Perkins Specialized Transportation, Inc. - Indianapolis, In.?

Wow that's a plate full. First and foremost for the flatbed drivers and management staff over the flatbed division bailed because they believed the grass on the other side was greener than where they were at. They were following a false promise and it did come back to bite them in the end. Most of those drivers who abandoned Perkins are desperately calling Perkins on a daily basis in attempts of coming back. I have it on higher authority that a few drivers will be allowed to return starting from square one, and for the rest - NO Way!!! I can't say or comment on anything more than that but in essence, those drivers who left regret their decision because when they got to the other side they found out they had been lied to, they were blindly following an empty promise and it backfired.

To the former commenter, yes you are correct. I am on the flatbed side because right now van freight though there is a lot of it moving, it's dead and the freight is dirt cheap. Hence the reason why I abandoned van freight a year ago because most of the van freight I found is mostly being brokered through CRST and C.H.Robinson and they suck on pay. I got burned extremely badly on brokered freight therefore as far as I'm concerned, it can just sit on the dock because I'm not hauling it. Are we clear on this? Brokered freight of any kind is a no win situation.

I'm sorry to hear about all the cuts because none of this has been brought to my attention and more than likely none of this will affect me anyway so I wouldn't have noticed it in the first place. That is all I can legally say about that.

Here is the deal, flatbed freight is hot and looks like it will be for sometime in the future which is why I'm doing so good. Granted it's a lot of hard work and there is no way around that but it pays and all my settlements continue to be positive.

With that said I also realize my new reality in which because of my job my body is physically damaged and therefore I am very much limited in the types of loads I can take because the type of work involved can cause further possibly life threatening and possibly permanent injuries. The injuries I sustained in the line of duty damaged my spine in a critical area, in addition one of arms is damaged with very limited motion. Currently the work I'm doing I can handle although the pain is difficult at best on some days but I can still do the work and will continue to do so until my body says it can't handle anymore. Yes flatbed freight is hot and there is a lot of it right now but there is a downside too in that you are more prone to accidents and injuries and believe me when I say things do go wrong when you least expect it. Every flatbed tool you will use is also a weapon as well and can cause severe injury in a split second. I have been hit hard in the face and gut a few times by slipping chain binders, and those little rubber bungees with the steel s-hooks, they (even brand new first use) break in half or can slip out of your hand and believe me you will be hurting something bad and hopefully didn't loose an eye in the process. And ratchet bars, loose your grip with one of those and they can literally take off and fly over a hundred feet in the air damaging anything in it's path and hopefully you weren't in it's path when it took off. Those hurt something bad.

As you can see, flatbed specialist is not a walk in the park but if you are aware of what can go wrong and it's inherent dangers you can work smarter to avoid accidents as best you can but you can't predict everything so be careful. With that said if you find things getting a little thin with van freight and you're up to a challenge, check out the flatbed side. It's not easy work but it pays. As a word of advise, I offer you this, be in good physical shape and fit because flatbed work will test your endurance and fitness. The more fit you are, the better equipped you are to handle the tough work ahead.

 

Perkins doesn't really do broker freight through CRST. However, They do use Cheap and Heavy Robinson (CHRW) Hub Group, and occasionally using some of the smaller ones, like Turbo Logistics.

To the person claiming that jab is Steve.....

You are wrong. Steve is my DM and the communication styles aren't the same.

Also, even Steve would know that you can't transfer from van to flatbed divisions unless you have enough prior experience.

BTW, you said that none of the cuts would affect you anyway?

Look on your settlements. You see that $30 charge for fuel tax? You see that monthly fuel tax charge true-up??
Those used to NEVER show up on our settlements. It was one of the perks for driving for Perkins. They covered that expense. In fact, most lease-purchase companies do and STILL do!!
So, in essence, it's COSTING you $300-$400 more per month to work for Perkins.


jab- I'd have no problem switch divisions if it weren't for two things. #1. I don't have the required flatbed experience and have no way of gaining it here.
#2. I have severe allergies to throwing tarps!

 

You are so right about C.H.R which is why I don't like their freight. Lost my ### in 2007 because of them. About the office, I have been asked about moving into the office as D-M and away from trucks but for the majority of my life has been spent behind the wheel of big trucks. I just don't know that I'd be happy sitting in an office since I've always had outside mostly construction jobs. If I take any job within the company which does not involve driving, it would have to be a position in which I work with drivers face-to-face in person and not over the phone or Qualcom. That could be something like flatbed training or something similar where I can teach existing drivers but not newbies to the trucking industry new tricks in different divisions.

I erred about the statement of switching divisions simply because though a driver may have been in the business for sometime as a driver, not everyone has the same background experience in different fields within the trucking industry as I have. Whether it be vans, flats, tankers, bulk, RGN Heavy Haul, roll-off and refers I have done a lot of cross training. My favorite of the group was fuel transport which I may go back to someday if flatbed work dies off in a few years.

As for the fuel taxes I have always paid this and have never worked for a company who paid this, license plates or 2290 heavy use road tax. I have always paid those things and have paid this since day one working for Perkins. I was not aware Perkins was paying for any of this but I have been paying my own all along.

Because the company actively reads these posts, I can't say anything more about how you can gain flatbed experience here on this site but catch me in the yard someday and I'll clue you in. If Perkins continues to do well in the flatbed division, at some point they'll have to bring in someone like me to train existing drivers on flatbed operation. In the meantime everything you need to know, all federal rules and reg's concerning flatbeds is in your Federal Motor Carrier Safety handbook. But their are two trucking firms that I refer drivers to in order to gain flatbed experience as that is all they do. But I can't divulge this information here on this website because I am being watched from higher up. Just catch me somewhere in person and I'll tell ya. I'm not going to lie to you but I have to watch what I say here if you know what I mean. Oh and this is not about another local company you may have heard about as I wouldn't send my worst enemy there. These companies I refer to are from Iowa and Arkansas.

 

please let us know how they ripped you off, because they will. Check out the net on these guys, also if you need an attorney , which you will try Taylor and Associates trucking law firm , they handle these kinds of scams. Also remember they will ruin your dac report so sue.

 

And yet, here I stand.......3 years and counting.............and still making it.

 

To Tony Mann and others that think Perkins is a scam - look in the mirror first. It takes two to tango and 95% of all driver failures come largely in part because of the driver. I'm on the Van side and I'm pretty happy with the company. They keep telling us about new accounts, which we have seen some. I heard from the sales person they are getting rate increases, which only helps me make more money.

Tony Mann, you just don't get it. Before you start throwing dirt, clean up your own house first. To those of you that frequent this board, check your facts and speak to drivers that have been at Perkins for years before you listen to a nobody like Tony Mann. Sounds like he screwed himself, because I don't see any way you can fail at Perkins if you make the right decisions and communicate with your DM.

I like what jab has said above. Good points and he is right on.

I was recruited here a couple months ago and I am happy with their equipment and the leadership of the company. The new Director of Operations is making some great changes. I have seen some positive things come out over the last month. I would encourage any one thinking about being part of a small, family-owned company to look at Perkins. I'm willing to speak to anybody about this company if you want.

 

I want to join Jab and LittleGuy.

I too work for Perkins in their Van division. Just finished a tradeshow load to Dallas paying me $2.15/mile plus the FSC. I have been leasing for 2 months. I am happy with the company. They are making some changes and those changes seem to be for the good.

They just changed their pay scale to the drivers and although tolls are not paid, I'm making $200-400 more on the customer loads that more than covers the tolls when I go east. It's good. No forced dispatch, but I still take a cheap broker load every now and then to get to a good paying customer load.

I would recommend Perkins.

 

Perkins is a scam, If you really do drive and are not one of those scam artist in the office, why do you get a pay check yet over a 40 people who were ripped off by Perkins do not ?
I bet you run illegal also it would be the only way you might make a few hundred dollars not worth the hours put in. All these pro Perkins lies can be discounted by simple math, which is science.

 

Simple math huh? I logged onto the drivers' side of Perkins website and looked at driver anniversaries for November. One guy is at 17 years here, one guy at 12 years, one guy at 3yrs, three guys at 2yrs. and two guys celebrating a year here.
So lemme see............that makes 8 guys in just one month as proof that they are repeatedly making it at this small company.


Google Dick McCorkle and Freightliner's "Slice of Life" program and you'll find another Perkins driver that is successfully making it.

My truck is pictured.

BTW, I'd like to know how you run illegal with Qualcomm's elogs?? Who needs to run illegal anyways? I'm legally logging over 3000 miles per week, EVERY WEEK!

You have to communicate, be on-time, be efficient, and NOT run into stuff. You need to be smart and have a business head on your shoulders.

And you need to know the difference between math and science.

 

ur rite just ran 3218 miles last wk and had 6.50 hrs left to go 4 2day but i sat an reset by the way how many of those guys are on the flatbed side im looking at perkins but dont know hearing alot of both good and bad u talkin about confusing