Looking for info on Sherwin Williams in Nevada

Casual would be a part time driver, usually working the weekends.
Domicile driver begins and ends the week, parking the truck locally with reference to the DC location.
Outer domicile driver, like me, begins or ends the week parking the truck in another location. I live and park my truck 600 miles from the DC.
Based on this, what would you be?
Sprinks

 

I'm curious; are you delivering to stores? The SW store near me is tiny as I'm sure most are. It'd be pretty tricky to get a 53' in there and even still you'd be blocking a good portion of the road. If so, are you unloading the truck by hand? Jack? Tailgate? Do store employees help? Stop pay + unload? I'm curious what kind of ancillaries you're getting to push the cpm rate up to .60 - .65. This could be a good fit for me a year or so down the road. Thanks.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean about store locations and accessibility. Some stores receive their deliveries by dock truck, but there are stores that present a bit of a challenge getting into. But safety first is S-W attitude, so if we feel we cannot get into a location they will find a plan B.
Almost all the deliveries are taken off the back of the trailer by a store employee with an electric lift. We are responsible to move the pallet with a pallet jack to the end of the trailer. We still have a few stores that must be unloaded by hand but if you're lucky you'll get a lift trailer. Still requires extra effort unloading but it sure beats having to break down the pallet and hand each piece off to the store employees. There are some locations with docks. All this unloading is compensated. Moving the pallet to the back of the trailer, moving the pallet to the back of the trailer and hand unloading, unloading the pallets into the store, etc. all pay you something depending on the amount of effort. I'm not quoting the amount because I don't have the amounts in front of me and I'm sure to get it wrong. I continue to be surprised by all the ways we are compensated above and beyond mileage pay. Quarterly safety bonuses, safety meeting pay, I recieved an additional amount on my one year anniversary? Didn't expect that, but thanks. Best trucking job I've had but it is trucking, and there are days and issues that will frustrate you. Just need to keep things in perspective.
Hope this is enough to help.
Sprinks.

 

Good info, thanks.

How many stops does a typical load have? Once empty, do you turn and burn back to the DC? I realize SW is HQ'd in Cleveland but didn't see a DC here. Do they have a drop lot or at least a small terminal here in OH? It'd be nice to have someplace to park where I don't have to worry so much about the security of the truck. Speaking of; how do they handle maintenance for drivers who don't live close to a terminal? Do you figure some down time into certain weeks for PMs and the like? Volvos and Shakers right?

Ah, so many questions. I should change my handle to number johnny 5. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

The range of stops is 1 to 5 +/-. During the busy summer season the volume per stop limits the number of deliveries whereas now is the slow season so the number of stops increases. Depending on your proximity to the DC after completing the deliveries you could go directly back to the DC. Backhauls are the usual method of operation. All trucks park at the nearest Penske location to your home. Some drivers have a couple hour commute while others, like me have a Penske less than 15 minutes away. PM and other maintenance is done during your 34 hour reset. We just moved into Volvo's, though there may still be a few Freightliner's running around.
I work out of Effingham, so other than running loads out of Cleveland, I don't know much about operating out of there.
I'm sure a phone call could answer your specific questions for that location.
Happy to address your generic questions if I can.
Regards,
Sprinks.

 

Sprinks!

Thanks a million for the information here. Had my interview Monday. Just waiting now for them to do background checks and verify employment!!

 

Here we go. Generic questions incoming!

How are the directions over there? I've had the misfortune of working for one of those companies contracted to Wal Mart. When you pull a WM load they give you very good, detailed directions as far as which drive to use and how best to get to the docks. As I said earlier, the SW store near me has a tiny lot (no docks) and a couple different ways you could get there. There is definitely a way that will make it easier to get a truck in/out as opposed to coming from the opposite side.

Qualcomm or PeopleNet?

Fueling/routing?

How is dispatch? Are you assigned a dispatcher or is it community dispatch?

Are they good about taking extra time off for special events like weddings and the like?

Does SW broker their own backhauls? Do those usually go right back to the DC?

I see you're in MN. It makes sense that you probably do a lot of the upper midwest. Do you ever get a run to FL or TX or are you kinda stuck in the same 5 states? I'm not much for the south but I do like to mix it up a bit.

That's all I've got fer now.

 

Have you heard back from them yet? Where will you go for orientation?

 

1) We all have a 3 ring binder containing store directions. Some better than others since the directions are generated by drivers. Majority of the time you can figure it out. I have edit notes all over the pages of my instruction binder.
2) PeopleNet.
3) a. Fuel locations are up to you, but they do have a preference order. 1- Love's, 2- Flying J, 3- T/A. Fueling at Pilot just to enough to get you to one of the other 3.
b. How you get to the stops is up to you... within reason. Effingham, IL to Green Bay, WI via Minneapolis, MN might just get you called into dispatch. But if it's within reason; weather, traffic ect... Another thing I like about working for S-W, your treated like a professional driver. No micro-managing here. I've worked for companies that tell you where to go, how to get there, where and when to fuel. Get the job done as safely and efficiently as possible and they leave you alone.
4) It is kind of community dispatch, though each dispatcher has their territory. I have a good relationship with all the dispatchers, they are all respectful and caring about any concerns you might have which leads into your next question; yes, they will do all they can to accommodate your life outside of work. I have had some close calls getting back for reunions and other such events, but I can't hold dispatch accountable for other department delays (trailer loading). Of course the longer lead times you give them the better your chances. Emergencies are a whole different matter. Thankfully I've never had that situation come up, but other drivers have turned and burned for home when emergencies came up with the blessing of dispatch.
5) Yes and no. It's about 50-50 brokering our own loads and using outside brokers. Back hauls will either get you close to the DC or to another facility with a load going to the DC.
6) Effingham, IL DC covers 13 states from North Dakota down to Kansas and east to Kentucky and back up to Ohio and Michigan. Plenty of states to keep you from getting bored. There are some special runs that come up once in a while down to Texas and out to Nevada. They say there is no favoritism, but senior drivers usually seem to get the long runs that keep them from seeing the DC but once a week. They mix it up and try to keep a balance, but I understand. I'm doing just fine.
Oh, and I noticed you asked about the actual cents per mile number I posted a while back. I updated a spreadsheet I keep, and for 2015 it averaged out to $0.59 cpm taking out safety bonus, holiday and vacation pay. If you include those, it comes out to $0.66 cpm. I want what I say to be factual.
Hope these answers satisfy the questions you asked.
Sprinks

 

Man I knew I was forgetting stuff.

APUs/inverters? Silly idle policy?

I assume Penske is okay with you bringing a trailer when you go home?

How much hazmat are you running? Extra pay for placarded loads?

Dash cams?

Ezpass/prepass?

Are store deliveries by appt or is it just get it there by this day?

Autos or manuals?

Do you use transflo or just turn bills into DC when you get ba k?

I think that's it.

 

Yes, yes and yes. Though the idle policy isn't really policed. Built in refrigerators also.
Whether Penske likes it or not, we bring our trailers home to them.
90% of the loads coming out of the DC are hazmat. Very few if any back hauls are. Pay is the same either way.
Trucks have forward facing dash camera's, prepass and ez-pass.
Stores typically receive deliveries on a certain day. Its not chiseled in stone. I always call an hour before arriving just to make life easier for me. Surprises tend to take longer to unload.
Our new Volvo's are automatics. I like them for all the city traffic I run in and they're not like the automatics of old. Very controllable and smooth.
Bills are turned in at the DC. Payroll sets the deadline which is Wednesday in Effingham.
Regards,
Sprinks