Hansen and Adkins

I work for H&A, it is the easiest job I've ever had. No complaints been with them for 2 years. I'm home every night mostly unless I want to stay out a day or 2 it's all what you make of it. Am I the top earner at my terminal no, but it's laid back and you can make your own schedule. I made 90k last year without killing myself, sure it's hot but I live in Florida so I'm used to it. I came from US Foods, I was touching and picking up 1000's of cases a day for less than what I'm making now. I load my truck in 45 minutes to 90 minutes max depending on how far I have to walk, auction loads of course you will be there a few hours there's no way around that. I see guys dragging there ### waiting for shuttles burning time at terminals all the time, those are the guys that complain and say it's the hardest or it's not a good idea, you will always have the guys that find something to b**** about. If you want to try it go for it your young I wish I got my CDL earlier. I'm only 32 now but I don't plan on doing anything else. Compare food service to car hauling and you tell me which is harder? Walking for cars and driving them up a trailer or stacking 500lbs of food on a dolly to run down the ramp a few hundred times a day, add in the fact you have 15 stops. I will take this job all day.

 

Car hauling isn't for sissies but it's far from the most difficult job in trucking. Some folks are better off holding a steering wheel regardless.

 

When you get old, and look back at the " WHAT IF'S ", you will find you will be more disappointed in the things you didn't do, than the things you did that went bad.
Just do it. Good to have that training under your belt and on your resume.

 

You have a good take on the job because you know what hard work is if you have unloaded groceries! I am glad you like Hansen also!

 

I ll be attending H&A training and have zero trouble with weather or other similar ridiculous excuses. Congrats on that clean 250k! Is it after taxes? How long have you been an independent car hauler for and what do you think a hardworking carhauler OO can potentially make, net money, after average expenses in a year? Finally, are you leased to a carrier like H&A or completely independent ?

I now make 80k gross in food delivery and ultimately plan to become OO in car hauling after few years of exp as CO if I like it.

Thanks for answering!

 

JRON2112,

Thanks really forthe info.

I got an offer from USAL but am in the final process of hiring w H&A in Houston terminal. The only thing that concerns me is the training pay being too low and worry about if I will be dispatched low paying loadsfor too long. You know how trucking companies promise big during hiring but deliver little after hired. Swift werner schneider etc.. Being a driver in H&A, once I have started, how long do you think it would take me to gross 2k per week working 7 days with no need to be home at all?

Thanks!

 

The money is there, right now though we are kind of slow in jax and orlando. Alot of guys having been running north for a few days to make there money. I've heard some of the factories are starting to re-tool for the new models. Yea the training pay sucks but its only temporary. Like I said previously I made right at 90k last year and I didn't kill myself. Personally if I'm at $1700 for the week I'm happy, some weeks are $1200 some are $2200 it all evens out. You will have problems along the way and #### weeks in between, you have to take the good with the bad. As for the 2k a week gross, I wouldn't worry at first about the money your making, worry more about not getting any damages. Can't make 2k a week if your tearing up cars. After 3-6 months by yourself you will start picking up speed loading, you will start figuring out what loads pay the best and most importantly you will learn your truck.

 

Thanks!

Surely, damaging part is nobrainer.

If money is there I willhave no problem motivating myself.

Final question, to prepare myself for the training, is there any material online or hardcopy that talks about loading unloading, like the anatomy of car hauling for beginners kind of stuff that you could recommend?

 

I did food for 15 yrs and we have all 4 seasons of weather up here. Car hauling is much easier on the body. Haven't needed a hand cart to load or unload yet, and no stairs

 

When I said it was the hardest job he would have in trucking I still stand by my statement. It can be overwhelming at first to many drivers. Spending a month learning in Ft Wayne weather in February made me miss my steering wheel holding job. But 4 years later I bought my own carhauler, so there was no plan to go back. Until someone figures it out it is hard and then it gets easier every day. Once you use your brain to maximize your load factor and you muscles less it becomes much easier.
I too experience 4 seasons and there is nothing like loading Mustangs in Flatrock with a foot of snow or 2500's in Louisiana with 100 and humid, but I still love my job.

Everything is relative to what you get use to. The Florida drivers in Indiana in March with winter hats, ski suits and gloves on look at me like I am crazy with shorts and a sweatshirt. But we each are accustomed to different things.