Okay Prodigy...
...are you or any of the other Acklie Kool-Aid drinkers going to tell me that at Crete/Shaffer as a
company driver (I know you're an O/O there) you're practically guaranteed almost 12,000 miles a month from only 5 or 6 six loads consistently with a full week off, 100% no-touch freight, no company politicking b.s., or company driver micromanagement? You can't, because I've been in the Acklie family myself with Shaffer and in the end, I was not impressed. If it works for you and the many happy Crete/Shaffer drivers then more power to you. But there are many others besides myself who share similar thoughts concerning the Acklie companies, just that I may be one of the few who's active on a trucking message board site willing to voice my opinion from actual personal experience. Personally though, I'd take the lower pay rate with more time off and more freedom to run how I want to amongst many other things.
If you've never driven food-grade tankers then don't knock it til you actually do it. I know, I know, Aartman's pay is a lot lower c.p.m. than what even a first year Acklie driver is paid (for the time being :wink
, and if I was still at Shaffer I'd be at .45/mile guaranteed but you know what? Aartman, and food-grade in general, has it's own specific advantages many of you will never understand, even if the top driver doesn't make "$75,000 plus a year... ". You couldn't pay me enough to EVER get back into one of those Acklie trucks (or any other freight-hauling company truck for that matter). Running "easy" food-grade (or any other style tanker for that matter) and being successful at it, though maybe not the highest paying job out here, is comparable to being in a unit or organization that not many can be a member of. We are our own little specialized club because if everybody could do it, they would. But the reality is, not everyone can, yet anyone can pull a box.
Here's a small advantage to being extremely anal about keeping very detailed records (isn't that right Skywalker :P)...
Shaffer Trucking, National Fleet, Nov. 27, 2001 to May 20, 2003
169,210 paid miles (*adjusted +8% for current practical routing mile rate would be 182,747 miles)
9,533 miles/month average with 6.98 days off average (*10,296 with practical routing adjustment)
Indian River Transport, May 27, 2003 to June 16, 2004
129,373 paid miles (*if paid +8% for practical routing adjustment would have been 139,723)
10,219 miles/month average with 5.77 days off average (*11,036 if paid practical routing)
Jim Aartman Inc., June 24, 2004 to July 27, 2006...
297,853 paid miles
11,914 miles/month average with 7.8 days off average
:moose: (I still say this needs to be a charging moo cow with udders swinging :lol: :lol: :lol
Now, here's comparisons based upon my personal experiences between the two, in no particular order.
Crete/Shaffer National Fleet vs. Jim Aartman, CA line haul division (driving for CA is THE key word here)
-Over 3,000 drivers..........
about 75 drivers
-Bonus based on "points" covering multiple factors..........
Bonus based on safety.
-Lots of Northeast freight..........
No Northeast.
-Opti idle..........
No opti idle.
-Suggested fuel routing..........
Open fuel network with Pilot
-Four day time off limitation unless on vacation..........
No time off restriction within reason.
-Unless regional or dedicated, three to four week minimum dispatch..........
Two week minimum dispatch.
-30,000 mile maintenance interval..........
15,000 mile maintenance interval
-Miles can fluctuate drastically, especially with seasonal freight slow-downs even with load-select dispatch (unless you're a company pet or never pizz off dispatch)..........
Consistent year-round high mileage due to dedicated customer and product base, regardless of who the driver is (no slow downs ever with milk and eggs, and no silly dispatch games since the products must move asap).
-Too much time on many of the loads, and cannot always drop or unload early..........
Typically first come, first serve basis for unloading, even if a day early in many cases.
-Must deal with lumpers, driver unload, driver assist, extra stops, etc..........
100% no touch one pickup, one drop.
-Typical, average health insurance and poor 401k plan (needs the profit sharing plan to make a decent retirement)..........
Good health insurance and great 401k plan.
-Known primarily by your truck and/or driver number unless at home terminal or terminal you visit often..........
Known by who you actually are.
-Large company with "corporate mentality"..........
Small, family run company with family atmosphere.
-24 terminal locations..........
12 terminal locations. Point goes to Acklie here.
-Freightliner C120 Century Class..........
KW T-800B, Pete 379-119, International 9200, and Freightliner Columbia truck selection
-65 mph..........
75 mph.
And when talking about Bynum compared to Aartman (to which there is no comparison), here's an example of why IMHO you'd be a fool to go drive there (or Indian River Transport/North American Tank Lines). Though I did it before Aartman and learned my lesson 8)...
Typical Aartman dispatch: live load in FL going to CA 2,600 miles away in four days after loading. Typical Bynum/Indian River dispatch: either live load or pick up the same run on a preloaded tank that's been sitting on yard already for up to several days, and be expected to arrive in CA a day earlier. Also, there's a major difference in their total overall pay and benefit packages. Check my tanker thread and look at the pay info if you need clarification on this.
But hey, what do I know, I only ran the stuff for three years and still keep in very close contact with it and those who do it since it is still a very viable option for me :roll: :lol: :wink:...
Triad Transport
. I loved it there...
