Experienced Team Looking for Small Company - Tanker/Hazmat

[moonstrucker]

My husband and I have just about three years OTR. We are company drivers, not interested in O/O at this time.

We have hauled reefer/dry van, and for the last 9 months, helium tankers with a well-known gas hauling company.

We are looking for a smallish company that will let us have our doggie with us (we miss her badly) and will give us good miles.

We currently make 48 cpm and all the other goodies like drop/hook pay, breakdown pay, etc. I'd say we are averaging about $2000 net per week now (each)

We currently drive an international and are now kind of spoiled for them. :wink: We really dont want to drive another Volvo (blech) or a Freightliner (ick) if we can get away from it. Oh, and NO automatics for us either - been there done that. Yuck!

We don't want much huh? LOL

Anyway, we are currently based out of Wyoming and would like to be based more in the southeast (Florida is our home).

Anyone know of any smaller companies out there that might fit our bill? We might consider food-grade but don't know if those companies do teams.

We *might* and I stress the *might* go back to regular freight hauling if it's absolutely a sweet deal (too sweet to turn down) but it'd have to be all drop and hook. No dock sitting for us anymore. :wink:

So.....any ideas anyone?

Thanks!

[ptown6184]

Heya i know this isint about your job or anything... but me and my wife are going to be going thru CDL school and then off to eaither Gordon, or Interstate.. and we are just wondering if that 2knet each a wk is something that is actually atainable? (sp??) as in 16k net a month.. seems way to hi for a company driver? or is that about normal for teams? Thanks for the answers in advance i appreciate it

[Double R]

My husband and I have just about three years OTR. We are company drivers, not interested in O/O at this time.

We have hauled reefer/dry van, and for the last 9 months, helium tankers with a well-known gas hauling company.

We are looking for a smallish company that will let us have our doggie with us (we miss her badly) and will give us good miles.

We currently make 48 cpm and all the other goodies like drop/hook pay, breakdown pay, etc. I'd say we are averaging about $2000 net per week now (each)

We currently drive an international and are now kind of spoiled for them. :wink: We really dont want to drive another Volvo (blech) or a Freightliner (ick) if we can get away from it. Oh, and NO automatics for us either - been there done that. Yuck!

We don't want much huh? LOL

Anyway, we are currently based out of Wyoming and would like to be based more in the southeast (Florida is our home).

Anyone know of any smaller companies out there that might fit our bill? We might consider food-grade but don't know if those companies do teams.

We *might* and I stress the *might* go back to regular freight hauling if it's absolutely a sweet deal (too sweet to turn down) but it'd have to be all drop and hook. No dock sitting for us anymore. :wink:

So.....any ideas anyone?

Thanks!

Post that message in this fourm

[moonstrucker]

I goofed. It isn't 2k a week EACH. Dumb me. I hate math with a passion! lol

Let's see - we clear every two weeks together, between 4 and 5k. So I guess it *is* pretty good pay. We are pretty spoiled right now. :-)

Anyway, you won't make that out of the gate. You gotta do your time in the barrel when you're new.

We worked for Interstate for about 18 months. They did a whole bunch of changes for the bad so we left to come to our present company. The money was okay but not stellar. We probably made like $1500 to $2000 per week together.

Anyway, sorry about the goof. I don't pay much attention, just let the money pile up in savings. :wink:

We have actually managed to be just about debt-free now (one more $3k bill to go) and have savings. First time in our entire lives together! Life is good. All this in just 8-9 months.

The one thing with this company now is we cannot have our dog and that sucks. We miss her. lol We love the company but man, we miss having our dog with us.

Oh, and with Interstate, we paid a $750 dog fee and when we quit got NONE of it back. That really pissed me off! They said hairs were in the AC filters. DUH like that costs $750 to change a filter. Anyway.....

Just remember that everyone has to start somewhere. You won't get rich and remember too that they'll get ya for all sorts of things you'll have to pay for when you're new - load locks, padlocks, etc. Those things will eat ya up. Then if you get a lemon like our F-Liner was, that screws ya too. We were in the shop for one week out of every month for TEN months. Another reason we left Interstate. Needed a new rear-end and they just wouldn't fix it.

But I digress. I think the main thing in trucking in my never humble opinion is - people think they are going to go thru school and suddenly make piles of money right off the bat. You won't. In fact, you should have some savings stashed away, to get you through until you get really rolling. Trust me on this.

BUT, after you get some years under your belt, then you can pick and choose and get with a company that will treat you as a valued employee and not *just a driver* as a lot of the big companies do. Unfortunately, when new you'll have to go with one of these bigger training companies, because they're the only ones who will take you on. They *churn* drivers but you can get your experience with them.

Good luck and have fun!!!

Heya i know this isint about your job or anything... but me and my wife are going to be going thru CDL school and then off to eaither Gordon, or Interstate.. and we are just wondering if that 2knet each a wk is something that is actually atainable? (sp??) as in 16k net a month.. seems way to hi for a company driver? or is that about normal for teams? Thanks for the answers in advance i appreciate it

[ptown6184]

Me and my wife arnt wanting to **get rich** per say..

We are wanting to make more then 3400net togather that we currently make working our 9-5's..


so even if we are making only 1100 a week combined thats 4400.. and thats alot more then 3400 net.. and 1100 seems low for a team that puts all the money earned in the same account.

But then again i do not drive so i have not much say..

thanks for all the input

[Skywalker]

With regards to chemical tanker companies.... like Superior that I drive for, they do have a few teams...however...NO PETS. The company does not permit them....rumor has it that a couple of drivers have them on the truck, but I have never seen one.

The concern there is that something may happen to the animal. We go into chemical plants to load and unload....and chemicals that may be present in the air or otherwise that may not bother us....will kill a dog or cat in short order. Much like tylenol. We can take it, but it will kill a dog in a heartbeat.
The companies do not want to be responsible for that happening, and chemical plants do not want it either, and so pets are not allowed on the property. In some cases, team partners cannot be sleeping in the truck, or even in the truck after crossing the threshold. Only one driver in the truck. Its a safety issue.

Food grade companies will probably have issues with a dog on the truck. FDA rules are quite stringent about things.

You might want to PM Cyanide about food grade carriers.....he has alot of experience in that area and may be able to give you some good insights.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news....

[Skywalker]

Me and my wife arnt wanting to **get rich** per say..

We are wanting to make more then 3400net togather that we currently make working our 9-5's..


so even if we are making only 1100 a week combined thats 4400.. and thats alot more then 3400 net.. and 1100 seems low for a team that puts all the money earned in the same account.

But then again i do not drive so i have not much say..

thanks for all the input

Depending on the company.... you could end up making that little. But if it is a good company.....you should together make $2k a week, or there abouts. But you have to understand that freight is "cyclical" and some weeks will be better than others.

Take for instance CFI...they pay teams 43cpm... so a 5000 mile week will be $2150 to the truck, a 6000 mile week will be $2580. But, lest you be misled....understand this: Team driving is highly time sensitive and can even be grueling. Many attempt it, and many can't handle it. SO, if that is your goal....make sure that you don't get $$ signs in the way of reality and commit to run "priority team freight"....unless you have run some standard team freight and built up your stamina....otherwise you'll regret it.

[moonstrucker]

[quote="Skywalker"]

Me and my wife arnt wanting to **get rich** per say..

We are wanting to make more then 3400net togather that we currently make working our 9-5's..

Keep in mind that you will be working *way* more than 9-5 if you are team trucking. You will literally have no life and live in that truck more often than not. Hubby and I do love it. It ain't for everyone however.

so even if we are making only 1100 a week combined thats 4400.. and thats alot
more then 3400 net.. and 1100 seems low for a team that puts all the money earned in the same account.

And, when first starting out you will make *dirt* for quite awhile. Really. I think the first year is hard. You better have something stashed away. After that it progressively gets way better though.

[moonstrucker]

With regards to chemical tanker companies.... like Superior that I drive for, they do have a few teams...however...NO PETS. The company does not permit them....rumor has it that a couple of drivers have them on the truck, but I have never seen one.

Yeah, that's what we are finding too. Unfortunately it looks like we'll have to go back to dragging boxes which we really do not want to do. :sad:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news....

Thanks for your input. Appreciate it. We might look at the expedited field - not sure yet.

[/quote]

[Smooth]

Try... www.artransport.com a longshot , but kind of what you're looking for .

[moonstrucker]

Thanks. I don't see a mention of teams, but they sound like it might be worth a call.

I have a feeling we are going to have to go back to box-draggin' if we want our doggie with us.

Keeping on looking.....

Try... www.artransport.com a longshot , but kind of what you're looking for .