ARG Trucking (A division of Wadhams)

You have probably made your decision by now but this has been my experience with ARG thus far. Expect to work 14 hrs a day, 5 days a week through training and beyond. They will ask you to work a 6th day if you have not reached 70 hours yet. I did that along with a 1 hour (100 mile) daily commute for 12 weeks and it sucked. Training pay is $13.60 per hr, no mileage.Having started right from CDL school, I just finished my 90th day @ ARG on 2.18.13. My pay was just increased to $17.05 per hr and .36 per mile. To explain their pay is difficult but it seems fair. You have to do a mandatory 12 weeks of training and it was worth it for me. During that time I did the following and received certifications and rack cards where necessary from each of the terminals I have visited. I have, and can haul at anytime: Propane, Butane, Ethanol, Gasoline and Diesel, Fuel Oil and Heavy Oil and will begin hauling liquid Asphalt in a couple of months. I have delivered to gas stations, colleges, both small and large terminals, ports and factories. We also use overweight permits and I have been pulling 107000 pound loads virtually all day every day since the day I started. I cross the border into Canada at least once a day. I was released into my own 2010 Volvo with a sleeper and a 2011 tanker trailer 4 weeks ago. That said, I got lucky cuz I needed newer equipment to cross the border. You should expect to slip seat a day cab that is anywhere from 3 to 5 years old. I have been hauling fuel oil out of Montreal throughout Vermont and Gasoline and Fuel oil to Northern NYS since then. We get paid every 2 weeks and during training I seldom took home less than $1000. My first two weeks on my own I took home $1500. (That was @ $16.05 and .33 per mile) They pay zip to zip so we get screwed on some loads. I live in Webster, am based in Phelps and drive to Montreal to preload every Sunday and return home late on Thursday nights. There seems to be a lot of work and you are expected to work 70 hours each week. It has been harrowing at times hauling that weight through one lane roads, up and down mountains, across borders at night and during snowstorms as you can imagine. But I look at the experience and the training I have gotten in this short time and can't imagine having done all this anywhere else. They can't seem to get enough drivers out of the terminal in Renssalaer/Albany and I believe the pay is higher there. You will need a TWIC card for the port locations in Albany which they will reimburse you for. You have to pay for the Tanker and HAZMAT endorsements yourself. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Good luck

 

I drove for them for 5 years both as a company driver and O/O but that was many moons ago back when all you needed was a pulse and a body temp somewhere in the 90s and you were pulling your first load solo. At that time they were pretty laid back and ok to work for although the pay was not great. I see they have what looks to be nice equipment now days compared to the old R models. If things fall through with Con-Way I wouldnt hesitate to call them if only to use them as a stepping stone for tank experience and open up some doors. Petroleum hauling jobs were always the best IMO if you wanted to maintaine some sort of home life. The major petroleum companies fleets like Sunoco and Hess are pretty much all gone now but there is still some good companies left that pay well with 4 day work weeks. Best of luck either way.

 

Do you still work for arg? I'm curious to know average miles per week and hours for unloading/loading. On looking at driving out of lacona and i would be home daily not otr