CBSL Trans?....O/O pay good or bad?

I'm considering buying a truck and looking around at some of the different intermodel companies around Chicago. I saw an ad in the TruckPaper for CBSL, but i've never seen them on any of the Chicago rail yards. (Their website says they do intermodel tanks)

Anyone have any experience with them in the Chicago market?

 

Not sure yet what rail yards they run out of. If you look close, you will see them on the road. From what I was told, they charge the rails detention if they don't get their trucks in and out within 2 hours, so, that is probably why you don't see a lot of their trucks sitting in the yard! Now, that doesn't mean they are making big money, it just means you don't sit for long in rail yards! I have done rail containers for many years on and off, never liked them, my chief complaint is the time it takes to get in and out of the rail yard. If CBSL has figured out a way to minimize that, then they are ahead of the curve! To be honest, it seems to me, everyone could be done a GREAT service if the rail yards staged containers better, made it easier to find what you are hauling, already have it placed on a road-worthy chassis, ready to roll. BUT....we can all dream, can't we?

 

Did you ever sign on? I worked for them for a little over a year and left, but I'm about to go back.

@'07 KW w/53' Conestoga it's actually 1 hour dmrg starts.

 

I did work for them...I didn't like it. I don't know if anyone has changed over there...there was this short little muscle-bound bone-head named Mike there, terminal manager, when I left. If he's gone, it might be better, but, somehow, I don't think all the problems were caused by him.

Let me know how it goes there for you. Good luck, be safe!

 

He's still there.

You must of left right about the time I started.

I should add I originally wanted to sign on in July 15, but they said it was really slow and to wait till later in the year. I did very well there, even after taking about 10 weeks off and the summer of 16 we were really slow. But I still kept working at least 4 days a week during that time.

 

Interesting John!

From what I heard from guys there before me, they were always "hit or miss".

So. How's it going for you now?

Is Muscle-head Mike any calmer? I chalked his behavior up to that of someone abusing ROIDS.

 

Bwahahahaha

The Chicago terminal has had some really really bad managers. Mike seems to have straighten a lot of things out. I never really had any issues with him, but I never really dealt with him eithe. Before I started, I had a pump & comp installe. That made a huge difference in the loads I got compared to others.

I left in December thinking the grass was greener. It isn't, it's just fertilized with different BS. I'm pretty sure I'm going back at this point. I grossed a little less then I am now, but netted more because of the cost of fuel.

I do remember the time your talking about, it was slow, but talking to the guys I still know there, their slammed and constantly turning down loads and they've expanded the customer base and picked up a lot more domestic work.

Btw, did you have a white w900 that you had parked there for a couple weeks?

 

@'07 KW w/53' Conestoga I'm going to pm you.

 

Well...then, I guess I jumped out too fast.

My recollection of Mike is he has a "hair trigger". He was going off on some people when I first was there...i didn't think too much of it, but was glad it wasn't me. Later, I came to find, that's how he dealt with issues. Quick to snap.

He had an assistant who was pretty "green", not sure if she's still there, but, that probably was some of the problem. She was nice, just filled with misinformation.

As for the pumps...ya, I just wasn't ready to commit to an additional $5k or more on my truck that was adding more weight and I might not use elsewhere without "proof".

Curious to know where you went after CBSL?

Good luck with it, and, stay safe! Let us know how it goes.