Beacon Transport

If I couldn't live comfortably on what I've been making, I'd have been someplace else long ago. Beacon starts their drivers at .32 cpm, and raises then 1/2 cent every 6 months. Plus they have an up to 4 cpm bonus program. The pay was, as I've said, not great...but far from the worst. MVT pays .34 (when I left them,) but .10 of that was per diem. With Beacon at least its all straight pay, so I got my max refund at tax time.

Beacon has two really major flaws...communication/driver respect (as I discussed in my post above,) and benefits. The insurance is poor, and the 401k is the worst company sponsored program I've seen offered by any company over 25 people that I've worked for.

As for miles, it averages out to about 2800-3000. Up and down weeks...This week for me is terrible (more time to be here looking) at 2394. Last week was 3734.

I probably wouldn't be looking right now if safety manager Jeff had just been considerate enough to phone/txt/qualcomm/or e-mail me when he sent his paperwork to payroll, or said something Thursday when he waved at me on the yard...but the lack of regard for an employee's welfare because he "didn't get round to it" is truly regrettable. This was the bonus check that was pulled...what if that was the one check my family used to buy medications once a month? To not even be given a warning to make other plans?

Its funny, these companies always say "Just keep us informed of any potential problems." Who doesn't get that message either at orientation, or when they first meet their dispatcher? "Send a qualcomm as soon as you kow something's

 

Crap! I hate typing on a tablet! As I was saying... "Send a qualcomm as soon as you know something's wrong." Shame that consideration doesn't work both ways.

M. Haefele

 

I have driven for a few companies in my career and have never had that happen to me. Can you imagine that? A company that charges company drivers for damage to equipment? Even if you damaged the equipment, that is why they pay insurance. What a joke if it is true!

 

They charge you back....usually in the form of losing your safety bonus. Its fairly standard practice.

 

If this is the standard practice, this segement of the industry is worse than I thought. I guess the OTR companies need another way to take just a little more from their so called emplyee's. How sad.

 

Update:Want to post this to let you know what happened on 9/3...

After my original conflict with Beacon about pulling a driver's paycheck without warning, I found another job. I was en route to the terminal to turn in the truck when I was called by the Operations Manager, Randy. I met with Randy that afternoon, and explained my concerns.

Randy agreed that I have a point about what this says to and does to drivers who are on he road, and that any employee deserves he respect of being notified first. He promised that this would absolutely NOT happen again to any driver, and that he would personaly become involved making sure they are notified in future.

With that policy/promise in place, I told him I feel comfortable staying at Beacon...so here I stay! I also spoke with Jeff, the Safety Manager and let him know that his actions/attitude had offended me. I received a sincere apology. I believe that I stated in a former post that I never thought he did it intentionally. He also agreed that not contacting me first was inappropriate and he would be more conscious of it in the future. It was a respectful conversation, and I appreciated that my concerns were treated seriously.

'Nuff said. I am staying with Beacon, and will keep the users here posted of any company changes for better or worse. I want to thank the users of this site. I reviewed the good and bad company forums for a slew of companies when I was applying last weekend. Your experiences and opinions help alot!

M. Haefele

 

any updates on this company before i make a decision on weather or not to go work for them? i havent read too much good

 

What gets me is ....how can any driver ,cut down another driver on things like grammar ,or it's probrobly the drivers fault for working there too long ,when we all know #### well ...all these trucking companies are not worth their salt

 

Seems most people just want to #####. I've worked for Beacon in the past, this is not a Bad company. All companies have their flaws, some more than others. Would have no problem referring a driver to this company.

 

Everyone needs to stay away from them. This update comes from 2 years with them and it has gotten real bad and losing ground everyday. You WILL NOT make any money there unless you are lucky enough to get on good side of dispatch. IE: brown noser, bootlicker, pay under table. Seriously! There is no reason to falsify here in forum. They will find any reason they can come up with to take money from you. They frequently take drivers last paycheck, as I am not the only one they did this to. I left in February as I could not afford to be there anymore. So much more could be said, but just to say if anyone expects to make money, and go home when you want or need too, this is not the place. THEY WILL control when you go home.