JB Hunt - Dedicated position
 

I found out about a dedicated position close to home that I'm seriously (VERY seriously) considering. I've already done my application and phone interview and will know on Monday if I'm qualified (they said they see no problems when I was on the phone with them).

The position has quite a few pluses over my current gig (which I've only done for just over a month):
1 - Higher pay - $0.39 per mile vs the $0.35 per mile I get now
2 - Slightly newer truck - a brand new truck vs the 2002 Columbia, 1.1million mile truck I'm currently in
3 - Dedicated freight - the loads originate less than 50 miles from my house.
4 - (this will drive some of you nuts) E-Logs - I didn't realize how much I liked them until I stopped using them. Dispatch can't make up their own rules to fit their needs under E-Logs
5 - Direct Deposit vs hoping the check doesn't get lost in the mail and trying to get it into the bank before noon on Saturday, which I currently deal with
6 - (This is the biggest): Health insurance I can afford: $60 per week for every insurance vs $245 per week for basic health insurance at my current gig
7 - Hometime is almost the same - home weekends, plus if I can get through during the week. The only difference is that I'll get a true 48hrs off minimum, compared to getting home late on Friday and have to leave the instant my 34 is up.

The position is hauling wood beams out of Buckhannon, WV. There are loads going to Canada, but that doesn't bother me - I did plenty of that with Celadon. Plus, all of the customs paperwork with JBH is done electronically. They said not all loads are tarped, just depends on the customers needs. It's been quite awhile (almost 12 years now) since I've touched a tarp. That should be fun.

So, other than having to deal with tarps and riding the Greyhound to New Brunswick, NJ, it sounds good to me. If they give me the approval on Monday, I'll be heading out there the following Monday for orientation.

Hope you get it. Keep us updated!! I was gonna run woth them but the car sales man said they don't hire out of calf.. Car sales man meaning recruiter

when i was running rail work in harrisburg, every JB driver seemed to be very happy.

Forgot to mention that they said their new trucks (ProStars) all have the dog-box mounted A/C system. I had the same thing in the truck at Celadon. Loved it. JB's trucks go a step further by having a power inverter on them, as well. Celadon only give the inverter/fridge equipped trucks to teams.

Sounds like a winner to me! The new truck just might not be a step up tho:) It's taken me (and the shop &dealer)200,000 to get the bugs outa mine!
Just from the pay and healthecare costs it's a no brainer, good luck!

That's true. It took 6 or 7 months for Celadon to realize that we DO need the engine brake to NOT turn off above 67mph.

I am extremely suspicious when a new hire gets offered a "supposed" good deal. WHY hasn't one of their existing drivers jumped all over this "good deal".

Location, probably.

Unless you're in Duck's Ass Nowhere there's always a JB, Werner, Schneider, Swift driver that lives close by.

I don't live in Duck's Ass. That's about an hours drive before you get to my house.

Everything is set for me to be at orientation in East Brunswick, NJ (nice place for a driving test, right?) on Monday. Thursday is my last day at my current gig. They was going to provide a bus ticket for me until I found out the full details of how my orientation will go:

Sunday - ride the bus (2hr car drive to the bus station followed by 12hrs on the bus)
Monday thru Thursday around noon at orientation
Thursday afternoon - get back on the bus for 12hrs back to the same bus terminal, followed by a 2hr car ride back home
Monday - go to the terminal/contract location and get my truck

Since I'm coming home for the weekend after orientation, I'm driving there myself. A total of 13hrs in the car vs 24hrs in the bus plus 4hrs in the car. It'll cost me around 3 tanks of gas total, so it's worth it to me.