Freymiller May 2018

I am currently at Freymiller, and I am a company driver.

THE GOOD

- You get reefer miles. And that usually means long runs. 500 miles is a small run. 1100 or more is typical. They have a run that goes from LA in California to Miami, FL with like 5 stops. That check after taxes was about $1300.

- Often the checks are good. My aver check is high $700 to low $800 after taxes with per diem. A big check here is $900 plus after taxes. I run all the miles I can, but that was my first month or so here. I think I can squeeze a $50 or so smidge here and there.

- Truck has APU and inverters are allowed. You can install a fridge here too

- Fellow drivers are typically the no non-sense types but they are often friendly to talk to

- Loves is the fuel vendor of choice

- I think the regional guys have the best time, a check similar to mine and they are home every weekend.

- The I-40 runs to and from Cali is very easy and lots of miles too

- Most staff here is friendly and respectful. I never had a bad interaction so far. Except for Farnsworth. He knows who he is *gives evil look* I only had one interaction with him, but ....

- You do get a TWIC card for free--if you stay at least 6 months here. Its apart of the orientation process. It's been 5 months and I still have not picked mines up. I heard a guy in the forums say that if you do not get your TWIC they don't give you loads and try to get you to quit. I have it but not on me. I never picked it up. Whenever I'm in OKC I'm there when the office is close or on the weekend or something. I was still sent to a port in Galveston, TX to pick up a load. Hah!

THE BAD

- EDIT: Trucks have driver facing cameras. I don't like it at all, but.... Any ways they are not remotely viewable. You have to bring the truck to terminal for them to look at it.

- Being a lease op gets you $1200 after expenses and taxes on a good week. That is from two of them I heard. The truck is expensive I think. They sell you a Peterbilt for about $80 to $90,000 with about 450 to 500K miles, and you are paying certain expenses. The lease op experience varies by company, and at Freymiller it is not worth it in my opinion. I did not do lease op here. There is a .42 cent discount off cash price at Loves.

- The website lies by telling you it has regional in northeast, southeast, and north midwest. From talking to Liz, its basically southwest. Cali to Texas, OK, Kansas, and go back out west. The closest they come to northeast regional is OTR (me) headed to NY and the usual suspects there.

- I have a qualcomm truck. They still have the MCP100 units. That thing is old. I have a 2016 truck BTW

- Trucks governed at 65mph. I have heard rumors from office staff of 70mph trucks, but I'll believe it when I see it.

CONCLUSION

- Certaing things could be better. The pay schedule basically is peculiar. You get this weeks miles next week, not the same week.

- The next step is to go local, go tanker, or something other of those likes.

 

I agree with you. I added the driver cam edit after your post.

 

No not at all. I haven't been to the terminal in months. I was told they only look at the cam if you have an accident.

 

LoL someone else can check it out. I don't really care because it's their truck their rules and more carriers have gone this route so I'm thinking this comes from pending legislation or insurance preference on policy. I'm doing what I should and never what I should not. I like it because when some bass-tard shoots across three lanes to make an exit I have proof in case they try to sue. I think it's wreckless driving to do something of the sort. They might even try to negate dash cam for lack of info to what driver was doing during event. Lawyers these days are better than Houdini. They try to get out of everything.

 

UPDATE

I forgot something really GOOD:

I get tons of detention time. Most of the time I don't have to do anything. Any time I need to do anything it gives me instructions in the detention alert message.

 

For me, the refer noise was not an issue at all. I think the people who complain about it are drama queens. And it varies by load; it depends on temp setting and ambient temperature how much the unit runs. Unless it's an old unit, it's usually quiet enough. Keeping windows on tractor shut helps keep noise out.

Dispatch gives you the load and does not call or message you unless it's something important. I prefer it that way also. Generally, I do not want to be contacted by dispatch. I like the QC very quiet--the quieter the better.

Load pick up times vary. Reefer is known to have some of the craziest pickup and delivery times. This also applies to Freymiller.

Usually I can get a full 3 weeks or so on recaps without missing miles per day.

It also depends on the run. If I have a 2600 mile run from LA to Jax, FL, then my 70 is almost up. But if I had 1100 mile runs twice a week, there are some days where it's a short driving day. Stop driving earlier that day so I can deliver in the morning. That short driving day gives me those recaps hours. Recaps may accumulate by various other circumstances also.

No I do not mind multi stops. I do not get enough. Freymiller drivers just got a pay raise and stop pay went from $25 to $50. Stop trips usually has some miles on it. I'm happy as long as my check balances out on the hefty side