Halvor Lines, Superior, WI: No longer worth it

Have you checked with your hopeful future employer if they have any form of contract buyout assistance (could be under the guise of tuition reimbursement)?

 

If I paid off the contract then they would reimburse me but don't have the cash to do that up front. They do have a sign on bonus, paid parking, sick leave, holiday pay, miles will be doubled and pay will be tripled. They also pay hub miles.

I've been in touch with another driver and his miles are the same. He brings home less because of insurance and his average take home is $500 per week. We're both under contract and will be moving on when the contract is done.

We've complained about the miles and the terminal managers all act surprised but haven't resolved anything. It's a company that offers a lot of smiles and promises, but nothing else.

 

Bozwik I take it that you went through their school? What is the cost of that and how long is the contract?

 

Wow,,driver I spoke to from Halvor last year was very happy. Likely has to do with who your DM is or terminal management.. I would think if a driver not getting 3000 miles every 5 day week on long haul they should move on.

 

Just because I still post here, doesn't mean I'm not moving on, of course I'm moving on as soon as I'm out of this contract. I have researched several companies and found that most of them like to talk up a big game... "you're not just a number, family atmosphere, best fleet to drive for, competitive pay".

Dash cameras are there to protect you in case of an accident, well sort of. It's there to tattle on you and keep you from any safety bonuses that may be coming up. It's there to save on insurance (company insurance), a discount which savings are never passed on to the driver. The driver is and always will be the lowest form of life in any company, no matter how reputable the company is.

I too have spoken with several drivers at Halvor, not just one. And many of them seem to be happy. It's all a matter of what your expectations are. I'm out here to make money, bottom line. I'm out here for over 6 weeks at a time so there's no excuse for low miles. I don't turn down loads, always on time (early), and set myself up to run good on the following days ahead, yet somehow always fall short due to the way my driver manager favors me into her team.

Many lies... I was hired to run OTR. From Wisconsin to the North/Eastern region and back. From Minnesota to Georgia (or somewhere in between) and back, that's it. Some drivers are happy with that, some drivers are happy with anything around 2,000 miles and crappy takehome... like I said, Halvor is a good fit for those who just want to stroll down the road with less rather then more.

Driver manager says they only send teams out west or further south. Her bosses say that's not true and that they don't have that many teams. Her bosses said they have sent her an email stating that I sould be going out West more, that hasn't happened yet and somehow doubt it will without some green paper slipped under her desk.

Right now I am sitting home with Covid and will be back on the road this coming week. At this point I have 4 1/2 more months of this crap so I don't care what they do, my expectations are low. The company I am going with has arranged for my flight from Halvor out to their terminal to start better beginnings. 3 times the pay and better miles, full benefits, sick pay, holiday pay, vacation after 6 months, hometime pay, paid parking and the list goes on.

 

You have to pay for the 1500 mile loads out West. 100 to 200 dollars to your 'fleet manager' or they will send you to PA and back or maybe MO and back until you quit. Or pay up.

Then if you ever get the quarterly bonus, your DM will call you and give hints for their share. $1200 after taxes, maybe 3 to 400 to the DM. Or next quarter your miles are cut.

Halvor is so shady now, they don't even pay contractors that come out to fix their trucks. See the review under the Superior terminal. Google it.

Maybe post your ave miles a week and month and gross ave earnings per week. There is a review on their Facebook page, 1750/ miles a week and $900 gross.

 

You have to understand just because you offer money for a particular run, doesn't mean you will get it. There are other factors involved- there are only so many of those West Coast runs, and there are other drivers also bidding for them.

Let's say you offer $200 to get the Seattle run. Another driver offers $250, so you lose out. Another driver may be a lease purchase who offers $200, you the company driver offers $225 but you will still lose, because they make more money off the LP driver being out there than you. Ditto Owner Operators- to a certain extent.

The way they get the O/Os is through the shop, meaning repairs. They stipulate all repairs have to be done in their Superior shop. So a driver goes in for a grease job let's say and comes out with a $4500 bill. They find this wrong, this in violation, your so and so filter clogged etc...I've talked to drivers who have had this happen. All O/Os with this company live check to check. Talked to one lady in Superior who is on a dedicated route to Texas. I thought she was making good money driving 3300 miles a week, she said 'no just getting by' and she lives in her truck!

 

Why would anyone "pay" $200 to run to Seattle?

I'd be more inclined to pay $200 not to got there.

In those those slow trucks it's a minimum of a almost a full three day run with all those mountain passes. Plus dealing with no parking in Seattle.

I'd rather stick with their east coast sewer runs if I was still stuck working there.

I can't believe they find any drivers. Even if youre stuck living in Duluth, you'd be better off making the 2 1/2 hour drive down to Minneapolis or Eau Claire or St. Cloud. And find a company that actually pays $1500 gross or more per week.

 

This is the way I see it, and it shows how companies take advantage of drivers...

The review says the person drives 1792 miles average/week. $900 gross earnings average/week.

Every driver gets 70 hours to drive/week. Given an industry average of 50 mph- 1792/50= 35.84...

So, with Halvor a driver is only driving HALF their average available hours. The reviewer said they stay out 4 to 6 weeks. Essentially they are working 7 days and that is 168 hours a week they are on duty.

168 less 36 driving hours is 132 hours that driver is sitting in a truck not driving. Sitting in a truck, being in a truck for FREE!! 132/168 is 78%. They spend 78% of their time at the mercy of the company, being paid nothing for that time, sitting or sleeping in a 8 by 4 foot space.

First, isn't that kind of like being in prison? Second, is $900/week for doing that a 'fair salary'? Then finally, why would anyone do that?

 

It's sad when you do the math and it doesn't add up.

Worse then is when you don't get detention pay and they order tractors with the cheapest trim package and county jails now have better accommodations.