I'm looking for any info on Boyd Bros Trans. out of Alabama, If anyone can help me out, that would be awesome. I'm thinking about joining them pulling flat.

Interested in finding out how there dispatching, pay, equipment, home time, turn over rate, servicing area, and anything else that may be important in joining them. I can't find anything negative on them so far, could it be possible there is one good company to work for ?

 

I would check into CRST Malone Flatbed, the pay is better and unless you have some FB experience as an 0/0 Boyd Bros will not hire you as an 0/0, not sure about hiring on as a company driver. Boyd Bros has alot of good going for them according to their website and they were awarded best small carrier to work for, but the payscale is not up there like CRST Flatbed, (Not to be confused with the CRST Van Division, which I have heard is TRASH).

I have thought about going to CRST Malone and have talked with several of their drivers on OOIDA Website and they are really happy there, 1 has 29 years, and the other three have been there several years and like them very much.

 

Only thing I know is that their company trucks are governed at 59-60...... thats bout it LOL

 

Rick, have you checked with BTC in TN???? They are hiring O/O right now and i hear the pay is descent.

 

I agree with the others, Btc seems good, Crst Malone I can attest is very good and has more of a small carrier feel with the freight of a big one. I didnt drive for them long as i was driving for a fleet owner but i didnt have a problem finding loads, people were friendly and helpful. Just dont lease a trailer from them, get ur own unless they got some new ones, they used to have a bunch of junk.

 

I'm having a change of heart, I was going to do my O/O operation as outlined in the forum under "start up cost", but have come to realize it will be a much better situation if I am able to be the driver, that way I cut cost of driver, and have full control of my destiny. So with that being said, I am going to sign on with a company and get a least 6 months to a year experience first. As required under LS and CRST Malone requirements.( requirements for LS experience: 1 yr exp. within past 3yrs including snow and ice, And 6 month within last 4 yrs. with equipment applying to pull) My problem is that when I do finally switch over to o/o I want to pull flatbed or step deck as it tends to pays a lot more. Well, I live in Tampa,FL. and there is no flat bed companies wanting to hire and train in flats or step. So i found maverick and Boyd Bros. Trans. They will both train in flat/step but not in my area, would have to relocate to Tennessee, Alabama, or Georgia which really isn't an option for me.

And just in case I haven't stated before , I have had my CDL 4 yrs now but didn't use it at all after school because my wife was expecting our third child and I didn't want to leave her in the middle of it. so I put everything on the back burner for a later date. Well the date has come and I was able to get a couple of tractor and trailer loans because I have had my CDL for more than 2 years, which is what the bank requires and also insurance no matter if I have been driving or not. My credit score and current income may have a little to do with it as well, but mainly because I have had CDL for 2 yrs. As I have outlined in forum under ( start up cost). I basically can buy truck/trailer but can't drive it for any company leased on because I don't have the experience. Unless I get my own Authority. That's to risky... I do have driver with 25yrs exp. that would probably be accepted at LS and CRST, but he mainly wants to stay in southern states and I can't promise him that, because I will go where ever the acceptable rate takes me. And southern states don't pay as much as others, unless u have a contract freight direct from dist.


So i started searching again and found two more companies that hire out of Florida, but with van freight. They both have great foundation, pay, and have separate division for flatbed where I may be able to transfer over over time. The companies are, Roehl Trans. and Pam Trans. with Roehl being my number one choice right now.

They just want me to get refresher course, which isn't a problem at all. And then go to Orientation in Ellenwood ,GA. for 8 days, they pay me 300 bucks (part of bonus) after 8 days, then I go out with Trainer for 13 days at 90 bucks a day. and then at end of that I get another 300 bucks ( totals 600 bonus). After I'm done with 13 days they send me home with tractor/trailer and I'm on my own. Total time in orientation/ Training 21 days and 1770.00 dollars pay. Then .30 cpm for 3 months .32 3-6 months and .35 6-12 months. Of which at 6 months I can then switch over to either flatbed division, or 1 yr O/O with them.

Ive literally checked every company out of Florida and this the best I could find. All the rest were at either at .22 mile, or making you train for peanuts for 6 weeks, or training you and putting you under contract for a year, ect..BS.

I have a goal to achieve, and if I can make descent money while I working towards that goal that would be awesome. I know .30 or .32 cents (700-800 bucks) is anything to brag about, but I guess you sometimes have to take two steps backwards in order to take 5 steps forward in the future.

Anyways if any of you guy's have any suggestions please fill me in.

 

Have you thought about getting your own authority?

 

I believe you are heading in the right direction.... Being an 0/0 sounds great and it has it moments or greatness, but to start out green and not have the experience to understand how everything works to me is asking for major problems.

Don't get me wrong, you can make others have made it, but the odds are stacked against you doing it fresh out of the gate. Sure the company may not be be paying as much as some of the other companies are, sure they are gonna take advantage of your inexperience and pay you much less than an experienced driver. At the end of the day..... You can quit and go back home, you buy equipment and at the end of the day...... it still has to be worked on, it still has to be figured out how to pay the bills, etc, and with a family and kids to put food on the table it can become a chain and ball for sure.

I am an 0/0 I haul logs for a living home every night and off and off on weekends, so I am not like alot on this forum who can give you better advice on OTR and what you can expect there, but I do know alot about taking care of a Business and how it can drain you when things are going wrong.

It is easy to want to jump or be told to jump, but I would go with the Company... You will more than likely HATE it, and wish you had bought and started, but learn what you can and do the math and figure up and most of all, ASK questions from people who have done what you are about to do and LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES, so it won't cost you so much in the start up.

I may be in the process of going over the road and you can pull up my post on this forum and OOIDA Forum, I have asked a TON of questions about any and everything from: Truck to buy (Mine is a Daycab), Trailer lease or buy, equipment for Flatbedding, Computer for Truck and Printer that I will need, any and everything I could think of, and you know what.... I still don't feel as if I have asked enough or learned enough at this point, and I have been an 0/0 since Sept 2006.

Once again not trying to rain on your parade or tell you it can't be done, but Man learn all you can as a company driver and then if you decide to do it, you won't be so green.

Biggest advice I can give you: ASK, THEN ASK AGAIN, THEN ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO NOT ANSWER, THEN GO BACK AND READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN!

 

Who is BTC?

 

Builders Transport out of Tn; Flatbed outfit.