drivers that if they don't come back early they don't have a job. I have given them notice that I am quitting and then I was told that they hire 2 drivers for every driver that quits so it doesn't matter. I am sorry that I was so upbeat about them in the beginning. The truth about Barr-Nunn is that they will abuse you until you finally say enough and quit.