JBS Carriers Greeley Colorado

whew just read 781 post . Will finish reading later.
My name is Norma and I am a wannabe student/rookie. Looks like this will be the company I chose. I would like detailed info on the physical. Seriously, can a healthy fat girl pass it? . Thank you in advance for your reply.

 

It has been a while since I did it so can't remember too much detail. Basically you have so much time to complete some pushes, pulls, and lifts of weighted objects while keeping your heart rate under a certain number of beats/minute. If it goes over, you must stop and rest until it drops down. I think mine went over once but I still had plenty of time to finish. Probably the hardest task is lifting a 90lb (I think) crate from the ground to a shelve a little over belly high. If you can do this, the rest of it should not be a problem. Just have to relax and pace yourself to keep your ticker in check. I did this over 2 years ago so maybe things have changed now. Good luck Norma and welcome.

 

OK here's the deal on the physicals.

On Mondays you will have to submit to and pass an ergonomics eval where they check for proper operation of all limbs and your back. Basically the physical therapist type has you move various ways while watching for signs that there's something wrong. If there's something more than just morning stiffness you get failed out, told to get it fixed and come back. One guy in my class had a bad rotator cuff and he was told if he got it fixed he could come back and continue but he was saying the repair would be several thousands (indicating he knew before he got there and hoped they'd miss it) and at his age, 65+, it just wasn't worth it so he wasn't going to come back.

You also have to do a physical strength test. It was like carry 90lbs 100ft (50 out and 50 back), lift 30, 60 and 90lbs from floor to desk height 3 time each, and 30 and 60lbs from desk height to shoulder height 3 times each, and like a minute of stair climbing. Heart Rate and Blood Pressure are recorded at the beginning and end of each exercise as well as monitored during. One driver had BP so high that they wouldn't even let him get started so he was told to go get it under control and come back. One woman had a colostomy bag and refused to do the lift to shoulder height claiming it might tear the connections to her body. She got sent home period because these tests are a condition of employment and she knew that before she got there. Failing is one thing, refusing is quite another. She was furious that they wouldn't make an exception btw.

Once you pass those two you will be given a drug test, both the instant result type using test strips and the more involved type that they get back in a couple days. And yes there were several that failed, some leaving the first day and a couple on Weds after the more involved test results came back. These people have to know, so why do they show up?

Pass the immediate drug test and it's on to the DOT physical. They insist that you use their Medical Card even though you've got your own. Company Policy. Oh, and for the guys this will include a hernia check. At least there's no prostate exam. Yet. Neck size will be checked and for those as have a thick neck you may have to have an apnea eval done before proceeding.

Once you've passed the physicals, got your company DOT medical card, survived employment and criminal background checks (which are occurring right up to getting truck assignments for problem cases) then it's on to the road tests on Monday afternoon. For the newbs it's pretty much just around the block while the experienced drivers have a longer test. A surprising number of experienced rivers get bounced out for stupid rookie mistakes like curbing tires, forcing cars back on turns, speeding, etc. The thing is if you fail a road test you will be given a second road test and these experienced drivers fail it again and get sent home. The only thing I can figure is they think they need to show how they can push a truck through traffic rather than realize that they are out with Safety and it's traffic school all over again.

 

sounds like nothings changed in two years

 

I have had my worse two weeks ever of trucking do to breakdowns. Ive had issues before but #### this sucks but its part of the job. Hope I don't have to go through it for a while. 1st week out I did 2500 miles easy running no issues. beginning of 2nd week I was at the oakwood terminal and had a engine light come on and a service needed. Took them 2 days to get it done and then sent me to Atlanta to get my apu worked on. the apu parts took 4 days to get delivered and then I got a load out of Gainesville picking up on 4th of july. I go to the chicken plant and the trailer was messed up so they had a mechanic come out and fix it. by the next morning my apu screwed up and I got taken off the load and sent back to Atlanta to get it fixed. on the way back my check engine light came back on so the first week I was broke is the same reason why im broke down for the second lol. tomorrow I get to see if it can be fixed or if I have to wait for parts. booooooooooooooo

 

Wow that is a pretty bad week. That's one reason I hope they never put an apu on my truck. 1 less thing I need serviced. What's wrong with your truck EGR. I know I had that happen a month or so ago. I go to one shop they fix my problem after 2 days and then 2 days later I'm having another problem. Luckily I was near the house so my truck spent the next 2days at Peterbilt and I spent them at home. Hope you get rolling soon. A guy in Hyrum was there for a week. I left Hyrum delivered in So Cal, Picked up came back to Utah and seen him checking out when I was picking up my next load. He was ready to hang up the keys. Not sure if he is still with us.

 

Sounds like my last week or so. Friday before last the batteries decided they'd had enough and the truck wouldn't start, even with a jump. First shop they call doesn't even bother to show up so on Saturday they send the second choice who is there in minutes. 4 batteries and a couple hours later I'm back in business but no load. Get a load on Sunday and as I'm driving after dark I give a wild hog a love tap with the LF bumper. That breaks the LF bumper bracket which makes it look a bit odd but no big deal and I finish the load.

I apparently manage to pick the absolute worst KW dealer in the area to be close to, breakdown said they had reservations about sending me to it but it was closest, They did look at the truck in the 1.5 hour range that they initially estimated, but then it took the rest of the day and into the next business morning (4th intervened) to properly identify and order the bracket. Supposed to be done this afternoon but we shall see.

Score to this point: 2 days on batteries, 5 days on a bumper bracket in the last week and a half. WOOT TRUCKIN'! Lol.

 

Oh my...!!! Ergonomics, lifting 90 lbs off the floor and carrying heavy weights around... Considering this is not a flatbed operation, looks like their drivers must be able to not just drive the truck but to unload it as well.... Their pay must be very good...

 

While it is a driver-unload policy company have never had one iota of static over lumper fees. I understand that isn't always the case with some carriers where they try to get the driver to unload by making it difficult to get money for lumpers. If a driver does choose to unload he'll get paid for it, but a whole load would only come out to about $80. Forget that!

My personal opinion on the reason for the ergo and weight s test is that they get a price break on the insurance since it weeds out pre-existing conditions under the guise of job requirements.

 

Here is a heads up if you ever have to go to JBS Omaha. Picked up there a couple of days ago. Didn't even know it existed before. Guard said JBS bought it a few months ago. This place is small. Smaller than any Pilgrims you have ever seen. The road getting in there is narrow. So much so that you only can enter from one direction because the turn into the driveway is so tight. Naturally I was going the wrong way my first time there and had to find a place to turn around. No directions on Qualcomm so here you go. From I-80 turn south on US 75 to L street exit. Turn right (There is construction on the bridge but the turn is ok) . GPS will want you to go to 36th, don't do it. Go to 33rd street and turn left. There is a grocery store on this corner and the entrance to the plant is directly behind it. Turn right on EB Gomez and the entrance is on the left. Yield to outgoing trucks, only room for one at a time and the employee parking uses the same entrance. What a cluster buck! Hope you don't have to go there when the cattle trucks are there because where you park your MT is right by the chutes!! Hard to believe this is actually a beef plant! Good luck if you go there....