Profile For Ben

I haven’t ever done flatbed so can’t say for sure. I always strive to give it my all. I was just looking for input if .60cpm in the flatbed side of the industry is decent. I still don’t fully understand class 4, and class 3 freight, but I’m sure I’ll understand it in due time. I really don’t want to talk about it here.

Take care

I think it sounds great. My question is, "How good are you at flatbed work?" That's what makes all the difference. There will be drivers at ATS who make considerably more money than you while earning a similar rate of pay. That's just how trucking works.

The perks and preferences go to the producers. Everything is performance based. We haven't heard from you in a year. That was about the time you started a new job with Bynum. What's making you look for greener grass?

Sometimes it's not so much the pasture you are stuck in that's keeping you from doing well. Often it's a lack of understanding of how to make this job come out in your favor. Once you switch companies you are the new guy all over again. You'll have to prove your worth all over again if you want to enjoy success.

Have you developed yourself into an effective tanker driver? One year is a short time to really achieve that. It will be the same struggle becoming a flatbed driver. Have you considered those things? There is nothing wrong with the pay scale at ATS. Just remember there's way more to making good money at this than searching out the highest CPM rate.

Hi everyone! How are we all doing! I have a question……

I’ve been in touch with ATS about possibly going to them, and I was wondering is .60cpm for class 4 freight, and 61cpm for class 3 freight decent for starting out as a company flatbed driver?

Thank you and all the best to all of you.

Ben

Not sure if my post posted at all so lets try again...

Through the first month, and a half here my thoughts about bynum. This company is kind of weird. Upper management doesn't like to introduce themselves. Not sure if its a southern thing or not. The dispatchers don't seem to care at all about HOS. So far for the first month and a half of the year I've driven 14,900ish miles. The dispatchers seem to be making good on their promise that If I give them 3 weeks they'll give me 3 days. Some time in April insurance should kick in which is a good thing. I think after really thinking long and hard about it...I'm going to look at getting my hazmat endorsement. The problem Minnesota expects you to make an appointment. So I'm going to wait until I get residency setup in Georgia.

just my very early thoughts on bynum.

take care everyone

Hi there Everyone!

How are we all doing? Well I have crossed the first 5,000 miles pulling tanker for Bynum, and my first thoughts are these.....I haven’t gotten called to roll over the scale so far. The people I have come across at the shipper, and receivers seem pretty nice. My paychecks seem to be very respectable. The company has 250 trucks, and I think maybe just as many trailers if not more? I’m not sure on this factoid. IT is nice getting paid to sit. this past week I got to Gary,IN on Monday when I wasn’t suppose to be there until Tuesday, and I sat from 11am on Monday until Wednesday morning. Made $300 for doin that to. Other Bynum drivers seem to be very nice, and willing to jump in if I have a question. Dispatchers seem to be happy with me so far. company seems willing to let me mount a 50w dual band radio in the truck.

It looks like the best I can tell they buy 50 new trailers a year there some polar tanks in the fleet to my surprise. Truck seems nice for a 2017 Peterbilt 579 10 speed. The company gets rid of the trucks when they hit 400,000 miles.

More thoughts to come as I got along

Take care & tail winds,

Ben

I want to ad on an item I just found out looking at my paystub from 12/18. I had a Dh (deadhead) of 211.90 miles, and only got paid .25cpm. This had been going on like this for the last 6 months.

Hi Anne,

What are you speaking of that has 400 trucks? I’ve never worked for a company that size yet. The first company I was at had 30 trucks, then the company I just left had 8 or 9. Bynum has 150. I forgot to mention in the posting

Watch out tanker world...........Herrrrrrrrrre comes Benny! :)

Happy New Year Everyone,

I want to start this post off by telling you right off the bat that you really do have to be careful when your looking small mom, and pop companies. As I found out today after I tried to give my 2 week notice to my boss (lets call her Linda). Me, Linda, and her son were all in the office talking about my paychecks. The same topic we were talking about Monday night while I was driving when I driving trying to tell her all the bills I had to pay on. I tried to her that I had not noticed that I made more money after we redid the W-4 form. Going into Christmas I was $500 in the red. I felt depressed because I couldn’t get my mom or stepdad any Christmas gifts. Why $675 a week just isn’t enough when I really have to be making $1000+ a week. As meeting progressed her son left and it was me, and Linda. She starts to bring up about one of the drivers who had been on a medical absence because of surgery or whatever, his doctor cleared him to come back. At that moment I tried to give her my 2 week notice, and then she said “you don’t need a 2 week notice” just go ahead and clean your truck out. I tried to wish her well, I tried to tell her on a personal level I liked her, but I couldn’t stay doing this. She just kept blowing me off. Tried to wish her all the best, and none of the worst. I did get that much, but NO Happy New Year! No text Message Saying Merry Christmas. No warning about the impending snowstorm that I would be driving into. NO Layover pay, NO Detention pay, I would suspect that I was getting hosed on some miles to. NO bonuses for being out on Sunday or Holidays.

These people came off as being anti-Christian maybe? For a company like this one I do pray that god will find them and hit them over the head, question is would they say outch? They claim to be republicans.

The tanker drivers I have spoken to all have said that I should be doing a lot better after 2 years. I’m now at 28 months and counting.

So please let this story be a learning lesson for everyone. BE VERY VERY Careful about some. Mom and pop shops can be really really good or they can be really really bad.

Take care; All the best & Happy New Year2021! May you have a prosperous new Year!

MNBenny

Benny .... when Tom (husband person) left driving for Ted (asphalt person) we had a way to go.. to get paid. Tanks were fun, asphalt was great for 4 years .. each year(til winter) and .. then.. it all wasn't. Sounds like 'our' sob story, tbh. Ted's wife got ALL the rigs in the divorce .. and we could buy'em ALL .. or nary a one. Yep. Comfort went to conundrum. (ps: had to pull flats in the winter, which we knew NADA about... boy, I'll post that someday when I'm ready to catch the heat....)

Since finding a 'small'ISH' 400 power units place.. life is good. Any way you could step up to something like this, without quitting the game? O/S is entirely correct.. and our former Bossman .. ie: O/O GUY was a tank yank, as well. (Race, Creed, Gender, Political affiliation, nonwithstanding.)

Just like Bugs Bunny to Yosemite Sam .. 'Be Vewy Vewy Careful!'

Wish you well, sir. Been there, with my husband.

~ Anne ~

Your ok Old school its on me for not mentioning that part, and PJ knows what I had gone through because we had talked lots of times about this. To think one of the brokers we went through for this load I just dropped yesterday said they were very happy with me that not only did get there in a timely manner to get the load, but then got it up to MN in a timely manner, and then asked if I was going to be back in the area.

For the record I’ve been driving for 28 months. That’s spread across two different companies. Arfsten for 22 months then Marco for 6 months.

So sorry Ben, I totally misunderstood that part.

Here's an interesting article that some of you may enjoy. It's on the subject of small trucking companies and why they are so challenging.

Why Small Trucking Companies Are Often A Disaster Waiting To Happen

For the record I’ve been driving for 28 months. That’s spread across two different companies. Arfsten for 22 months then Marco for 6 months.

Happy New Year Everyone,

I want to start this post off by telling you right off the bat that you really do have to be careful when your looking small mom, and pop companies. As I found out today after I tried to give my 2 week notice to my boss (lets call her Linda). Me, Linda, and her son were all in the office talking about my paychecks. The same topic we were talking about Monday night while I was driving when I driving trying to tell her all the bills I had to pay on. I tried to her that I had not noticed that I made more money after we redid the W-4 form. Going into Christmas I was $500 in the red. I felt depressed because I couldn’t get my mom or stepdad any Christmas gifts. Why $675 a week just isn’t enough when I really have to be making $1000+ a week. As meeting progressed her son left and it was me, and Linda. She starts to bring up about one of the drivers who had been on a medical absence because of surgery or whatever, his doctor cleared him to come back. At that moment I tried to give her my 2 week notice, and then she said “you don’t need a 2 week notice” just go ahead and clean your truck out. I tried to wish her well, I tried to tell her on a personal level I liked her, but I couldn’t stay doing this. She just kept blowing me off. Tried to wish her all the best, and none of the worst. I did get that much, but NO Happy New Year! No text Message Saying Merry Christmas. No warning about the impending snowstorm that I would be driving into. NO Layover pay, NO Detention pay, I would suspect that I was getting hosed on some miles to. NO bonuses for being out on Sunday or Holidays.

These people came off as being anti-Christian maybe? For a company like this one I do pray that god will find them and hit them over the head, question is would they say outch? They claim to be republicans.

The tanker drivers I have spoken to all have said that I should be doing a lot better after 2 years. I’m now at 28 months and counting.

So please let this story be a learning lesson for everyone. BE VERY VERY Careful about some. Mom and pop shops can be really really good or they can be really really bad.

Take care; All the best & Happy New Year2021! May you have a prosperous new Year!

MNBenny

What does it cost for the Minnesota Hazmat Endorsement test?