STARTING A NEW CAREER WITH JBH

Man I'm getting worse and worse at checking in. Things are still good. Had my biggest paycheck yet at over 1400 net a few weeks ago. Training plus a 3000 mile 12 stop week plus a ton of trailer moves and a couple new location scouting runs. Have had some bad luck hooking up to full trailers with flat tires 2 times in the last few weeks. You always get pissed at yard spotter guy but then remember how often I'm asked to move a trailer in or out of a door whenever I'm around and there's no yard spotter and can't get too angry cuz it's not like I do a pretrip on it just to move it especially if it's 3am and I'm just coming in from a 7 hr drive. I have started thumping the tires on anything I move and make sure others see me doing it so hopefully all will get the hint.

 

My last 10 days have been pretty messed up due to reset getting thrown out of whack and pretty consistent production delays. Been doing a lot of new to me runs. So my next and last check have been about 120 bucks less than normal each. Pretty sure the plant is hurting on labor help plus 15-16 pool days are becoming more common. Buisiness is increasing for sure. Being told to hang in and things should return to normal next week. Not sweating it yet as long as it shakes out sooner than later. Have had more time to do much needed yard work catchup and see my little boy start playing flag football.

 

6 month review coming this weekend.

 

6 plus month review. Ok it's taken me a eternity to do this due to a few reasons. Been super busy and quite honestly I wasn't real happy for a few weeks due to resets being thrown off affecting my regular runs and ultimately the amount of money I was making for almost 3 weeks. All this cuz of production issues and my 4th run of week was a large single distributor that sold the account to I don't know how many smaller distributors and it effected quite a few runs including mine. Just freak things and it happened to effect me a lot. I still don't have a regular 4th run since so my super sweet 60 plus hour resets have disappeared. Even though I wasn't happy I know most of the drivers have been affected bye these things and I am making good money still. Compounding issues in the mixed up weeks I was doing quite a few 1200 mile 5-6 stoppers to Saint Louis. Money makers but long 36-38 hour runs. Just not what I've gotten used too. Long hours and making less money equals whiney driver so I may have pouted a bit in a way plus honesty my schedule is work sleep work then try to catch up house work and life on a 34-38 hour reset.

 

Hard numbers. It's been very good and like I've said many times I'm very lucky to have this account in my area. Not sure exactly where it's at in JBH ranking but it's got to be high.
I've had 31 paychecks.
Throwing out first 2 weeks due to training and newness to work so averageing off 29 weeks.
Averaging $1331.80 gross per week
Averaging $985.23 net per week
Averaging 2521.46 miles per week
Averaging 62-64 hours per week
Averaging 11-13 deliveries per week
At home in my own bed 4.5 times per week- lot of daytime sleeping

 

Overall it's pretty easy work and I really only have one complaint of JBH and not sure if it's a legit complaint? They don't match 401k ur first year. When they do match it's 50 percent up to a max of 3 percent on their part. I've never had 401k so not sure if this is good or bad or average. The hardest thing about this job is the amount of hours. 62-64 hours per week is a grind. I've worked plenty of salary positions so I'm used too long hour weeks with the occasional shorter week mixed in. This is just week after week of 62 plus hours but hey at least I'm getting paid for it. I'm on pace to make 69k and I've only had my CDL for 22 months. Not positive but guessing that is doing pretty good plus still at least see my family even though I can't participate in a lot of their activities. It does take a toll on house owning duties. Hard to keep up and have any type of life.

 

The equipment is very good overall and factor that in with e-logs and you never even think twice when you see DOT officers. Very good for your psp/dac scores. Do a good pretrip and post trip and rely on safe driving practices and safe miles pile up fast. My first company we lived in fear of the DOT with not that bad of equipment so this is a very nice change.

 

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I went into this with a open mind and prepared if it turned bad but it's been a money maker and very good experience so far. Came in with just over a year of CDL experience and a blemish on my psp that a lot of companies didn't like. Had a goal of getting experience, making money, clearing my psp and I'm halfway to that magic 3 year psp number (nock on wood). This is regional and not horrible but not sure if I see myself doing this forever. Although I do like to drive I'm gone a bit too much. Think a home every day job would suit me best. Ran into a local JBH Intermodal guy and like what he was saying even though it was less than what I'm making now so maybe transfer someday??? Not going to switch anytime real soon. I'm getting best of both worlds experience and good money. If/when I do it will be for a gig that fits a schedule I'll like better. I'll say it again. If you have JBH DCS account in your area its worth looking in to at the least. Not all are equal but there is quite a few good ones and so far I haven't run into any of the horrors you read about when you first start readin up on JBH.