Builders Transportation - Georgia Overdrive Downhill?

I was with Builders Transportation (BTC) for almost 6 years. I started as a company driver, became a trainer and then the field recruiter. They started as a very good company - the finest owners in the business. But, as time went on the front office personnel became all about the money. The focus moved off of taking care of the driver and not taking care of the driver became more and more the norm rather than the exception.


They have gone to paperless log and STILL try to tell the driver they need to pick up a load even though they have zero hours of drive-time available.
If you have a problem with your dispatcher - the driver is the one that has to suck it up. Don't expect them to make the dispatcher step his/her game up.
And, since they have gone percentage, your deadhead mileage is still the same (or more) while other companies have cut their deadhead mileage. Guess it depends on how much freight you have.


I enjoyed my time with Builders at first. My last year and a half I worked more in the corporate side of things. If I knew then what I know now - I would have had to question my willingess to work for them. Again - the owners (Frank Phillips and Sons) are class acts. I have NOTHING negative to say about them. But the ones that are in charge of the day-to-day operation leave a lot to be desired. If I were just starting out in the flatbed industry I would choose TMC or Maverick if you want to feel appreciated for the work that you do.


There are a lot of fine folks that work at Builders, but the foolishness of the top-echelon corporates kind of squelch them out.

 

Funny how the same guy is posting stuff in reply to my posts. Check this out..... when they will allow someone with only 9 months of OTR experience to train for them you know something is amiss. Why do they have such a hard time getting good experienced trainers to train for them? How about this one? Ask how many females work for them. The deal is...when they get an application from a female in a truck driving school they don't even get considered. Because, according to some sources inside of Builders, the cost to train them can't be recouped because they don't stay with the company long enough. So, do some checking (or whatever you want to do) but don't try to tell me that they are the same company they were 6 years ago. I still talk to a lot of the people that work for them and they will tell you the same thing. Here's a "new thing" they got going at BTC. (Started it when I was still there. Called "Boot Camp". They get you there for orientation and then they make you spend the night in trucks. Why? Because they want to start getting you used to sleeping in a truck? NO!!!!! Because it is more cost effective to put someone in a truck to spend the night then it is to put them up in a hotel.

 

Cookster, since they have done away with the training program you may not get to see their 'bootcamp'. However, if you do start in January, ask around. A mark of wisdom is not speaking about something until you have the information for it. When you find out that they did the 'bootcamp' program, do me a favor and come back to my page and post an apology. I was with them for over 5 years. One year as a trainer/driver, and 1-1/2 years as field resources analyst/field recruiter. Still have the business cards if you would like one. Have nothing against any of them. The Phillips (Frank Sr., John, Gene and Frank Jr.) are all fine people. Would do anything for you. But when the highest of the "Money" bunch is all about the money and not about the drivers then they get sucked into the vortex. A bunch of great people work for Builders. If you would like for me to list a bunch of them, let me know and I will pm you their names. But when you use your PERSONAL vehicle to do COMPANY work because their vehicle is in the shop and they don't want to reimburse you for the wear and tear you put on your vehicle ($49.00) then that is pretty petty.

 

Absolutely. The Philips are some of the finest people I have ever met. They have some great people that work there, and i am still friends with some. And... I hope that I am wrong because of some my friends working there. Until they make management changes it will continue the same way. And... kudos to AJ and the safety department. They have brought the safety scores way down which in this age of trucking is primary necessity. I just hope that they will once again focus on the drivers and not on corporates.