Air Liquide
 

Any other AL drivers here? I just started with the company about 3 weeks ago and am extremely happy with the company. This will definitely be the company I retire from.

Re: Air Liquide
 

I hope your 64 years old.lol

Re: Air Liquide
 

That is toooooo funny. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I heard nothing but good thing from air liquide. Theres an opening in Orlando near me but they wont hire me with 2 speeding tickets in 3 yrs.
Good luck with it, i'll try again in 2009

I have a relative that worked for them from 1980-1998 at their Etiwanda, CA. air seperation plant. He was a bulk transport driver. Air Liquide (or "Leaky Air"-as it's known in the cryogenic biz) FIRED all their drivers and contracted out to Jack B. Kelley. They did lose a a group unlawful termination lawsuit and had to pay the drivers a few million in damages, but it never brought their jobs back. I drive for the Linde Group, doing the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen deliveries. In California, AL is closing a lot of their facilities and at all their other plants(in California) they have let the drivers go and contracted with Trimac.

I actually started with Trimac, but they were a joke. 4 months and every single one of my paychecks were short. I probably would have just switched to Linde since I already knew where all the customers were, but it's in their contract that they can't hire Trimac drivers until 30 days. I'm very happy to be at AL now. Nobody comes close around here as far as pay and benefits for local drivers.

Where do you deliver to in that area? BR? Gonzales? NO? I wasn't aware AL had a DS terminal.

I work out of Geismar. I live in DS now, but I'm moving to Gonzales next month to be closer.

Re: Air Liquide
 

You know something I don't?

Im actually am done with Yellow and have moved onto Praxair Inc. Home everyday and off weekends with hourly pay and time and a half after 8 . I'm very happy so far , a lot of paperwork and guidelines and won't be solo for at least another month with all the training but so far I really like it thus far . Any questions I will be happy to answer .

Not meaning to hijack the thread. But, I have been thinking about trying out Praxair for a few simple reasons. It's so close to home I can walk to work. I am currently commuting an hour to work. And from what I have heard the pay is awesome. I have been driving for 3 years and do have all endorsements. But. I do not have any tanker or hazmat experience. Will they still consider me? Also, at least in my area I noticed they have both their own drivers plus have drivers hired through Ryder running loads for them. So, any input you can give me would help. Thanks.

To add, and I have a clean driving record. I am 35 and haven't had a ticket since I was 18. (knocks on wood)

Until you sit down with them and talk, you will never really know if they will train you...but..I would say yes. You don't have any nasty "Haz-Mat" habits to drag behind you...which most companies like.

What kind of scratch are we talking about a Praxair DY. I drive by their Speedway terminal everyday?

Re: Air Liquide
 

Shaun, are they out of New Jersey. I see the BOC gases guys with tractors labeled with Air Liquide or some close to that?

Re: Air Liquide
 

Shaun, are they out of New Jersey. I see the BOC gases (Indy) guys with tractors labeled with Air Liquide or some close to that?

Re: Air Liquide
 

Shaun, are they out of New Jersey? I see the BOC gases (Indy) guys with tractors labeled with Air Liquide or some close to that?

Re: Air Liquide
 

BOC was bought up by Linde Corp...same stuff as Prax Air and Air Liquide.

http://www.us.lindegas.com/internati...alias/Homepage

Re: Air Liquide
 

So what's your take on the whole situation with Linde/BOC, I run diesel in to the Indy terminal and just happen to know the driver manager............

I just started with Praxair around 2 weeks ago after leaving Yellow because I got sick of the inconsistentcy . They seem very safety oriented thus far and the pay is excellent . You will need hamat and tanker to be considered , so you may want to get those endorsements . I'm a cylinder driver which includes lots of the physical work going to hospitals and factories but also very rewarding . The bulk division is much less physical but the hours are lousy . Anything other questions let me know .

I work for Linde/BOC out of the Sacramento plant. So far, so good. Easy work, pretty safety oriented, moneys fine, just not crazy about working weekends. Although you do have two days off in a row. The company is all Linde now, they are in the process of re-painting all the trailers. Hope you like 55mph, because we run the XATA on board computer system. I should have added I do the bulk cryogenic side (Lox, Ln2 and argon plus hydrogen, gas and liquid). But they are nice people for the most part. Most cryogenic companies WILL train as long as you have a few years exp. and a tank/haz-mat endorsement and a good record.

Re: Air Liquide
 

I really don't have a take on the buy-out. I tried to hire on with BOC nack in 06. The terminal manager over in Baytown told me to hold off until the buyout was done...I never went back.

As far as Linde..I have always heard that they were a great company to work for. I've never had a company driver from them, Air Liquide, or even PraxAir...when they were still Union Carbide and after the name change, complain about wages, work hours, or benneies.

I worked for Trimac/airproducts, and Air Liquide was a 3rd party carrier using Trimac drivers as well, I liked Trimac, but Air Products sucked. Working way too many hours, way too many delays. Both companies worked out of Santa Fe Springs, Ca. The paperwork is mind boggling and very time comsuming. Wayyyyyyy too many problems if you ask me. The only way I would consider cryogenics again would be by the hour, not the load, I thought getting a hazmat and tanker endourcment would be very rewarding pay, seems like most companies take advantage of it, not reward it. Getting a hazmat and tanker cdl isnt easy and im glad I did, but the pay just isnt there, for what you have to go through

There is a boat-load of truth in that statement! If you are in Southern Cali, you have a tough row to hoe, because of the numbers of people. TWIC should make it easier for you, by weeding out the fake drivers with fake papers.......but only TIME will tell.

Stan, have you had to obtain/apply for a TWIC yet? Is it required at any of your shippers/receivers?

And (just in case anyone is interested) TRIMAC has been terminated by Air Liquide nationwide as of September 27, 2008. Trimac tried to raise rates and put all kinds of conditions on their contract and Air Liquide basically told them where to "pound sand". It's back to company drivers at Air Liquide as 09/27/08. Praxair and Air Products still are using TRIMAC though. Thank God, I'm at Linde, it's nice and peaceful over here....http://www.linde.com

Many of the plants I go into have posted warnings that Nov 1 is the date they start turning away drivers who don't have the TWIC card. Mine is sitting over at the beaumont TWIC center at Ford Park. Their computers that activate the card is down..they won't distribute the cards...because they can't be activated.

LOL....There won't be any readers available at Plants to read the cards until next July at the earliest...probably longer than that.

Did you / do you work for Trimac ? I checked them out 2 months ago, at their terminal in East Braddock, when I was visiting that area, and spoke to the guy who is in-charge of the place. He showed me around, and was actually really nice to have come in on his day off, since I was flying home ( back to Edmonton ) that day.

Up here in Western Canada, Trimac is really big ( maybe even the biggest ), when it comes to bulk hauling. They're based out of Calgary, which is about 270km south of Edmonton, where I live. They also have a huge set-up here. I happen to work for one of their chief competitors, although we're not as big as they are. We're a much older company by far, and our line of work in dry bulk is very focussed on the oilpatch.

They are a very well respected company here, and have a pretty good reputation. Most of their drivers and owner-ops are very happy with them, and have been around for a long time ( as have those of ours ). I am, though, curious to know what they are like down in the US, especially in the Pittsburgh area. Any information would be sincerely appreciated.

Thanks.

You tanker boys going to pretty much need a TWIC to get into the refineries around the country? They've been out to the ones in the NW here signing people up, but I've recieved different info on who needs them and who doesnt.

What is a TWIC card?

http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/

Not just US tanker boys.

If you haul "Cans" off of Ports, your going to be required to hold a TWIC card.

If you pick up to ANY Military or Government associated businesses or Base...your going to be required to possess a TWIC card.


Northrop Grumman is running the TWIC program...they don't go anywhere to sign drivers up...Drivers go to them...and pay $132.50 for the pleasure.

Fort Lewis and the Naval Bases up here in the PNW haven't brought up anything about a TWIC to the LTL's that run the bases.

already have a twic card, every harbor is going to go to it. The abbrivations are Transportation, Workers, Identification, Credential.

air liquide
 

Drivers, stay away from air liquide Mt. Vernon Indiana terminal Sorriest place i have ever worked at 14- 16 hour night shift...

It's been a while since I posted this thread. I've been at AL for 7 months now and couldn't be happier. I don't know what it's like at other terminals but mine is good. I've never made even close to the money I'm making now. I do work nights and most weekends, but I'm more than willing to do that for the money I'm making.

and I'm still@Linde and life is OK....not great, but considering the economy and stuff, I'm very happy to have a job with decent pay and health care etc. Finally got a Sunday/Monday off bid, so not too bad. Even in this crappy economy we still hired 4 drivers 2 weeks ago in Northern California. All laid off from Arco and Saia Motor Freight and Fed-Ex freight.

all the air liquide boc linde praxair trucks i see around jersey are all new and clean lookin air liq and prax are penske and ryder trucks from what i see on the fenders

I've been at Air Products for 7 months. My facility/terminal has hired 2 in the last month, so hopefully things are starting to pick up for everyone.