Venezia - Let The Games Begin

I'll update how Venezia works out for me. A few surprises at orientation. But, no deal breakers. I am in the bulk liquid division - basically the same work as Superior, Quality, Transport Service, Heniff, etc. Midsize company with about 450 units. I came aboard because of the weekly hometime promise.

Keep the sunny side up.

 

Venezia's dry bulk (from what I can tell) is PA, Jersey, MD, VA, and some Ohio.

 

Orientation is done. The truck is nothing special - a 2007 International with about 650K. It was previously occupied by a chain smoker. It's a rattle trap with lots of squeaks - BUT the sleeper is huge.

Venezia, unlike say Superior Carriers, pays by seniority. You kind of get to bring your seniority with you in the form of higher starting pay, more vacation time, and higher holiday pay. For example, I get 2 weeks vacation per year.

All company vehicles have DashCams. It records YOU and what is going on in front of the tractor. They repeatedly stated it is not fed by qualcomm back to the office for real time monitoring. You can't help but have the creepy feeling that big brother is watching.

The dashcam and other "procedures" give me the impression that Venezia has added some bureaucracy during the last few years. They appear to have hired "seasoned" trucking management from large carriers. I say this because they have a lot of petty (financially) practices that we typically see at larger carriers. For example if you quit within 90-days they will take your orientation pay out of your last paycheck. Same thing goes for hard hat, safety glasses, etc. If you don't return them, they deduct they inflated value from your final pay. The CPM quoted to you by your recruiter is after 90-days. The first 90-days is at a reduced CPM. Payroll supports these "claw back" provisions by operating at a snails pace. They pay weekly, but payroll runs 2-weeks behind schedule. For example todays pay (6/28/13) is for the week ending June 15, 2013.

They also pay HHG miles. They are the first tanker outfit I have run into that pays HHG miles. I assumed they paid practical miles, my bad.

Other than HHG miles, it is typical tanker pay.

• Base CPM $0.42 - $0.50 depending on experience
• Empty rate is $0.40 CPM
• Loading $20. After 2 hours $20/hour.
• Unloading $20. After 2 hours $20/hour.
• NYC pay kind of stinks with only a $15 premium.
• A decent low mileage premium scale ($5.00 to $35.00).
• 25% premium for Saturday and Sunday deliveries that are less than 300-miles.
• 50% premium for Holiday deliveries that are less than 300-miles.
• Maintenance, breakdown, and tank wash pay ($15/hr).
• $50 for a clean DOT inspection.

Apparently, there is beaucoup work for the liquid division with loads going anywhere in the 48. I am not a road warrior. They told me weekly hometime is not a problem - I reiterated that to my dispatcher.

Benefits are excellent and affordable. In a nutshell they have a High and Low option. The High Option is $60.77/week for a family. The family deductibles and max OOPs are $400 and $2,400. More good news - the plan is 90/10 up to the max OOP. Prescription drug plan is top notch. The Company GIVES you $500 a year to keep your biters biting and your smile white - its a GIFT, FREE. The purchased dental plan is a typical dental plan.

The Company does a commendable job on 401K matching - 50 cents on the dollar up to 3% of your pay.

After orientation my first 2-days went like so:

• Thursday morning I went to the TWIC office at New Castle, DE to renew my TWIC card. The Company paid the TWIC fee. But, I am on the hook for reimbursement if I quit. I drove the tractor to the TWIC office.

• Go to the Swedesboro yard. Meet a driver who will ride with me to load in Paulsboro.
  • Get familiarized with the paperwork and trailer prep for this customer. No biggie. But, the driver I met was clearly agitated, stressed out, and about out of control. I told him to sit down and relax or we weren't going to be riding together. Once I got him settled down, we got loaded without incident. The driver was a nice enough guy, but just too high strung to be multi-tasking. After loading I dropped the trailer at Swedesboro.

• Next I am to grab a clean trailer (4 hole oil trailer) for a split load. 2-Compartments load in Baltimore. The other 2-compartments load in Glen Dale, WV. The whole shebang delivers Monday in the Ann Arbor, MI area.
  • The times on this load are a PITA:
    • Baltimore loads at 1830 on 6/27/13.
    • Glen Dale, WV loads at 0700 on 6/28/13.
    • Its 5-6 hours from Baltimore to Glen Dale.
    • I have been up since 0500.
    • It's 1600 and I am still in Swedesboro
  • I buzz over to the QualaWash - Bridgeport, NJ to pick up the clean trailer. Its a mess. The driver's side front fender was mashed back a couple feet, just a twisted mess with the support tube torn from its welds - its just a dangling. Continuing my walk around I see a front inner tandem is blown - the tread/gator is somewhere on the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The landing gear supports are bent - I wouldn't trust them with a loaded trailer. I say a big thank you to Mr. Previous Venezia Driver.
  • I call dispatch and tell them my tale of woe.
  • I get assigned a replacement trailer. Its raining like a buzzard and its nearly 1900.
• I get to the Baltimore stop at 2030. I am loaded and out the gate by 2200. I drive until midnight. Park at the PA Welcome Center Rest Area on I70WB.
  • Going to Moundsville I could have run the Roller Coaster (I-68 ) or the PA TPK. I took the TPK.

• I left the Rest Area at exactly 1015. The ride to Glen Dale was torrential downpours with intermittent heavy rain. I pulled into the plant about 1330. The operator just had to say - are you my 0700? I explained the bum trailer and that I was a NOOB. He got me out of there in short order.

• Starting at about 1400 on 6/27/13 I let dispatch know that the stars just weren't lining up for this load. Either they had no one who could do it on schedule or they wanted to see if I was a "giterdun - dam the FMCSA - kind of driver" (I'm not).
• Delivery is Monday in the Ann Arbor, MI area. Not delighted about leaving out Sunday evening. I will need to further define what I consider a weekend.

All things considered I think Venezia might be my best trucking decision since I signed on with Superior back in aught 7.

 

They started me at $0.46, 2 weeks vacation, and $145/Holiday. They also have an Emerald Club that gives you paid personal days. The Emerald Club is really nothing more than doing your job. You can also get a "safety" bonus of $1200/year for once again - doing your job. The safety bonus is timed to pay out a couple weeks before Christmas. At Superior we started with 2-weeks vacation, and PTO that you could bank, not so at Venezia. But, it all balances out.

During orientation they mentioned their Rider Program. It costs $15/month. I fully expected them to say, sorry it doesn't apply to the liquid division. But they didn't. I doubt the wifey will ever go a truckin with me. However, if I get a February run to SoCal or South FL I might be able to tempt her.

It's been a PITA finding a home since leaving Superior. Hoping this is it!