Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by JohnBoy, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

    2,407
    6,523
    Apr 24, 2016
    Mechanicsville, VA
    0
    Not only that, but we're paid the same for deadhead/bobtail miles as we are for loaded miles. There are plenty of companies out there who can't say the same.

    Buddy of mine hooked up with PTL, lured by their promise of 45 cents per mile. But that's only loaded miles. If he runs deadhead/bobtail, they only pay something like 18 cents per mile.

    Another guy I talked to at a truck stop worked for an outfit that didn't pay anything at all for deadhead/bobtail miles. If you were moving an empty trailer from point A to point B, congrats, you were working for free.

    That's why I'm always skeptical of how green the grass might be on the other side of the fence. I figure that if I go somewhere else, I'll probably make more-or-less the same amount of money by the end of the year no matter what they pay per mile. And since I like the way Abilene treats me, no real reason to go anywhere else.
     
    JohnBoy, Kwan23 and Redtwin Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. federal221

    federal221 Heavy Load Member

    756
    220
    Mar 29, 2010
    new haven,IN
    0
    They really sound like a good company I’m usually out 4-6 weeks I’m trying to run all over though and not get stuck in the north east don’t mind going to the city or ne but I want out right I’m unloaded
     
    Kwan23 Thanks this.
  4. Redtwin

    Redtwin Road Train Member

    5,322
    7,119
    Aug 17, 2012
    PBC, FL
    0
    That won't be a problem. We have regular freight coming out of California (drop lot in Riverside) and a regular customer delivery in Reno. I usually hit California 3 or 4 times a year and I never ask to go there.
     
    Kwan23 Thanks this.
  5. Kwan23

    Kwan23 Medium Load Member

    305
    72
    Mar 15, 2017
    Texas
    0
    sounds like a great company the home time to get to Texas is the only thing that doesn't stand out to me..
     
  6. JohnBoy

    JohnBoy Road Train Member

    9,652
    24,343
    Apr 24, 2009
    Lake Worth, FL.
    0
    On my way to Winnipeg with 3 drops. Left Richmond yesterday with a new Trainee that I have to put in a motel while I run around doing my drops. Oh, big storm coming in tomorrow. Is it vacation time yet? Carry on with your lively conversation. Be safe everyone.
     
    Lonesome Thanks this.
  7. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

    2,407
    6,523
    Apr 24, 2016
    Mechanicsville, VA
    0
    You are much more likely to get stuck running from Wytheville to Indianapolis than you are to get stuck running NE runs. I go to Jersey on the regular, like I mentioned, but I rarely go up there and back more than once before they send me someplace else.

    There have been a few times where I've gotten back from Jersey only to get sent there again, but it doesn't happen often.

    As long as you don't say the magic words "I want to be a NE Regional driver", your interaction with anything farther north and east than Jersey will be "occasional".
     
  8. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

    2,407
    6,523
    Apr 24, 2016
    Mechanicsville, VA
    0
    Also, my experience is that generally I get run out from one of the terminals with one of our usual customer loads (Boar's Head, Hill Phoenix, Sabra, Gatorade, etc) and then they will find a broker load to get me back to one of the terminals.

    It sounds like you might be envisioning bouncing around from warehouse to warehouse up in the NE without getting sent back to a terminal, but that's not how it works in my experience. I go to Jersey, I come back to Richmond. I go to Long Island, I come back to Richmond.

    I'll probably pick up a broker load on the way to bring back to Richmond (or someplace close by), but it's rare to pick up something in Jersey that I have to deliver someplace else in Jersey.
     
  9. Redtwin

    Redtwin Road Train Member

    5,322
    7,119
    Aug 17, 2012
    PBC, FL
    0
    Storm from where going to where?. I'm I40 bound for the next couple days.
     
  10. Redtwin

    Redtwin Road Train Member

    5,322
    7,119
    Aug 17, 2012
    PBC, FL
    0
    The issue will be how often will you be trying to get to Texas. There are loads going there, but will there be one you can run (time constraints etc) when you want to get home. No-one can answer that up front.

    The one driver some of us have referenced, had trouble getting back to TX on time, but who knows if there were other issues involved as I have never heard of anyone else having that problem.

    If i remember correctly, he didn't like running at night, didn't want to run east coast/ I95, didn't think he should have to go in and ask for a load when at the yard etc. I can't say for sure, but I suspect the dispatchers didn't go out of their way to accommodate someone they perceived as unwilling to accommodate them.
     
    Lonesome, JohnBoy and Kwan23 Thank this.
  11. federal221

    federal221 Heavy Load Member

    756
    220
    Mar 29, 2010
    new haven,IN
    0
    I’m not like that as long as I run miles I’m fine I bet Abilene would run me decently
     
    Kwan23 and Redtwin Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.