Linde

[NoBama]

Currently updating resume to send in. Any insight on the ins&outs of hauling cryogenic gases? How about comments on this company? Any-one ever been employed with Linde or similar company? Thanks in advance.

[truckn4u2day]

I worked for Trimac/Air Products in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. for a little while. I loved Trimac, but Air Products trailers were so old they always broke. Its easy work, but like most tanker jobs, they go 365 24/7, they even wanted me to work Christmas Day. Its a very specialized job, but once ya got it down, there was always work, Good Luck

[feederfred]

I work for The Linde Group in Northern California. Pay is OK...but convoluted..they tell you that it's all hourly, BUT it's really called "trip pay"...in other words, lets say you have a 5 hour trip, but you do it in 4 hours. They then pay you for the 5 hours. Sounds good, right ? Unfortunately, that almost NEVER happens. Their equipment is ancient, trailers are from the 70's and 80's and they LIVE AND DIE by the XATA computer system. If you drive ONE mile per hour over 55mph or BRAKE too much (try not to do that in Bay Area traffic) you are considered an "aggressive" driver and subject to discipline. They do NOT pay overtime, everything is based on a straight hourly wage. Benefits are OK, but even in a union, we pay 189.00 per month for them. Slip seat into gutless Internationals pulling 79,800. Every week you get a DRI report from your dispatcher and if your not at 100% (NO over rpm, NO excessive braking, and NOTHING over 55mph, fuel mileage at 6.5mpg) you can expect to get your hand slapped. Linde does not know weather it is AIRCO, BOC or Linde as a company. The work is fairly easy, but again they preach safety while having you blindside back into a hospital off some busy street in San Francisco. Company is made up of middle management who do nothing but micro-manage, while trying to preserve THEIR jobs. Favoritism runs rampant..If they like you, you get decent work. All new drivers work nights, weekends and holidays, then bid a shift as seniority increases. When it's busy they will run you to death all the while preaching safety and faking concern about "driver fatigue"..Dispatch is located in New Jersey and they don't have a CLUE about traffic. Why do I stay you might ask ? Because it's a terrible recession here in the West and I have to pay alimony for a while. But as soon as things improve in the job market, I AM SO OUT OF HERE ! (Oh and they will have you drive a computer, learning jobs you have NOTHING to do with when it's slow..it's called the TRACESS learning system and it's all BS left over from BOC) Every month you get a slick magazine from Linde proclaiming the company as a "high performance organization". Believe me, their is nothing high performance about this place. We hope to be sold to DOW...

[NoBama]

I work for The Linde Group in Northern California. Pay is OK...but convoluted..they tell you that it's all hourly, BUT it's really called "trip pay"...in other words, lets say you have a 5 hour trip, but you do it in 4 hours. They then pay you for the 5 hours. Sounds good, right ? Unfortunately, that almost NEVER happens. Their equipment is ancient, trailers are from the 70's and 80's and they LIVE AND DIE by the XATA computer system. If you drive ONE mile per hour over 55mph or BRAKE too much (try not to do that in Bay Area traffic) you are considered an "aggressive" driver and subject to discipline. They do NOT pay overtime, everything is based on a straight hourly wage. Benefits are OK, but even in a union, we pay 189.00 per month for them. Slip seat into gutless Internationals pulling 79,800. Every week you get a DRI report from your dispatcher and if your not at 100% (NO over rpm, NO excessive braking, and NOTHING over 55mph, fuel mileage at 6.5mpg) you can expect to get your hand slapped. Linde does not know weather it is AIRCO, BOC or Linde as a company. The work is fairly easy, but again they preach safety while having you blindside back into a hospital off some busy street in San Francisco. Company is made up of middle management who do nothing but micro-manage, while trying to preserve THEIR jobs. Favoritism runs rampant..If they like you, you get decent work. All new drivers work nights, weekends and holidays, then bid a shift as seniority increases. When it's busy they will run you to death all the while preaching safety and faking concern about "driver fatigue"..Dispatch is located in New Jersey and they don't have a CLUE about traffic. Why do I stay you might ask ? Because it's a terrible recession here in the West and I have to pay alimony for a while. But as soon as things improve in the job market, I AM SO OUT OF HERE ! (Oh and they will have you drive a computer, learning jobs you have NOTHING to do with when it's slow..it's called the TRACESS learning system and it's all BS left over from BOC) Every month you get a slick magazine from Linde proclaiming the company as a "high performance organization". Believe me, their is nothing high performance about this place. We hope to be sold to DOW...

Thanks for your insight feederfred...Some may wonder why I would want to pursue a job or a poosible career with Linde. 1. Currently running asphalt cement loads here in northwest ohio, and I (so far) consider it a little above the alternatives I have experience with. No long waits at the freezer, for no apparent reason. 2. No running around like a chicken with its head cut-off with 15+ deliveries and 10+ pick-ups in the LTL environment all the while dispatch is wondering why you are not back at the terminal by 5:30 after departing terminal at 11:00 a.m. The pace was cool for awhile than I had a hard time improving "time management" skills. I felt the only option I had to improve said skills was to drive WAY over my head and put lives in jeopardy. 3. Have been pursueing "Brown" ever since ubtaining required experience. Dropped alittle "Will" along the way. Worked for two LTL carriers. 1. Abrubtly filed bankruptcy and ceased operations. (Best job to date overall) 2. Was laid-off in March. Due to lack of work/freight/economic conditions. Co. offered to bring me back...part-time.
Although I've only been driving for 4 years now I've mostly enjoyed pulling a tank. Lindes' form of compensating their drivers is alittle unorthadox? But I am currently paid a percentage of the loads I haul...just DON'T add/summarize total hrs. at the end of the week. Are the trucks governed at Linde? I understand the whole "safety" issues...Different roads have different speed limits. I'm just saying. $189.00 per/month? does'nt sound unreasonable...My wife's current contribution to this families health insurance is just under 6k per year. May I ask what union you are represented by? Are "all" drivers/employees under union contract? Coast to Coast? I live in N. West Oh. Too many questions, don't feel you are required to answer ...I do thank you both for your time and knowledge.

[feederfred]

No problem...we are represented by the Teamsters. Not all locations are union however, unsure in your neck of the woods...Having read your post about your previous jobs, then perhaps you would be better off at Linde. Anymore questions ask away. Trucks are governed@67mph, however speed limits are monitored by computer and are strictly enforced.

[Orangetxguy]

I work for The Linde Group in Northern California. Pay is OK...but convoluted..they tell you that it's all hourly, BUT it's really called "trip pay"...in other words, lets say you have a 5 hour trip, but you do it in 4 hours. They then pay you for the 5 hours. Sounds good, right ? Unfortunately, that almost NEVER happens. Their equipment is ancient, trailers are from the 70's and 80's and they LIVE AND DIE by the XATA computer system. If you drive ONE mile per hour over 55mph or BRAKE too much (try not to do that in Bay Area traffic) you are considered an "aggressive" driver and subject to discipline. They do NOT pay overtime, everything is based on a straight hourly wage. Benefits are OK, but even in a union, we pay 189.00 per month for them. Slip seat into gutless Internationals pulling 79,800. Every week you get a DRI report from your dispatcher and if your not at 100% (NO over rpm, NO excessive braking, and NOTHING over 55mph, fuel mileage at 6.5mpg) you can expect to get your hand slapped. Linde does not know weather it is AIRCO, BOC or Linde as a company. The work is fairly easy, but again they preach safety while having you blindside back into a hospital off some busy street in San Francisco. Company is made up of middle management who do nothing but micro-manage, while trying to preserve THEIR jobs. Favoritism runs rampant..If they like you, you get decent work. All new drivers work nights, weekends and holidays, then bid a shift as seniority increases. When it's busy they will run you to death all the while preaching safety and faking concern about "driver fatigue"..Dispatch is located in New Jersey and they don't have a CLUE about traffic. Why do I stay you might ask ? Because it's a terrible recession here in the West and I have to pay alimony for a while. But as soon as things improve in the job market, I AM SO OUT OF HERE ! (Oh and they will have you drive a computer, learning jobs you have NOTHING to do with when it's slow..it's called the TRACESS learning system and it's all BS left over from BOC) Every month you get a slick magazine from Linde proclaiming the company as a "high performance organization". Believe me, their is nothing high performance about this place. We hope to be sold to DOW...

I hate to tell you....PRAXAIR came about, because DOW didn't want that part of Union Carbide.
Dow was the money behind Air Products back in the late 70's.

[Phreddo]

not to sound like a belpre, but if you are willing to do compressed gas, you may want to investigate hauling fuel. I've been doing it 2 weeks, and so far so good.
of course, i haven't seen a paycheck yet, so that opinion is very conditional.

[NoBama]

Would need quite a bit of training for both cryogenic and 1203&1993. 1075 would be an option. Food grade...no problem. Dry bulk? Any knowledge about dry bulk loads? See a few Kenan Advantage trucks from time to time...talked to a driver who seemed indifferent about the co. I have heard that driving for Marathon Oil Co. is a good job. Flying J does'nt seem from news articles to be very a very stable co. See a few Pilot trucks from time to time...have'nt talked to any of their drivers though.
Straight skinny is I've worked two days this week...I need to try and put myself and family in a better situation. (among millions of others) I feel my positive attitude slipping south from time to time. I beleive with putting my noggen to the gring-stone I can still better my situation. It is significantly more challenging these days. I have a clean MVR...all endorsements except for passenger. Most of all I have the desire to succeed! Thanks for your time and knowledge and god-bless.

[feederfred]

Yes I knew DOW was basically the front company for A/P...but that was also back when cryogenics was still a pretty good gig...Linde doesn't have a clue...it's all leftover BOC management stuck in their ruts..