FCC--Fremont Contract Carriers

OTR Dry Van here… I normally take a three day weekend at home and then a fourth day off to visit my mom. I assume I could take an occasional day off here and there without issue. They are also very flexible coordinating a 34 to get off the truck too. Like last weekend I could have dropped in Columbia SC and rolled out only to stop the next day and take a required 34 OTR. Instead, they let me take a 34 after drop and drove home to take the 34. (I don’t live on one of our major lanes so drive by come few and far between so that makes a difference too I assume… but I also get to stop off to visit mom occasionally too)

They do have Fuel Solutions and I bounce between P/TA, P/FJ, and Loves so no unlimited anything for me. But that varies by area too. I think others fuel more at Loves than I do. And they also have nice showers at our two yards and with our out and back planning one can grab showers there too. Personally, I’m a Loves guy and do miss fueling there exclusively but I’ve adjusted and making it work.

any more questions, feel free to ask!!!

 

While they probably have a formal hometime policy, I think they focus more on miles. So if you run hard 11 on and 10 off and get lots of miles, you could probably take a few more days off without issue. If you run slower and take more hours off while OTR, then they might say something if you are then wanting more hometime.

basically, you do right by them, they’ll do right by you. Nail your quarterly mileage goals and the rest is flexible.

 

So basically it's no formal hometime policy and you can take hometime within reason, so I could do 4 weeks on (so 28 days) and 1 week off for hometime, they would probably be good with that right? It's good to hear you guys get 34 resets when you need them too.

I'm a Love's guy too. They keep building so many new stores and the new ones are starting to get big parking lots like the other big chains have. It would be a pain in the ### to have to look at your rewards points for each chain stop to see if you had any shower credits or not each day and trip planning around that. Having unlimited showers (at any of the chain stops) is just so much easier to keep track of IMO but I guess I would get used to it.

 

Hey I just thought of this, how are they with idling the trucks? Does the truck shut off automatically after 5 minutes unless the temperature dips below a certain amount? Or will it idle until you shut it off yourself?

I ask because at my previous OTR company if the temps got below 20 degrees then we idled the truck and it wouldn't shut off after 5 minutes by itself. But if it got above 20 then you would just use the APU like normal. The only bad thing about that was that I had several occasions on an older truck that I was driving (before they gave me a new one) where the APU crapped out on me when I ended my day and the temps dipped to the high 30's. That's not weather that will kill you but it still would've been nice to have the option to idle my truck and keep (comfortably) warm those nights when that happened.

 

The trucks will idle . They don’t have that 5 minute timer. If it really hot out or cold then yes you can idle the truck within the company set temperature range . I honestly don’t no off hand what those temperatures are . If it is really hot out then I idle the truck until it cools down and then the run the APU . Once again I am sure what the temperature is in the winter where they want you to idle the truck for sure and treat the fuel. For me it depends on where I am . If I am like in Wyoming , Montana area then I don’t mess around when it comes to treating the fuel and idling the truck. Another thing is if your APU breaks then yes you are allowed to idle the truck to stay warm or cool until you get it back to the shop to get it fixed. but you Have to notify Break Down / shop that you have to idle the truck so they will put a note in the computer system so you do not get deducted on your fuel usage for your bonus . And also the company supplies your fuel treatment in the winter but if you are in area were super cold and you run out of fuel treatment once again call Break Down or the Shop and Tell them you need to buy some on the road and They will put a note in the system for you to get reimbursed for it Scan your receipts in with your paperwork. Honestly FCC it’s like a grown-up trucking company ! They don’t play games
They don’t micromanage
you come to FCC throw everything out the window that you have experienced at other trucking company and start fresh. I could write a whole book on all the crap I’ve gone through at other trucking companies.
At FCC just do your job follow the rules and you be happy here and will taken care of

 

I think there is a formal policy, just not sure what it is. Not sure 4 weeks on 1 week off would fly. Not thinking you could get your miles in like that. I’m not sure you could expect that. I take 4 days off a month and think that’s slightly outside the policy but I get my miles in so it doesn’t matter as much.

yes, juggling three points programs and the “where do I have a free shower at” isn’t convenient at times…

so I just stopped showering… lol … jk

 

Yup… well said…
but it’s a two way street.

Their drivers must be adults too and don’t play games. Then no one needs to be micromanaged.

win/win for both sides

 

switch over to the flatbed division and you'll fit right in.

 

You take 4 days off a month and think that’s too much? Dude, you need professional help! You know, over here at the green company, it’s 1 day off for every 6 days out, so basically 4 days a month. If you don’t get that, at the very least, anywhere, there’s an issue. We are not machines and need time off to recharge-and more than just a 34 here and there.

 

Do you mind sharing what company you work for RebelChick or can you private message me please?

I was kind of surprised to hear 4 days off for 28 - 30 days worked might be "outside the policy" for their OTR fleet as well. I didn't have a single company offer me anything less than a day off for each week worked when I was a brand new CDL holder out of CDL school at my Community College 2.5 years ago. Most offers were in the 5 - 7 days off range for a month worked. That's insane if FCC or any other company can't have, at the bare minimum, a policy of 1 day off for each week worked.