Transwood reviews

I've been with TransWood Carriers for over 15 years. Most of the guys here have been here that long, if not longer. Previous to this job I worked at a smaller regional trucking company out of Alabama. I worked there right out of trucking school and it was awful. In the two years that I was there I never got a raise and was often not paid because the payroll department made so many errors. 

TransWood has been great. First of all they get me home! I get to go to soccer games, school meetings and all that. The pay is great too and the benefits. I've had a few errors on my paycheck but it was mostly because I forgot to do all the paperwork. Once I told them about the error they set my pay right immediately. I've got my entire family covered under their health, vision, and dental insurance. I often get to pick which loads I want to run and where I want to go. 

A lot of people seem to think TransWood is a bad company. They are hard to get a job from. They hire EXPERIENCED drivers only and if you have an traffic violations forget about it. Apparently to a lot of people that seems too strict, but let me tell you it is a DREAM not to work with idiots. For the most part the only person you have to worry about is yourself because everyone actually knows how to do their job unlike most companies. If you're just out of school and in trucking for the short term TransWood isn't the place for you, but if you want an actual career where you get extra vacation time each year you work there, plus excellent pay and benefits then TransWood is worth checking out. I know they are always looking for drivers, at least somewhere they are. They've got over 40 terminals across the country. My wife got a new job so we had to move, but they fixed me right up with the closest terminal to my hometown.

I was an o/o for 13 years and my husband has been driving about the same amount of time, so we've been in trucking on both sides. My husband now works for Transwood and so far, we have no complaints. He's home DAILY and he makes good money. The company hires experience and they are extremely safety oriented. The benefits are competitive and his boss goes above and beyond to ensure the drivers needs are met. Not everyone is going to have the same experiences but for us, they are a good company.

I've read a lot on transwood here figured I'd do a story out of a different Side of the coin so to speak. So anyways figure I'll update this as I get time so far it's been a 3 week journey For those that don't already know I'm an O/O so it'll be from an owner ops perspective on things.

To begin with they're strict from what I have seen. Currently I have a county plate on my tractor from a previous local gig that went south and didn't bother reinstating my authority during a local trip because it wasn't required. Not having active authority kicked me out of the carrier pool the first week. Week 2 was an insurance headache additional insured must be checked in every box or it'll get kicked out. That added another week to the time I've sat waiting to even get started but that was the week my blower was getting put on so I guess it wasn't a huge deal.

So here we sit af week 3 I was hoping to get going this week but alas rain...so we have no work. Rain being called for in the forecast the rest of the week so it'll more than likely be next week before anything picks up and I can actually get going...supposedly. I've met a few different kinds over here at transwood. I trained last week on unloading had a great trainer seemed very knowledgeable even gave me his phone number if I had any questions. Took the other truck into the shop this a.m. to get a blower put on it and met a disgruntled employee...well the guy had a hard on for owner ops. Non stop whining and complaining about owner ops taking his loads and money. I guess out of the lousiville ne terminal (terminal I run out of) There's about a 50/50 split company to O/O. But it's hard to say from everything Ive seen company trucks outnumber o/o's 3 to 1 if not more. Anyway wasn't a great trainer at all IMHO but I wanted the other driver to at least get a feel for what's going on instead of getting thrown to the wolves. 

Trailers seem to be pretty basic once you understand the valves doesn't seem like there's much too it aside from watching pressures I'm sure I'll screw something up eventually but we'll wait and see. a few things that have been instilled in me is 
1.ask questions
2.Pump into the correct silo (sorry blow)
3.don't bother running heavy it doesn't pay anymore when you have to shell the money out for a fine
4.don't panic when you begin to plug up.
This was all instilled in me by my trainer who had been doing this for about 7 years or so. My terminal manager seems like a pretty decent guy but he's also monotone. I can't tell weather he hates me or not. Kinda been a pain in his arse because I've been calling for a week wanting to get going but I guess they don't see the point in running 1 day and taking 4 days off. alas when the time comes I'll be ready.

I did talk to my trainer who seemed very knowedge able about the company and he did say the terminal makes all the difference the terminal manager has been there 20+ years and seems like he generally cares. The app process for a company driver takes about a month. They are very through when they go through everything and they want clean records on everything or they throw the app out. From what I gathered they used to check the logs of the independs. Seems like a lot of people get turned away I can't say. Company drivers are paid via percentage from what I gathered unless something is flat rated. Home nightly and they only run a 250 mile radius of the terminal. I believe they're offered a full benifits package but once again I'm unsure. I do know days will vary and start times are staggered.

Pay I can't vouch for company. From what I have been told (by the company and a few fleet owners that I've talked too) an owner op when they're busy and it's not raining can expect to TAKE HOME about 2500-5000 a week AFTER fuel. I don't know what a company driver can expect but I do know one of the fleet owners is paying drivers 1250+/week and is still adding trucks on He's been there 3 years and is who turned me on to transwood.

Overall I suppose I'm happy the company financed a blower for my tractor and a couple odds and ends before even giving me a trlr to hook to. they seem genuine and seem like they're not blowing smoke but it's hard to say. From what I understand a lot of owner operators have been there 5 10 even 15 years so I guess the money has to be pretty decent. Guess I'll find out when that time comes. That's all for now I suppose well see how it all goes and I'll update this as I get more information.

Week one is in the books at transwood it went ok I guess. I was home every night which was promised and I was happy with that. Didn't have any major problems aside from dispatch but that's to be expected I guess. Finished out the week with 6 loads 2 local 2 medium and 2 runs over 150 miles. 

The rain hurt a couple days but it is what it is. Had 1 load today went 4 miles and that was it guess today was a slow day didn't bother me much as it was 108 inside the cab when I climbed back in the truck after unloading and no I still don't have working A/C.

Some things I have learned is communication is ok at best I didn't find out until Friday of last week that I needed to write tandem on my bills so they could get my paycheck right. So my first 4 loads I may not get the correct percentage and have to fight with payroll on the matter. I do however get an extra 10% because I'm pulling a tandem which puts me at 83% gross and it's 87% if and when I go to kansas city.

So far I have enjoyed who I have worked with as I said communication isn't a strong suit one dispatcher (night guy) will tell me to bring my tractor back to louisville every night and the morning guy gets agrivated because I guess we're supposedly not running local. I guess I don't know it's hard to say.

All and all it seems like a fairly decent deal guess I'll find out for sure next week when the first check comes in. I'm happy with the fuel discount it's .10 cheaper than anywhere else within 100 miles. It's pretty easy work once you get the valves down and pressures down. The pipes do get extremely hot as I realized Friday the hot line brushed up against my arm on my last load and instantly took the skin off and blistered. Oh well its part of the job I guess.

All we seem to haul in this terminal is type 1/2 Duracim and fly ash but I can't say if that's the case everywhere else. I do know they haul frac sand I know this because my blower won't handle blowing sand out doesn't bother me though I've hauled it enough to know better than to haul it. Was bad enough in a hopper.

Anyway I've got some things to fix and get ready for tomorrow I'll update again beginning of next week unless something happens. Have a good one and be safe

They seem to be like just about every other company depends on the terminal. We have some company tractors at our terminal that look like junk and others that look prestine. I guess it depends on the driver and how they take care of the truck. I would assume...oh gasp I'm assuming but anyway the longer you have been there the better the truck seems fair IMHO but thats me. 

Trailers are another story I looked mine over a little closer today and I'm not terribly impressed but it goes down the road and isn't cracked anywhere so I can't really complain I guess. I'm a little nervous about a couple patches that the welds look pretty sloppy on I guess if it blows it blows.

I had the chance to talk to a guy who was basically the senior owner operator I guess only 1 guy has been there longer and he is happy there. He is however tired of guys who come in and expect things handed to them on a silver platter and the 8 to 5 ers as he called them.

Things were slow today I called dispatch at 7 am and had 5 trk ahead of me on the dispatch list got to transwood around 9 and sat till noon and then headed home didn't have much work today which I understand. Some days are slow others you don't know what to do and get tired of running. I had work of my own to do trying to figure out a wiring issue with my truck so it wasn't a complete waste going up there.

Also understand I have a county plate right now so I'm limited sounds like our other truck is headed for KC tomorrow so at least that will be some work that'll get done I'm still questionable but like I said I have a county plate so I'll take what I can get at this point.

I'm happy here I like my boss and dispatch is finally warming up so I don't really have a problem with them. It'll be a learning curve but from what I have seen so far the owner operators that are here are happy and can't complain...unless it's about new guys coming in but that's to be expected. I can say at LEAST they do it by seniority and not off stupid crap like BMS did. I was there for 4 months and quit. I was the top driver up until march they hired a new foreman and I got the shaft. He was talking about senior drivers and I had the 2nd most seniority at that terminal still didn't get any loads when the slow down happened in march. Yea I was a little livid so I am at least happy to know where I stand and so far I haven't been lead on. I'll see how tomorrow goes hopefully there's some work to do if not it sounds like there will definitely be something to do on thursday.

Have a good one yall and be safe out there

My season was short lived at transwood as some people know. I suppose I should have titled it independent at transwood. To clarify I was never LEASED to transwood I have my own authority and simply pulled their pneumatic.

Pay was dependent on what trailer you had don't quote me on this as I pulled only a tandem but I believe a spread was the same way. I was paid 83% of what I'm not sure as I was never issued a rate con which was frustrating not knowing what you're getting paid before you load. If a driver had a triple or a quad I believe the agreement stated they would be paid 73% of gross.

It wasn't all bad there, and the rain combined with starting at the bottom of the dispatch list I'm sure didn't help matters any. Overall I would consider going back although I would want a few things in writing I never made what I was promised, a lot of what I was told wouldn't be a problem ended up being a problem.

The ugliest situation came with trailers they're junk far as I'm concerned it started to become a serious issue when I informed the shop both trailers hooked to my trucks needed an alignment badly they were dog tracking horribly and I began to notice abnormal steer wear on our other truck. Shop wouldn't fix it so I ran the truck to bauer to see what was causing the problem and what could be done to correct it. Immediately they determined the wear to be from the trailer with the way they were cutting the ribs. It started to do the same to my tractor and it was at that point I started looking for something else to do. My trailer had a leaking discharge pipe never welded always wa simply told water and a rag. Which works but it got old after a while when it needed to be fixed.

Other major issue we had was we were promised local work home every night. Another company had 7 or 8 trucks on every driver was home we were supposed to stay out. I was promised local work that's where I have an issue and to be honest being 100 miles from home is worse than being 1000 from home for me personally because I'm 100 miles away and can't go to the house and sleep in my own bed. I figured it up and we were running when all was said and done for about 1.40/mile it just became time to move on.

It wasn't all bad my driver manager I guess you would call him was great to work with I enjoyed dealing with the dispatchers most mechanics were good except for the foreman he was a jack wad never wanted to fix anything on my trailer always had someplace to be when I had a question anybody else would answer question and at least look at what may be wrong (I don't know much about a pneumatic) him nope wouldn't give me the time of day.

From what I'd heard a lot of guys threw in the towel on last season because it was so slow which is understandable no work no money have to do something which was the decision I made.

I pull grain local home every night and I make more after fuel than I did at transwood. That's not to say this year I'd blow my grain numbers out of the water if I was hooked to a transwood trailer but last year just didn't do it for me.

To each their own I guess I had a bad experience I'm sure there's 30 people with nothing bad to say about them. It just didn't work out for me. I do know as of last week I passed one of the kids I used to work with at transwood still hooked to a grain trailer cutting my grain rates so it's tough to say how this year will go. It doesn't make me feel too great seeing owner operators from transwood hooked to hoppers right now though...I know what I ran for and grain is their side job so it's a bit unsettling.

Oh Transwood...wow...my husband drove for them for quite a while in 2015 and it was great! He got $3500 a week to the truck regardless if he worked or not and up to $5000 a week..THEN in August they stopped the guarantee and he was lucky if he got $150 a load!! And there weren't but 2-3 loads a week and you were lucky you got that! Oh but then...the terminal manager decided to take it upon himself to falsify the load sheets and showed that the drivers got the guarantee anyway when they weren't supposed to get it anymore. He pulled it off somehow. He would then tell the drivers just that he was helping them out and they could just pay him here and there til it was paid in full. Well, after a couple of months of this, the drivers then started wondering why their checks were in the negative. When they asked they (office) explained to them that they didn't work everyday that week so they didn't get that guarantee and they owed the company. Well, come to find out, every penny they were paying the terminal manager back was not put back in the company's piggy bank, instead lining his own pockets with that money!! He ended up embezzling a crap ton of money at the drivers' expense!! We still haven't heard what happened to him but I know he don't work there anymore! We had at least $6000.00 that was never paid to us. Still irks me to know that money is now lost and nobody else wanted to do a class action law suit so nothing was done as we couldn't afford an attorney all on our own. Sucks but we are in the process of becoming members of OOIDA so that maybe we can get help if something like this ever happens again. Just a shame cuz he made really good money with them in the beginning. Good luck to you sir!