Ask 18 Wheels of Justice Debut! "Soft Taco" asks...

Welcome to "Ask 18 Wheels of Justice".  All questions are welcome, anything and everything Trucking... Column will run every Monday and more often as some important questions can't wait and need to be answered immediately.  Thank you for submitting all of all of your questions and what great questions they all were.  It was difficult to pick only one...  

Let's Get Started!  You can sense the excitement here at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ, please make sure there's room on the edge of your seat and continue reading...

Names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty.

From "Soft Taco" Chino, CA...

"Soft Taco" asks - I have been driving for three years,  I have had 7 jobs.  I take my work seriously and want to own my own truck.  I quit these jobs because I get promised all of these things before I start and then they never happen.  I think it looks bad on my record and I'm afraid it will affect me buying a truck in the future.

Thank you for your question, "ST".  I wouldn't worry too much about your past, you can't change that.  You are right in that it can effect buying a truck in the future.  Changing jobs does "tell your story" so to speak.  This is important for all drivers to think about when deciding to switch jobs. It's not discussed very often, but it does reflect poorly on your credit if you switch jobs a lot.  Not just for buying a truck, but a home, car etc.  

We realize, "ST" that this is a common problem in our industry.  So stop changing jobs, Soft Taco! It's not that easy and takes work, but it does payoff.  Do not be discouraged, there is a process to finding a job.  I wrote an article about the 10 best ways to find a driving career and not just a job a few months ago(click here to read).  

The most important thing to remember is to take your time!  Sometimes we tend to wait too long to look for another job before we quit. Don't wait until you have finally had enough and quit when your angry or upset.  Be a gentlemen and give two weeks notice.  There is a lot to consider and please read the article(follow link above), because you lose a lot more money than you think when you switch jobs. 

If were to try and guess what switching jobs 7 times in 3 years cost you.  I would bet that you lost between 2 weeks and a month of work and pay each time you changed jobs.  Between trying to get your last paycheck, deductions, withholding, time lost waiting for MVR approval and drug testing, driver orientations, and on and on.  Hiring is not a quick process in our company.  

Let' be conservative and say you lost two weeks worth of income every time you changed.  If you average $1000 per week.

$2000 Lost Per Job Change

  x    7 Job Changes in 3 years

$14,000!  Yes, $14,000 Cash.  $14k would have been a nice down payment on a truck plus some cash for emergencies.  It also would have bought a car, a pick up truck, or a whole lotta' chrome...

The moral of the story is to take your time and do your research!  It pays off time and time again...

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One of my favorite trucks - check out How bad do you want it? W-900

How to be Effective in a World of Rookie Recruiters

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With Driver shortages at an all-time high – It is becoming more difficult to not only recruit, but to retain qualified drivers and owner operators.  How do you find drivers and operators that are a better fit for your company to begin with? 

Finding Drivers and Operators that "fit" you company is a key component in retention.  Most carriers, while looking at a lot full of empty trucks, tend to use the “Habeas Corpus” or “Just Produce a Body” method; we will hire someone qualified, but not necessarily the best fit for our trucking operation, or the driver for that matter.  This always results in a short career at our company for the driver and higher turnover, which produce significantly higher costs to our trucking operation.

·         How many countless Ads has your company placed using traditional methods such as newspaper, radio, or even TV with little to no return? How many internet ads surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of other advertisers?

·         How much money has your company allocated to these already exhausted methods?

At 18 Wheels of Justice; we are providing a unique approach to recruiting and capturing the attention of drivers and owner operators.  We have tactfully and quietly developed one of the most devoted driver and operator audience in the nation and continue to foster that growth.

Why Partner With Us?

I'm the author of "18 Wheels of Justice", an educational, trucking based Book & CD series, website and blog. I have appeared on Big Truck TV (a partner with Internet Truck Stop) and various trucking radio shows.  My blogs are published on Big Truck TV, TripPak and various other venues. Drivers and owner operators visit and trust 18 Wheels of Justice to interview and explain the core values of a trucking company before they sign on.

The 18 Wheels of Justice “Blomotion” (Blog Promotion) is an in depth story that is designed to answer the drivers and operators questions about your company before they call.  

The game has changed so much over the last few years that most drivers & ops are hesitant to call to ask questions because of all the follow up calls they will get from recruiters for months, even years.  Our article presents your company in an up front and personal light by a reputable third party.  It works, and it works well.

Recruiting advertising is not like selling soft drinks. You're selling a career, success, a lifestyle and trust.  Repetition and flashing ads simply can not convey this message.  The time has come to promote in depth what makes your company appealing and makes it standout in our industry. Every trucking company has its own appeal and is unique; we focus on and promote these attributes.

We tell the founders story, the struggles and successes throughout the company’s history, the human side... This has great appeal and the principles of attraction must be applied to recruiting drivers and operators.  The operators, drivers and their wives want to make their own decision and learn about the company on their own.

Let us tell your story...

How it works

·         Written “Blomotion” (Blog + Promotion) on you company which includes an in depth story about your company with your final approval before publication. The article will be posted on our different blogs several times during the month.

·         Original article on your company includes interview with company CEO or Director of Recruiting describing the benefits of working for your company.

·         Blog article will be featured on owner operator and driver page on our website for 30 days, along with link and phone number to your company’s website.

·         Posted on 50 Craigslist Cities within your hiring area as an article by a 3rd Party (it works well, we know how to catch owner operators and drivers attention)

·         Any existing recruiting video you have will be published alongside the article on our website and blog as well.

Most Drivers and Operators(and more importantly, their wives and significant others) review companies and make their decision over the Christmas Season when they have time off and make their move in January, don’t wait. Our schedule is filling up quickly for the remainder of 2012, and this is the ideal time to have your “Blomotion” posted, especially to ramp up for 2013 driver needs.

Act quickly by simply replying to this email or call 314-620-5536 to learn more.  We do all the work for you…

                                              Copyright 2012 - 18 Wheels of Justice

3 Ways to Avoid Truck Stop Turkey on Thanksgiving

18 Wheels of Justice Proudly Presents…Trucking Legends 

800-500-3089

Memphis, TN

1. Call Empire or click on any Empire logo to go to website.
2. Fill out Application.
3. Work for Empire.

Empire Express - Memphis, TN only hires drivers in specific areas for a reason.  They get you home when they say they will.  To find out more - read on...



Empire Express began by listening to and embracing an idea from one of their own: a loyal driver.

 

Mr. Ed Gatlin founded and developed a successful automotive refrigerant business, lg-Lo Products Corp.  It was so successful; that the company caught the eye of the Valvoline Oil Company in 1985, and Valvoline made an offer to Ed he couldn’t refuse.

Now, the way I understand it, lg-Lo had a private fleet of 12 trucks at the time, Valvoline realized it wasn’t tough enough for the trucking business and didn’t want to continue to run the private fleet.  Luckily, one of his best drivers (who was also about to be out of a job) approached Ed about starting a trucking company.  Ed decided to try his hand at the “For Hire” trucking business for a few years.  In 1989, Mr. Tim Gatlin, with a belly full of fire and a love for the trucking business, took over and the business grew from 8 trucks to the proud 194 trucks under his careful watch today. 

18 Wheels of Justice likes it when the owners of a trucking company use specific numbers when they are talking about trucks and drivers.  It says a lot about the person, the company and the overall attitude of things there. 

We’ve done this long enough to know whether the owners, managers and dispatchers have a handle on things at their company after the first few minutes of talking to them.  And quite frankly, we are hearing loud & clear that Empire Express in Memphis is running an outstanding outfit.

We were fortunate enough to get a few minutes of Mr. Tim Gatlin’s time to answer some questions for the 18 Wheels of Justice Staff about Empire Express in Memphis (please see excerpts from the interview below).

Mr. Gatlin, thank you for joining us today.  We have heard many good things about you and Empire Express, and we are honored to finally have the chance to speak with you here at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ.  

Now, Empire Express has been in business for 27 years, a big milestone in our industry.  What do you attribute your long term success too?

Empire specializes in safety and time – sensitive freight.  Over 50% of our business is packaged chemicals and 40% is JIT or time sensitive.  This has been our focus for over 20 years and we have a very strong loyal customer base because we deliver the safe, on-time performance they demand. 

Empire is in the top 10% in terms of driver retention in our industry, this is among the best of the best of low driver turnover rates in the country.  Why do drivers who begin with Empire stay so long? 

They stay because of the way they are treated.  We know at Empire Express, without the drivers, we wouldn’t have Empire Express. We have created and encourage a driver-friendly culture.

What is so great about Empire Express for drivers?

They are a name, not a truck number. They get the miles, get paid and get home. During the recruiting process, we make sure the driver lives in an ideal place to get him home regularly.  We know home time with family and friends is so important.  Our customers’ freight is also driver friendly, no-touch high velocity freight. 

Pay per mile is one thing, but miles are important also.  The 18 Wheels of Justice Audience takes their careers seriously and they like to run and not sit when out on the road.  What kind of miles can drivers expect? 

2500 – 3000 per week.

Can they depend on the operations staff to get the miles and get them home when they need to be?

Absolutely! We offer a great pay package, “Pay for Performance”.  Every six months our drivers are evaluated on their performance in Safety, Service and Miles.  The majority of our drivers average over 2,500 miles per week, are safe, and deliver on-time.  This performance qualifies them for the top pay level which helps us retain the top performers and attract other top drivers to Empire. 

Mr. Gatlin, we can’t thank you enough for sharing your story about Empire with us today.  That sounds like quite an operation you have there in Memphis.  How can drivers and operators get a hold of your company? 

They can call our Recruiting Line at 800-500-3089 or visit our website at www.EmpireExpress.com.  Thank you for having us. (Please click on the Empire logos or photo and it will take you directly to the Empire Website)

COPYRIGHT 2012 - 18 WHEELS OF JUSTICE©

Jim Palmer Pride - Experience the Difference

18 Wheels of Justice Trucking Legends Series Presents…

Palmer Pride

November 2, 2012 14:30 - Missoula, Montana…

Nestled in the foothills along the Bitterroot River in Western Montana, there are only two objects which steal the beauty of the surrounding mountains. The Hellgate Trading Post and Jim Palmer Trucking. The Hellgate Trading Post was established in 1860 to supply the western settlers with much needed “DIY” books on bear wrestling, delicious opossum lard cracklin’s for protein, and chastity garments for the gals. Jim Palmer Trucking was founded exactly 105 years later in 1965 to serve the good people of Missoula and eventually all of us Americans. The Hellgate Trading Post was later renamed Missoula, but Jim Palmer Trucking will always be called Jim Palmer Trucking.

Today, Palmer still succeeds in providing the best opportunities to the best drivers. How? By offering outstanding benefits, extra safe, top-of-the line trucks, competitive pay and excellent owner operator packages. Jim Palmer Trucking gives drivers what they need on the road including the latest GPS and trucking technology.

Every Palmer Truck is held up to a rigorous preventative maintenance program, attending to the smallest details and thinking hard about the road ahead. Palmer is staffed with the best mechanics in the business. The Staff at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ has seen a lot of Jim Palmer Trucks and we all agree that every single one of them has stood out. Clean, all black reefers, with Palmer on the side and late model, pristine, black trucks. We can spot a Palmer Truck from miles away.

Experience the Palmer Difference

If you are a professional truck driver or Independent Contractor, you know that the trucking industry has become extremely competitive these days. There are numerous trucking companies for drivers to choose from, thus, making the right decision more difficult. Jim Palmer Trucking understands this. That is why we continue to improve and rise above other trucking companies in the industry.

Jim Palmer knows how to offer a working experience unlike any other trucking company out there. This is accomplished by focusing on the driver in a way that most trucking companies don't. Since 1964, we have sought out the best of the best. Our philosophy is, the more we can give back to the drivers, the happier, more productive and successful they will be. 18 Wheels of Justice always talks about pay and the importance of knowing the miles you will get before you start somewhere. High pay rate per mile is great in theory, until you start at a company and sit, sit and sit. This is not the case at Palmer; you get the miles, week in, week out. The operations at Palmer are designed with this in mind. No driver left behind at Palmer, you will get your miles.

We are fortunate enough to have Mr. Joe Kalafat with us today to discuss the opportunities available at this time honored organization...

Mr. Kalafat, Jim Palmer has been a fixture in our industry for over 40 plus years, and has one of the best reputations in the business with drivers. What do you attribute this success to?

I think we can attribute our success to two things: 1) We’ve always been a Drivers Company. That’s the way Jim started the company – with the drivers in mind. We really do care about the driver. He built a company around not just saying it, but actually being it. 2) By being a company that shippers count on. We excel at on-time service and it’s allowed us to compete with much larger carriers with very large shippers. But again #2 goes back to #1. We have such an excellent reputation with shippers because of # 1—we have excellent drivers. And we have excellent drivers because we’ve created a company devoted to the driver and getting the driver great pay and excellent miles!

If you don't mind me asking what is your background and how did you become the CEO of Jim Palmer?

I’ve worked for JPT for over 15 years now. Worked my way up from Dispatch and Fleet management, into customer service, booking freight, being a load planner and then into Executive Vice President and finally President & CEO.

In 10 words or less, what would you tell a driver who called you and wanted to come to work for Jim Palmer?

 It’s about Family & Teamwork and we care about you and your bottom line. It’s not ten words, but I’d have to say a whole heck of a lot more to any potential driver on why they should work for JPT—this place is an excellent place to call home and make a real living as a professional driver with a lot of people that care about you and want you to succeed.

In 10 words or less, what about an owner operator?

Same thing! I would say if you really take a business approach to our pay package offering and compare that to what’s out there—you can’t do any better than we offer. I really like talking with Owner Operators that know the business end of things—because I can talk math with them and it’s clear we have one of the best pay packages for O/O’s out there and again, we get those guys the miles. All in- and O/O isn’t going to find a better company that’s going to ensure high earnings and a great team to help him win that JPT!

18 Wheels of Justice would like to thank Mr. Kalafat for his participation. We enjoy meeting CEO’s with Mr. Kalafat’s experience; it makes a huge difference in a trucking operation when you have someone who truly knows the ropes.

We invite you to... Experience the Palmer Difference

Click on any of the Palmer logos or call 800-682-8605

www.18WheelsofJustice.com



Part III - Drivers - How to Narrow your Job Search

18 Wheels of Justice Home

Welcome to Part III - Drivers - How to Narrow Your Job Search...

6.  Consult with your wife, husband or significant other.(for ease of reading we will refer to this person as your wife)  This is a step that is often overlooked.  You're wife will remember all the issues you complained about or liked at your last job.  Sometimes we only tend to remember the good things or bad things about a company we worked for.  Your Wife is a great sounding board because believe it or not she listens to you and wants to see you happy.  If your happy, she's happy.  It's not just about the money, it's easy to get wrapped up in the money aspect of a job.  Trust me, the a few pennies more per mile will lose its appeal when you are stuck out over the week-end, not getting the miles, or have a dispatcher that doesn't care or is too busy all the time.  FBC(Federal Blog Commission) Warning.  Too much interaction/conversation with your wife can lead to problems.  As you all know, a wife is, pound for pound, the most dangerous animal in the world.  Tread carefully here.  I learned this the hard way when I recently asked my significant other her opinion and ended up in a relationship counseling session.

5. Online Driver Discussion boards.  Check these out!  These can be a good source of real information.  I think every driver should belong to a few of them.  Like anything, there are good ones and bad ones, and some of the people who post on boards are just disgruntled and unhappy.  So use caution here also and don't believe everything you read.  I have gotten a lot of good information from these boards, and the better ones have members who have their profiles published also, so you can see who your talking to,  I find that for the most part, if someone is going to take the time to write and discuss companies etc. on these boards, they are generally sincere.

4.  Respect.  This is a common and rather generic term that is thrown around a lot these days.  Why?  I don't know.  I think respect is a given.  Perhaps what these trucking companies mean is that they are honest about things.  I think Honesty is the best quality a company can have when it communicates with its drivers.  Its just that simple.  This is a key aspect to look for in any potential employer.  When your following these steps, always keep this in mind.   

This seems like a lot of work, doesn't it?  Yes it does!  But, please remember the hours/days of orientation, setting up your truck, paperwork, drug tests and spending a few months at a company you don't like, when you make a knee-jerk decision to work somewhere. There is a lot of time and money you are investing in a new job, make it count.  A few hours of research now will save you tons of headaches later.  I originally tried to do this in 3 parts, but this is an important decision and there is a lot to cover.  Stay tuned, Part IV this weekend! 

What about a career change?  Have you thought about switching to pulling a reefer, van, flatbed, or tanker?  How about a being a car hauler or driving for an Oil Field Services company? Intermodal?  You ask, we deliver.  18 Wheels of Justice investigates and compares apples to apples and breaks it all down for you... Debuts next week!  "Drivers and Operators: Choices within your Driving Career - The Inside Scoop"...Next week will be the long awaited debut of “Ask 18 Wheels of Justice” on our website. We provide opinions, answers and solutions to all things trucking.  If we don't know, we will find the answer! A sincere thank you to all of you who submitted questions, please keep them coming.

© 2012 Michael H. Komadina

18 Wheels of Justice™

"Negotiating with Freight Brokers and 3PL's"  A "must have" in todays freight market, improve your company's profitability by training your staff with this hands on training manual today!

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Drivers - Part II. How to Narrow your Job Search

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Welcome back and thank you for joining us for "Part II - How to Narrow Your Job Search".  It can be a very daunting task, with all the options available.  So many ad's, a thousand job search website's, everyone promising everything to everybody.  I think an important thing to remember as a driver is that our industry is just silly.  Yes, silly.  It is so segmented and there truly aren't any major players in the truckload market.  I remember reading a few years ago that if you combined the top ten truckload carriers in this great nation of ours, they hauled less than 10% of the total truckload market.  When business picks up, your local trucking company will go down to the truck dealer and buy 10 more trucks.  When he has drivers for all of his trucks, he feels he must be doing something right and buys another 10 trucks.  When the bank stops by and visits him and gives him the green light for more trucks, he buys him.  God bless the optimism of the trucking company owner!  My point is that all of the turnover and all the driving positions available doesn't make this a bad industry to work in, in fact its the best industry in the country to work in.  The capacity and availability of driving positions reflects the segmented state of trucking, lots of moving parts for a lot of different reasons.  Back to business.  I hope you have read Part I, if not please do so now and join me back here. 

7.  How did you hear about this trucking company?  This is important.  The amount of advertising a company has does not necessarily mean that they have issues finding drivers.  There are a number of reasons a company advertises for drivers.(see above)  You may have seen their trucks close by home, saw an ad the internet, etc.  What about the ad appealed to you?  Was it any different than the others?
Sometimes you just have to pick one, sort of like duck hunting.  Write down 5 things that appeal to you about a company you want to work for.  New Tractor? Home time? Newer Trailers? Miles? Regions they run? Pay? The Dispatcher - does he have any authority on the amount of miles you get and when you need to be home? Fuel network? Company's reputation? Maint.? and so on. 

Join us later this week for the rest of this article and more!  Please check out our 18 Wheels of Justice LinkedIn group for Drivers and Owner Operators.  If you're not on LinkedIn, please join, it is a valuable resource for Drivers and Operators.  As always, thank you for reading...

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Towne Air Freight - Unique Opportunity for Operators

18 Wheels of Justice Proudly Presents...

Apply Now Online!      Waiting List for Future Openings     Call 866-234-7464

Amber Egierski, a Towne Air Freight Recruiter, was kind enough to discuss the unique business opportunities available at the company for Independent Contractor Owner Operators.

Who is Towne Air Freight and what do they do?

Eugene Towne founded Towne Air Freight in South Bend, Indiana in 1963 with one employee and one van. Gary "Duke" Downey then purchased the company in August 1982. At that time South Bend was the only location with 18 employees, two tractors, and nine straight trucks. Towne has since grown into a national full-service trucking provider for the air cargo industry with a truly national linehaul network.

Serving 68 markets coast to coast, Towne Air Freight has doubled in size over the past five years with operations from Boston to San Diego and Seattle to Miami.

That’s impressive growth. What you offer is very unique because it is line haul, terminal to terminal and drop and hook. This an ideal situation for an owner operator to spend his time on the road strictly making money and not losing time with deliveries, waiting for loads, etc.
I know it is difficult for operators to find a position like this, “Are there certain areas you need Owner Op’s in particular? What kind of miles can they expect?"

Currently we are seeking Owner Operator Teams mainly in the Los Angeles, CA & San Francisco, CA areas. As long as you live within a 150 mile radius of either location you would qualify!

To take a look at the many driving positions available across the country and to be notified about future opportunities if we aren’t hiring in your area today, click below! Don’t miss out!

We have a guaranteed mile program and minimum revenue policy that by the very nature of our operations cooperates to create consistency but also allows flexibility.

Solo Operators can expect an average of 2,500 miles per week or a minimum revenue guarantee of $2,580. (Practical Miles)

Team Operators can expect an average of 5,500 miles per week or a minimum revenue guarantee of $6,750. (Practical Miles)

Call The National Recruiting Line for more information! 866-234-7464

You can also visit the Towne Air Freight Mobile Page by Texting the word “DRIVER” to 59495

Visit Towne Air Freight on Facebook

Towne Air Freight Quick Stats

- Teams - Excellent Program Including Great Pay and Incentive Package

- Solo Operators – Yes!

- Class A CDL with HAZMAT, One Year OTR Exp. Required

- Average Load 30,000 LBS

- Plate Program

- No Forced Dispatch

- Terminal to Terminal

- 100% Drop and Hook for solo and team line haul driving positions

- Real Fuel Surcharge paid to Contractors

- Excellent Fuel Discounts – $.30 cpg

- Fuel Card, EZ Pass, 100% Paid Tolls, Direct Deposit, Nationwide Maintenance & Tire discount program.

- No Age Restriction on Tractor – Trucks 2008 & Newer additional $.03 per mile

- Fleet Friendly – Have two, three or more trucks? Dreams of adding a 2nd truck? Towne Air is where you want to be.

- Towne Air Freight pay falls into the top tier of our industry plus they offer a $2,000.00 Sign On Bonus for Teams. $1000.00 in two weeks from your first dispatch, $1000 at 90 Days, no stipulations!

Towne Air Freight is a hidden treasure ladies and gentlemen; these types of positions never stay open for long!

This is your chance! Join the Towne Air Freight team and become a successful business owner today!

Apply Now Online!        Waiting List for Future Openings    Call 866-234-7464



Trucking Legends - Transport America

18 Wheels of Justice Presents - Trucking Legends

Transport America - Website 

1984 - Eagan, MN. Born amid the turmoil and confusion of new trucking legislation implementing the deregulation of truckload carriers, James Aronson started a new company, a rising star, which emerged to fill a desperate need in the trucking industry for service, technology, and unparalleled customer service.

Throughout the last 27 plus years, Transport America (TA) has emerged a clear leader in our industry. The company went public in 1994 and did a couple acquisitions in the late 90s. Unfortunately Mr. Aronson passed away in 1999, but his vision and dedication to driver’s and operators continues to live on today at Transport America. This dedication to his drivers shows in the opportunities and programs available to every driver at TA.

The leadership team has the influence and ability to operate a world class organization and Scott Arves is the CEO to lead this organization into the future. Transport America became a bright light in the otherwise ordinary field of medium and large trucking companies. A mid-sized carrier with old-world values and commitment applied to their drivers and owner operators in our modern world.

The latest technology combined with a streamlined, efficient operations department that creates the agility to make decisions and changes as needed to meet the commitments made to their drivers and owner operators. Transport America is one of the largest carriers in America for a reason, they deliver. They topped the Transport Topics list at #1 in Revenue Growth for 2012, yes, number one. Transport America delivers to its drivers through great processes, excellent leadership, and state of the art technology. This makes them more agile and personable than even the smallest carrier, but with unrivaled options for drivers and financial muscle behind them.
Transport America's customers consist of a list of corporate America's finest citizens. Customers rely on Transport America's reputation for safety and service. A well maintained fleet and rigorous safety department makes sure that your CSA scores are never at risk. The choices available at Transport America make it a one stop shop for any driver. They offer 6 different divisions offering driver opportunities for everyone, along with unique home time plans. It's your career and your life, and Transport America makes it your call.
Transport America operates in 48 states and Canada with a focus on building freight density in key lanes. With a strong freight balance, Transport America is better able to serve customers and provide more home time options for our drivers.


OTR Solo (Company and O/O) - Haul freight across all points in network and home every 10-14 days.
OTR Teams - Recognizing that teams need to keep moving to maximize driver and company income, Fleet leaders at Transport America plan and dispatch teams to maximize productivity.

Dedicated Routes - Drivers in our dedicated fleets may operate from a single customer location or cover multiple locations in a geographic area. Transport America Dedicated drivers have more predictable home time and work schedules, familiarity with delivery and pick-up locations and consistent travel routes.

Dedicated Team Routes - Fleet Leaders plan and dispatch dedicated routes to maximize team income.

Regional Operations in Midwest and Southeast - Stay in the driver friendly Midwest and southeast with excellent customer mix and great home time.

Intermodal O/O Opportunities - Call for more information


Giving drivers a choice is the key at Transport America, come for a job, stay for a career. We know many things happen over the lifetime of an over the road driver. Marriage, Kids, the need to be home more often to take care of elderly parents, and so on... As your lifestyle changes, there is always opportunity within the six divisions at Transport America. We know changing jobs and moving to a new company is a difficult choice, there are many questions that can't be answered until after you are weeks, sometimes months, into a new company. And too often, when you realize it was a bad choice, there is a lot of time and money lost switching jobs. With all of these different driving opportunities, join hundreds of others who have found a true home and career at Transport America.

Transport America has it all - Lifestyle Fleets - (Available in several divisions). Recognizing that driver home time needs differ, Transport America developed the 7/7 and 14/7 fleets to provide drivers with extended home time options, along with a guaranteed TAH program.
• Under the 7/7 program, drivers are out for 7 days and then home for 7 days.
• Under the 14/7 program, drivers are out for 14 days and then home for 7 days.
As part of these programs, drivers share a tractor with one or two other drivers, meaning more home time for you and a more efficient use of equipment for the company, but the additional home time is well worth it.
 Transport America Website

Transport America Truth

As all drivers know, the biggest question mark when starting at a new company is the number of miles. Pay per mile doesn't pay the bills when you sit. It is miserable when you're away from home and not making money, unfortunately everybody has been there. TA focuses on miles, between their customer base and a company- wide desire to keep you rolling, this helps generate both more pay for you and more income for the company, so you are always making money. It's just common sense and Transport America delivers, day in, day out. Transport America understands this and it resonates loudly throughout the company.
• Pay: Transport America's pay is in the upper 5 percent of the truckload industry both from a per mile and W2 perspective. Transport America offers the fastest raises in the industry for solo and team OTR drivers. Students can reach top pay in as little as 5 years. Miles: Our people get miles. Pay is nothing without miles behind it. In a time when most carriers are down, Transport America is up over last year from both a total mileage and miles per driver standpoint. Freight, freight, freight, you want miles, TA works hard to get it for you.

• Open doors: Transport America Operations prefers face-to-face interaction. There are no barriers for drivers to speak to their Fleet Leader through. The Leadership Team and the CEO himself, answers the phone and enjoys talking with our people.

• Safety: Transport America values safety. The individuals who drive have been empowered to have the final say in whether or not it’s safe to drive. Transport America has one of the top CSA scores in the industry. As a CSA Safe Carrier you can feel secure knowing the they have safe equipment and understand the measurements and rules to help keep you in good standing with CSA. In some cases TA can help improve your score

• Technology: We invest heavily in technology. Voice mail for all drivers, new MCP200 Qualcomm that has navigation, internet, e-mail, in cab scanning, e-logging and text to speech, are all currently being installed on our equipment. Even Driver scorecards with accurate driver performance data is available. Knowing your driver score can give you peace of mind that you are on the right track and if not, allows you to make changes accordingly The company is also using On Guard and Roll Stability technology to ensure safe operations.

Come home to Transport America...Susan is available to answer any questions and assist you on the road to success and stability at Transport America.

Call Susan at 1-877-276-4083, she is available from 8Am-5PM CST. If it’s after hours, feel free to leave a message for her and she will get back with you ASAP. Visit Transport America's Website

 Owner Operators -

Transport America brings it home for you.

Maintenance Credit line for Owner Operators, Sure Pay Program (Verify pay amount upon completion of load) no settlement guessing nor settlement day surprises at Transport America. This is the way things should be done, period.

Loading/Unloading PayLayover/Detention PayFuel and Road TaxOnline Access to Your Business
Check your weekly settlements online.
Insurance Options
NTU (Bobtail)
Physical Damage
Occupational Accident

Owner-Operator Services
   -Tire and parts discount
   - Repair service at 5 full service terminals

Owner-Operator CO-OP
   -Maintenance credit line, health, dental, life insurance, retirement plan and more
Working as business partners Transport America provides you the freedom to balance your workload and home time. Offering many different options for you to choose from whether it be becoming a part of the Owner Operator Co-Op or taking advantage of tire and maintenance discounts. Transport America makes sure as business partners you have the tools necessary to be successful.

Transport America's success happens for a reason. The culture at headquarters is very different from what you’ve ever experienced. From driver visits, where drivers are encourage to come and learn the life cycle of a load and give us feedback on how to improve, to our driver council meeting where we listen to drivers and their concerns to our pen door policy we value a driver friendly atmosphere. — Our open doors mean access to all levels of management. You’re never a number here, our senior leadership team and CEO are always available, meaning that our drivers are welcome anywhere, anytime. You’ll never be faced with locked doors or have to talk through a glass window to speak to anyone. Our commitment to the people who drive for us starts with the accessibility of our leaders.

Come home to Transport America...

Susan is available to answer any questions and assist you on the road to success and stability at Transport America.
Call Susan at 1-877-276-4083, she is available from 8Am-5PM CST. If it’s after hours, feel free to leave a message for her and she will get back with you ASAP.
 Visit Transport America's Website & App Page

Cortes on Recruiting and Retention II

Return to 18 Wheels of Justice Home

Continued from Part I - Senor Cortes on Recruiting and Retention

Cortes may not have been the most qualified to lead the expedition. Though he was experienced and renowned for his courage, another reason for his appointment was his promise to help finance the expedition. Cortes emptied his personal wealth and poured it into the trip. He mortgaged his lands. He called on friends to both help prepare for the trip and to join his small army.

The first land Cortes and his crew of 508 men spotted was the coast of Yucatan, at one time the central nervous system of the Mayan empire. Cortes had ordered his scouts to the coast a month ahead of time to travel to the borders of the Aztec Empire to see what sort of trouble they might face when they approached to pillage the Aztec gold. They set up camp on the beach and prepared for the perilous journey ahead into the heart of the Aztec's and waited for the scouts to return to the coast with their report.

As Cortes' men waited for the scouts and prepared horses, guns and provisions for the nearly 200 mile inland journey, some curious local tribesmen had visited the encampment.  The subject of Montezuma, gold and armies were the main topic of discussion.  The locals told them of Montezuma's city of gold, the homes were decorated with and the streets were paved with gold.  They were amazed with the white, bearded man's peculiar interest in gold.  They also told them of Montezuma's fearless army, some 10,000-20,000 men strong by the locals count.
Within a few days the scouts returned, and they met with Cortes in the conquistadors large tent.  Some of the Cortes' men, eager to learn what they were facing, hid behind the tent and listened carefully to the discussion.  The scouting report was worse than any had imagined, Montezuma's army numbered well over 100,000 men, armed with spears, bows and arrows.  Although the expedition was well armed with guns and a large cannon, victory with 500 men vs. 100,000 well trained warriors, seemed an impossible feat.  Cortes took all of this in, swore his scouts to secrecy, and retired to his tent for the evening.

Cortes, meanwhile, weighed his options. He faced imprisonment or death for defying the governor, Velasquez,  if he returned to Cuba.  Cortes knew the want of gold and riches was not a big enough motivator for his men to face such a daunting task.  They were Soldiers of Fortune, not the soldiers one needed in such a battle.  All the gold in the world is worth nothing to a dead man.  The best soldiers are the soldiers who are fighting for God, Country and for the safety of their homes and family.

Cortes decided to take a walk on the outskirts of the encampment and try and get a feel on his men and their  morale.  The men who had been eavesdropping on the scouts and Cortes, had of course spread the word quickly about the 100,000 plus warriors.  Panic ensued within the men and everyone felt Cortes had surely lost his mind if he wanted to proceed, and there was no amount of gold worth marching into a certain slaughter.  They knew his situation at home in Cuba, but they were merely following Cortes' orders when they set sail from Cuba, and felt any of the consequences of joining Cortes would be dismissed.  The majority of them came to the conclusion, that life was good enough in Cuba, and it was time to return to their families and plantations.

Cortes knew his only option was to move forward with the expedition, he knew Velasquez's anger at his disobedience would be cooled off by returning with ship loads of gold, of which the Cuban Governor would get his fair share, of course. 

Hernando Cortes had heard all of this mutinous planning discussed at length by his men well into the late evening.  They had finally decided to seize all the ships at first light and sail back to Cuba, with or without Cortes.  Cortes, in a bold stroke of genius, sent his personal entourage of 50 loyal soldiers to the ships in the darkness.
He ordered his men to set all 11 ships on fire and send them out to sea.
They followed Cortes' orders, set the ships on fire, pushed them out to sea, and watched them burn and eventually sink, in a glorious sight in the darkness.

The next morning, Cortes and his army of 508 men marched toward Montezuma.


How does this relate to the trucking industry's seemingly never ending battle with recruiting and retention?  Join us here on Monday, September 24th to explore more on this fascinating subject.

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Drivers - Private Fleet Pay

Private Fleet Pride – Rineco Transportation


There aren’t a lot of opportunities for drivers to go to work for a private fleet. It’s truly different than your standard over the road driving job.

There are benefits to being a part of a bigger picture and the company team. It takes a driver who likes regular routes and being home consistently every week. One who enjoys being welcome and getting to know the people everywhere you go, because you are loading at the same places every week. No schedule issues or uncertainty that comes with the standard OTR driving job, you get to do what you enjoy doing most, driving. You truly become part of the family.

Rineco Transportation is just that, a private carrier that picks up their customers products and brings them back to their plant in Benton, AR. It doesn’t get much better than Rineco. I spoke with the General Manager, Sharon Lee and she described Rineco’s approach to their drivers as part of the family. Drivers are paid a salary (yes, a salary, you will never have to worry about a small paycheck), and it is a substantial salary, plus health and dental insurance. This company is a rare find and just outside of Little Rock, AR. Sharon’s operation needs drivers with hazmat endorsement and tanker experience along with a TWIC card, which the company will pay for if you don’t have it already.

Life at Rineco Transportation revolves around picking up customer’s products within 750 miles of Benton, AR and bringing them back to the plant. There are 30 company owned tractors, 33 dry vans and 17 tankers. Don’t have tanker endorsement or experience? No problem, Rineco will train you as part of your job and you’ll another notch on your CDL.

Sharon has been involved in transportation for 35 years and understands the importance of drivers in the daily operation. Most of the drivers with Rineco have been there for a long time and they are looking for additional drivers due to the fact that Rineco’s business is growing. This is a private fleet opportunity for drivers that won’t be available long.

You know you’ve found a home when there are no fancy links or websites to visit just call and ask for Sharon at 501-860-2705 or email sharon.lee@rineco.com

Private Fleet Pride - Rineco Transportation

Private Fleet Pride – Rineco Transportation

There aren’t a lot of opportunities for drivers to go to work for a private fleet. It’s truly different than your standard over the road driving job.

There are benefits to being a part of a bigger picture and the company team. It takes a driver who likes regular routes and being home consistently every week. One who enjoys being welcome and getting to know the people everywhere you go, because you are loading at the same places every week. No schedule issues or uncertainty that comes with the standard OTR driving job, you get to do what you enjoy doing most, driving. You truly become part of the family.

Rineco Transportation is just that, a private carrier that picks up their customers products and brings them back to their plant in Benton, AR. It doesn’t get much better than Rineco. I spoke with the General Manager, Sharon Lee and she described Rineco’s approach to their drivers as part of the family. Drivers are paid a salary (yes, a salary, you will never have to worry about a small paycheck), and it is a substantial salary, plus health and dental insurance. This company is a rare find and just outside of Little Rock, AR. Sharon’s operation needs drivers with hazmat endorsement and tanker experience along with a TWIC card, which the company will pay for if you don’t have it already.

Life at Rineco Transportation revolves around picking up customer’s products within 750 miles of Benton, AR and bringing them back to the plant. There are 30 company owned tractors, 33 dry vans and 17 tankers. Don’t have tanker endorsement or experience? No problem, Rineco will train you as part of your job and you’ll another notch on your CDL.

Sharon has been involved in transportation for 35 years and understands the importance of drivers in the daily operation. Most of the drivers with Rineco have been there for a long time and they are looking for additional drivers due to the fact that Rineco’s business is growing. This is a private fleet opportunity for drivers that won’t be available long.

You know you’ve found a home when there are no fancy links or websites to visit just call and ask for Sharon at 501-860-2705 or email sharon.lee@rineco.com