Barr Nunn

[landmine]

If you want to average 1910 miles a week, not get home when you are supposed to, layover 5 days, then fight to get layover pay, wait 2 weeks to be paid back for buying a headlite, then by all means Barr Nunn is the place to go. Personally, I'll drive a taxi before I drive for these people again.

[bibcheese]

Is it really that bad at barr-nun , Landmine? I was seriously going to apply there for their new Manchester PA Terminal. I decided to go back with crete if I can pass driving tests and orientation.

[landmine]

Run from Barr nunn bibcheese. I was a road driver and averaged 1910 miles a week the last 10 weeks I was there.It was ALWAYS a big production getting home after I had been out 30-45 days. I stayed out Thanksgiving and x-mas with the promise they'd get me home on 12/30. I was in Charlotte terminal 12/30 with 'nothing to get you home' on Qual-com. Its just a bad place to work.

[bibcheese]

ok. thanks for the info.

[Copperhead]

They were one of the companies that I was looking at for a move. Hated to leave my last carrier, but with their financial troubles, the writing was on the wall.

Since I have about two decades at this game, I had probably a few more technical questions than most drivers ask. I don't think Dirk in recruiting liked that too much as he tended to get a little "snitty" when my questions about different policies and procedures at Barr Nunn started uncovering some inconsistencies.

Well, needless to say, didn't go with them. I chose Fremont Contract Carriers out of Fremont, NE. You have to jump thru a lot of hurdles to get onboard with them and get the top pay, but I managed to meet all the demands. Boy, if you like to move freight and by the house once or twice a week and home during the weekends, it happens here. No slackers or drivers who like to play games at the truckstops. This is high productivity. I am always preplanned for the next load. In fact, the boss man requires 80% of the trucks to be booked with freight for the next day or the travel agent doesn't go home for the night until they do. Have done average of 3000 mpw since beginning of the year. One guy here (and boy he has the safety in fits trying to figure out how he did it and the logs look legit and match up) did 42K miles last quarter.

Equipment is pretty good, not the top of the line, but late model FL's, Intls, and Volvos. All the trucks already have 3000 watt inverters and electrical outlets installed and XM receivers.

Made a good choice for me, maybe not for others. They have Nationwide OTR or midwest regional, flats and vans. Gotta have at least 2 years driving to be considered. Only about 300 trucks total, but the customer base is pretty good and there is a lot of drop and hook to keep the truck moving.

I tended to be pretty picky about carriers I was looking at, but then, with 2 decades experience with no moving violations, no accidents, and no DOT failures (including 6 years driving year round in Alaska), I could pick and choose. So far FCC has fit my needs pretty well. Only time will tell. They did put up my wife and I for three nights in a pretty good hotel and covered most of the meals. Not many carriers would do that. Overall, a real friendly group of people that remember your name quick and seem really concerned.

Oh.. for those considering O/O with FCC, the rates aren't bad. Rates are higher for shorter hauls and the fuel surcharge is about the best I have seen for most carriers.... about .42 a mile right now (of course fluctuates with national prices) and you aren't required to stay in the fuel network to get it.

I'll give you an update in 6 months and let you know if this holds out.

[ALKELE]

I have been driving for Barr-Nunn for 3 months now. I am OTR. In those 3 months (13 weeks), I have driven 25278 paid miles or 1944 miles per week.

From Dec. 31 to Jan 23, I have had 4 restarts.
Dec. 31-Jan. 2 first restart - no loads.
Jan. 5-6 second restart - unpaid layover on trip
Jan. 11-13 third restart - hometime
Jan. 19-21 fourth restart - unpaid layover on trip
and looking at the possibility of another restart this coming weekend if no loads again.

Barr-Nunn only pays layover between trips. If you sit for a day or two while on a trip (arriving early), there is no layover pay paid. Also, in figuring layover pay. you start with your estimated time of availability (after load is deliver and when available to pick up next load) and you subtract that from the pickup time on your next load. Then you divide the deadhead miles by 47 mph and subtract those hours from your time. If it is more than 24,48, 72, etc hours, then you will get paid layover.

I have never had a problem getting my layover pay. However, I will never again buy parts for their trucks. I had to buy 2 headlights within 10 days time. It took me a month and a couple of phone calls to get it paid. From now on, I park the truck and have them send road service to me (yes, even for a headlight).

I have not had problems getting home when I tell them, but have talked to guys that have. I had to split a load with a guy who told me that he was on his hometime and they keep calling him to come off his hometime until he finally gave up and left home to split my load. I would have unplugged the phones.

Also, if you get the sign-on bonus, it is paid $500 on first paycheck, 2nd $500 on paycheck when you hit 60,000 miles, and final payment on the paycheck when you hit 120,000 miles. They tell you that you are expected to drive 10,000-12000 miles a month, but my 25278 miles in 3 months tells you otherwise. It should take me about 7-8 months. If you leave before your 6 months(or 60,000 miles - I am not sure) you have to pay back the sign-on bonus (and orientation costs also I have heard, but am not sure about).

Your truck is governed at 66 mph. and while they will not give you a load of more than 693 (66mph X 11 hours) for 1 day without splitting it, expect them to give you loads where you have to fudge your logbook in order for it to "look" legal.

With your time-off requests. They do not answer back to them. Everyone else I have worked for sends you a message saying it was approved. Barr-nunn takes the opposite approach. They will send you a message saying if it is not possible. From what I hear, they do this so that when you tell them that a load is taking you away from your house instead of to your house, they can say that they never received your request. This has the effect of having you sitting on pins and needles until you actually pull into your driveway.

Would I recommend them? No. Will I leave them before my 6 months? Only if they start messing with me. Will I stay with them long term? No.

[ALKELE]

As a P.S. I am sitting now in Max Meadows, VA. Got here about 1800 on the 23rd and am waiting for another driver to show up about 1700-1900 on the 24th. So I can take his load the last 279 miles. Do I get layover pay? No. Because I got here about 1800 on the 23rd and he is "scheduled" to arrive at 1700 on the 24th.

In order for that driver to get here at 1700 from Memphis (591 miles), he has to drive with it floored (remember 66 mph truck) the whole way with absolutely no stops. The Barr-Nunn trucks lose speed on the uphills, so no way to maintain that 66 mph the whole way.

Also, with their mileage pay band. Their webiste doesn't say it, but you only get it if you pickup and deliver the load. If you split a load with another driver, you don't get the extra mileage pay. And you split a lot of loads. By split the load, I mean swap loads or trailers. You don't have a choice in this, they decide whether you are going to split a load or not

[bibcheese]

Man O Days! That sounds like it would have made me miserable having to deal with that balongny........... Is it that way with the majority of drivers there?

[quote="ALKELE"]Your truck is governed at 66 mph. and while they will not give you a load of more than 693 (66mph X 11 hours) for 1 day without splitting it, expect them to give you loads where you have to fudge your logbook in order for it to "look" legal.

Isnt 66x11 666 not 693 besides trucks are set at 65 and they only allow you to log at 63 anyways...gonna be kinda hard to find many companies that dispatch more than that for one day any ways, and if you say thats just plain flat out the longest trips you will get......
Kinda funny, i started my week off this week with a load that was 179 deadhead miles and 848 loaded miles with plenty enough time to get there legaly and not sit around to much after I delivered. I dont know if some of you guys just have the worst luck ever or if you just dont go in there and work with them the way you should.



By the way just as an update i went back and looked through Alkele's other posts...look how he faired at J.B Hunt, Mcleod and Pam before coming over and also struggling at Barr Nunn....either this guy has the worst luck with companies ever or he is difficult for the companies to work with.....just an observation.
As far as home time I have been home when i asked within a few hours every single time I have put in for it and I have a total of about a year and 3 months in there. And the driver the guy that posted above that says go there if yyou want to average 1900 miles per week running OTR...well thats what YOU averaged....I AVERAGED probably 2700 a week over the course of a year when i ran OTR......

Sometimes the companies dont do youy right and i understand this but sometimes the drivers just dont work with the company like they should.

By the way...In my entire time I have worked for them I have not shelled out one penny for one single part on their trucks other than the one time I bought a gallon of washer fluid for a buck at wal-mart.....I actually even had one of those nasty headlights blow a few weeks ago and didnt spend a dime on it....not sure where that guy was going wrong shelling out of pocket twice in 10 days for headlights. Sometimes i get the feeling that people just dont pay attention in orientation on how to handle maintenance issues and other assorted things....i also have never had layover pay come to me any later than the very next pay period(the whole 2 times I have had to put in for it) Also consider the time of year your are running when considering the last 10 weeks. Just saying...i just sometimes get the feeling that some people make their own paths harder sometimes. But thats just my thoughts.

[bibcheese]

I believe I have to agree with jaggerbomber on this issue. Not that I do not believe all the other posters, im sure there own personal situation that they are experiencing is very frustrating to them, but it is just hard to believe that Barr-nun would run their operation with a screw the driver mentallity and only give him or her 1900 miles a week.You can get 1800-2200 on a N.E. Reg. job and be home on weekends from what I understand.I beleve if you can get atleast 2700 miles a week that is atleast average and isn't that bad. I would take it and be happy. But then again its been real hard lately for me to weigh all my option and make a suitable, and equally balanced decision in this industry..........

[landmine]

Regarding Jagerbombers reply, I tried working with them. I ran over on my hours in order to get there load delivered on time but they never seemed to appreciate it. I'm not new to this trucking thing, been out here 20+ years, so I think I have a small clue as to how to get along with companies. When I fell hurt myself, I reported it as per company policy. I received a call from Aimee in safety the next day<coulda' been in hospital or morgue by then> Very 1st question she ask me was not 'Are you o.k.?.......Do you need to go to dr.?'.etc. It was 'Got your message yesterday, what kinda boots were you wearing at the time of the fall, cowboy boots'? When I informed her I only wear Red Wing rubber sole boots she simply said o.k. Maybe Jagerbomber can tell me why, after being out 42 days, and 62 miles from home I was told I had to go to Columbus Ohio, pick up a load on the north side and deliver it to the west side, even though I was scheduled home the day before, or why dont they pay for showers even though they wont hesitate to lay you over for 3 or 4 days at a time at a place they dont fuel? I think Jagerbomber is one of the 'chosen' Barr Nunn drivers. That being one of their few that gets what they want and heck with the rest. Just a few more items for thought. Why do they allow a once a week advance of $50 for road drivers? Why do they say 'open door policy' but Jay Shiek wont return calls? Why only $5000 life insurance with no opportunity to purchase more? Why dont they offer disability insurance? Why make a driver pay a $70 fine for a chafed airline or they will report him to D.A.C and threaten to turn it over to a collection bureau? Keep up the good work Jagerbomber, I'm content with my new company.

[Geeeeeezer]

Just check my older posts regarding Barr-Nunn. It sounds like things haven't changed there in the year and a half since I left them.

[Geeeeeezer]

Hey, does anyone know if Barr-Nunn is still sponsoring a race car? I know when I worked for them, they gave away free race weekends to drivers based on performance. I also noted that the same 5 or 6 drivers got to go to the races in what appeared to be a "rotating" schedule. I never could figure out how a driver could spend 3 or 4 days at a race track going to various sponsor's functions and all the other fun places, and then within the same month be the driver with the highest miles, while I stayed out the whole time they were at the race tracks.......... THAT never did sit very well with me.

I think Jagerbomber is one of the 'chosen' Barr Nunn drivers. That being one of their few that gets what they want and heck with the rest. Just a few more items for thought. Why do they allow a once a week advance of $50 for road drivers? Why do they say 'open door policy' but Jay Shiek wont return calls? Why only $5000 life insurance with no opportunity to purchase more? Why dont they offer disability insurance? Why make a driver pay a $70 fine for a chafed airline or they will report him to D.A.C and threaten to turn it over to a collection bureau? Keep up the good work Jagerbomber, I'm content with my new company.

One of the chosen few....hardly. This always seems to be the case when someone does good at a company, he is a "chosen one ass kissing company man" Actually I left the company for a while for my own reasons letting go of any seniority I had at all then coming back and starting back off att the bottom of the ladder and still making out ok. I hardly think I qualify as a chosen one. I just work hard and get stuff done, i earn what I get....sometimes i have bad weeks but that happens, and not very often.
As for fussing about only being given the option for a $50 a week cash advance....well you do get a pay check every week. If you are going from week to every single week relying on that $50 advance even though you get a direct deposit paycheck in your bank account every single friday then you have financial issues of your own that just are not the companies responsibility.
Now for the $70 fine they made you pay....well thats called pre trip and post trip inspections. You get a jacked up airline and dont bother to call in and get it fixed and roll down the road until you get a fine do you really expect them to pay it? No company is going to pay fines like that for you, any company out there is going to tell you its not their problem, you should have found it. Just another example of people making things harder on themselves. If i leave out tomorrow morning and run across a scale and get fined for anything, I really cant think of one single thing i could do to turn it around on barr nunn. If its a log book violation, its my fault. They aint paying. Over weight when i could have charged a scale to their account and found out, my fault. they aint paying. Something is messed up on the truck when i leave out in the morning and I dont pre trip and find it or call it in when i find out and get fined for it, my fault. They aint paying. They are not going to pick up the tab on your fines when they make it very very easy to call in and get stuff fixed.

[ALKELE]

In response to Jagerbomber's post, I did forget to mention that even though the trucks go 66 mph, they don't want you logging over 63 mph, hence the 693 miles max per 11 hours.

Not everybody has the same experiences at a company. When a company seems bad to you or you have had problems with it, post it. When you have good experiences with a company, post that also. A person's experience at a company is also influenced by the dispatcher. You have a good dispatcher, you are less likely to have problems or short miles. You have a bad dispatcher, you are more likely to have some problems or short miles.

As far as having bad luck or being difficult for the companies to work with. I run whatever loads they give to me, I am on time for pick up and delivery. I run over my hours if needed or shorten my breaks if needed. I do everything possible to get the load to where it is going on time. I am not calling and complaining about loads or lack of loads. I might mention every now and then that I need more miles, but not enough to be a pest.

And they are telling us in orientation to put out the money for the part, call the shop for a PO number to put on the receipt and scan it in with the load we were on at the time we bought the part. They used to provide a spare headlight to the driver, but I was told that they were being broken too often or just came up missing, so they stopped doing that.

As I said in my post, I have not had problems getting my layover pay. Maybe the other driver did, but I didn't. I came on the checks it was supposed to come on.

On to a piece of good news about Barr-Nunn though. This week was over 3600 miles due to one load starting in one pay period and delivering in this period. This was a very good change of pace. Hopefully this means the miles are going to be picking up for me. I don't need Jagerbomber's 2700 miles per week, but 2400-2500 would be nice.

[landmine]

Regarding Jagerbombers most recent post, i must say'DEAD WRONG' again. I picked up a loaded trailer in Browns Ferry N.c. with 44000 on it and a flat tire. Chris in the shop told me to take it to the nearest truckstop and get it fixed. When I told him I wasnt comfortable doing that with the amount of weight, he told me barr nunn doesnt pay service calls. I spoke to safety who told me the same thing. Also, approx. 4 months ago I received a $50 fine for a torn mudflap on a trailer I just pick up. My new company paid the fine, no questions ask. Please Jagerbomber, dont lump your 3rd rate, no class company with my 1st rate, all class company

Regarding Jagerbombers most recent post, i must say'DEAD WRONG' again. I picked up a loaded trailer in Browns Ferry N.c. with 44000 on it and a flat tire. Chris in the shop told me to take it to the nearest truckstop and get it fixed. When I told him I wasnt comfortable doing that with the amount of weight, he told me barr nunn doesnt pay service calls. I spoke to safety who told me the same thing. Also, approx. 4 months ago I received a $50 fine for a torn mudflap on a trailer I just pick up. My new company paid the fine, no questions ask. Please Jagerbomber, dont lump your 3rd rate, no class company with my 1st rate, all class company

Regarding Landmines latests post i just call bullcrap alltogether. I have had a couple of service calls with Barr Nunn....Yeah. They were paid for by the company. Again....you got a fine on a mudflap you knew was torn instead of stopping and getting it fixed or calling it in. Just another example of you making things harder on yourself. It only takes a few times of sitting at the counter section at any truckstop diner to figure out how to spot truckers like yourself that have 1000 horrible stories of how things went wrong for you out on the road with none of it ever being your own fault and the company screwed you. Your posts make you sound like any of 100 drivers i have heard talking in truck stops while 10 other drivers looked at them like they were crazy in the middle of their stories. Is Barr Nunn perfect? No. I had a rough week this last week out. Good company? Yes. Does the maintenance department tell any of this stuff that you bring up to their drivers? No. Just face it...these are things that you have made harder on yourself and you refuse to recognize it and blame it on the company with a crazy story. Whats the guy on Mythbusters say? "I reject your reality and substitute my own." I think alot of that is going on with your stories. They absolutley pay for service calls on the road and you absolutely got these fines own your own because you didnt go about getting them taken care of like you should. Please tell a story that can be believed and then I will consideryour complaints. Things might be difficult on some days but they are always harder if you dont do stuff the way it should be done. So again...to your latest post...i say dead wrong again.

[mbadriver]

Barr-Nunn called me today about a job doing Ohio Regional. Anyone familiar?

Barr-Nunn called me today about a job doing Ohio Regional. Anyone familiar?

I can say that OHIO regional is where a significant amount of their freight is at. I havent talked to alot of other drivers that are running that region but i should think their freight in that area is fairly steady since they have quite a few accounts in that region. Just a tip though....unless you are planning on going home every week...I would go OTR with them if you decide to work there. Its more pay on the mile and better miles as well.

[mbadriver]

I picked up a loaded trailer in Browns Ferry N.c. with 44000 on it and a flat tire. Chris in the shop told me to take it to the nearest truckstop and get it fixed. When I told him I wasnt comfortable doing that with the amount of weight, he told me barr nunn doesnt pay service calls.

How many times have you drive all day, stop for fuel, give the tires a kick, and found a flat inner tandem? Heck I would have driven to the next stop before I even called it in. It's a lot quicker to get a tire repaired at a shop instead of some dropyard. Did you ever hear of redundancy?