CBSL Pasadena Texas

They Sux... #### near lost it all...

 

Sorry, just seeing all the reply's now...I got an email yesterday on another CBSL-related thread...so, I'll try to briefly throw in my $0.02 here, if you haven't read it somewhere else.

Edjahman made the right move. Majestic 670 is dead-nuts on! CBSL does SUCK. As, I am hearing most tank companies do. There is one good one near me, M Raess and Son. Smaller, local operation, mostly company drivers, but, the last few years they been hiring a few O/O's...they haul and deliver gasoline, which, may not be everyone's "cup of tea".

As for my experience with CBSL....I'll sum it as this - "bait and switch, big time!"

Once they "got" you, they #### you. After about 3 or 4 weeks, suddenly, there was no work, or, what they did have didn't pay crap...cross-towns, a lot of bob-tail. There is no "forced dispatch", so, you either take the garbage or you make nothing.

I was Bob-tailing at times almost 400 miles to either get back or to a paying load...granted, they do PAY for those bobtail miles, but, the rate is SO low, it's not worth doing. I didn't sign up to run around bobtail for $0.60 or $0.70, whatever it was they were paying...they think your truck doesn't use any fuel or somehow miraculously get's 20 MPG or something when you bob-tail. My W900L pretty much got the same economy loaded, MT, bobtail...OK, maybe I got 1 or 2 MPG better when bobtail...big deal!

The worst part is, the MINUTE you question and say "Hey, what's going on, thought we'd be busier?"...the terminal manager immediately became "defensive" and start blaming ME! Right away, I started to get questioned whether I was a "team player"....a team player? Is the team going to pay my bills for me when I can't? Basically, they expect you to manage yourself through the "slow" times...and then, they will ABUSE you during the heavy times.

There was no work, no work, no work, all of a sudden, late on a Wed, then Thursday, Friday roll around, they got you working like nuts! And they want you to work Saturday and Sunday...this was advertised as a M-F work...I can't tell you how many times I didn't get home until Sat only to hear "What do you mean you can't work the weekend??? You just had 5 days off!" That is what they said to me during Thanksgiving weekend, and again at Christmas. It's like "Hey, I planned time off, told you I was going on vacation before I even started, so, don't tell me this is MY fault!"

Work was SUPPOSED to be given on a "First In First Out" basis...that sounded fair, no "favoritism"...again, don't believe a WORD they tell you!

And, in hindsight, of COURSE the work suddenly was busy around the holidays...because their "senior guys" didn't want to work....so, suddenly, the "scrubs" are expected to jump in...and, as soon as Jan 3rd rolled around, it went back to being no work! I'm well over 50, I don't need to be a "bottom" feeder for somebody else.

The best thing any O/O can do is maintain their own authority, find their own work, whatever that work is.

I went back to hauling my flatbed conestoga, the rates were WAY better, and, I worked when I wanted to and didn't work when I wanted to take time off.

Since then, I have sold my KW, and am in the process of selling the conestoga...I'm going back to local dump truck work. It may not be a whole lot of money, it's seasonal work, but, when you do work, you get paid well, your out there in DAYLIGHT hours, typically in decent weather. There isn't a lot of sitting around, but, if you do, your "on the clock", so, you don't care! Less fuel and wear.

When the temps freeze and snow flies, you park it and "hibernate" in your cave.

I am good with that! Maybe I am just lazy. 22 years as an O/O, I haven't found anything better that isn't super-dangerous, require you to live in a truck, bust your ### or take big risks.

 

Wow, you and I had very different experiences.

 

@Edjahman if your happy, stay put. I'd love to stay hauling liquid gases, but I don't want to be out weeks at a time. I'm really trying to stay where I'm at, but the money & schedule is all over the place. Last week my settlement was $1,200, this week it's $5,300.

 

Wise man.

 

Who are you leased to hauling cryogenics? I'm about to buy another truck and want to get back in to it. I'm tired of chemicals,,