[Adam9315]

What made you switch to Superior and chemical?

[Cyanide]

Seems that there's a bunch of y'all asking about C.T.L. Distribution here lately. I was able to find my old journal from when I was with them from August 2001 to November 2001 and am going to post my info following the couple days of refresher training, orientation, and local running I did. Hope this helps out some. If anything confuses anybody, please ask for clarification. I'm sure that one of us on here can decipher my terminology...:P

Week 1:
-Jacksonville, FL to Riceboro, GA (95 empty, shipper load 08-28/0400-0645)
-Riceboro, GA to Largo, FL (307 loaded = 402 total, driver unload with receiver air 08-28/1445-1715).
-----Largo, FL to Mulberry, FL (55 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank, wash fittings and hoses 08-29)
-----Mulberry, FL to Winter Haven, FL (15 empty, shipper load 08-29/1130-1445)
-----Winter Haven, FL to Vanceboro, NC (681 loaded = 751 total, shipper unload 08-30/1230-1345).
Miles: 1,153
Paid detention: 4.75 hours
Tank wash: 0
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 1

Week 2:
-Vanceboro, NC to Spartanburg, SC (300 empty, tank wash 08-30)
-Spartanburg, SC to Enoree, SC (20 empty, drop and hook 08-31)
-Enoree, SC to Miami, FL (670 loaded = 990 total, shipper unload 09-04/0800-1215).
-----Miami, FL to Jacksonville, FL (330 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank, wash hoses 09-04)
-----Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA (143 empty, shipper load 09-05/0800-1015)
-----Two separate breakdowns enroute (09-05/2015-2215 and 09-06/2115-2315)
-----Savannah, GA to McCook, IL (914 loaded = 1,387 total, receiver unload 09-07/0345-0615).
Miles: 2,377
Paid detention: 6 hours
Tank wash: 1
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 1
Breakdown time: 4 hours


Week 3:
-McCook, IL to Chicago, IL (tank wash 09-07)
-Chicago, IL to Mexico, MO (390 empty, shipper load 09-08/0715-0915)
-Mexico, MO to Odessa, TX (898 loaded = 1,288 total, driver unload with truck pump 09-10/0915-1330).
-----Odessa, TX to Pasadena, TX (500 empty, tank wash 09-12)
-----Pasadena, TX to Manvel, TX (20 empty, shipper load 09-12/1030-1230)
-----Manvel, TX to Pompano Beach, FL (1,163 loaded = 1,683 total, driver unload with receiver air 09-14/0800-1230)
Miles: 2,971
Paid detention: 8.75 hours
Tank wash: 2
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 4:
-Pompano, FL to Jacksonville, FL (285 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank 09-14)
-Jacksonville, FL to Oglethorpe, GA (217 empty, shipper load 09-17/0700-1000)
-Oglethorpe, GA to Jacksonville, FL (217 loaded = 719 total, receiver unload 09-17/1745-1915, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank).
-----Jacksonville, FL then to Brunswick, GA (71 empty, shipper load 09-18/0745-1030)
-----Brunswick, GA to Hazlet, NJ (841 loaded = 922 total, receiver unload 09-20/0730-1230).
Milesl: 1,641
Paid detention: 8.25 hours
Tank wash: 1
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 5:
-Hazlet, NJ to Rahway, NJ (15 empty, tank wash 09-20)
-Rahway, NJ to Linden, NJ (3 empty, shipper load 09-21/0730-1030)
-Linden, NJ to Highland, TX (1,554 loaded = 1,572 total, receiver unload 09-24/0900-1145).
-----Highland, TX to Clute, TX (50 empty, tank wash 09-24)
-----Clute, TX to Freeport, TX (5 empty, drop and hook 09-25)
-----Freeport, TX to White Stone, SC (1,018 loaded = 1,073 total, receiver unload 0800-1000).
Miles: 2,645
Paid detention:4.75 hours
Tank wash: 2
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 6:
-White Stone, SC to Charlotte, NC (69 empty, tank wash 09-27)
-Charlotte, NC to Harrisburg, NC (10 empty, shipper load 09-28/0830-0930)
-One day layover enroute.
-Harrisburg, NC to Montgomery, IL (777 loaded = 856 total, driver unload with receiver air 10-01/0815-1100).
-----Montgomery, IL to Chicago, IL (30 empty, tank wash 10-01)
-----Chicago, IL to North Chicago, IL (30 empty, shipper load 10-02/0645-1015)
-----North Chicago, IL to Port Orange, FL (1,124 loaded = 1,184 total, receiver unload 10-04/0845-1100).
Miles: 2,040
Paid detention: 5.75 hours
Tank wash: 2
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0
Layover: 1

Week 7:
-Port Orange, FL to Jacksonville, FL (95 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank 10-04)
-Jacksonville, FL to Riceboro, GA (105 empty, shipper load 10-08/1200-1345)
-Riceboro, GA to Midland, GA (240 loaded = 440 total, receiver unload 10-09/1000-1145)
-----Midland, GA to Columbus, GA (14 empty, tank wash 10-09)
-----Columbus, GA to Oglethorpe, GA (64 empty 10-09/1845-2045)
-----Oglethorpe, GA to Jacksonville, FL (217 loaded = 295 total, receiver unload 10-10/1215-1400, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank).
Miles: 735
Paid detention: 3.25 hours
Tank wash: 1
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 8:
-Jacksonville, FL to Brunswick, GA (71 empty, shipper load 10-12/1345-1530)
-Two days layover enroute.
-Brunswick, GA to Hazlet, NJ (841 loaded = 912 total, receiver unload 10-16/0800-1600)
-----Hazlet, NJ to Newark, NJ (20 empty, tank wash, then load 10-16/2200-2300)
-----Newark, NJ to Winter Haven, FL (1,087 loaded = 1,107 total, receiver unload 10-19/1600-1800).
Miles: 2,019
Paid detention: 8.75 hours
Tank wash: 1
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 9:
-Winter Haven, FL to Jacksonville, FL (150 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank 10-19)
-Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA (138 empty, shipper load 10-21/0445-0630)
-Savannah, GA to Franklin, VA (425 loaded = 713 total, receiver unload 10-22/0700-0815).
-----Franklin, VA to Charlotte, NC (261 empty, tank wash 10-22)
-----Charlotte, NC to Harrisburg, NC (13 empty, shipper load 10-23/1100-1300)
-----Harrisburg, NC to Yardville, NJ (531 loaded = 805 total, receiver unload 10-24/0800-0945).
-Yardville, NJ to Newark, NJ (48 empty, tank wash 10-24)
-Newark, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ (5 empty, shipper load 10-25/1000-1245)
-Elizebeth, NJ to Wayers Cave, VA (342 loaded = 395 total, receiver unload 10-25/2030-2230).
-----Wayers Cave, VA to Greensboro, NC (186 empty, tank wash 10-25)
-----Greensboro, NC to Augusta, GA (215 empty, shipper load 10-26/2015-2215)
-----Augusta, GA to Hague, FL (290 loaded = 691 total, driver unload with receiver air 10-27/1345-1615).
Miles: 2,604
Paid detention: 7.75 hours
Tank wash: 3
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 0

Week 10:
-Hague, FL to Jacksonville, FL (81 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank, wash fittings/hoses 10-29)
-Jacksonville, FL to Moncks Corner, SC (250 empty, shipper load 11-01/0915-1130)
-Moncks Corner, Sc to South Pierce, FL (341 loaded = 457 total, driver unload with receiver air 11-02/1245-1815).
Miles: 788
Paid detention: 5.75 hours
Tank wash: 0
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 1

Week 11:
-South Pierce, FL to Jacksonville, FL (204 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank, wash hoses)
-Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA (140 empty, shipper load 11-03/1330-1530)
-Savannah, GA to Wallingford, CT (873 loaded = 1,217 total, receiver unload 11-05/0845-1000).
-----Wallingford, CT to Newark, NJ (99 empty, tank wash 11-05)
-----Newark, NJ to Philadelphia, PA (90 empty, shipper load 11-06/0730-0930)
-----Philadelphia, PA to Greenville, SC (597 loaded = 786 total, receiver unload 11-07/1300-1445).
-Greenville, SC to Savannah, GA (230 empty, tank wash 11-07, then drop and hook 11-08 )
-Savannah, GA to Clifton, NJ (788 loaded = 1,018 total, receiver unload 11-09/1300-1445).
Miles: 3,021
Paid detention: 3.75 hours
Tank wash: 2
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash: 1

Week 12:
-Clifton, NJ to Newark, NJ (8 empty, tank wash 11-09)
-One day layover enroute.
-Newark, NJ to Harrisburg, NC (577 empty, shipper load 11-12/1000-1300)
-Harrisburg, NC to Allentown, PA (528 loaded = 1,113 total, driver unload with receiver air 11-13/0800-0915).
-----Allentown, PA to Baltimore, MD (Tank wash 11-13, 162 empty, shipper load 11-14/0915-1015)
-----Baltimore, MD to Orlando, FL (872 loaded = 1,034 total, shipper unload 11-15/1545-1700)
-----Orlando, FL to Jacksonville, FL (135 empty, drop dirty tank, hook clean tank 11-15).
Miles: 2,282
Paid detention: 2.5 hours
Tank wash: 2
Hose, Fitting, Pump wash:
Layover: 1

After my return to Jacksonville on Nov. 15th, I did several more local runs before leaving C.T.L. As I've said before, they're not a bad company, but there is more money to be made for doing the same job with other companies. More specifically, those who have a higher mileage rate, those who don't give up any free time to the customers, and those with better overall benefit packages :wink:...

[Cyanide]

To all who are wondering why I'm making a change...

Because I need to see how I do with a good chemical tanker company with a good reputation. I need to see how I do financially with having a much better pay and benefit package, not to mention that I feel for the time being that I am ready once again for a challenge. Superior Carriers pretty much made me an offer I just couldn't refuse, with information which has been consistently backed up by the multiple drivers I've spoken with over the last few months. It seems that I'll finally get the best of everything...I'll be able to run as many miles as I want with available hours, get paid for everything I do when not driving, and, be able to run completely by the book the way we were intended to !!!

As I said earlier, the job with Aartman was easy beyond belief, but unfortunately, "easy" has a way of being very limited to the amount of income I can make without sacrificing hometime. I'm ready to try and see if I can make better income and to be home the same amount of time at a minimum. Even with the consistent long runs I've been doing the last three years between Indian River and Jim Aartman, there's still a lot of unpaid free time, and I want to see the difference between getting paid for everything I do versus having to drive tons of miles. At least for now...

Also, I see possible changes coming on the horizon for the future of the company that I may not want to be no part of. See how the bonus program changed at the beginning of this month in my info thread, and the cost for family medical insurance alone is going to $280/month next month. For that price the company should have much better coverage than a 65/35 plan :shock:!

But more so than anything else, I think I simply need a break from the routine. I've done this three years straight and am a little worn out. We'll see what happens with Superior, as I know I'll be doing a lot more work, with shorter runs and loading/unloading, not to mention running a very limited area of the country (including the Northeast...yuck!)

That's it, along with the pay package listed below :wink:...

SUPERIOR CARRIERS, INC. (1 year O.T.R. required w/HAZMAT, or, Student grad from approved school in top 3% of class per individual terminal's needs.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...perior9200.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...riorFLD112.jpg
Starting mileage pay (Practical Route Miles):
.40 Loaded/.34 Empty

Loading/Unloading Pay (All live loads/unloads):
$20 first 2 hours, then $13.30/hour

Drop/Hook Pay (For load pickups/drops):
$10
Note...if a driver is delayed more than 45 minutes during a drop and hook at a customer due to the load not being ready, waiting for security, paperwork, sample results, etc. then the driver will be paid the $20 live load flat rate, then hourly as necessary.

Tank Wash Pay:
$20.
Note...almost all tank washes involve dropping the dirty tank and/or hooking a clean tank during which the driver is paid according to the hourly rate. If the driver is required to wait for their assigned tank to be cleaned then the driver will be paid the $20 tank wash flat rate.

Breakdown Pay:
$13.30/hour.
Breakdown pay will be paid until the driver goes into a hotel if necessary due to an extended breakdown situation, then will go on layover pay schedule.

Sleeper Berth Pay:
$10/night.

NYC Pay (per load going in or coming out):
$50

Canada Border Crossing Pay (per loaded crossing):
$15 first hour, then $13.30/hour

Local Pay (Loads under 76 miles of domiciled terminal. Also, 51% of your loads must be "local" to be paid this rate, otherwise will be paid the normal hourly rate.):
$15.04/hour

Layover Pay (after 15 hours):
$13.30/hour ($106.40 each full paid 8-hour period). First fifteen hours free, then paid eight, then ten free, then paid eight, etc if necessary. Hotel authorized for extended situations.

Holiday Pay, Bereavement Pay, Jury Duty Pay:
$106.40/day
Eight major holidays, one floating holiday, and three days for funeral of family member.

Personal Days (after 30 days):
$106.40/day
0-3 years: 2 days per year.
3+ years: 5 days per year.
Note...driver can "bank" up to thirty days.

Training Pay (Depending upon experience):
Experienced drivers: $13.30/hour all on-duty hours.
Inexperienced drivers: $100/day for up to six weeks, as deemed necessary by trainer.
Also, within sixty (60) days of hire, driver must attend the company's five-day safety and orientation course in Kingsport, TN. Driver will be provided company-paid lodging and training pay. If driver fails course they will be immediately terminated and not eligible for re-hire.

Vacation Pay:
$721.92/week.
2 Weeks at 1 year.
3 weeks at 8 years.
4 weeks at 16 years.
5 weeks at 24 years.

Time Off:
5-7 days out, 1-2 days in.

Insurance (after 30 days):
Health, Dental, and Prescription Insurance:
Single plan $18/week, $250 deductible.
Family plan $37/week, $500 deductible.

Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance are paid for by the company.

Vision Insurance:
Not available.

401k Plan (Open enrollment every quarter. Company automatically enrolls driver at 3% unless other amount requested or driver declines enrollment):
Company matches 50% up to a max of $600 annually. Immediate vesting.

Profit Sharing Plan (After 1 year)
Vested after seven years.

[feederfred]

I've been following your threads on this board. You are totally right in wanting to be paid for all your time and I'm quite sure you are making the right decision. You (and many others here) are just looking for that final "good job" where we are treated as we deserve. Your posts are quite intelligent and accurate, as well as informative. As we all have moved "up the ladder" in the trucking industry we should get what we deserve, and I'm sure you will do well. I too had a series of those "not so great" jobs before working my way up to line@UPS. Now, I will retire from them in about 3 years. My older brother worked at Superior for several years before moving to another chemical hauler (Distech). He has nothing but good to say about them. He states he made excellent money (55-65K average), had good benefits and was paid for every minute on the job. He only left due to a personal move to another state. He was also home almost every weekend and holidays for a "real" weekend. I would hope that you will continue to post as a lot of us "lurkers" look forward to it. All the best to you in your new job, I'm sure it will work out great for you. Meanwhile I'll still be in that "Buster Brown set" between Tucson/Phoenix and lovely Ontario, CA. BTW UPS drivers "hide out" on Channel 22 in case anyone wants to say hello, we don't bite (much)

[Cyanide]

Let me start by saying this...if what I just did over the course of last week is a sign of things to come with Superior, I'm going to be real happy here! Talk about giving up no free time and being paid for everything. Well almost everything except for fueling, pre-trip, and post-trip like them union guys and gals have :-P!!! I just don't know how I'm going to deal with all this :lol:. The pay package is definitely set up to work for the driver's advantage.

Met up with my trainer...okay, maybe more like my evaluator Monday afternoon here in Jax and drove off north, and then finally returned Friday afternoon. Though we only did a couple of loads, I was constantly getting drilled with lots of info and Q & A concerning company policies, procedures, regulations, and safety, safety, safety!

I'll be heading back up to Garden City on Tuesday to get my truck and then begin my adventures as a solo operator once again. I can hardly wait . Now , as you read my numbers below, allow me to note that during my training I was paid the $12.91 hourly rate for all hours on-duty. This is how experienced drivers are paid here for training, whereas inexperienced drivers are paid a flat rate $100 per day. After this post, all of the mileages I give will be according to what the company pays and what shows on my settlement sheet, as I've always done. Almost forgot, another small point is that all trips here originate and end at the tank wash (if applicable).

Here ya go...
Week 1 (Training week)
-Jacksonville, FL to Garden City, GA
-Garden City, GA to Riceboro, GA (drop and hook. Delay due to load not being ready)
-Riceboro, GA to Calhoun, TN (driver unload with customer air).
-Calhoun, TN to Garden CIty, GA (drop dirty tank, hook clean tank)
-----Garden City, GA to Savannah, GA (live load)
-----Savannah, GA to Garden City, GA (drop loaded tank). This load was taken by another driver going to TX.
-Garden City, GA (Hook loaded tank). This load was dropped by another driver who had a medical situation arise and needed to get to the doctor. It originally came from Wilmington, NC.
-Garden City, GA to Riviera Beach, FL (driver/customer unload with customer pump)
-Riviera Beach, FL to Jacksonville, FL (drop dirty tank)
Gross: $616.46

I don't think that's too bad for only four days of very limited work. I'm betting that with a full five to seven day work week those numbers will be going up significantly .

Y'all be safe and have fun :wink:...

[wesland]

when you went to calhoun did you go to arch chemical or bowater mill, i do not have my hazmat thought about getting it but never got around to it i am with decker out of ft. dodge,is i am happy i get plenty of miles and home when i say but it is still refers know what i mean still thinking about takers yea i have heard good and bad things about indian river so i think i will past , do you know if jim artman hires out of ga were checking them out mybe i will give them a call i was just through ripon 2 days ago should have stop in but had to hurry up and wait well be safe out there if you ever see decker 1003 give me a shout they call me rookie

[Cyanide]

Wesland, I went to Bowater when in Calhoun. It may be worth considering getting your hazmat just in case :wink:. Aartman will hire you in GA, just make sure that if you want to go with them to run out of the main yard in Ripon, CA as I did. The Mulberry, FL yard is the "Indian River division" of the company so to say and runs stuff outta there likewise :roll:. Anyway, I have all the contact numbers still if you want them.

Y'all be safe and have fun :mrgreen:...

[feederfred]

SEE ? We told you it would work out and it did ! Glad to hear it..

[Cyanide]

It's still early Fred, but yeah, I like this gettting paid for everything stuff! Of course, I had it before with C.T.L. but, it was absolutely nothing like here!

To all, I've added another figure on my stats for runs here at Superior. That being to show how many live loads/unloads I do, as the driver. I'm doing this because in my info post I stated that chemical tank drivers do the majority of the unloading, and perhaps that depends on the company represented. Because as you can see above, I still have yet to unload anything since finishing training. The key word here is, yet :wink:...

[Cyanide]

Hey everybody, hope this finds y'all doing great as always. Just sitting here enjoying my holiday weekend after running not too terribly hard the last few weeks. In a nutshell, I'm liking it here very much!

For all of my posts concerning my trips, I'm going to go off of our payroll schedule, which runs from 0001 Monday to 2359 Sunday. I'm also going to simplify all of my numbers by just listing my gross pay and the paid mileage for the week per my settlement sheet (I'm not listing sleeper berth pay, flat rate pay, hourly pay, or pickup/drop pay however). This is so that everyone unfamiliar with getting paid for everything related to work can see how much extra the acessory pay adds up over straight mileage pay only. You'll see what I'm referring to below. I've also added how many of my loads required placards, since many people assume that chemical tankers are always transporting regulated products. As you'll see, that's simply not so....

Week 2:
-Transit with another driver from Jax, FL to Garden City, GA for truck assignment (#8919).
-----Garden City, GA to Riceboro, GA (hook preloaded tank)
-----Riceboro, GA to Castanea, PA (customer unload. Flat tire repair during unload)
-----Castanea, PA to Karns City, PA (drop dirty tank)
Gross: $642.00
Miles: 1,027
Avg.: .625/mile

Week 3:
-Karns City, PA (hook clean tank and have minor weld repair on ladder)
-Karns City, PA to Petrolia, PA (live load)
-Petrolia, PA to Pearland, TX (customer unload)
-Pearland, TX to Pasadena, TX (drop dirty tank)
-----Pasadena, TX to Deer Park, TX (hook preloaded tank)
-----Deer Park, TX to Oakwood, GA (customer unload)
-----Oakwood, GA to Morrow, GA (drop dirty tank)
-Morrow, GA to Forest Park, GA (hook preloaded tank)
-Forest Park, GA to Tampa, FL (customer unload)
-Tampa, FL to Jax, FL for time off (drop dirty tank)
Gross: $1,467.56
Miles: 3,131
Avg.: .468/mile

Week 4:
-Jax, FL (hook clean tank), then to Garden City, GA (drop clean tank, hook preloaded tank)
-Garden City, GA to Kingsport, TN (driver unload with customer air)
-Kingsport, TN to Wellford, SC (drop dirty tank)
-----Wellford, SC to Greer, SC (hook preloaded tank)
-----Greer, SC to Pompano Beach, FL (driver unload with truck air)
-----Pompano Beach, FL to Lake Wales, FL (pick up another driver)
-----Lake Wales, FL to Garden City, GA (drop dirty tank)
Gross: $1,069.49
Miles: 2,013
Avg.: .531/mile

Week 5:
-Garden City, GA to Savannah, GA and back (2.75 hours local work)
-----Garden City, GA to Riceboro, GA (hook preloaded tank)
-----Riceboro, GA to Calvert City, KY (customer unload)
-----Calvert City, KY to West Memphis, AR (drop dirty tank)
-West Memphis, AR (hook preloaded tank), then to Greensboro, NC (customer unload, then drop dirty tank)
-----Greensboro, NC (hook preloaded tank), then to Dalton, GA (customer unload)
-----Dalton, GA to Morrow, GA (drop dirty tank, hook clean tank)
-Morrow, GA to Macon, GA (live load)
-Macon, GA to Bennettsville, SC (driver unload with truck air)
-Bennettsville, SC to Jax, FL for time off (drop dirty tank)
Gross: $1,261.10
Miles: 2,695
Avg.: .467/mile

2006 Totals, from solo start Aug. 8th (not including training week/pay):
Gross: $4,440.15
Miles: 8,866
Avg.: .50/mile
Placarded/Regulated Loads: 3
Days Working: 23 (includes yesterday)
Days Off: 6 (leaving out Wednesday)

I'm liking this !!!!

Y'all be safe and have fun :wink:...