Snackbar is chillin'....at Shaffer

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by supersnackbar, Oct 26, 2020.

  1. supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

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    After Moore got merged with E.W.Wylie, and Wylie couldn't handle my no B.S. attitude when saying what I mean to management... hence their insistance that I said I had resigned when I hadn't...I broke my personal rule and returned to a company I had quit years ago. A little over 7 years ago, I left the Acklie family company, Crete. Mostly because I hate micromanaging but also because of the Maxxfarce powered equipment and their 'asset manager' system was still being fine tuned and the combination of the latter 2 made miles hard to come by. I've been trucking going on 28 yrs, and really don't need anything but a truck, a fuel card and dispatcher that knows how to do their job w/o excessive chatting or constant reminders about how to do my job. I don't even need an ELD, I am fine with paper logs, but the government says I need one, so I have to use the company's.

    I came back to Acklie and started with Shaffer 2 weeks ago. Mostly because of a couple different reasons. 1, their insurance is much cheaper than what I have been paying since the whole Obamacare stuff got passed, and with a lower deductible than Wylie/Moore/Daseke's (they are both BCBS). Plus, I only had a 30 day waiting period to get coverage. 2, they're a stable company. Yes, they're a Mega, but that is a plus when the economy tanks, which it will again eventually, regardless of who is in the Whitehouse, it's just a well known fact, the economy cycles. I survived the Great Recession of '08 while at Crete, and feel confident that Shaffer would get me thru just as well when the next big downturn hits. 3, it took them all of 2.5-3 hrs to go from application to scheduling orientation. They rented me a car to get to orientation (no bus travel here). They put me up in an acceptable motel while in orientation, then rented me a car (and paid me more than I was making at Crete before I left to drive it) back to where my assigned truck was located in Deland. The truck is no truck show winner, it's an older International with some dings and scratches, and a little side fairing damage from previous drivers...but, I requested a manual transmission if available, and I got it. It runs good, pulls better than the Mack I had at Wy-Moore, and has a big enough inverter to use whatever appliances I need, plus it has a Truckfridge installed as well.

    Yes, they still have the OnGuard nanny(although they're not as annoying as the older system they use to have) and they are still good at micromanaging us, but given the fact I left 7+ years ago, I got a 9 cpm raise from what I was making back then to come back...I really need to just do what the wife says to do..."shut up and deal with it"...so, I am chillin doin reefer (freight)...with a Puffin on my back door (yes, it is not a penguin, it's a puffin)
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2020
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  3. supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

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    First load out of the gate, I left Deland FL headed for Atlanta to pu. It was a drop/hook that went to Mebane NC, drop/hook delivery. On the way up to Mebane, they planned me on the next load. Burlington NC (live load) headed for Mira Loma CA, live unload. After I got empty I did a restart in Mira Loma (a.k.a. Jurupa Valley), then a drop/hook load out of Rialto going up to Hermiston, OR for a live unload. While waiting for my unload, my next load. Selah, WA to W. Palm Beach, FL...although I can't make the 3 am Sunday delivery appointment, that would be 4300+ miles in 8.25 days. They said pick the load up and start towards FL, we'll either repower with another driver or bump out the appointment. I told them, later in the day on Sunday (or Monday) would work if they could get a new appointment, we shall see.
     
  4. Lonesome

    Lonesome Mr. Sarcasm

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  5. Bumper

    Bumper Road Train Member

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    I left Crete in 2008 after my second round with them. I totally understand why you went back. I just don’t think I could try for the Third Times The Charm. I don’t have sleep apnea and I don’t need them to tell me I do and make me buy their machine.

    If things go South here at my present company I may consider going back to Heartland Express because they have a terminal 15 miles from my house and it would be a Tennessee only fleet and off weekends just like I did in Texas.
     
  6. supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

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    Screw Heartland..work for one of their companies...I thought about Barr Nunn's new plan where you fly or drive to your terminal(they pay for flight or rental car). You work a minimum amount of time (or as long as you want after that). Then for hometime, you come back by the terminal, pull your gear out of the truck, and they pay for a round trip car or flight home for hometime...then come back and do it all over again. Would be great for those that don't schlep around a lot of stuff in their truck.
     
  7. Vic Firth

    Vic Firth Road Train Member

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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    That's some real decent miles. OTR reefer is a good living.
     
  9. bzinger

    bzinger Road Train Member

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    Wow ! What a change but hope it works out for you .
    I've known some Crete drivers in the past from Nebraska that were happy there .
     
  10. mushroom1464

    mushroom1464 Medium Load Member

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    All the best SSB. Hope it works out for you.
     
  11. brian991219

    brian991219 Road Train Member

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    Ah the Puffin. Do they still make a big deal about that in orientation? I was there in 09 (I think -it was during the economic crunch that made me park my car hauler for a few months) and the guy doing orientation in Mechanicsburg went on for 15 minutes about it not being a penguin! He also made sure to let us know he bled Shaffer blue and had been there long before the Acklie family bought the company -starting out sweeping floors at 16.

    Not a bad choice to go back there, I enjoyed my short time working for them and may have stayed if my fleet manager was more responsive. 6 straight weeks from the day I was hired on until I quit without time at home, had one ten hour break at home and they didn't like it -was told to not stop at my house for my break because I could get 50 miles further down the road to a Pilot in Pittston. Micromanagement at it's finest, but I did have a decent ProStar with a Cummins.

    Hope it works out for you, always have enjoyed reading your posts. Keep us informed and entertained, please and thank you.
     
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