Another Driver With A New Gig

Congrats on the new gig. I've hauled a couple of bar Nunn trailers, they're repainted though. They towed straighter than ours lol. The pay scale seems interesting. Does the company seem flexible or more rigid?

Thanks for the support, Anne and Steve. Not sure I'll do an actual diary. I will try to highlight anything that seems unique from time to time in order to keep folks "posted".

Does the company seem flexible or more rigid?

Fairly rigid so far when it comes to logging. Also when sending macros and writing all the required information on the BOL's I scan. All macros require accurate ETA's, arrival and departure times. This info needs to be entered by the driver. It is not auto-filled as with other systems I've used. Driving is less ridgid. There is no lane departure system and no adaptive cruise control or alerts that warn when you're following too closely. Certain events like hard braking will trigger a forward facing camera to record the event. They only hire drivers with experience and they do pay well. I guess they figure we are up to the challenge of doing things their way.

To be perfectly honest it might have been easier to start out with a company like this...Before I developed my own ways of doing things. It's a little annoying right now. But, I figure I'll humble myself and approach things as though I'm new to the profession. I'll take any corrections they send to heart and do my best to make sure I'm doing things the way they require.

Forgot to mention... The company uses a teflon-coated skid plate. No 5th wheel grease required. Because of this they require a specific technique when hooking and unhooking from trailers.

1) back up to trailer until the front of the trailer is even with the rear drive tires. 2) dump air bags to lower suspension 3) back up until front drive tires are even with front edge if trailer. 4) fill air bags to raise suspension 5) back up to latch the king pin

They don't want the edge of the trailer banging and scraping the top of the 5th wheel too much bc it damages the teflon coating.

When unhooking they want us to lower landing gear until it hovers 1/2 an inch above the ground, use the king pin release inside the cab, pull forward slightly, lower the air bags, then pull out. Again to minimize the scraping of the 5th wheel on the apron.

Also, the 5th wheel has a bolt on its front edge (see photo). If the bolt is flush with the 5th wheel, the jaws are latched around the king pin (I still look around the back to make sure though)

Congrats on the new gig!!!

As you already know companies all have their own quirks. Many different ways to accomplish the same goal. It will annoy you till you get it down, but after you learn “their way” you’ll be fine.

I see most of their equipment in the northeast and upper midwest. Always looks well maintained.

Wishing you the best!!!

I decided to part ways with Cowan after only 9 months. There are many reasons. The biggest ones have to do with not getting home on a consistent basis and not for as much time as I was told I'd be home. "2 days home during the week" was more often only one day and a "full 48 hours every weekend" turned out to be more like 40 hours. The pay was great! The personnel were pleasant. If I didn't have other options I would have stuck it out with Cowan. There are worse jobs in this industry I'm sure.

I just ran my first load with Barr-Nunn. They are a smallish company based in Granger, IA, operating around 500+ tractors, mainly in the Eastern part of the country. They operate autonomously under the Swift/Knight umbrella of trucking companies.

What I find most interesting is the way they pay some of their drivers. In my area-and for the region I work in (Northeast)-they offer Shift+Load pay. Meaning, I get a flat rate of $260 for each day I'm on duty, plus $90 for every load I deliver. Yesterday I drove a total of a little over 260 miles for one load. Today I'm looking at around 350 miles for the load I'm currently planned on.

When driving OTR it's all about getting more miles...longer loads. Now I'm hoping for short loads. The miles don't matter.

I'm running Northeast regional with weekends at home. Barr-Nunn also offers local routes, home daily with weekends off. That pays $200 per shift plus $90 per load. They also have OTR positions. Not sure what the CPM is for that. I'm not trying recruit here. Just providing info in case people want to explore different options.

I’ve always been intriqued by their pay scale and bonuses, unfortunately I’m out of their hiring area and don’t really want to do the jet set thing they have. Too bad they don’t run in the south, I’ve always heard good things about them. Let us know if there’s any catches you find on that gravy train, gl and safe travels.

Fun fact for those who may not know. That bolt he refers to on the 5th wheel adjusts the jaw tension

Thanks for the support, Anne and Steve. Not sure I'll do an actual diary. I will try to highlight anything that seems unique from time to time in order to keep folks "posted".

Does the company seem flexible or more rigid?

Fairly rigid so far when it comes to logging. Also when sending macros and writing all the required information on the BOL's I scan. All macros require accurate ETA's, arrival and departure times. This info needs to be entered by the driver. It is not auto-filled as with other systems I've used. Driving is less ridgid. There is no lane departure system and no adaptive cruise control or alerts that warn when you're following too closely. Certain events like hard braking will trigger a forward facing camera to record the event. They only hire drivers with experience and they do pay well. I guess they figure we are up to the challenge of doing things their way.

To be perfectly honest it might have been easier to start out with a company like this...Before I developed my own ways of doing things. It's a little annoying right now. But, I figure I'll humble myself and approach things as though I'm new to the profession. I'll take any corrections they send to heart and do my best to make sure I'm doing things the way they require.

You're for sure welcome, RD !!!

I'm following THIS thread, to a 'T' ... because Tom often gets 'solicited' by these guys. Not a bad thing, we've just never really looked into them. Right down the road, in Columbus, too. Is that a decent terminal?

Their pay scale seems interesting, for sure. I'm anticipating hearing how it all goes for you, being new. Hiring bonuses as stated? Sounds like there can be some really good money to be made there!

Here's the one that would work for us; having Mon. & Tues. off instead of Sat. & Sun. isn't a bad thing to us, at all. Banking and business is tough to take care of on the weekends; we'd rather have two weekdays off. I wonder if when I get my CDL , were Tom working there, would they let him train me, and run teams with him? I'll have to look into it, but if you hear anything along those lines, I'd love to know . . . Thanks !!

The link to the position in our area: Barr Nunn Weekend Job. Is this like what you do?

You've got my interest piqued, and I sure am dang happy for YOU, too! Love to see pix of your truck, when you can.

Thanks again, and best forward!!!!

~ Anne (& Tom) ~

ps: Does anyone remember'why' Ernie left them? Ernie's Rocky Start w/Barr Nunn.

Anne,

The link to the position in our area: Barr Nunn Weekend Job. Is this like what you do?

I assume you entered your zip code to see what they offered in your area. Looks like they may not have the shift plus load pay available there. This is what comes up in my zip code: (sorry I'm not as tech savvy when it comes to adding a clickable link🙁 Don't have the time right now to figure it out)

https://barr-nunntruckingjobs.com/driving-jobs-results.asp

This is what I chose:

https://barr-nunntruckingjobs.com/northeast-regional-truck-driving-job.asp

Fun fact for those who may not know. That bolt he refers to on the 5th wheel adjusts the jaw tension

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Never seen something like it before.

unfortunately I’m out of their hiring area and don’t really want to do the jet set thing they have.

One of the drivers I was in orientation with was a rehire. He worked for barr-nunn a couple years ago while living in Southern Arizona. The company flew him home for home time and flew him back to a terminal when his home time was done. He said he was ok with it. I wouldn't want to do it though.

He just relocated to Hagerstown, MD for a local position.

Love to see pix of your truck, when you can.