Dont work for Gardner Trucking out of California

It depends on how you are paid. There are hourly drivers that are paid for every hour they work. Then there are % drivers who are paid a certian percentage for the load hauled. They may get paid to deadhead but I doubt it

 

Seriously do not work for Gardner Trucking based in Chino California. I only worked there to get the minimal experience needed to get hired on at a good trucking company. I have to say that I am glad that I am able to leave that hell. The dispatchers are abusive in their powers. They will deadhead you all over the greater Los Angeles area only to give you a load that pays only $40 dollars. I worked as a local driver for David C., Freddy B., and Luis B. On average in a 12 to 14 hour shift I would make 100 dollars a day. There is alot of stand by and deadhead miles which you DO NOT get paid for. Several times I would be sent with a load to Oxnard CA from LA. I would call dispatch after I was empty they would say "Sorry bro. There's nothing coming back right now." David had a habit of doing that. I averaged 400 deadhead miles per week. All detention time and dropped empty trailer pay would have to get approved by Tom L. in order to be paid. So that meant that he wouldn't put his signature on your paperwork for a couple of weeks. Which meant it would take a month for you to get paid for something that you did that work week. Trust me. Run for the hills if you are ever offered a job at Gardner Trucking. It is an abusive company.

 

Just talked to their recruiter yesterday. Sounds like SOME things may have changed compared to what I'm reading on this thread... but from the looks of it I hope more has than what meets the eye.
I guess they never have before, but now do pay deadhead. .25cents/mile.

They did advise me that deadhead and detention pay (after 2 hours) are paid. But that yes, there will be some waiting and in some cases a lot of empty miles. For someone starting out like me (only 2 month experience) it doesn't sound too bad making $700/week pulling double flatbeds up and down CA. Then again, what do I know, I'm just starting out in the business.

I will say, right now with my current company I am making about $4,400/mo doing runs to TX every week from LA (Los Angeles). So I've heard (and even been criticized) that my pay is outstanding for my experience level. But I will agree with a post I saw on here. Everyone trucks for the money... but to me if I don't feel safe in the equipment, its always forced dispatch... and the O/O are so disorganized you feel like leaving the #### truck there and catching a flight home... the pay is just not worth it. My current company doesn't seem to want to invest in their equipment. Its always like a "ride it til the wheels fall off" mission for them. To me, the pay loss is a HUGE one... but worth it if it means I get better equipment and insurance package for my family. After all... $700/wk is what I'm supposed to be making anyway for my exp. level right? lol

That being said... I took a chance, and applied for Gardner. That was obviously before I read these posts. So can someone NEW with CURRENT experiences shed some light on how good/bad this company really is? I have to say, these threads do differ a TON compared to what drivers say in person to me.

Also, could anyone else recommend a company that might be a good fit for someone like me? 2 MONTHS EXP and/or 28,000/mi driven already. Preferably not a "mega-carrier".

 

What do you know?
Hmmmmmmmm ---------

Well, for starters, you seem to know what you want, don't want,
need, don't need, --- and what you'll accept. You'd be surprised
by the number of wannaBees and newBees who don't have that
figured out for years, as they hop-along, hopin' to find the
answers to questions they don't know enough about the Big truck
truckin' industry to ask, .............. yet.

I suppose seven hundred bucks a week is in the ball park for what an average
newBee can expect when first startin' out, ......... but, I'm thinkin' you're not
in the "average newBee" category. Don't sell yourself short JayRod.

Generally speakin', what'cha hear straight from the horse's mouth is the most
accurate and up-to-date information available. Just be sure to inquire how long
they've been employed with the company. An air-headed newBee may not have
a clue as to how a well run company operates, --- nuthin' to compare with their
current, and possibly only, Big truck truckin' company gig.

I'd run that question by Chinatown, a poster here who seems to be up on
Big truck truckin' companies that might be a good fit. If he doesn't chime
in here in this thread, send out an A.P.B.

What ever you decide is the best route to your desired destination, I
wish you the best of success.
Keep us posted?

 

Chinatown where are you!!!

 

don't work for this co. they will lie all day long .. i worked there for almost 6 years and only made$33000.00 a yr the last 2 yrs it went down to about 31000.00 its a family , friend , or brown nosier co. that the only way you will get any money

 

Started seeing Gardner trucks around DFW a few years ago. Not uncommon as many western state carriers are common sights in DFW, it's usually about as far east as they run. Then I started seeing daycabs and noticed they opened a terminal in Fort Worth.

 

If your right out of school and have some kind of background knowledge of trucking, they will hire you. Someone which I will keep anonymous for now works there. Now that he has settle for awhile is now realizing he is working for less then minimum wage. I told him months back to figure out the time that is involved in hours and divide it by what the loads pay, answer: LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGES. And he is a huslter. He loves the equipment but he finally realized it's not worth it any longer. The recruiter painted him a pretty picture like any company would do and they don't follow through. He is now about to be hired for a union job that will pay him for every hour he will work plus any overtime involved, benefits, retirement and all. He is looking forward to it. With one year with his CDL, but what helps him is he comes from a family of trucking.

 

You hiring any drivers?