Freymiller

Hey everyone, I thought I'd start a thread and just talk about my experience with Freymiller. I didn't post anything when I was working there, because I was always busy and always had more important things to take care of. But I'm home right now, taking some time off, and didn't see any recently updated threads about them.

Just want to say first off, that everyone's experience with a company is different, so keep that in mind. There are a lot of variables involved.

I went to orientation in Sept. '14 and quit in Nov. '15 because I was so burnt out. I had a lot going on in my personal life while I was there there(divorce, health problems, moving, etc.), plus they ran me really hard, so although in my 5 1/2 years trucking, this was my favorite company, I had to quit so I could rest up and get some personal stuff straightened out, and then see about whether to go local or return to Freymiller.

I always do a lot of research before I apply to a company, and Freymiller looked good, but the main reason I went with them in the end was because they were one of the few that would allow my 85lb dog. But some other things that attracted me to them were the equipment, the APU's and refrigerators, the pay, the insurance, and then the fact that I couldn't find many people with anything bad to say about them.

With about 4 years' prior experience, they started me out at .39/mile, which I know some will say is low, but I consider it to be pretty decent for an OTR company. They processed my application really quickly, and flew me out to orientation in OKC on the date of my choice. When there was a problem with my flight and it almost got cancelled, my recruiter stayed in touch with me, and helped work out the details of how to get to my hotel since the shuttle wouldn't be running by the time I got there. They ended up reimbursing me for a taxi. The hotel was the Extended Stay America, which was a decent hotel. Not top notch, but clean, safe, and the rooms have a full kitchenette. They send a shuttle to get you in the morning, and it brings you back in the evening. The driver is really nice, and might make a quick stop on the way, if you need something. He will also take you to Walmart if you need to get a few things.

Orientation was three days. Typical orientation, so I won't go into details. I will say that the physical shouldn't be a problem for you if you're healthy. However, I am a small female, and I had a little trouble lifting the weights above my head, and with the push/pull test. In fact, I think it was on the push test, I couldn't get up to the desired amount of force, no matter how hard I tried. I just didn't have enough weight to put into it. Finally they asked me how much I weighed, and then called someone at Freymiller and told them that my weight was not much more than the amount of force they expect, and they passed me. So all this to say, they are not looking to fail you for any little thing, and they are very nice people. Also, I had experience and a clean record, so they knew I was capable of doing the job.

At the end of the third day they assign you your truck. We were not given a choice on color. They have red, yellow, white, black, blue, and purple trucks. Most of us did not get the color we wanted. After you get your truck, you inspect it and fill out an inspection sheet to note any damage or repairs needed. Then the fun part. They claimed that our trucks had been detailed, but this was not true. Mine wasn't too bad, but I know that at least a couple of other drivers got really nasty trucks. The common factor among all was that they had been smoked in, a lot, and not by clean smokers. I helped one driver clean his truck after mine was done, and we scrubbed and scrubbed, every inch of that truck. So I would say expect that you will have to do this, if you want a clean truck.

I was put in a 2012 Peterbilt 386. Most of their trucks are 386's. Mine was in decent shape. I had to write up a few things, and they fixed those, and also gave me all brand new tires, which was awesome, especially in mid-September with winter approaching. After my truck was ready to roll, my first load was a relay from the yard going to Maryland, to get me home to Virginia to pick up my things and get my dog. When I got home, they let me take a couple days off, even though I hadn't even been driving for them for a week yet.

From an old facebook post at the time, I can tell you what my first few loads were like, although I didn't record dates. However, it looks like I got home on September 17th, and my post which I will copy below was on October 6.

["Oklahoma City, OK to Upper Marlboro, MD - 1,361 paid miles
home for a few days
Harrisonburg, VA to Pauls Valley, OK - 1,235 paid miles
OKC yard for repairs
Elk City, OK to Keasbey, NJ - 1,559 paid miles
East Rutherford, NJ to Houston, TX - 1,628 paid miles
Waco, TX to Pleasanton, CA - 1,787 paid miles"]

That adds up to 7,570 paid miles in less than three weeks. If you take away 2 or 3 days at home, and probably 1 or 2 days for repairs, I'd say that's pretty good.

 

Like I said, they ran me hard, at least compared to what I had been used to. I averaged $1000/wk while there. My dispatcher was by far the best dispatcher I've had at any company. He communicated well, always got me my detention pay and any layover pay without me even asking, really great guy. In fact, almost all of the office staff there is really friendly. Feels like a big family. Can't say that so much about the shop staff, but I hear that might be changing. The shop tends to be a bit slow, but I think that's typical.

The yard in OKC is the only yard they have, except for a couple of drop yards. It's nice as yards go. The drivers' lounge has really comfy chairs, TV, picnic type table, plenty of outlets for your laptop, books to read, coffee, scanner, laundry room with sink. Washers and dryers seem to always be working, and they're free. One downside is there is only one bathroom stall and one shower each for men and women, so sometimes you will have to wait for these. The showers are nice, but water pressure sucks, at least in the womens' bathroom, and shower in the morning if you want plenty of hot water. Outside there is a picnic table and a small shelter for smokers and those with pets. In bad weather you can take your pet inside the building if they're working on your truck. Downside, if you want to sit outside and you don't smoke, you will be breathing everyone else's smoke. There's a grassy area in the back of the lot where you can run your dog, and there is grass out front, and they provide doggy bags.

There are lots of drivers there with pets. Weight limit is 100 lbs. You can have a dog or a cat. The deposit for cats is more than for dogs.

The insurance is Blue Cross, pretty good insurance.

If your APU breaks, they'll put you in a hotel.

They don't run the Pacific Northwest currently. You will run I-40 a lot. Some people go to California a lot, but I didn't go there a ton. Went to Texas a lot.

Living in Virginia, sometimes they had a hard time finding me a load home, but they almost always got me there on time. If they get you home early, and you have appointments to keep, they'll let you have the extra time. Sometimes they'll want you to leave home the night before you said you'd be ready, and do a night run, but it's optional, and you can refuse it if you're not ready to leave. If you have a dr. appt. or something really important, as long as you communicate, they'll make sure you're there in time.

I don't know anything about the lease program, but I do know they want you to be able to succeed, and they won't let you lease if for example you're already in a financial hole. From what I heard, it seemed like for the most part everyone is happy there. Company, team, lease and owner-op. It's a small company with a family feel, they care about the drivers, and they have the miles to keep you running. The original owner isn't really running it anymore, but sometimes you'll see him around, so I think he still keeps tabs on things. I worry about what will happen once he's gone, but for now I think it's an awesome company to work for.

 

No. I went to Long Island, but never NYC, and I was given a choice about Long Island. I know they have some Florida freight, but whenever I got a FL load, I always ended up relaying to a driver that needed to go home. So, they do hire out of FL, they can get you home, but if you don't live there, I doubt you'll see much of it.