Magnum ltd - fargo, nd

@supersnackbar.....All In All, if you had to make a best rating between Crete, Poly and Magnum ?

 

According to Chad's driver stats, put me down for 12,405 plus 4 layover days for August. Can't complain about that!

 

Any of you guys in 1662? If so, we are in the same parking lot.

 

Kinda tough to compare because they each have their own good and bad.

Buckle up, this is going to be a long one.

Poly was the best paying(at least in terms of cpm) and best average length of haul but worst equipment and shop. And as long as you did your job, you really didn't hear a lot from Poly management or safety.

Crete was a close second on cpm pay, mediocre equipment and shop, but suck when it comes to load planning (especially preplanning ahead of your current delivery)and length of haul was pretty typical dry van stuff, and most of the Lincoln management have an elitist attitude, and liked to stick their nose into your life to "instruct" you on decision making, even though they couldn't decide if they wanted to scratch their left nut 1st or their right.

Magnum has a decent length of haul...some short, but many over 1000, pretty reliable equipment (never been left on the side of the road like Poly, but with all the electronics, they have their quirky issues), even though they're Peterbilts, they aren't luxurious, but they are adequately comfortable. Another plus at Magnum is all their trucks have APU's, and if you have to use a loaner, their loaner choices were far better than Poly's regular trucks. They could use some customer service policy improvements(in regards to my biggest ##### point...excessive detention), which could be improved some if they would get enough trailers so we could have drop/hook loads at some of our regular customers that are notorious for longer delays. Plus they need a lot less loads with too much time on it. They could also ditch the 4 month variable pay evaluation and go straight to career and years of service for a base pay, then bonus pay for stuff like miles, mpg and safety scores. Crete and Magnum both could speed their trucks up to 65 or 70 then regear them to run at that speed, but at an rpm that is beneficial to mpg's. And both could get rid of their OnGuard/Wingman systems, but Poly could use the traction control system Crete and Magnum have, especially since they run a bunch of freight into the snowey northwest. Also, Magnum needs more dispatch/planners with smaller zones. 5 was fine when they had fewer trucks, but the fleet has increased enough now it's a madhouse, and they are in danger of burning out the ones they have.

If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose, I would have to say................shoot me please....just kidding. I would say I was least stressed out at Poly, but not by a whole lot, simply because with all my truck issues, the long term, park your butt in a motel for a week or two (without pay)was a genuine possibility at some point. And since they said they weren't getting any new trucks until after the SC plant was operational, that wasn't going to improve.

 

Poly and Crete pay better than .50cpm?

 

So if you had your Pete at Poly would you be somewhat happy? Good overview actually, though other than leather I really don't know what more you expect inside of the Pete as the next step up only adds fake wood and leather seats.

Did you put a good word in with Matt that we need more drop trailers lol? I think revenue may be a limiting factor as customers want to pay less when they put the trailer in the door. I can see how you feel about the pay, but the flip side is newer drivers can quickly earn real money here without having to wait 3-5 years, but for a vet like you I can see how our pay would suck.

Nice review, thanks for your perspective.

 

New Magnum flyer says .55 cpm...that I guess is for trainers ?

 

Lol that's full pay and a hazmat load...it's rare.

 

If my truck just had a top bunk like the trainers truck, Id be happy as Pigbacon at a steakhouse! That way I could keep more stuff organized.

 

Rumor is they are looking to replace the current trainers trucks with the updated Peterbilt 587, if this is true you could ask for a double bunk truck.