Impression of Roehl so far

And Redwolf, I thought I knew what I was getting into, based on what the literature and website stated. You know, miles per week, "friendly, supportive dispatch", $36000-42000 your first year, etc. It wasn't there. So, I really did not know what I was getting into. As far as my current job, it is all cut and dried. You get your dispatch today and you deliver tomorrow. No hidden strings, not empty promises.

 

I believe he said he was not provided the miles necessary to receive the bonus, nor meet the idle requirements to receive the bonus because he was not getting the miles.

How more specific does he need to be then that?

The feds, and the carriers have control over what you do while you are on the road, so tyeing your pay to things that may be out of your control is one reason not to work for outfits that pay in such a way.

Your availability to run loads, and the performance in running those loads, and your longevity at a company, should be the only factors in pay. Companies that tie pay to engine performance, driver discomfort in weather extremes, and the luck of the draw in dp's can, and do, make getting bonuses a function of the luck of the draw.

 

Hey dcodd,
What was in that Kool Aid they had us drinking twice a day anyway?

I guess in time we will know the truth from empirical knowledge.
And such will be posted on this forum.
respects,
me in se pa

 

I truly wish everyone all the best, I really do. I only hope that things have changed since my tenure there at Roehl. I had one absolutely great dispatcher for a few months and life was much better there. But even a great dispatcher can't change the powers above. I have posted before that I was accidently shown my mileage allocation for each week while talking with a terminal manager. When I asked what this was I was told that was the mileage I was to be utilized each week. That number was rarely achieved, which in turn affected monthly, quarterly and annual mileage, which also cost me bonuses and an annual raise. Perhaps things are better, but I will take your word for it. This person was moved and my life went back down in a violent spiral as far as miles and money go.
Please post honest experiences for the new people that read this forum. This is where I got most of my information on Roehl when I decided to go there, (and also the recruiter) and most of it was not true. That is why I post here, to open the eyes of the" new to the industry" people. No company is perfect. I would have been more tolerant of the "misgivings" if I had been told the truth up front. I can take a little screwing, but I hate to be lied to. Perhaps recruiters and other posters will realize a lot of us feel this way and if they truly are interested in retaining a majority of drivers this policy of truthfulness will be implemented. However, there is a lot of money taken in by training students, and there is a lot of money from the government for equipment tax write offs and such for students while they are "learning a new trade" so I don't expect much to change. I hope I am wrong.
Good day

 

I was just going over my last check of the year. I made just over $52000, had over $4000 in bonuses. Really not too bad for only working half a year. I am a 7/7 flatbed trainer that has been at Roehl for almost ten years.

I don't have many problems getting bonuses. The minimum mileage is pretty easily attainable. I have a bunk heater so the only two months where I even come close to going over the idle time is July and August. I could see how someone based in the south might have a problem. What I do in the summer is run the truck for about two hours and get the truck as cold as possible. It cools off at night anyways so after I get the truck cooled down it stays comfortable. If I get to Florida, which isn't often, I have to run it all night. Roehl has two different pay plans, if you are having trouble meeting the bonus requirement just take the pay plan with the higher mileage and screw the bonuses.

Doing flatbed helps with getting miles. If flat freight is slow I can still pull a curtain or God help me a tuna can. If you ever see a condo flatbed truck pulling a van trailer and the driver has a bag over his head that would be me. How embarrassing!

I only sat one weekend with out a load. Never happened again. If they didn't have a plan I went home. It only took once to learn my lesson. If you are low on hours and the weekend is coming up you better be headed toward the house or on a long run. That is another reason I got off of national and on 7/7. It doesn't make sense to stay out 10 days when you run out of hours in 7. They also can't jerk you around because someone else is going to need the truck.

My first couple of years sucked at Roehl but where else can you make $52k in half a year? Besides ice road truckers.

 

$52,000 in 26 weeks. $2,000 per week. I got this math down, but how much of the $2000 per week was trainer pay. That kind of money calls for some steep miles. Even at .40/mile thats 5000 miles per week or some really good trainer pay. Just curious.
As for minimum mileage, it was 126,000 annually when I left. Don't know what it is on the plan you are on. I just didn't get anywhere near it. I finished with 119,000 "dispatched" miles, I was told

 

3400 miles a week x .42 x 26 weeks= $37000
Evo 1 students $65 a day, Evo 2 $50, average about $350 a week trainer pay.
$350 x 26= $9000
bonuses= $4000
tarp pay, extra stops, detention pay $2000
$52000

 

If they can afford to pay you 52K for half a years worth of work, then that just shows how much they are screwing the average driver at Roehl and other OTR company's.

 

Training is where the money is at in this industry. There is no more money to be made as an O/O. Instead of whining and crying about no miles and the hours of service I did something to maximize my time spent on the road. Now I can legally run two log books and start/finish my day when I want. Basically I am getting paid extra and having someone do half my work for me. I am not bored off my butt like I was before either. Watching a new student go thru NYC or Chicago can liven things up.
I wouldn't say Roehl is screwing anybody. I perform a service that others are not willing or able to do. Therefore, I get paid more.

 

More power to you Dunes. If the money is on the table for something you enjoy you would be a fool not to pick it up. And with that much free time you are making off like a bandit.