System adventures with the ducky

Rather than try and multiquote everyone I will just go down through the responses and answer one by one.

Why am I thinking about leaving Superior? I am not actually. I just happen to run into a driver from Airgas last week at the truck stop. We got to talking and he mentioned the Jefferson location was looking to add 6-8 drivers this year to meed demands of customers.
I don't know about other Superior terminals but mine has been giving me decent runs out and then once out I stay pretty busy. They don't let me sit. They keep me rolling. So not it is not a lack of staying busy. Basically just tired of being gone all the time. 10-12 days gone from home then off for 2 or 3. Hate running up north and northeast.

Yes I have considered my employment record. If I took this job I would basically be forced to stay at it whether I liked it or not. I have hopped jobs too many times in the last year so I would have to stick this out no matter what.

Schedule would be nights to start. Could be 11pm-9am or could be 3am-1pm. I could tolerate the 3am shift better than working all night. My two days off won't be the weekends to start. Most likely days off would fall during the week. I look at it this way. I already stay out every other weekend running otr so not having every weekend off is nothing new to me.

I asked about the overtime. I was verbally told it is guaranteed. I can work the minimum or I can request an additional load at end of shift if I had extra time left to run something short. Terminal manager said he has some guys that just do what they are assigned and go home and others that like the additional hours. Sounded like Airgas has no shortage of work.

If it did not work out do I have a plan? Good question. Like I said, I would have to stick it out regardless of how it turned out. I already have to pay a fine for Obama care this year of almost $1000 for "going without insurance" for more than 3 months. I had insurance it just did not meet the Obama standards they set forth. This year you can only go 2 months and the fine is $2000. So knowing that I would have to stay put regardless of how I felt about the job. Hopefully I would love it but you just never know.

 

I guess basically to put it in perspective, I can't see myself running otr for the next 20 years. I don't think I am built for that. I feel like this Airgas job may be one of the "Holy Grail" jobs people seek or find after doing 3-4 years otr. Kind of like doing your time then moving on to a decent paying local job.

I checked into hauling gas a while back and I knew that was definitely not for me. I had a buddy that worked for Mansfield and he was telling me about it and I thought to myself there was no way I want to haul gas to gas stations. But this Airgas deal seems far better. Cleaner work and pay is hourly, not by the load.

 

I have thought about that part. Trying to sleep during the day. It is hard for me to do that. I try and keep myself on a day shift at Superior for the most part and it works most of the time.

My kids are in college and work so they aren't home much. However I have my grandbaby here my wife watches during the day. So there is some noise going on throughthe day.

Honestly I was not actively pursuing another job. It was one of those things where I started talking to the guy and it caught my interest. The plant is literally 5 minutes from my house. Not sure of any propane hauling jobs near by. But like I said I am not job shopping anyway if that makes any sense.

Not sure how I could pull off a test ride with them. I would have to do it next time I came back in if Airgas would allow it. Even then I am not sure they would wait that long for me to give them an answer. I can check into it though.

 

Yes I actually went in and talked to the terminal manager. He was straight with me. He said expect the worst schedule to start. All new hires start at the bottom. Long term I would eventually get a better schedule. I would just have to tough it out for a bit. And yes their drivers do get a referal fee but so does Superior drivers so I don't see anything fishy about that.

Yes they haul nitrogen but no full chem suit to deliver. Just hard hat, face shield, long sleeve shirts, boots and really thick gloves to protect your hands from the extreme cold of the nitrogen.

I don't know about cameras in the truck. He did not mention them.

The terminal manager did cover the safety rules. He said some are unecessarily extreme but just exercise them anyway whether you agree or not.