Werner - Not What I'd Heard (Thank God.)

Someone was asking about bonuses. Here is what I remember on a year to year basis.

First there is a mileage bonus. I think you need to do more than 10,000 miles in a month period. Its not much, like a cent or half cent per mile. That is given in a monthly check. I think after taxes, when Highlander gets this, its like $30 -$35.

Then there is the fuel bonus. Don't even expect to get this one. It's impossible, unless you never want to use your APU. This one is also paid monthly.

If you complete your quarterly safety thang, and you have no log violations, tickets, etc, then you get a whopping $25 credit for the company store however, these credits run about six months behind and I think they are only good for a year.

Then at the end of your service year (in other words, when you were hired) I think there are three bonuses that you may be eligible for.

The first is continued service. They have changed the name of this one several times. This comes approximately 1-2 weeks after your anniversary date. You also get that cute little tie tack every year for continued service. At 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service you get a plaque and certificate. They use to give out American Express gift certificates (Highlander never turned in for his 10 year gift certificate, so when the 15 years hit, he turned them all in for a total of $750 in American Express gift certificates) however, they no longer do this as of I think one year ago.

Then there is a safety bonus. This is based upon how many miles you get per year, with no accidents. I believe there isn't a difference in pay whether you have driven one year accident free or say 20 years accident free. Its a yearly bonus and comes the week after your anniversary date. With the safety bonus, you also get a patch for every year you are accident free, with the number of years accident free. At a million, you get a nifty sticker to put on your truck, and a million miller patch. Also, your company ID will change to a gold/bronze color. This ID allows you into the "special" lounges at terminals. I don't know what the color of the 2 million mile is. And you get a nifty certificate and plaque.

Then there is one more I think.... can't remember what that one is, but its not much.

Additionally, any vacation time is also paid the paycheck after your anniversary date. This one is really the only one that is worth it after you have worked for them for years. Its based on an average weekly pay. Highlander gets 4 weeks of vacation a year, so it's kinda like a bonus since he never takes vacation.

One other bonus that I know of, is a continued accident free bonus. You get one at 1 million, which is a whopping $1000 and you get one at 2 million, which I think is $2000.

I dont know about trainers bonuses.

 

BadInfluence,
I agree with what Cracker said, it is nice to see an experienced driver such as yourself taking the time and effort to answer the questions and address the concerns of people considering driving for Werner. I will be starting CDL school on Monday(8/3) and I have been researching companies online so much I am wondering when my head is going to explode! I am very grateful for the information you have provided about Werner and I am feeling much better about potentially working there upon graduation. Thank you.

 

I agree, my head is ready to explode as well. I also start school on 8/3 and have just 5 weeks to figure out which company to go with (that just sounds so backwards from what I'm used to in finding a job). This thread has a lot of positive comments about Werner, and I really appreciate BadInfuences attitudes towards the company. I know there are also some negative comments as well and that is to be expected. There is another new thread about Werner, also in this "Favorite Company" section, but it is so full of sarcasm and is definately negative towards Werner. I wonder if that poster might change his attitude and expectations, how much happier he might be.

I'm not so gullable as to expect any company to be perfect. It took me nearly 20 years to find an auto shop that was close to perfect to work in, and even it wasn't totally perfect. The perfect company just doesn't exist, so you have to learn to blend in with the companies that do exist. I'm going into this experience with a positive attitude and low expectations. The only thing I hope for is to make a respectable amount of money each week to be able to support my family, and that is the one thing that honestly has me scared.

So far Werner is in my top 5.

 

Did you guys get the safety bulletin? It states that 3rd q safety meetings are available, but if you do not do them within 2 weeks, then you will be written up. You have three months to do the "meeting" there is no excuse as for this not being done.

Okay.. so, although the message states you have three months to do the 3rd Q safety meeting, if you do not do it in the next two weeks, you get written up? And the beginning of the 3rd Q was in July with the 4th Q starting in October. Ummmm...... anyone else confused?

And this is not a mistake about the 2nd Q, as he did those in the first week of the 2nd Q. He's gonna call safety and ask them about this confusion.

EDIT: According to Safety, this is not company policy and it was set by someone in the office he is dispatched out of to all the dedicated drivers on that account. He said, he's gonna wait three weeks and see if they write him up, as its not company policy, and only a managers policy, unless there was a memo that corporate safety didn't get. He said he was gonna wait three weeks to see if they write him up, then call Driver Relations and dispute it as it is not company policy. Yea, he's that much of a jerk at times, and has the right to be after nearly 18 years.

BTW, anyone wanna slam him for taking the 8 minutes to do the meeting, he's taken safety meetings on time for nearly 10 years, and has taken and aced the tests for GraGar, Flatbed, TCU, with him only being a van driver. Yea.. he gets that bored at times when he has to work in the yard.

 

You are welcome BadInfluence(Tara).

 

Oh get outta town! You were a rookie and they gave you the keys to a Classic XL!!!? Not only a Classic, but a brand new one???

Obviously they were treating you right because you're a female.

Wait a minute... You get the keys to a brand new owner/operator spec truck as a fresh faced rookie, and you get a dedicated run?

No kidding....

Whoa, here I was thinking that Werner really wanted to reward the female recruits.

...but after learning more of the background story, it would seem that Werner knows how to wine and dine the Authoratahs.

You dont get as big as Werner not knowing how to grease big wheels where ever and when ever you can.

Obviously it pays to have family connections to the inner-party if you wanna werk fer Werner.

Oh well, obviously everyone who has complained about this have been illiterate hillbillies who dont know how to write l-e-g-i-b-l-y.

Oh well obviously, its the drivers duty to make up for the problems in Werner's flawed QC system! No way is it Werner's duty to fix the problem, we should all just work around it like good little worker drones.

Another work around.

Once call to corporate?

Was that "one driver" you knew who did an ex-NYPD, ex-Magistrate who has spent time at Werners corporate retreat?

No sheet.

Again, it's the drivers fault for not understanding and not being able to smoothly and quickly work around Werner's cryptic cheapskate system, that they should fix. :smt023

Uh because the street is empty, wide and there is no traffic and you don't want to drive a mile or two around the block because of cryptic bad directions that you were given.

We get it, Werner is never wrong, and you know how to polish an apple.

To sum it all up, it pays to have family connections to "the system" (LEO, Courts) if you get hired by Werner. They'll wine and dine you at their corporate retreat and give you a new o/o spec truck if you are a fresh faced rookie with two X chromosomes who just graduated super awesome Werner trucker skool.

 

Advise to Newbie,Better ask yourself if you want to see your children grow and be with them and if your wife wants to raise them by herself.

 

I am sceduled for orientation in Fontana next Wednesday. Tara, your honesty and forthrightness along with Werners business helped to make the decision. I am looking forward to the next few weeks. I'll post my progress occasionally.

 

See if you can request Jesus Alfaro to be your trainer, he's pretty experienced, I've read.

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2008/Jan08/011408/011808-17.htm