Bulkmatic??

they used to be good then ,one of the owners left , Vince seams to have it still and its not falling apart . if you want the real scoupe on them go out to tanker services ( east chicago on euclid ) and ask the owner ( jack) as knows all the crap on who and what around NW indiana involving tankers ( and you might catch one of there drivers ) .

 

I don't drive out of the Chicago area, but I do drive for Bulkmatic. What did you need to know?

 

Couldn't tell you the Chicagoland routes, but they're a short haul company. If it's like the terminal I drive out of, it's usually a 300 mile radius of the terminal.

Drivers are paid 24% of the load's linehaul on Monday through Friday. 27% of the line haul on Saturday delivery. 30% of the linehaul is the pay for delivering on a Sunday. If you have to dead head to get to a load from the terminal, you're paid $.28/mile ...it depends on if it's hub miles or company set, so you've got to keep track and turn in the hub EVERYtime. But, it's % of the linehaul pay, not mileage based pay.

I'm not sure if it's gone the same way at other terminals, but training is a week with a local trainer, then a week in Chicago (Bulkmatic University), then maybe a day with the local trainer when you return to your home terminal. I'd have to say the training is as only as good as the trainer, and in my case it was very good.

I, personally, think it's better on the food side of the company than the plastic side. I've spent time doing either and the food paycheck always comes out ahead of the plastic checks. My first year here, I brought home roughly $45,000. Over the course of time, my paycheck's roughly 7 to 10K less than it was when I started.

I've been here for a while and it's definitely gone down from my first year. More progressively the last two years. The owner's not worried about the turn over rate, "we'll just go find another driver to put in the truck." As a result, turnover has gone through the roof. However, if you've had more than two jobs in the past three years, they won't even consider your application.

Several bonuses have been taken and have not been reinstated, however the fleet's being upgraded to new Peterbilt 384's among other trucks. Due to customers wanting upwards of 54,000lbs, sleeper trucks are being done away with. Bulkmatic will pay for motels via a Corporate Lodging Card.

Rail yards are common, depending on the product being hauled, but it's not the same as dealing with a rail yard in the van/container side of the spectrum. At least the rail yards I have dealt with.

Pulling pneumatic bulk tanks has got some perks over pulling vans. At one customer I frequent, I went there in a van and did nothing but wait ...either in line or at the dock to get loaded. Now, I cruise past the lines and do my thing, then leave.

That's just a brief over-view of things as I see them. As with any other trucking company, your mileage may vary.

 

Anything else you'd like to know, just pm me.

 

everything he said is right on. I'm on the plastics side. our rates are better because we usually have to deadhead back. go down southeast alot.sometimes get backhauls o/o nashville and up north get backhauls o/o marysville or taylor. had a good year last year, but this year is starting out kinda slow.one of my co-workers has already made 10gs and trust me, he's not workin that hard. just fell into a reg run. if you're already on board, hang in there. not all bad.

 

I thought it was mileage base. What is the schedule like? Is the equipment good like they advertise?