Who is the best?

I like maverick.

 

I have only worked for 4 companies in a little over 15 years but I have researched many of the major truckloads out there. So far the best I have found to date is my current employer Eastern Freightways. A small truckload carrier (a subsidiary of NEMF) based out of North Brunswick NJ. About 100 trucks total for this division.
I say it is the best for me because of the following;
1. Break down pay.
2. Detention pay after 2 hours.
3. Paid holidays, sick days, personal days, and up to 3 weeks vacation.
4. Paid drops, hooks, every stop (this is old pay scale and no longer available to new highers).
5. .36 cpm to .40 cpm to start (6 mos experience required) depending on area you live in and level of experience.
6. Blue cross/blue shield family cost $40.00 per week including prescription card. Delta Dental at no charge after 1 year of employment.
7. 401k
8. disability insurance.
9. life insurance.
10. Aflac available.
11. Direct deposit.
12. Assigned truck.
13. Home each weekend.
14. Monthly safety and compliance bonus (.01 cpm).
15. First name basis with terminal personnel and shop personnel.

Essentially when I compare this company to the big guys such as Swift, Schneider, Jb Hunt, Werner, etc. I have many more perks and benefits than these major companies offer. Most of the big guys do not pay for break downs, holidays, sick days, personal days, or every stop delivered or picked up. Detention is usually difficult to get from them, the medical is much more expensive too.
The major companies DO HAVE newer equipment and huge terminals but for me I prefer the cash in my paycheck (I average about 1350.00 per week gross). I am sure there are union companies that have better perks and pay but I do not like daycabs (I prefer a sleeper so if I get tired I can lay down) nor do I want to be "on call" and work the "extra board" for what could be years waiting for a "full time" slot to open up.

My only regret was not finding this outfit sooner. I have 6.5 years in so far and am not planning on going anywhere.

 

We ran team for this company for 6 months. Pay was within 2% of odometer. Fantastic equipment, miles, miles, miles, only ever unloaded one trailer in 6 months, clean new terminals all over u.s. pets ok with deposit, all trucks are 500 horse power 70 mph autoshifts. It was easy getting 6000 miles a week with them. the home time is the usual 4-5 days off once a month. But we could choose when to come home, and we were out to build the bank. Good luck!!

 

There is a handful of good companies out there. Just have to find some of them. There are good companies out there like, TMC, BARR-NUNN , MAVERICK, SMX, ATS and SEWARD IN NEBRASKA. I never hear of anyone complaining about either of those. If you look around on that site, there are some good companies there. Falcon Transport is another good company by reputation. Another helpful idea, is when you find one, go to ripoffreport.com and see if there is anything listed. If it is bad company who got someone mad or upset enough to post it there, chances are they did. if you want to look up prime, schneider, swift, and some others, be prepared to read alot. Not saying some of the large ones are all bad, you just have to draw your own conclusions.

Bubba Trucker

 

I'll tell you what I can about Walmart.
1.No touch freight.
2. Paid off Hub.
3. paid layover(paid every night you spend in the truck.)
4.Paid holidays,(you don't have to work it to get holiday pay like some.)
5. Blue/Cross Blue Shield
6. 1week vac 1st year. 2wks 2nd year.
7. turnover less than 5%
8. Voted safest fleet 8 times in last 9years by Ata
Going to Walmart was the smartest thing I ever did.

 

Hey Notarps ... i have 2 questions for you about Maverick...

1) when does the rider policy take effect

2) how often are you actually tarping


Bubba Trucker

If there is money for a referal, i will mention you if you have some good answers hahhaahahhaha

 

I know what you mean. It's hard to find info on good jobs because there are so many bad ones. So here is my two cents. In the past ten years, I have driven for ten companies, van, wet and dry tanker. Nine of them were in two years. The last job (8 yrs) was Watkins Motorlines/ now Fed Ex National, pulling doubles/triples. While working for all but Watkins, I was always thinking that there must be a better driving job out there. One I actually decided while in orientation. Not once while working at Watkins did I think that. Some of that eight years was running team and I had some bad partners so yea it's not all gravy. Still I always felt like a bad day there was still better than an average day at the other jobs.
For the last three years, I have been on the same run out of Vegas and loving it. I had done the two months out/four days off bit and with this run, I got to see my family every day of the year. This was a monday/friday, weekends off job. Usually 7.5 hours a day driving plus one hour hook up/trade trailers(relay run), $.53 per mile. I would leave the house after having dinner with family and kid's homework was done and most days be back to enjoy breakfast with them. I know more money can be made out there but I feel you will work much harder to get it. I can't imagine too many driving jobs that could give me a better home life.
No cranky shippers/recievers. Only deal with people who work for the same company as you and are generally happy to see you. 100% drop and hook, 24/7. When you arrive at you destination, dispatch logs you into the computer system and and you know you will be paid right. Non of that "you're paperwork was late or incorrect". Very low stress level!

 

Why did you leave?

 

I've been driving since 1982, I've driven for owner operators, to pulling horses for a stable, fuel and milk tankers, back in 87 thru 91 worked for Swift, then got smart and hooked up with Shamrock Foods in Arizona. It was a good job, pay was decent, but after a number of years running up and down a ramp with a 2 wheeler full of food the knees began to bother you.

One night messing around on the internet I sent my resume to a job search engine. 2 weeks later I got a call from a freight company to come down and talk to them. I did and now I'm on my 3rd year of employment with them.

I started driving the first day with them. Drivers do not work the dock here. I started at $17.35 a hour in 2005, now if I was still P and D, I'd be making $22.43 a hour. I think start is now $18.45 and you top out after 2 years. You get full benefits after 30 days. Our health plan is thru Unitedhealth, of course there different options, as for me it's $45 a week for medical for my family, dental is $6. They have a excellent 401K and their match is awesome. Paid holidays, vacation, personal paid days are all part of the package. Remember 30 days after you're hired you get this. Assigned tractors, assigned routes, when you start you might be doing different stuff, but in Phoenix I had my own route after 60 days, and here in Portland I had one after 2 months also. I now drive line monday thru friday, 2800 miles a week, I drive I-5 at night, thus flybynite, CB handle is motormasher.

As for new drivers, we have a school or something, then you go out 3 weeks with a P&D trainer and 2 weeks with a line driver and then you are on your own. We also get safety bonuses each year, I just cashed mine 100 dollars per every year of safe driving.

I really enjoy working for this company, I just wish I would of found them a lot sooner. The people are good to work for, they treat you with respect and will listen to you when you have a problem.

Oh the name of the company, Old Dominion Freight Lines.

Later, Flybynite