Kreilkamp Trucking

As there are no updated posts (that I know of) on Kreilkamp, I decided to share some of my experiences here over the past 8 months or so. As with any company, there is good and bad but its mainly personal preference in my opinion. This post may get a little lengthy, so I apologize in advance but I want to try to cover as much as I can.

I started back in September 2018. The orientation was the same as pretty much anywhere I assume, 3 days long consisting of paperwork and videos. They flew me into Milwaukee, WI on a Monday where a rental car was waiting for me. Drove to the hotel and went to orientation Tuesday morning. At the time, I only had 4 months experience with my previous company, so they had me go out with a local guy for a week after orientation ended on Thursday. Here I think It is somewhat skill based as to when youd get your own truck. They do hire new drivers out of school which are required to train 1 week with a local driver, as well as 3 weeks otr training (training not teaming). Again, skill based, but if this is your first company, expect at least 4 weeks. If you have some experience, but less that 6 months, expect 1 week with a local driver. Not so bad seeing how you get to stay in the hotel room without a roommate.

After I did my training for the week, I got my truck (2017 Cascadia). The company trucks may not have all the bells and whistles available, but they had quite a few; APU being the main one for me, as I came from a company that didn't have APUs, inverters, 5th wheel release, etc... The trucks are governed at 65 mph. I started out getting paid 45cpm, unless I went anywhere in the northeast, in which case it added an additional 4cpm. Kreilkamp does run in the northeast quite a bit, but I personally didn't mind as the extra 4cpm helped my checks. When I got my 6 months of total experience, I got bumped up to 48cpm, 52 for northeast.

After I was with the company for about 5 months, I decided to do a lease-purchase with them. Yes, I know, at the time I had less than 1 year experience, and lease purchases are a scam and im getting ripped off and all of the above. I thought about the decision in depth for quite some time, and began the journey in the beginning of February. They have multiple trucks to choose from mostly consisting of fleet trucks they purchased from other companies. The truck I decided to go with was a 2013 Columbia glider kit. My two previous trucks had been in the shop for DPF issues, and it took a while to fix, as well as Kreilkamp actually built this truck themselves as compared to another fleet truck with no maintenance records. After comparing my truck to other similar trucks, I can confidently say I got a pretty nice deal on it.

So... regarding the lease purchase pay structure... I make 86% of the gross of the loads, and then have to pay my deductions. I run pretty hard because I don't have family/kids and stuff that I need to be home for every other week. Since February I have grossed in the ballpark of 125k. With that being said, my dispatcher knows I don't care where he sends me. He is going to get me the best load he can, or get me a load getting back to the customer freight. I know this, so we don't have to go back and forth with well I don't want this load or I don't want to go here. I don't care, I want to keep rolling and making money, period.

All in all, I love it here. Its a "smaller" company and the people in the terminal are all genuinely nice and respectful and always willing to help if they can. From the shop, to dispatchers, to pay roll. I never feel like I cant call any one of them and ask something if I need to.

I might post back on here any updates as I have time, or if any questions come up I can try to answer them.

Jon

 

Not exactly sure to be honest as I am 30 it wasn't an issue for me. I believe it is 23, but they do quite a bit of local work in Wisconsin, so I would necessarily say being under 21 is out of the question, but like I said not sure on that.

 

Good to hear you are doing well also. Kreilkamp has literally saved me thousands at different points. Interest rate on my truck from my bank was going to be 16% simply because of the experience(primary reason I went through Kreilkamp, the interest rate was significantly lower). Radiator blew in April, Loves quote $2500, TA 2700... limped back to the terminal and was in and out in 5 hours for under 1000. Business is business, and a business isn't in business if it isn't profitable, but they help out as much as they can and then some.

 

That is the engine I have, what are you wanting to know about it?

Also, I have learned with the new trucks a sensor can shut the truck down. Nothing wrong with the truck at all, just a bad sensor that's tripping a sensor that's derating the truck. I wont ever own a truck with DPF on it until either I have to, or I learn the system in and out myself.

 

I get about 6.8-7mpg empty and about 6.3 fully loaded. Over the course of almost 50k miles I have an average just over 6.5. My truck does have EGR, not sure if all do or if some have the EGR deleted. I know the owner purchases trucks whenever his inventory gets low, normally has about 10 or so trucks in stock to choose from to lease. Not entirely sure if he sells them to outside buyers or not, but hey... money talks.