I want to know what you value in a trucking company!

Pothole season cost the two of us about a thousand this year. It has been one of the coldest and worst ever in this state.

Road construction did not help any even though were upgrading some rural state roads and making US 67 to I-57 from 1962 plates and potholes. It's tearing both of our car and trucks apart this year.

Ive already started making sure certain brand of generic brand of tires with really hard and deep tread is put on brand new. In the past we run premiums at almost twice. Not to knock goodyear tires but three complete sets so far in the last 4 years have failed to reach the 30000 mile mark even though they were 80000 mile tires across three specific model types within that brand in premium. With nitrogen and careful attention each day. The last two are on the back axle of one of our cars and that one shows tread wear that will need replacing by winter from battle with construction and potholes.

We quit going to little rock on the freeway, the last trip Mr Pothole shredded the aft right, and punched a bulge into a bomb waiting to go off in a zipper failure on the right front. Someone stopped and put the doughnut on and she limped to one of our tire shops. 300 dollars later we are back in good shape again. The alingment took a hit on mr pothole too. But instead of enduring dealership pricing which we think is BS at close to 500 we found a good shop in Searcy that will do all 4 alingment for around 120 max rack combined with laser to factory spec depending on what parts needed to get it into factory spec.

So that's 450 of the thousand accounted for just 3 weeks ago. Losses we can barely stand to endurre.

this is not a complaint. or whine or rant. This is strictly a time of reconstruction and have hope for the beautiful I-57 that will replace that section of the 1961-1962 era US 67 that has been way obsolete and under maintained for a decade now.

As a idea, we looked into the city of little rock and arkansas highways for recompensation for damages on thier highways and roads. We learned that the entire structure of money holds on to everything with very very few people compenstated because it is the people's money (Arkansas Taxpayers) under a particular law or clause set by the state house that these funds are already being spent replacing ALL of the roads creating these damages.

The best I can offer when you visit our state is to go online to Idrive website it's live in bad weather, flooding traffic cams etc. And now includes bad potholes as reported in near real time. So you know what is coming when you get down here.

I am familiar with Michigan and enjoyed your state and it's people for the most part but remember the section towards the Maumelle river where the old hullet ore unloaders work. That section hurt the tractor trailer a few times and myself. Stoneyridge took care of that now and then.

 

No more May?

 

Home time and $$$. I have both here. Since January 1 I’ve been home 46 days. That includes 2 weeks of paid vacation. I’ll have 2 more weeks vacation the remainder of this year. My earnings with my time off will be $85k this year. Add to that that I’m left alone to do the job that I was hired to do and I’m good. This isn’t the perfect job, but it’s great for me. If I’m not run off the next 3 years, then I’m done and retired.

 

Well let's see here. I chose a company in Memphis, where I live so home time takes care of itself. My biggest thing is freight. I run hard. I like to run hard. I like miles. Lots of miles. Steady freight. I don't care too much about cpm, because if I'm getting the miles, I can make a living. You're average company is paying somewhere between .40 - .50 cpm so with steady freight, clearing a minimum 1100 week should be no issue. I can work with that. Another thing too.....I like employers that care about their employees. If you're out here making money for your company, it's nice to know that you'll be rewarded for hard work.

 

No. I wasn’t looking to change, but this gig just fell into my lap (right place right time).

 

@pbtrans - great equipment 1st pay,home time , running Lane's

 

Don’t you just love when that happens? Good luck and safe miles.

 

What I am looking for in a company is ppl who make it easy to work with them. I'll bust my butt for someone who treats me well. I'm not saying "like royalty," but not hostile either. So good management and good dispatchers would seem to be a major priority. It just makes sense to have good dispatchers who do the math right and get loads assigned on time and routed smoothly. Honest management that takes care of their equipment and staff means you don't have turnover and fines.

Average pay and average equipment would be fine if the ppl I interact with are "worth it". I wouldn't turn down a top of the line truck with all the bells and whistles, but if you're willing to work with me to get the features I want installed, that'd be really cool (like if I want a better ap, you will help install it). A comfortable driver can get more driving done. Being "fair" when it comes to down time and detentions is just the right thing to do. Keeping your trucks in the best condition to keep working takes both of us - me to tell you what needs fixing, and your willingness to get it fixed. Reducing fines and costs by properly maintaining the equipment works out for everyone. The company should pay any costs they can, like prepass and all that, so all that comes out of a driver's pocket is living expenses, and minor repairs of their choice.

Benefits are a bonus, and welcome. But there's a huge gap between no benefits and the Cadillac plans.

I want to do otr and have nothing tying me down, so home time is the least consideration. That's a major consideration for going long haul. Freight lanes don't seem to be a worry for me either.

 

I just added two auto's to my fleet - one for a driver with a prosthetic leg and the other for a guy with pins in his left ankle!

 

We share the same thoughts.