Fuel hauler paying by the hour

Our company requires 2 years experience. Most nights I average $18-35/hour for all hours depending on what loads I do and how many.

I just never care about how many hours I work, I just look at my paycheck every thursday. If I'm happy with how much work I put in, then I'm happy

 

Our chemical loads pay good but you can only do one a day.

although I love hauling fuel and working nights and weekends are where I make the most.

 

everyone is different. i prefer hourly that way i can take my time and not be stressed out and in a hurry all day or night. and i dont have to worry about losing money if i have to sit at a rack for an hour or two or have to chase allocation at a different rack. ]

 

By definition YES they were. A major is a company that has ownership in both upstream and downstream operations. ARCO pump its own crude, refined it , and then sold it. In the day ARCO was rated as 7th in the world. Not bad for a company that was only on the west coast. Plus for a couple of years they were rated in the top 10 for companies to work for. That is all companies. Yeah I'll stay ARCO blue and thank them daily for my cash flow.

Actually, BP bought out ARCO back in 1996 or so. The upper board members each received 10 million and the little guy took a pay cut along with some benefits going away. I know, I was with them then.

There is no leeway with being a major or not. In Nevada a major could only own so many stations. It was eventually called the divorcement law. The dealers were happy, the public got screwed.

 

I understand, though the reason I don't care for hourly is I'd be making the same rate all the time unless the company were to pay overtime after 40. Because some of our guys, like the one I mentioned before, probably averages $350-400/day because of how many loads he runs.

On top of that I know there's no way we could pay some of these guys by the hour because they drag their feet. If I can do a gainesville split load in 4 hours safely but another guy does it in 6, the company is making more money and I'm making more since that opens me up to run more loads within my time.

Also if someone turns a load in I can pick it up and make more money. My goal since I started was to reach $1,000 net at least once within a year. I reached that goal before my year, I worked my butt off but I felt good that week. I'm one of those guys that likes to see my company make money so I can make money.

 

How long have you been with ARCO?

 

I agree. I don't rush, I just keep myself moving. Some guys get in a hurry, which I guess I can't say I don't rush, it's just how I do it. When I get to a stop, I take my time and make are I don't screw up, I like my safety bonuses lol.

Though there's a difference between rushing and doing things quickly and accurately.

I just don't want other guys making the same money as me running less loads. That's the main reason our boss will never pay us by the hour. Too many people would take advantage of it.

 

I don't work for Arco, I was saying that even if they still paid what they used to, I couldn't do the commute every day (2 hours each way in traffic). I drive 3 miles to get to my truck, that is a quality of life issue that is priceless.

 

You are certainly familiar with what they call the fastest rack in the west. I'm a family ARCO employee and did my driving up in Las Vegas. However, my father ended up as a safety engineer for the company out of the Plaza Downtown. That was a big accomplishment from driver to safety engineer without a degree. Through him and other drivers I have heard many stories about hauling gasoline. He started with Richfield in 1954 and I would go with him to the Washington and Alameda terminal on the weekends. Then he was a dispatcher and worked Saturday. It was there that I learned how to drive. I'd catch a load and ask if I could ride along. Most said yes and some would hunt for me. Way back then it was 5 and 4's twin stick but what I picked up the most was safe driving. Back in those days you could have a rider and no one cared.

The terminal was all top loading so when the switch came to bottom loading ARCO shut the terminal down and made Vinvale their biggest terminal. He was instrumental in the rebuild of the loading racks and back then they said you could load a truck and trailer in a little over 9 minutes. But you know as time goes by the equipment wears out and parts start to break.

It's good to hear from someone that's been where I've been. If you get into a jam let me know. I'm sure I could dig up some material they would not want the people to know. Just kidding.

 

If you've been there awhile you might know Billy Hunter. He lived up on Big Bear and would drive to the Colton Terminal every day. He liked it but he had to live in his vehicle just to work. I believe that most guys wanted to work out of the Colton Terminal just for that reason of traffic. I'm glad I was in Las Vegas but there too they had their problems. They closed some time ago and Williams picked up most of their loads.