DM Bowman

I not sure I understand so do you have any experience or are they training you to drive

 

student graduate. need to go with trainer who ever i go with.

 

Didn't read this whole thread, just the OP's first post in 2009.
He and his buddies thought they could work 4 days, and have a 3 day weekend AND take an extra $125 to NOT work on Friday.
Then they wondered why the company took away the free money.

 

I am sorry to see the losses.

DM Bowman in my time roughly 1995 give or take a few months, one winter or the other... was a outfit to really get with it. It was a happening place.

If I recall, there was a great deal of brick that went to the Camden Yards Stadium (Not me, I hauled brick everywhere else... shucks...) when I was not running Tamko or up into Fishertown PA near Altoona. That Fishertown was something else. They demanded 8.00 on the dot am delivery without fail. Not one minute late was acceptable ever. And it seems that I had that ice and winter routine down nicely to be there within a few minutes of 8 am. Sometimes that meant calling into Breezewood 76 when coming up to get food together breakfast to go. Waitress hands me the bag, I turn over money and gone. 4 minutes plus 6 to 10 for call. Kept me on time.

I did notice a little bit of trouble within the company as they clamped down. I once arrived at the yard 2 hours prior to required leaving so I can go to the Frederick 76 to grab a meal before Baltimore (50 minutes away to blue circle at Camden port) I only needed 45 minutes and left like still two hours early to get to Baltimore.

One of the DM's wrote me up and the bosses raised hell. WTF? The #### truckstop is what? 4 miles and next to the interstate I need to get out on. They showed me a little folder with my name on it accumulating small stuff. Bad things. Little bad things.

I finally got out of there and moved on. Enough was enough. Maybe that was the seeds of trouble you speak of.

I did 3 million and change and did not do it without wrecking some cars or trucks now and then. So I salute your achievement. But, I will not forget DM Bowman's staff in the mid 90's what a crew. I recall one encounter with the Frederick Term Manager, the big boss one day. He noticed my hearing aids and say I don't eff with deaf drivers #### it!!!

The convo that followed on my end was a education in about 10 minutes delivered politely and quickly on the differences between the deaf and hearing culture and a questioning about the root cause of his discrimination. Turned out there was a bad driver before me who hurt them that was deaf. I knew who that driver was from school. I finally told him this... I might be stubborn, I might be difficult. But I aint that deaf with your big mouth today. And there was no trouble the rest of my time there.

Williamsport was a transition because the commute time from north frederick to frederick yard cut into my sleep rest periods each night. So having a mack sleeper already there all week and still at least the same pay? Awesome. I got rested very well. But started turning grey in the south when Fancy Gap traffic blew my doors off at 80 plus and me on the far right at 55 with the radio giving me a hard time. Enough of that. (I eventually had a 130+ mph tractor with another company not long after... got my fill of that...) so I can go either way.

Williamsport though, stiff and suits inside that building. You think you were in Rome among the obese senators fat on riches... ugh. I show up fresh from 110 degree alabama steam heat in tees and jean shorts and one dispatcher dressed me down verbally in the middle of the room.

From that day forward I had a passion of hatred against suits. I have not worn one since family forced me into one at 8.... and I'll be ###### if I touch another. No offense. They can go to alabama on my knee and sweat it out. Im out LOL.

All in all, it's a good time. But like all things, even the good times end sometimes as it must.

 

I worked regional back in '13 out of Williamsport...had all my endorsements and never once got paid the guar min...then again I got ok miles, made my deliveries on time....took my own routes and ignored their routing....especially when it took me over the mountain on 68....I took the TWP. and i also constantly ran over speed...basically, if u got the job done they leave you be....my last draw was they left me hanging on a Thanksgiving holiday when dispatch promised I'd be home ( dispatch lying? imagine that) anyway I told them I would dead head home...and that's exactly what the F I did. the end.

 

That's how they cut down on turnover.... torn mud flaps as preventable accidents....total ####ing dick move for real