Welcome! As most of our loyal readers know, we have been posting on two blogs for the last few months. Well the time has come to finally shut the door and turn off the lights here! This has been a good location for us and we will miss it dearly. Change is a good thing and we hope you will visit our new blog address which is on our website. Please click the link below and join us at our new home!!
Showing posts with label owner operators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label owner operators. Show all posts
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Great Sign on Bonus Hoax
The Great Sign On Bonus Hoax
One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, 4... Don't wait, just step right up to the golden door!
The good old sign on bonus... A re-engineering, re-invention, a re-wording of the classic bait and switch, ye ole switcheroo, applied to recruiting drivers. For Shame!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Here ye go, just sign right here and go with the flow...We have a $4000 sign on bonus, Bubba's Trucking next door will only give you Three, that's right, uh huh, you're at the right place... Join our company, we'll give you a bonus over the next 6 months, a year, you'll earn less while you work here, but don't worry 'bout that, you got a bonus! Just step on up and through the golden door.
It's nothing new. When did this madness start in our industry? In the early 1990's, I'm not sure by whom or what company, but that's when it became prevalent. And now, everybody has to do it.
Nearly every trucking company in the country offers a sign on bonus. Why? Because they have to. How much weight should you give it in your decision process? Very little. Don't fall for the hype.
The drivers and operators who watch what companies offer and do their research know this and
drivers and operators who have fallen for it once, know even better.
The lure of easy money, the temptation of a fast buck loses its appeal with the reality of: "Now, I have to actually work here?" and "My paychecks sure seem small".
How many carriers have clauses that will deduct the bonus you were paid if you don't stay the required minimum of 6 months? Or a year? I believe you would be surprised at some of these contracts, or maybe not.
Why do we have turnover? Is it the drivers fault? The company's fault? A case of not seeing the forest for the trees? If you want turnover, this is a great way to increase it.
I personally admire companies and people who try new and creative approaches to solve problems. Applying traditional product selling ideas to recruiting drivers. It was innovative and effective at grabbing attention and drivers when it first appeared years ago, but now it's just fun with numbers.
A $5000 bonus paid over a year is nothing compared with 500 less miles run every week on average. The miles you will get is always the mystery of starting any driving position.
Ask the trucking company about average miles per week! Read the fine print and do your homework and the math. Get your wife, husband, father, mother whomever to go over the details. A second opinion from someone who cares about you and your well-being has never hurt anyone.
Friday, November 30, 2012
How to be Effective in a World of Rookie Recruiters
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…
The Ugly Truth About Empty Trucks
What exactly does an empty truck cost a trucking company? "Not that Much" said one brave soul. "A whole lot!" replied another. "I don't know!" he said quietly to himself, and he was right.
Let's jump right in and figure it out, because the water is warm and getting hot. The purpose of this blog is not to cause grown men to cry, nor put the fear of God or additional pressure on already nervous Driver Recruiters, but quite the opposite. Where are your resources going? Are you giving your recruiting departments enough resources?
Now, you may not want to know what that an empty truck costs you and I don't blame you... You may purposely avoid driving around the side of the building where all the empty trucks are parked when you arrive in the morning. I don't blame you for that either... Now, settle into your favorite bar stool, grab yourself a pencil and cocktail napkin, turn the napkin over onto its back, and lets do some accountin'...
Feel free to insert your own costs here, if you don't know these off the top of your head, these are good averages to use. (These descriptions and amounts all meet again in a column near the bottom, I felt some explanation was needed as to just how I arrived at my numbers.)
Tractor Payment - $2075.00 - Just an average payment amount based on a new truck with 5 year straight financing.
Trailer Payment $300 - $600 (Oh wait, multiply that $300 trailer payment number by two! Remember the person(salesmen, operations manager, VP of this and that, CFO) who convinced you that you need to be at a 2 to 1 trailer to tractor ratio? (Yes, Sir, you now have two trailers for every tractor. You did that so you could do some fancy dropping and hooking and increase your revenue, yes, Sir.)
Actual Depreciation - $1541.00 5 Year to $7500 (I don't care about how you speed up or slow down depreciation for taxes, doesn't matter here, stop thinking it's a good thing, and stop thinking about it entirely for this exercise, please.)
Overhead - $900 Includes (Non-driving Employees, Office Staff, Mechanics, Phones, company cars and so on. I'm going to peg this at $.09 per mile as a good average, basically all admin costs divided by number of trucks by 10,000 miles per month. Again, please feel free to use what number you feel is a realistic representation of your company.
Profit per truck - How much do you make per truck per month? I don't know how much you make, but the 5 - 25 - 100 empty trucks on your lot play a major role in your overall profitability - Please feel free to insert your profit per truck number here. I left it at ZERO
To Summarize -
Tractor Payment $2,075
Trailer Payment $600
Depreciation $1,541
Overhead $900
Profit $0
Cost per Empty Truck per Month $5,116
The trucking business makes for a good mistress but she's a mean wife. She's very cyclical as we all know and full of mood swings. "And Boy, I Say Boy", she's been in a mood for the last year or two. The carriers who understand the cost of an empty truck and address it head on are sure to weather the storm. Stay strong, our time to shine is coming again...
COPYRIGHT 2012 Michael H. Komadina
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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.
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
Monday, November 19, 2012
18 Wheels of Justice Presents - "Landstar Latitude"
Career Decision
Owner Operators Check Out
Landstar Latitude
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 2nd 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
Friday, November 16, 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.
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©
Monday, November 12, 2012
Happy Veteran's Day
Happy Veterans Day!
18 Wheels of Justice would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who have served and are currently serving our beloved country protecting our citizen’s rights and freedom! God Bless America and the Armed Forces! For all our veterans returning from service, and returning to a slow economy, the trucking industry is hiring and training drivers. Becoming an OTR Driver is full of opportunities, good pay and security. There are many opportunities to buy your own truck and become an owner opportunity after a few years. The future is bright for you in our Industry!
I was blessed with spending opening week-end deer season with my Dad, two of my brothers and my 10 Year old son, Joe, at our family farm in Northern Missouri. After a very enjoyable week-end, my son and I embarked on our two-hour journey home on a rural two lane highway. With a ten year old boy, many rapid fire conversation start and stop abruptly, change course and reignite later at random times. One of many conversations involved the lines on the two lane highway. What do the dotted lines mean? Can I change the radio station? Why is there a dotted line next to a solid line? Look at that cow… Why are there two solid lines? Dad? Why didn’t they make this highway wider?
They made the lanes wide enough for a truck to safely haul freight.
Joe: Why is a truck that wide?
Because the machines they used to make railroad cars are the same machines they used to make trucks and trailers with.
Joe: Why are railroad cars that wide?
The axles and tools that were used to make wagon axles were used to make railroad car axles.
Joe: Why were the wagons that wide?
Because of the Romans
Joe: What does this have to do with Bible?
Nothing, the Roman Empire built Chariots and all of the major roads throughout Rome and much of Europe, and wagon axles were built the same width as the chariots. That way the wagon wheels would fit in the ruts that already existed in the road. The wagons would ride level and the wagon wheels wouldn’t break in a rut.
Joe: Do you mean the rut during deer season?
Not that rut, a rut in the road.
Joe: Ok, then why did the Romans build the Chariots that wide?
Roman Emperor Julius Caesar declared that all official Roman Chariots be built to the width of two horses. There has to be a standard width or nobody would be able to fit on the roads, it would be chaos.
Joe: Hmm. Look at that cow over there…
18 Wheels of Justice would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who have served and are currently serving our beloved country protecting our citizen’s rights and freedom! God Bless America and the Armed Forces! For all our veterans returning from service, and returning to a slow economy, the trucking industry is hiring and training drivers. Becoming an OTR Driver is full of opportunities, good pay and security. There are many opportunities to buy your own truck and become an owner opportunity after a few years. The future is bright for you in our Industry!
I was blessed with spending opening week-end deer season with my Dad, two of my brothers and my 10 Year old son, Joe, at our family farm in Northern Missouri. After a very enjoyable week-end, my son and I embarked on our two-hour journey home on a rural two lane highway. With a ten year old boy, many rapid fire conversation start and stop abruptly, change course and reignite later at random times. One of many conversations involved the lines on the two lane highway. What do the dotted lines mean? Can I change the radio station? Why is there a dotted line next to a solid line? Look at that cow… Why are there two solid lines? Dad? Why didn’t they make this highway wider?
They made the lanes wide enough for a truck to safely haul freight.
Joe: Why is a truck that wide?
Because the machines they used to make railroad cars are the same machines they used to make trucks and trailers with.
Joe: Why are railroad cars that wide?
The axles and tools that were used to make wagon axles were used to make railroad car axles.
Joe: Why were the wagons that wide?
Because of the Romans
Joe: What does this have to do with Bible?
Nothing, the Roman Empire built Chariots and all of the major roads throughout Rome and much of Europe, and wagon axles were built the same width as the chariots. That way the wagon wheels would fit in the ruts that already existed in the road. The wagons would ride level and the wagon wheels wouldn’t break in a rut.
Joe: Do you mean the rut during deer season?
Not that rut, a rut in the road.
Joe: Ok, then why did the Romans build the Chariots that wide?
Roman Emperor Julius Caesar declared that all official Roman Chariots be built to the width of two horses. There has to be a standard width or nobody would be able to fit on the roads, it would be chaos.
Joe: Hmm. Look at that cow over there…
Thursday, November 8, 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
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
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!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Carrier Decision - Auto Carriers - Drivers & Operators
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Career Decision
Career Decision
18 Wheels of Justice Investigates
Auto Carriers
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.
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 “1st come-1st 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
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.
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
Copyright 2012 18 Wheels of Justice
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
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...
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...
Friday, October 26, 2012
Treat Brokers as Customers!
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The business of shipping products to customers is ever-evolving into a world in which 3PL’s and Freight Brokers have access to more and more of the truckload market. Large manufacturer’s want to focus more on their core business, than having entire shipping departments dedicated to rates and setting up carriers, dealing with scheduling appointments and so on.
The business of shipping products to customers is ever-evolving into a world in which 3PL’s and Freight Brokers have access to more and more of the truckload market. Large manufacturer’s want to focus more on their core business, than having entire shipping departments dedicated to rates and setting up carriers, dealing with scheduling appointments and so on.
So, what does this mean to you? A brave soul, the lone owner operator who sets out to seek his fortune with his own truck and trailer? A small carrier with a dozen or so trucks, trying to build a dynasty or family fortune?
Buy Book and CD today at
A truckload carrier whose business is 30% to 40% Broker and 3PL freight and has planners/dispatchers who are not yet masters in the art of negotiation? Do they hesitate to be aggressive negotiators?
30% to 40% is a very large portion of your business and where a large portion of potential profit is hiding. Yes, and it is an art, when done creatively, properly and successfully, negotiating can be one of the most beautiful and rewarding experiences one can have.
Think back to the days of your youth, negotiating with parents to stay up later, only to be told to go to bed. Or did you return to the negotiating table with your parents armed with opposing arguments? How about delicately trying to negotiate your first kiss with a blushing, young redhead and getting a hug or handshake? Or did you steal a kiss and walk away, leaving her wanting more?
Like most of us, you probably have good and bad memories of negotiating. The important thing to remember is that you walked away from each one with more knowledge, experience and skill every time.
The transportation business has changed over the last ten years. What does it mean to you?
No longer are Brokers and 3PL's just a backhaul provider, they are our best customers. The carriers who treat them as such, win everytime...
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