My experience at holland enterprises

There a good company, as is GPT. Both have their good & bad points. GPT’s dispatch is still going through its growing pains now & then since the split from Holland. They’ve pretty much trying to out-do one another as far as driver pay and benefits, except Gpt has a small lease/owner operater program only for those who want that, as well as now they have CMT under the same roof which basically is the flatbed division. The main difference from Holland is Gpt doesn’t have tv/satellite systems installed in the trucks but makes up for it with slightly higher pay.

 

Hey Proxy! Didn't know if you were still around. Coming up on my one year with GP, and am very happy. The LP is really working out well. I agree with dispatch having to grow again. Thank God Susan is a stable force there. She hooked me up with a treat today, from WA to FL. Just hope my drop in Portland unloads in a decent time.

How've you been doing?

 

What kind of rates are you getting with them?

 

I'm usually reluctant to disclose rates publicly. My average is around 1.80-1.85/mi, all in. The run I'm on pays 1.93, and the run to FL pays 2.33. Normally I avg around 1400 mi per run. Lately that's dropped. But this FL will go a long way into boosting my avg back up.

 

Well, I re applied and got the go ahead from Karla. On the the schedule for the 5th of Nov. Should have came over back in July.

 

Does Holland typically make new hires do a new physical during orientation? I still have over a year on my current one

 

With close to a year, maybe, maybe not. Depends on their mood. I think a year used to be the cut off but not sure what they're doing now.

 

Alright I ask because I don't think Brett said anything to me about getting one. Are they pretty strict about your days off. Like would they care if someone where to take 4 days off or so after being out 3 weeks? I usually do about 21-25 days out and try to get home Wednesday and leave out on Monday morning

 

I don’t know personally. I stay out for much longer (2 months at least) and spend 5-7 days at home or whatever I ask for. A lot will depend on where home is how workable that frequency is.

Be honest with whoever you’re talking to and see what they say. This is not the kind of company who will blow smoke just to get you working. Those numbers are pushing it pretty close to the absolute minimums as I understand them.

Next time I’m in the office during the week I’m going to present some ideas that are centered around keeping drivers seeking more frequent home time more content by creating some mini “regional fleets” and not dispatching them to all corners of the US. I wouldn’t like it but many would.

It would require some new ways of thinking inside dispatch and maybe some more work from their sales and CSR people to seek some shorter freight they sometimes shy away from.

 

I'm not opposed to stay out longer. Brett and Karla were saying 3-4 weeks is minimum time out. And I'm sure it wouldn't be bad being out 6 weeks or more with all the creature comforts Holland puts in all the trucks, and the long runs to keep you moving.