I FINALLY LEFT K&B TRANSPORTATION

Does K&B really deserve to be in the "bad company" forum? "Oh yeah yeahhh, eee eee yah" (Gen X rock n roll reference)

They are not all bad but with the choices we have, they are bad enough to be here.

I worked for them for almost 8 years on the Tyson Dedicated account in North Central Illinois.
Why?!
1) Pay, equipment and maintenance were adequate
2) I got lot's of extra home time - including paid days off - based on my salary position and living in the right place.
3) And this is a big one: I was afraid of economic collapse or zombie apocalypse or some such and wanted to stay "safe" as a top rated, top seniority driver at a food hauling company, serving one of the nations biggest food producers. How could I possibly lose my job?

Well, the world has been about to end since 2012 and by the end of 2021, I decided that was no longer a basis for such an important choice as, "to what do I devote the large majority of my waking existence?"

What was so bad?
1) And this is common to food hauling: the erratic schedule was hard on my physical and mental health.
2) Reefer driving is not top pay. Even though some reefer companies will get you up to $100k. what you have to do for it is a bit much.
3) "No Touch" freight is not a healthy long-term choice in a sedentary job
4) And this is the Big One: no matter how perfect and loyal you are, at K&B you will never be treated with trust and respect - their motto should be: "You are always a rookie at K&B - and not one day will go by were we won't remind you!"

So, the short answer why I finally quit was, "self respect". I just had way higher standards than either the administration or my fellow drivers. I wont describe it all but just one example: Only one in six or seven trucks had a broom on the back, and half of those, it was just for show. To describe the frustrating and repetitive arguments and disrespect I had to deal with would trigger the PTSD in too many, so I will spare you too much more detail.
Like the therapist in "Rick n Morty", I would tell myself after every absurdalistic redicularity: "You are better than this".

I gave these people almost eight years of:
- Zero CSA
- Perfect Attendance
- Perfect on-time record
- Always doing extra, despite being on salary

And yet, I was almost daily, reminded how to tie my shoe laces or accused of "wasting time" for washing a filthy, stinking, blood soaked trailer or inspecting and reporting damaged equipment.
I was the only driver who kept a seal record with signatures - an important part of the hand-off, far as I was concerned.

When I quit, after working the full 14 days of my two week notice and THEN spending 2 days in a hotel room in So Sioux City, NE while they tried to figure out how to let me actually effing leave their clutches - and after immaculating the truck I was turning in, they tried to send me home on a bus (contrary to their promise when I was hired) which was a 24 hour trip with 19 stops. I suggested - in strong yet civil terms - that THIS is why they have a 2.5 star reputation on line. Someone in the next office (Director of Safety - who knew who I was), heard this conversation and came in to tell the exiting person that, "oh yeah, we'll get him a plane ticket". So, they weren't all bad, just out of touch with what the line staff were doing and how inadequate were their inter personal skills - to put it politely.

My last two months at K&B, I was offered a day job that was "about 9 hours per day", it was more like 14 hours per day and I could only keep the hours that low by being like all the other drivers who neglect every responsibility. I tried to make it work, tried to negotiate, and just got strung along while knowing I could put in the same hours at Dayton Freight or Old Dominion for about a thousand dollars per week more. It was those last two months that did me in.

When I quit, I was burned out and not in good physical or mental shape - it is insidious how such deterioration of our health can creep up on us. I decided to take a couple months off - which turned into almost a one year unemployment vacation ...another story.

It's all my fault, please don't feel sorry for me. I should have taken better care of myself, not been so timid about "the economy" and showed more self respect. But, better late than never

Now, I have a real-man flat bedding job with Fraley and Schilling, hauling mostly steel and aluminum for companies like Alcoa, Nucor, US Steel and Novelis. This job involves physical work, more responsibility and a LOT more money. I have been at this job about 5 months and in a little while will give a 6 month review in the "Good Company" forum.

Anyway, I have been gone for a year, now I'm back. I hope you all are doing well and looking for the best opportunities - let's go get it while we can still go get it!