I Quit (if Roehl had an exit interview it might have gone like this)

I am still searching for any answers on how Roehl's flatbed fleet is doing before committing to their RDTC? Where are you, Roehl flatbedders?

 

What do you want to know?

 

Hi Cheryl:

I would like to attend Roehl's RDTC in Marshfield. I am interested in how Roehl's Flatbed division was/is doing in regards to the average weekly or monthly miles. I know this depends on the driver too but if a driver is willing to drive (legally) what could a flatbed driver expect to get in miles? I realize Winter is coming and freight will slow even more, but have the miles been consistent or picked up in 2010?. I am hoping to get at least 2000 miles average per week as a solo National flatbed company driver. I would also be willing to drive van when needed if it will help me get more miles, but I do not know if Roehl crosses their drivers into different fleets if the driver wants to, or keeps them in their regular divisions. Is it true that the national fleet drivers are on the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to getting miles? Teams, 11/3, 7/4-7/3 getting most of the miles?

Are you getting your tarp/untarp accessorial pay consistantly, and do you have to get Roehl's prior approval to do tarp/untarp to qualify for the tarp/untarp pay? If so, who pre-approves, your DM?

How are the trucks in regards to maintenance and/or getting needed repairs done? I have heard (here and elsewhere) that the trucks and trailers are getting worn, and getting your truck repaired when needed can be difficult with mechanics being uncooperative.

Do the National fleet drivers get frequent opportunities to go out West? I would like to go out West, rather than be restricted to more of a "regional area".

I have also heard that the DM's are pretty poor with planning, etc.. Is this true or just disgruntled driver gripes?

I live in the Akron/Canton, Ohio area. I don't know if you are familiar with Roehl's freight lines in or through (NE) Ohio?
IF Roehl sends a driver home for a weekend hometime with a load to deliver on a Monday, can the driver park the loaded trailer at a drop yard while on hometime? I have no place to park a rig at my house, but am about 45 minutes from the Akron/Mogadore, Ohio drop yard.

Are inverters allowed in trucks and what is the current heating/ac idling policy? Would hate to be in Wisconsin or NE in Feb and get flack for idling to keep warm, or cool in South during the Summer.

I know the recruiter will answer any questions I may have, but I know what their "job" is, and would really not believe much of what they told me. I want to hear what company drivers have to say, not the recruiter.

Thank you for any assistance you may provide to help me in making a decision about Roehl.

Don

 

For us, the miles are better now than they were last year at this time, but not as good as 3 years ago. The lanes he runs now are not the same as what he was running 3 years ago.

If they have a van load, and you are the only truck in the area to pick it up, you will haul the "penalty box". It is one of the nice things about flats..if you start out there, you can haul any of the other trailers, but if you are van you can't haul a flat.

I hear/read alot of people that say that, but couldn't tell you if it's true.

99% of the time the tarp pay is on the paycheck but there have been times that it was left off. A quick call to payroll, and they fixed it and put it on the next paycheck. When the dispatch is being built, if someone forgets to check the box for tarp, then payroll won't pay it even if you have it marked on your trip sheet...at least that's how it was explained to us.
There isn't any prior apporoval..when you get your dispatch and it says tarp, you tarp it. There are things that Roehl wants tarped no matter what for insurance reasons, but either way you still get paid for it.

The trucks & trailers are worn out, but they are starting to replace them.
It can be a challenge to get repairs done...especially if they don't feel it's necessary (not a DOT issue). It didn't used to be that way, but when the stock market went down and freight got slow, they were trying to save some money. There are a few mechanics that can be real jerks..they don't want to hear anything you have to say about anything, but there are some that do. In my opinion, Iron Mountain the the best place to get your truck worked on since we haven't ever had any problems there and when we left the truck was fixed. Can't say that about the others...

I don't know about this as he is a regional driver, but every summer we take a few loads out west because we request them. I ride with him for a month or so as does 2 of our daughters so we request some longer runs.

Keep in mind, they don't plan you, the load planners do and yes there are times that they can screw it up. We are lucky to have had fleet managers that will go to bat for us when the planners seem to be smoking crack and most of the time we can get it fixed. Sometimes you just have to suck it up because that is the only freight they have in that area.

I am familiar...we are only about an hour and a half from you. I80/Ohio Turnpike is a big traffic lane for them, and there is a customer we pick up at alot in Cleveland. If you have to, I would think they would let you park at Mogadore, but there is not alot of room there so if you can find another place closer to you I would. Check with your local grocery stores, warehouses, big box stores..

I think most of the fleet has APU's now and they have an inverter. If you get a truck without one, you can have one but it has to be a certain size and it must be installed (for a fee) by a Roehl mechanic. I think the idle goal with an APU is 4% and I don't remember what they are for without. I can tell you in 7 years, we only missed the goals 5 times (with and without an APU).

You aren't too far from a few truckstops, so you may want to think about going down there and seeing if you can track down a driver or 2 that will chat with you about Roehl. Most of the time they will.

It's hard to pick a company starting out, I remember, but you need to look for a company that will give you the best of what you want. For us, the top thing was hometime and Roehl gives us that. Sure they have screwed it up a few times, but if you compare it to the 7 years we have been here, it's been nothing to really complain about. Most everything can be fixed by calling your fleet manager and talking about it, but sometimes the best laid plans don't work out.

Good luck to you!

 

Cheryl:

Thank you for answering some of the questions I have about Roehl. Many on this forum have stated "Go to a company that will give you what is the most important to you." I would say the most important things to me when looking at a company are:

Getting miles for a driver who wants and will take them. I don't want to be a driver who constantly refuses a load because it isn't the "mother of all loads." I imagine I'd be sitting a lot if I tried that.

Dispatchers trying to threaten you into running illegally (they and I would be butting heads all the time if they constantly tried this), and then threaten you if you don't. I'd have to call Safety about that.

Not threatening a driver to run in equipment that is unsafe, and when there are unsafe condition, they make repairs to their truck.

Not being cheated out of earned monies for some lame excuse or another.

A couple more questions:
Are you (your husband) on Midwest or Great Lakes Regional?
Where (states or areas within states) do you run most often?
Are out West runs available to National drivers if they want them? Maybe you know some National fleet Flatbed drivers who can answer this?

Thanks again for taking the time to assist me.

Don

 

I'm pretty sure they are still a forced dispatch company. There have been a few times that we asked for a different load and got it, but especially now I don't think that is a option.

They are pretty strict about always running within the HOS. I've heard/read that other drivers have had this issue, but I don't believe it.

He is Great Lakes Regional, and his normal area is Minnesota to Maine and south to Virgina, Maryland & DC area.

I really don't know.

No problem

 

Look, Roehl has/had a decent school for those who need to get their CDL. Even as a starter company to get experience. They are micromanaged. I guess it's unfair for me to assume that no one could get miles but I am going on what was happening when I was there and the fact that on any given day I see less than 5 Roehl trucks in many of the lanes I know they run. I see one reefer every blue moon. So where are all the customers to satisfy all the drivers that they have. I guess they still have Kraft but what about the accounts they acquire after buying ORT. I know of one account that Roehl couldn't service like they use to with solo drivers because there was no way a driver could pick up in Oshkash then drive to Bruce, Wi in the same day the drive to Mo down 71 near Springfield the next day by 10 am. And what about the Ice Cream account in Fl. that we did the first run for? The majority of trucks I see are flatbeds and they are not plentiful.

 

We are lucky to have had fleet managers that will go to bat for us when the planners seem to be smoking crack

same here, one time i had to unload in the morning, all i did was check in and unload,but had to start my day. i waited a while then got a load that loaded something like 7 hours later,60 miles away, but its a nice 1250 mile trip. so its cool. then after 8.5 hours i get a message to relay this about 40 miles away,i called and asked what in the world? i wait all day and thats ok because its a nice long load, now ill have 100 miles total today and give this off to someone else?

i ended up doing the trip, luckily my manager did go to bat for me.

 

i am also thinking of leaveing not enough miles my lowest was 52 for the day next day 250 i would send my empty then call my fleet manager 1hr later and get aload its like they dont care this has happend more than once . one time i wait up to 4 hrs called then within 1 min i got a load what the hell is wrong . getting the truck fixed dont get me started.