Heniff Transportation

John, thank you for the kind words my friend! I am glad to see that your dedicated gig is working great for ya there @ Calex. I know you and your wife are looking forward to the next up and coming vacation as well; y'all deserve it! Quickly, did you get my p.m.? Sent ya a couple a little more than a week ago but think that was when your truck switcharoo was going on. Anyway, be safe, enjoy your weekend, and please say hi to ol' Tom for me. One of these days will run back across you guys and we'll be able to grab a bite to eat, and we won't have to settle for Chinese Buffet lol. Though that place they opened there in town across from the Pilot just before I left wasn't too shabby!!!

Well, let me make a modification to the current load I'm on that I was telling y'all about... The plant couldn't get the first product I was/am loading blended right so yesterday turned into nine hours of wait, wait, wait, and wait some more so in essence there's eight paid hours added in for me on top of the base rate I quoted. The customer requested that I drop the tank and to return this morning, which I gladly did and now have been waiting two hours and counting for the loader of the second product to come in so we can finish this up....tick, tock, tick, tock $$$. One of these days I'll get rolling for Wisconsin lol.

Now, to explain how a situation like this works, which is actually quite simple. Obviously I, the driver, is paid my flat rate for the first two hours live loading/unloading and then hourly up to the time that I physically depart the plant after dropping the tank. Then, I go back on the clock upon returning to the plant to complete the loading/unloading procedure.

Hope everyone has a great day and to those who are home this weekend...enjoy it!

 

During the last few weeks of being here I have acquired some updated/corrected info and wanted to pass it along....

Heniff Transportation
-Hiring Requirement: 2 years O.T.R., with 1 year minimum chemical tanker experience.

-Starting Pay:
25% of gross revenue (not including fuel surcharge). Increases with more tank experience, as does hourly rate for all other pay items.

-Load/Unload Pay:
$18 first two hours, then $18/hour.
*NOTE: $25 will be deducted from driver's payroll if picking up a preloaded tank at a yard/customer and/or dropping a loaded tank for another driver to deliver.*

-Breakdown Pay:
$18/hour, maximum of eight hours per twenty-four hour period.

-Monthly Performance/Safety Bonus:
$400 Max depending upon several criteria set forth by company.

-Layover Pay:
Paid on a case-by-case basis.

-Holiday Pay:
Six paid holidays (Hourly rate x 8 hours)

-Vacation Pay (after 1 year):
1-9 Years:14 Paid days (Hourly rate x 8 hours per day).
10+ Years: 19 Paid days.
Also, the day after Thanksgiving is given as well, just as an unpaid free day off.

-Orientation/Training Pay:
Hourly pay for all on-duty hours.

-Health Insurance with Vision Rider Plan (following 30 days past 1st of month of date of hire. Weekly rates reflect participation in "Wellness Program":
$25 Office visit co-pay ($45 Specialist)
Annual Deductible: $500 for Individual Plan/$1,000 for Family Plan
Annual Out of Pocket Max: $2,500 Individual/$5,000 Family
Employee Plan Cost: $24.93
Employee + Child: $47.37
Employee + Spouse: $52.35
Family Plan: $77.28

-Dental Insurance (same wait period as Health Insurance. Weekly rates):
Employee Plan: $6.64
Employee + Child: $15.17
Employee + Spouse: $12.82
Family Plan: $21.49

-Life Insurance (Company paid):
$25,000
Driver has option to purchase more up to $250,000, as well as Spouse and/or Child Insurance.

-401k Plan (after 1 year):
Company matches 25% of first 8%.

-Equipment (see note below):
Peterbilt 386 w/63" Sleeper (single, liftable bunk)
Paccar 12.9L MX 485 h.p. engine with D.E.F.
13-speed Eaton Fuller transmission
Pre-Pass Plus (PrePass, EZ Pass, I-Pass, I-Zoom)
Espar under-bunk heater
68 mph (company speed limit for logging policy and bonus program is 65 mph)
Hose rack on back of sleeper, with two hoses of each size carried (2" and 3" hoses.
50' Air hose and In-Transient Heat Hoses issued to driver also, as well as appropriate fittings for unloading and P.P.E.
*NOTE: Some of the older Petes and the Volvos have the Cummins ISX with the D.P.F. System. The Volvos are being phased out now, and the older Petes soon to follow.*

-Fuel Network:
Pilot/Flying J.
Fuel as necessary!

-Cash Advance Policy:
$200 per week.

-Payroll:
Paid weekly via Direct Deposit or "Hard Check".
Payroll runs Sunday to Saturday.
Trips and time sheets scanned in by Monday morning paid that same Friday.
Company uses Transflo Express Scanning at truck stops and/or Transflo Smartphone App.

-Safety Notes:
Company uses PeopleNet touchscreen eLogs with built in navigation.
*NOTE: Company speed limit policy is 65 mph, even though trucks are set to 68. In any circumstance that a driver exceeds either 6+ mph over the posted speed limit and/or 71+ mph, the PeopleNet System WILL RED FLAG said driver immediately per the location and date/time of incident. Repeated offenses will result in verbal warning, written warning, suspension from work, and finally up to termination.*

Yeah, I know, a lot of y'all just read that safety policy and are thinking "That's B.S.!" Well, it's COMPANY POLICY for ALL drivers, company and I/C alike, and any that don't like it are free to go elsewhere.

Anyway, as per the original info post, keep in mind that this is merely the starting rate of pay for a driver at or just over the minimum hiring requirements. If you have a great deal of tank experience, then there is a very good chance of starting at a slightly higher % and hourly/flat rate amount. Also, there is no tank wash pay, as you will predominantly drop your dirty tank at the tank wash/yard and simply hook to a clean one.

 

1catfish, was nice meeting you a couple of days ago. Hopefully everything went well the rest of your time during training/orientation.

Johnboy, yeah, unfortunately we do hold firm to the chem tank experience. I know your work ethic and that you would do very, very well here. Especially since the atmosphere is extremely laid back just like there, minus some of the "excitement" of when Louie gets all high speed on us lol

 

Tankyanker... things are rocking here for me (and also a good friend who just started about three weeks ago himself) but just remember that I don't run "normal" system; he and I both run directly for C.D., hence the "Special Ed Kid" moniker. Anyway, from what I see and hear, our guys are doing fairly well for themselves but if your cup of tea is being home every weekend or every other weekend I'd rather let Alsip talk with ya directly. If you want or need any contact info I'll happily give it through a p.m.

As for details, let me get the fresh info up now but like I said, I've ran well since my last update.

09-23 to 09-29
-Portland, OR to Woodburn, OR (live load).....Wright, WY (live unload).....Alsip, IL (drop dirty tank).
Miles: 2,339

09-30 to 10-06
-Alsip, IL (hook clean multi-compartment tank).....Channahon, IL (live load).....Chicago Heights, IL (live load).....Miami, FL (live unload).....Baton Rouge, LA (drop dirty multi-cmpt. tank).
Miles: 2,464

2012 Totals
Gross: $8,636
Hub Miles: 14,405
Avg: .599/mile
Days Working: 44
Days Off: 5

More later and as always, y'all be safe and have fun!