Starting with J. Grady Randolph on Monday.

Just a piss test, when I started. Haven't had a followup since.

 

Coming up on 3 years with JGR. Still a good company to drive for, but there hasn't been a cost of living raise since I started. Just the annual raises. When I started, their pay was great, for the industry. Now, it's on the low side. But, since I haul a lot of tire loads, it's okay. They pay 8 cpm more on these.

 

I'll go over five years with JGR in February. We finally got not one, but two raises, 3 cpm last year and another 1 cpm this past July 1st. New drivers start at 40 cpm, with an extra 5 cpm on the tire loads, with annual 1 cpm increases, to five years. Also, our guarantee pay was raised to $700 a week. Last year, we started replacing our aging fleet. We now have over 100 International Proliners, no more than two years old.

We still have the option of OTR or local. When local work is slow, drivers can go to one of our other locations and work, or switch to OTR. You can switch back and forth any time and if you need to be home daily for an extended period, the company will work with you.

 

No forced per diem. If you don't take it, you get an extra $15 per day. Most drivers who drive mostly local, don't take the per diem, because they'd owe taxes on the amount not taxed, if they're not on the road. We're normally routed around toll roads, even if it means longer routing. A lot of our loads can't run on toll roads, anyway. We fuel primarily on the yard, then at Pilot, with a fuel card.

EZPass costs money and since we rarely go through toll booths and oversize loads are required to stop at weigh stations, regardless of a green light, we did away with them four years ago. On the rare occasions we do have to go through a toll, drivers pay it in cash and are reimbursed. Same will all other expenses, that might come up, like faxed permits, windshield cleaner and so on.