Kottke Trucking - 75 Years of Family Tradition

18 Wheels of Justice Proudly Presents…

75 Years of Family Tradition – Kottke Trucking

Click Logo above or call 800-248-2623 Ask for Kyle

Celebrating 75 Years - Kottke Trucking – A Family Tradition

Kottke Trucking was born on a cold night in 1938 in Buffalo Lake, MN.  The Kottke family patriarch, Mr. Elmer Kottke, started hauling milk, feed and fertilizer for the local creamery. 

In 1961 Donald and Duane took over, called it the aptly named Kottke Brothers and started hauling gravel and dry freight to help grow the business. 

Kottke has had its ups and downs over the years, but in 1983 it lost one of its largest customers and this forced them to change the face of the business.  The Kottke Family is a tough lot and they stuck together and triumphed over these challenges.  They traded in the hoppers for reefers and never looked back.  The Kottke family went after, and was awarded a new ICC authority that gave them the ability to pursue customers and freight in all 48 states.  This was a tough period for the company, but family pulls together and finds a way to make things work.

Connie and Duane Kottke have dedicated their lives to the continued success of Kottke Trucking, Inc. Duane started out driving a mail route truck, then moved to hauling grain. He soon found himself in the position of a dispatcher, and at times, both a driver and dispatcher. Connie’s involvement in the company’s success included buying and selling grain, bookkeeping and occasional dispatching. She and Duane also devoted much of their time to raising their three sons; Kurt, Kory and Kyle. We thank them for creating the strong foundation of Kottke Trucking and with pride; we will carry those traditions into the future.

The Kottke Family, not just the relatives, but every driver, owner operator, dispatcher, office worker and mechanic all work together to make this one of the best reefer companies to work for in Minnesota. 

The Staff at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ was fortunate enough to speak with Kyle Kottke, General Manger, to ask him a few more questions about Kottke…

Thanks for joining us, Kyle.  75 years of trucking, that’s a lot of experience and a lot of responsibility.  Why do drivers and owner operators like working for Kottke?

We like to believe we treat them as part of our family.  They have become an extended part of our family and the foundation of our success.  I believe we work as hard as anyone at keeping the quality of life for a driver high.  Most of our drivers are home every 4-6 days.  Some of the routes go 6-10 days.

 

We work hard to make sure that our offerings are in line with the big guys but their quality of work atmosphere is far superior with us.

We like the family owned and operated tradition at Kottke.  As Kottke has grown over the years, how have you kept this tradition alive?

We are deep into the roots of our company.  Kurt, Kory and I are very involved in the day to day operations of the business and are proud of the team we have assembled.  No question, our heritage is very important to us but we don’t rest on yesterday’s success.  We know that we need to be in front of the industry, working with our drivers and customers to continue to be successful going forward.

 

Our tradition is our drivers, not our family.  The most important Christmas Card exchange we have is with many of our retired drivers who have spent their career with us.  I love to hear what they are doing in retirement and glad that we had a small role in their success and their lives.

 

What are your hiring areas?

We are very heavy in the Upper Midwest(MN,WI,IL, and IA) but we hire from the Midwest, South and Southeastern part of the US.  If you go to our website(click here) and find the lanes serviced page, we will hire a candidate from any of our territories.

How much reefer experience do you require?  A large portion of our audience has expressed interest in switching from to reefers…

I require one year of over the road experience.  Reefer experience is optional and we can train on the reefer technologies.

Who should drivers and operators call? ME!  I personally recruit all of my drivers.  I promise no bull!  800-248-2623 ext 2422.

Very nice touch, call one of the owners, Kyle, the hands on approach is the best way to go in our business. 18 Wheels of Justice likes that and likes Kottke.  Thanks for your time today, Kyle, enjoy your Thanksgiving…

Click on Logo above or call 800-248-2623 Ask for Kyle

18 Wheels of Justice Presents - "Landstar Latitude"

Career Decision

                                   18 Wheels of Justice Investigates

 

Owner Operators Check Out

Landstar Latitude

November 8, 2012 - 13:57

Welcome to our multiple part series called “Career Decision”.

 18 Wheels of Justice investigates all the rumors we have heard for years about the money to be made in specialized trucking segments of our industry.  We take an insider’s view of companies who operate in various specialized freight arenas and present our results to help our Owner Operator audience make an informed decision.  It gets a little more complicated with Landstar, a time-honored, agent driven organization who has achieved a great deal of success outside of the typical trucking company design.

The Staff at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ originally had its sights set on the flatbed and heavy haul specialized division of Landstar.  As our investigation continued, our nimble minded staff soon realized that Landstar’s entire approach to dispatch and operations deserves a hard hitting, 18 Wheels of Justice investigative review.

Agents, Agents, Agents… 

We typically do a phone interview as part of our process, I asked my staff to put me in touch with someone in dispatch so we could find some real answers on Landstar’s success and not the typical corporate song and dance.  The staff reported back to me, in shock and disbelief that Landstar HQ in Jacksonville stated that there is no dispatch.  I said, “Who manages their freight? Who manages the planning? Who makes sure the Owner Operators are getting good freight and keep rolling? Who, who, who?”

“AGENTS!” My staff roared from the front office.

Agents, I pondered quietly to myself…  Secret Agents? FBI Agents? Travel Agents? (If you’re under 35, travel agents were used before the internet to purchase airline tickets, cruises and even to make hotel reservations in some cases)

I called Kit, my beautiful but brassy assistant, and explained that we owe it to our audience to get to the bottom of the Landstar approach to trucking, face to face & eyeball to eyeball.

“Get my Travel Agent on the phone and…I mean go online and book two tickets to Jacksonville, F-L-A…”

Owner Operators call 800-435-4010 or visit www.lease2landstar.com

We met with Rocco Davanzo, at Landstar’s Corporate Office, who was kind enough to take the time to speak with us and give us the real scoop on Landstar…

1.) Who are Landstar Agents, what do they do and how is this structure better than a typical Trucking Company?

Landstar doesn’t have a big sales force sitting around at HQ, instead they have independent sales agents located all over North America. The agents go out and get their own customers, they post that freight on Landstar’s electronic “available load boards,” and then it’s up to you to get online and find what you want. The agent networking system allows you, as the owner/operator, to control your schedule. The agents have a vested interest in keeping you loaded, in order to keep moving their customer’s freight.

2.) Landstar is kind of a one stop shop for Owner Operators.  Flatbed, Specialized, Vans, Reefers.  Can an owner operator switch between Landstar divisions?  What if an Owner Operator has his own trailer?

There truly is a career path for owner/operators at Landstar. You can lease to Landstar without platform experience, take advantage of free two-day platform training and take the first step toward a career hauling specialized freight. All you have to do is get yourself down to Landstar’s Orientation Center in St. Augustine - Landstar pays for your food and lodging. I don’t know of any other company that does that. Once you come out of that, you’re able to haul flatbed legal freight and from there you can progress to multi-axle trailers and specialized freight as your experience, skills and desire allow. It’s possible for a van driver with no experience pulling platform to join Landstar’s van fleet and progress to 12-foot-wide specialized platform freight over time. Landstar says they have access to more than 3,000 pieces of platform equipment, but if an owner/operator has their own trailer, great. In fact, once most drivers get their feet wet hauling platform loads for Landstar, they find out how much money they can make and often go purchase their own platform trailer.

3.)  What is the key to Landstar’s success in our Industry?

Landstar’s success appears to come from their unique business model – networking people who like being independent and who want the freedom to run their own businesses, whether it’s from behind a desk or the cab of a truck. 

4.) Why Should an Owner Operator apply at Landstar vs. the thousands of other trucking companies out there?

There’s no forced dispatch – you choose where you want to go, when, what freight to haul. The freedom at Landstar is said to be comparable to the freedom of running with your own authority, but without any of the risk. Their unique agent network, and Load Alerts technology, puts thousands of loads at your fingertips each day. er that ks nt matching your choices is posted on Landstar’s available load board.

With their percentage pay system, you earn a share of the revenue for every load hauled. As freight rates go up, so does your settlement check. Landstar passes along to you 100 percent of all billed fuel surcharges. Plus, there’s discounts on fuel, tires, parts and service through a bulk purchasing program they call LCAPP program, as well as cash rebates on new and used trucks and factory direct pricing on trailers.

5.)  Some of our audience members have more than one truck.  Is Landstar small fleet “Friendly”?

Landstar’s system is optimized for one, maybe two, owner/operators. Small fleets would be much better served by exploring the brokerage side of Landstar’s operation, where Landstar has mutually successful relationships with hundreds of smaller, third-party fleets.

6.) What are the strengths of your specialized flatbed and van divisions?

Landstar is the largest Heavy/Specialized transportation company in the U.S. and ranked 2^nd in the world, according to industry publications. With more than 3,000 pieces of platform equipment, a variety of freight and a safety record that’s second to none, Landstar appears to be a good option for both flatbed and van owner/operators.

18 Wheels of Justice would like to thank Landstar and Mr. Davanzo for spending the afternoon with us discussing Landstar.  Landstar is the “Gold Standard” for owner operators in our industry for a reason.

Owner Operators call 800-435-4010 or visit www.lease2landstar.com

18 Wheels of Justice Copyright 2012

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©

How to Stop Unreasonable Child Support Deductions From Your Check in 2012

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How to Resolve Child Support Issues - There is a Solution
At trucking companies across the nation, many dispatchers, recruiters and operations managers often wonder why a recently hired driver suddenly quits after a few months.  Everybody seemed to like him, he did a good job, he seemed to like working at your company.

Suddenly a notice comes in the mail to payroll to deduct for past due child support from the state.  It’s different in every state of course, but it typically is such a large amount that it is hard for the driver to live and have this amount “deducted” from his pay.  This notice usually arrives somewhere between one to four months after starting employment, depending on the state, your companies reporting schedule, what day of the quarter the driver started, etc.

A lot of good drivers leave a lot of good companies after a few months and move to the next one.  Some go to companies where they are paid cash or with a 1099, frequently for less pay. 

So… What is a driver or employer to do?  Everyone should pay child support; it’s the right and honorable thing to do.  That is a given.  A lot of smart divorce attorneys manage to have “alimony” or “spousal maintenance” classified as child support at the time of divorce.  This makes it collectable by the state.  This is a questionable practice, but it is done by divorce attorneys every day.  To try and get this amount changed after a divorce is impossible.  I know in the state of Missouri there is a six month waiting list to even talk to someone about a setting up a time for a hearing.  

This article is not about the inherent bias in the legal system against fathers, but the intent is to make the outcome of divorce and ensuing child support workable for our drivers who find themselves in this situation.
 

Recruiters and HR Mangers at every trucking company need to be prepared to address and handle this with every driver who starts at your company.

Every Driver who has this issue following them needs to know that there is a solution to it, and it’s a lot easier than you may think. A lot of recruiters/HR Managers I know have responded negatively to my comments, and refer to drivers child support as none of their business and the driver just needs to pay it. 

Having arrears in child support doesn’t make anyone irresponsible nor a bad parent or person for that matter.  The system has worked against fathers for decades and many have tried in the past to resolve it, hit a brick wall and decided there was nothing that could be done about it.  And they were probably right. 

A lot has changed recently and now is the perfect time to address it and put it behind you.

First of all, from the human resources perspective, you are helping your driver.  This is what you should to be doing from a personal and professional perspective.

Second of all, as Human Resources professional, this is your responsibility as far as I’m concerned.  If an employee has an issue that is affecting his job and tenure at your company, you should have a program in place to help them.  This should be addressed during the onboarding process.  Reach out and take action, help your fellow man and build a relationship.

Finally, you are helping the children involved by making consistent
child support payments a reality.

The Solution

Nearly every state will adjust the deduction.  There are phone numbers you can call where you can explain to them why you can’t afford the $300, $500 or more per week (usually its current child support plus arrears) they want to deduct and they will adjust it.  This is not an official reduction of the amount owed, just an informal adjustment of what they will take out every week. In my experience the state will adjust it to a “livable” amount, $75 to $150 per week depending on salary, number of children, etc.  This is usually accomplished within a week’s time frame.  I have listed the numbers of the Child Support Agencies in each state below.  All it takes is a phone call; just let them know you want to address current or future deductions being taken out of your check.

You can make a big difference in your life or your driver’s life, and children’s lives today by reaching out and helping yourself or your drivers… 

ALABAMA 334-242-9300 mina.roussell@dhr.alabama.gov

ALASKA907-269-6832    david.tredway@alaska.gov

ARIZONA602-252-4045   dmoring@azdes.gov

ARKANSAS 501-682-6828 mary.e.smith@ocse.state.ar.us

CALIFORNIA 888-898-1745

COLORADO 303-866-4300 csecustomerservice@state.co.us

CONNECTICUT 860-424-4989, option 2

DELAWARE 302-577-7171 www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dcse/index.html

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 202-724-2254 artish.jacobs@dc.gov

FLORIDA 850-617-8099 csepassportdenial@dor.state.fl.us

GEORGIA 404-657-3869 csetaxoffset@dhr.state.ga.us

HAWAII 808-692-7000 wayne.y.izumi@hawaii.gov

IDAHO 208-334-5715

ILLINOIS 217-785-0283

INDIANA 317-234-5700, option 3

IOWA 515-242-6003

KANSAS 785-296-2089

KENTUCKY 502-564-2285 doris.moore@ky.gov

LOUISIANA 225-342-4780225 carol.dewitt@la.gov

MAINE 207-624-4111 kathy.levesque@maine.gov

MARYLAND 800-332-6347

MASSACHUSETTS 617-626-4156 glavin@dor.state.ma.us

MICHIGAN 517-373-2932

MINNESOTA 651-431-4400

MISSISSIPPI 601-359-4879 temekka.williams@mdhs.state.ms.us

MISSOURI 866-313-9960

MONTANA 406-444-3739 cstclair@mt.us

NEBRASKA 402-471-1400 julie.lavicky@nebraska.gov

NEVADA 775-684-0704 cse@dwss.nv.gov https://dwss.nv.gov/

NEW HAMPSHIRE 603-271-4680 http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/beas/nhcp/contact.htm

NEW JERSEY 609-631-2670 dfd-lien-levy@dhs.state.nj.us

NEW MEXICO 800-288-7207 (In State)800-585-7631 unit.intercept@state.nm.us

OHIO 800-686-1556

OKLAHOMA 405-522-0028 melody.rotan@okdhs.org

OREGON 503-373-7300 sccuquestions@doj.state.or.us

PENNSYLVANIA 800-932-0211 ra-crbcse@pa.gov

RHODE ISLAND 401-458-4400 richildsupport@cse.state.ri.us

SOUTH CAROLINA 803-898-9314 glenn.hastie@dss.sc.gov

SOUTH DAKOTA700 605-773-3641 kathryn.piersol@state.sd.us

TENNESSEE 800-838-6911 edward.canaday@tn.us

TEXAS 800-252-8014

UTAH 801-536-8500 ext. 22301 cdmiller@utah.gov

VERMONT 802-241-2180

VIRGINIA 800-468-8894 www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse.html

VIRGIN ISLANDS 340-775-3070 ext. 5008

WASHINGTON 360-664-5350 lsc@dshs.wa.gov

WEST VIRGINIA 800-249-3778 www.wvdhhr.org/bcse/

WISCONSIN 608-266-9909 marc.dibernardo@wisconsin.gov

WYOMING 307-777-6948 brenda.lyttle@wyo.gov

©18 Wheels of Justice 2012

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



Top Ten List Final! Drivers: How to Narrow your Job Search

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Welcome Back for our final installment of our Top Ten List...

3.  Pros and Cons of Small or Large Trucking Company.  Think back through your career and which companies you were the most satisfied with.  Small trucking companies tend to be more personal which can be good and bad.  Do you like to keep your personal life and interaction with your employer at arms length?  Do you like to get to know your dispatcher, the mechanics, the staff and company owner more personally?  These are personal choices of course, but important to your overall success with a company.  If you like to remain more autonomous and be a small part of a larger company, this is important to keep in mind when deciding.  With a larger company you can feel less appreciated, but at the same time your dispatcher won't be calling you late on a Sunday asking you to take another drivers load because he has "personal" issues. 

2. Local or Out of State Trucking Company.  What does it matter?  If you work for a local company, it can be nice because it has more of a community feel.  Local companies also mean more interaction with other drivers who work there.  This can be good and bad, depending on how much gossip and complaining from other drivers you prefer to get involved in.  An out of state company has the benefits of being removed from that and you won't have to go into to the terminal every week-end or so when you come home.  Again it's all personal choice.

1. Sign On Bonus - Is it worth it?  It depends and most likely NO.  There are so many different types of sign on bonus's out there.  The majority of them aren't sign on bonus's.  So when you see an ad offering a large $5000 sign on bonus,  don't get distracted and feel short changed because your sign on bonus was only $2000.  Read the fine print.  If it's too good to be true, it usually is.  A $5000 sign on bonus paid over 6 months loses its appeal very quickly when you're only running 1800 miles a week.  You did not get any type of bonus and probably lost money on the whole deal.  These bonus's are designed to attract attention and they do!  But in most cases, that is all it is, a ploy to attract your attention and get you in the door.  Most Carriers have these bonus's now simply because they have to have them to keep up with the competition.  Do your homework and do not make a decision based on a bonus!

The most important thing to remember is to not to sell yourself short!  Stick to your guns and select the company who offers what you need and want as a driver.  This is key to your long term success in this industry.

Do the legwork before you start at a company.  If you are constantly switching employers it will only serve to cause frustration and burnout in your career.  This is a great career and a very honorable profession. 

I have been in the trucking business my whole life and my family has been in the trucking business for four generations.  My Great Grandfather hauled moonshine from Kentucky to South St. Louis during prohibition.  My Grandfather was a Teamster, My Dad owns a trucking company, my brothers are in trucking,  My ten year old son, Joseph, sounds off the carrier names of every truck we see on the highway and helps his Grandfather in the summer by sweeping the shop and picking up trash on the lot at the terminal. 

Trucking is a family tradition and I hope you encourage your family, friends and anyone you know to join our industry.  The majority of trucking companies are in some way, shape or form, a family business.  In these poor economic times, you never see trucking companies lay off drivers. 

There are more jobs available now to drivers than ever before!  This is job security.

Almost every trucking company has a training program to help people get a CDL and experience.  All of the poor souls who are unemployed,  whose homes are being foreclosed on, full of worry and the shame of it all...  Do your good deed for the day and introduce them to our industry,  A Family Tradition.     

© 2012 Michael H. Komadina

18 Wheels of Justice™

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

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 For

Drivers and Owner Operators

November 2, 2012 - 13:57

Welcome to a new multiple part series called “Career Decision”

18 Wheels of Justice investigates all the rumors we have heard for years about the money to be made in other specialized trucking segments of our industry.  We look into all areas of trucking.

We wanted to get the real story on car hauling, not the typical “spiel” from a large car hauler.  The staff at 18 Wheels of Justice HQ was lucky enough to stumble upon a long standing, small carrier in Florida.   Auto Carrier Express, based in Jacksonville, has been very successful and profitable hauling cars for the last 15 years, and more importantly the owner operators and drivers have done just as well.

They have several customer relationships with prestigious customers as Southeast Toyota, American Honda, Hyundai and Kia to name just a few.  First, let’s get some background on Auto Carrier Express (ACE)  

ACE offers auto transport services primarily in the Southeastern United States, from Florida to Maryland and as far West as Alabama on a routine basis.

The primary benefit of this operation is its “1^st come-1^st serve” approach to the dispatching system. There are no A,B,C rated drivers at ACE. There are no “forced dispatches” or “hot loads”. You have the flexibility to run any direction you wish based on the available loads.

Auto Carrier Express is dedicated to the man behind the wheel. This proves evident in the payscale, the benefits and all of the in-house perks that go along with wearing the ACE uniform.  ACE even keeps the freezer stocked with quick and easy meals for the drivers to satisfy that hunger pang when you’re in a pinch for time.

As an ACE driver, you can expect to see your annual pay to be an average of 30% higher than that of a van or flatbed driver.  Some of the other unique salary benefits are listed below…   

  Company Drivers

• Dollar for Dollar 401k Match up to 4% of pay
• Short Term Disability Paid
• Health & Dental Paid 66%
• Quarterly Fuel (MPG) Bonuses
• Monthly & Annual Quality Bonuses

  Owner Operators 

77.5% of Revenue for Op’s – That’s 77.5% of Car Hauler $$

ACE pays 100% Liability and Cargo Insurance + ½ of Plate

Fuel Surcharges on ALL accounts

18 Wheels of Justice – Quick Stats – Who’s in Charge?

In 1997, Gilbert and Vicki Hanks started ACE with just one truck. Today, the company boasts a 60 – vehicle fleet, a team of 70 employees and a stellar safety record — achievements that are the result of building strong relationships with customers and investing in quality people, equipment and technology. 

 

Gilbert Hanks - CEO

The driving force behind Auto Carrier Express is Gilbert Hanks, co-founder and chief executive officer. In 1997, at the request of Southeast Toyota, who wanted to partner with a dependable vehicle transportation company, Gilbert established ACE. To meet the challenge, Gilbert created a strong platform of technology and high-quality assets. Naturally, this attracted some of the best people in the trucking industry, and the rest is history.  

William Mauldin – Vice President

William’s responsibilities include strategy, branding, strengthening current relationships, providing technical and financial management expertise, and identifying and acquiring new business for the expanding fleet.  William has filled several operational and relationship management roles, serving the auto transport market from the ground up.

In short, ACE has the people, equipment and technology to deliver on its promises. The combined experience of its drivers is well above the industry average. ACE utilizes handpicked company drivers and owner operators who have a keen understanding of what sets transportation companies apart: exceptional service and customer satisfaction.  ACE focuses on recruiting and retaining high-quality individuals who measure up to stringent standards – Good People Skills, Positive Attitude, Effective Problem Solvers, Pride in their Work, Self Motivated – Perhaps the most important thing ACE does is to enfranchise its employees, which allows drivers to directly benefit from going over and above for customers. In addition, ACE has developed a comprehensive Driver Development Program that invests time and energy into training promising individuals to become certified car haulers. 

Want a 30% pay raise? Want Home time? Ready to move up?

Drivers and Operators

Call Chris Hanks today 800-809-1491

We would like to thank Mr. Mauldin for his time.  Auto Carrier Express would be a great place to start exploring a new "Career Decision"...

Copyright 2012 18 Wheels of Justice