Magnum ltd - fargo, nd

I think I should have put some sort of smiley gif on that statement about the dead horse...it was suppose to be a tongue-in-cheek bit of humor. Sorry if it didn't come off that way.

As for me listening and learning, we've been down that road. This system isn't that different than what we did at Poly. @radioshark can corroborate it's similarities. I try what is suggested, I run where others who are succeeding run. I even try to do the same runs on the same days so that if the reload is on a similar schedule, I have a shot at getting a decent reload. Up until recently, the outbound was what was keeping me afloat. I don't know what happened, but that is turning south. And no, it isn't because of my big mouth. What you see here is a response to repeated failures...I don't just knee-jurk on the 1st issue. I ride it out and take it, it is after it a reoccurring issue that I speak up.

Win...by what I read on that screen shot I sent, it doesn't say after a year expect 11k, it says that Magnum is hiring and the requirements are 1 yr or 100k verify able experience. Unless I missed something. As for clock management, brother, who are you kidding? After 20 years out here, I live my life by the logbook, I may not know all the tricks, but I would be willing to bet, I know most of them and can squeeze every mile out of my 70 imaginable. Maybe I don't know all the tricks to getting the better loads here, but time management is something I could do with my eye's shut...and probably have done with my eyes shut in years past before Johnny law and his sidekick Lawyerman made us straighten up and fly right.

Please don't take my post's and anger as being unappreciative for the suggestions...it's not that I am not greatful, it's that after trying just about every suggestion I am presented with, I am still failing...maybe that is why I am so disappointed and discouraged about my future...not only here, but in trucking in general. I mean, I am about to go crawl into a cave somewhere and wait for the sky to fall...with a smile. I mean, you can only be knocked down so many times before you just say #### it...I can't be knocked down if I don't get back up.

 

i must respond to this with a story about the grass being greener saying

i wont name names but i remember working for a big company in the start of my driving days, i was at odds with my terminal mgr, i refused to believe the nonsense he was spewing, then he pulled out the grass isnt greener card.

fast forward years later i was working for a company on a dedicated account and that company also did loads out of there. my company and that company had dispatchers in the same room but split by a divider. i was happy with my job and was paid well for my time but i would always hear the dispatchers on the other side of the divider on the phone with their drivers, it wasnt pleasant. i remember thinking when they told me the grass wasnt greener on the other side of the fence, i though ya i know all i had to be was on he other side of that divider in the room. i would still hear them talking to their drivers just like they talked to me. i always think of that when someone says the grass aint greener.

you may ask why im still not with that company, its because i can go back anytime, i just talked to my old boss and he said your welcome here anytime. i told him thank you i probably will come back when im done seeing whats on the other side of the fence.

 

Magnum offers: good miles. They often don't deliver this.

No micromanagement, which they deliver on totally.

Good equipment, which they absolutely offer. Decent driver amenities and no hassle home time.

Which they totally deliver on.

What they DO NOT deliver on is the miles.

2500 is a MINIMUM. They don't deliver that. If you ##### and whine, they will do better. But there is something wrong with this picture.

I attribute this to not enough people in back office. But I know 5 experienced drivers about to quit over this issue.

I'm getting enough to keep me. I'm NOT getting enough to make me happy.

Not going anywhere. But if I had two years more OTR, ID be applying elsewhere for 30/40℅ more.

 

And let me be clear, I'm not bashing Magnum. This is not a BAD company.

But there are some obvious growing pains. I plan to be here another year.

We've grown a lot in the last year. The back office and our payroll has OBVIOUSLY not grown with that.

There are serious driver issues. I think Paul was working to address these.

I'd like to be here forever. I'd like to feel like Magnum made the same commitment. Right now, I don't.

 

I meant to add earlier that my splurge on a night at the Fargo Red Roof Inn during my 34 was WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. The only thing that would have made it better is if Id had the prick in 1508's pillow.
Dont get me wrong, I sleep great in the truck. It was just a very relaxing change. I won't spring for a room on every 34. But with us getting a decent Magnum rate in Fargo, I may definitely do it again if Im resetting there.

 

Yeah I think about what we are seeing in reefer OTR, every time I see a Central or Prime trailer at one of our customers I stop and think about what this industry has become, and what companies now face as headwinds.

I do a lot of formal and informal research hey have lots of time at shippers. Magnum's growing pains are compounded by external forces as customers exert leverage on trucking companies to reduce their costs, especially as fuel prices fall.

Consider Magnum's policy for hometime for example, we should use the one day for each week model - there's a reason that's a norm in the industry, it keeps more trucks running. And yes, sitting is bad, but customers don't pay for it and so they truly don't care, I didn't when I was ordering trucks in my past life.

Also the awesome equipment we roll in, yeah a basic Freightliner or International would let the company put more money in our pockets, it's all about priorities.

If you are researching companies and are thinking about Magnum I would take @supersnackbar and @Jubal3's comments seriously, they are two people who are not always getting the miles they need for whatever reason. An experienced trucker who does not want to take the 9 months to get settled here should beware...

But tell me this, besides flatbedding or tanker and outside of Ashley or Walmart where would one go to get 11K per month consistently at $0.48-$0.49 cents per mile? Oh yeah, and also not have a fuel solution and be able to run out of route without permission?

In this industry it's all about choices, you have to pick your priorities and learn to live with the downsides. I really enjoy working here, and for now will live with the pay. I'm taking the good with the bad and saying I can deal with it, understand others can't.

For those who know of alternative companies please share, you'll help us all improve our knowledge. Can you tell that I have way to much time on this load lol...

 

That prick in 1508 has a newish 16 now, so you'll have a new target when your cruising around the lot...

 

what makes Magnum unique than most otr companies is the home time! im thinking of coming back strongly for that reason and some others. If magnum chose the 1 day for 1 week out they would defintly lose more of their drivers. Their flexible home time beats a lot of otr companies. coming from a driver that left and tried a regional company trust me a 34 hour reset is not home time lol. ill take every 10 days for 3 to 4 days home over a 34.

 

Poly

 

No doubt some would not agree with me, but I personally will sacrifice some pay for good quality equipment. We run trucks less than 2 years old and trailers less than 3. Creature comforts with the apu and refrigerator. I definitely considered this when I was researching which company I wanted to apply to. After all, we live in these things.

I also genuinely love trucks. I would reccomend since we don't run California that we switch to Peterbilt 389 and Kenworth W900 gliders. I know managment won't consider it, but a boy can dream. I also wish we had more lights on our trailers. Im not talking 50 more like some owner/op, just a few more, 16 more to be exact, 22 more if including the thermo king light package. I could give a BS reason that it improves visibility therfore safety, which is true. But I just think it looks cool.