Builders Transportation Company (BTC)

Up until 3 months ago I have worked for this company for about 7 and a half years. I use to have nothing but great things to say about them. My last reply about them was when they switched over to percentage pay. I think now they are back to mileage pay. I was a trainer there for about 5 years and a road team member since the beginning of the program. You use to be able to make great money and get home every weekend. So since people have a difference in opinion about what great pay is I am not talking about dry van pay to do flat bed work. So there was a time when you could bring home a $1000 check and be home on Friday. I was still on percentage pay when I quit. The other drivers are pretty much on mileage pay. You will average 2200 miles a week at best at .45 cents a mile top pay which after taxes and health insurance for family you will bring in about $650 a week. I just didn't see doing flat bed work for that. Now me being on percentage pay and staying out every other weekend I did do a little better. However as I said I have been there a long time so I have a lot of check stubs. Now the check stubs show you the rates and the line haul for every load that you pull that week. I know rates very sometimes from week to week but come on you know when something ain't right. That is what finally made me leave. Now I got 27% of gross and they would try to give me 2 small loads with 2 different pickups and 2 different deliveries but try to pay me only one of the revenues with $25 extra pickup pay. The key word here was 27% of gross. That's when we would have long sometimes heated conversations. They haven't bought any new trailers since 2008 so now I was spending more time in the shop than running. The road team got the safety score down with the safety lane inspection as you come into the yard. Once that happened they pushed them to the side because they were no longer needed. In return most of the original crew has quit the company. That was were we made our extra money and where they could save money. The guys and the ladies that work there are nice and will stand outside and kid around with you. But they are also the ones that are trying to beat you out of your hard earned money as well. Their slogan is when family matters. Use to be true. Well still is but not yours but the families that own it. They have lost a lot of there customers and pull a lot of broker freight. And now that I left and I go to a lot of the same customers that btc has or use to have I know I have been cheated. So ok companies have different rates. You should see the difference. If btc was that cheap there wouldn't be another flat bed company in that place loading. That big of a difference yes. And trust me they couldn't afford to pay 45 cent a mile. So now if you don't need a lot of money and just enjoy the road by all means btc may work for you. But I am trying to provide for a family. A company of 300 and something trucks I have seen so many people quitting that they had over 60 trucks sitting on the fence with no driver in them. The turnover rate was literally 127%. I know I was in the meeting. And we all know most companies are in it for their self. But so are we for our families sake. So find the one that's right for you. Maybe it is btc. Again they were in my opinion the best of the best to me but it has all changed. Hope my input gives people some insight on btc and helps them make the best possible decision for them and their family.

 

I am driving for pgt now. 3 months so far so good.

 

Yes they do pay percentage pay. I think 27%. But have much better paying freight than btc. As far as which trucks I like better I really don't know. I never drove the international prostar which is what the company drivers use. I lease my truck with them and it is a international 9400. Now yes trust me the mack is a lot smoother ride than mine. The Macks btc has are pretty decent trucks. Pull nice and has a low rpm motor that does ok on the fuel mileage. Most of them come with a inverter in them. Don't think pgt has inverter in them unless you put your personal in there.

 

Your coming to pgt?

 

Well welcome to the PGT family. Things over here for me is still running good. I am not sure of the type of company you were working for, but I think you will like it over here.The freight, and money are still good over here. I'm not sure if I said in my other posts or not about PGT, but I had 5 friends follow me over here when I came. They are all still here now and doing well. Two more coming maybe at the same time as you. We just got our Christmas gifts over here that they sent out to all 1,000 drivers. Shocking that there are somewhere around 700 owner operators and lease drivers and we got gifts too. Oh and a Christmas card as well. I have never worked for a company that has ever sent me a Christmas gift before. We all received a jacket, hat, and shirt. Also starting January, after making 52 payments on your truck your interest payments will drop by 20%. It will do this every 52 payments until paid off. Well enough typing for me I just woke up. Time to make the wife get up,and make some coffee. I do have a post on here about PGT so check it out. If you have any questions just ask away, and I will do my best to answer them for you. MERRY CHRISTMAS