Question:
Does anyone out here know anything good or bad about these two company's:
Brenntag Chemical out of Chicago
Brenntag Great Lakes
Bulkmatic dry bulk out of the Hodgkins and Chicago yard
Any info on how things would go for a 1st year driver would be great
Thanx!

Answer:
Burky is the resident Bulkmatic expert. I am sure he will pop in sometime today. Either that or drop him a PM.

Answer:
Okay, obviously, you know where the Hodgkins and Chicago Heights railyards are located, and in both cases there are also satellite yard areound there that we often work out of. I've been there for almost 4 years now, and while I live over here in Michigan on the good side of the lake, I technically work out of the Hodgkins terminal.
Pay for the drivers runs under 3 methods, percentage for longer stuff, paying 24% of the gross for the load. If you do loads in town, where the mileage is really short, then most of those loads pay a set fee, and typically that will average out to around 20 per hour or so if everything is handled in normal times. And we have detention/hourly pay, which is paid when you are doing work that would come under an hourly heading. Right now that pays a min of 16 per hour, though certain jobs run that up higher.
Pay is very good, working conditions are good, and I have not yet come up with any serious complaints about working there. Bulk hauling isn;t for everyone, some people don't like monitoring hoses and gauges, some people are terrified of climbing on a trailer or railcar. We handle food grade, non food grade, and plastics out of those facilities, and some people tend to specialize in one over the other. I haul everything we haul with the eexception of powdered lead, which is a hazmat item. I make a good enough living without a hazmat license to feel the need to go and get one.
The biggest hurdle you have to clear (I thought at first) was where you said you were a fiurst year driver, because we simply don';t hire first year drivers. They have some rules that apply to hiring that makes us not a training company, though we do have some people who start as loader and move up to driving later on. But that;s kind of an unofficial method, rather than a distinct policy. If you have time in mixers and other trucks with high CG, then the terminal managers have some discretion in their hiring and may be able to do something.
As you said you applied for a loader position, that is another good way to get your foot in the door. loaders get experience in handling railcars of all types, handling the various types of trailers, and do all the things that drivers do without the hassle of dealing with customers.
if you have any questions, feel free to pm me.As long as the paperwork's clean, you boys can do whatever you want to out on the road" Mad Max ...1979

Answer:
Ok I have the info and I PM'd you.
Thanx!

Answer:
I work for Brenntag, what do you want to know?

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I have a chance to work out of the chicago terminal. If they take me on as a tanker driver would I ever be lugging barrels (without a hand cart) from time to time or running a dry van with totes.
Or pretty much tanker all the time? How are they to work for in the long run 5-10 years plus? Anything else you know would be helpful thanx!

Answer:
Well first of all, all the drivers are supposed to drive everything. When I started there I was assigned a truck with a pump on it because that was all that they had available. So I ended up doing bulk (tanks) most of the time, and loved it. However there were days when there were no bulk loads to do, so I got stuck driving a box.
In reading some of your posts on other subjects, I get the impression that you have major back problems. Brenntag requires you to go through a fairly intense physical before they will hire you. Now I'm one of the most out of shape people you've ever met (If that was you I met in the traffic office one morning about a month ago), and I had no problem at all passing all the tests. At the clinic you will be required to climb a ladder, lift boxes weighing as much as 50 LBs., and tilt and roll a loaded 55 gal drum.
Some of the tests seemed rather stupid at the time, but from what I'm told they are all meant to make sure you have no prior injuries that would prevent you from doing the job.
In another post you mentioned going to work for Roehl pulling flatbeds. I highly doubt that you'll be happy there. I wasn't. I worked there for 10 months when I started driving because I bought into that myth that you have to work for some huge company for a year before a good one will hire you.
If you're trying to avoid physical labor I think a dry van is your best bet. while I have unloaded freight in the past it was always because I wanted to speed up the process. I've never been forced to load or unload anything. I've never pulled a flatbed because it just looks like too much work. But as I said, I did pull tanks. There is more physical work involved like dragging hoses and climbing up on top of it to get a sample, but I didn't find it hard.
I can't tell you what it's like to work for them long term because I've only been there a little over 10 months so far but I have no intention of leaving anytime soon. The working conditions are good and the money is awesome.
Hope this helps.

Answer:
Yes, I am with Schneider Bulk for at least a year and then looking to come back to Brenntag in the future. The company looks solid and the money is there.
I was leaning towards tanks to get away from flatbed rigging and dry box load or unloading. Pulling hose or climbing on top of the tanker is no problem.
If I drive for Brenntag as a experienced driver, will I be in a tanker all the time (preferred) or will I pull a box from time to time. I am not interested in rolling 55 gallon drums or doing alot of hand unloading, I am physically challenged in that area.

Answer:
Even if you are assigned a pump truck, you will be pulling a box from time to time. Maybe as much as half the time or even more some weeks. We don't have tanker drivers and box drivers. Everybody does everything. Some prefer one over the other and the traffic manager does very well in accommodating us, but there will be days when you're doing something you don't like. When I was doing this I was never forced to unload one (a box) at a customer. Sometimes I would have to help load or unload them at the yard but that was all done with forklifts. I also had to throw 50 LB. bags from time to time, but it was rare.
As far as I know, none of the drivers have worked in the warehouse in a few months. But that could change tomorrow, just depends on how much work we have.
I think your biggest hurdle will be the pre-hire physical and agility test. You will be asked to tilt and roll a 55 gal. drum several times. This thing must have weighed 400 pounds and it wasn't perfectly balanced. I don't know for sure if you just have to do it, or if you have to do it while showing no signs of discomfort. However I am pretty sure that if you can't do it, they won't hire you. Sorry if this isn't the answer you were looking for...
One thing to consider with dry vans. Others will chime in here I'm sure...
When I went to work for Roehl, they told me that 10% of the loads would require something of me other than just backing in. I worked there for 10 months and never touched a single piece of freight. Once I asked my dispatcher if I could unload it at a grocery warehouse (I needed some extra money that week). I was willing to do it for half what the lumpers wanted and I was told NO very sternly. He said that it wouldn't be allowed even if I was willing to do it for free. The reasons I was given were #1 they didn't want me getting hurt, I believe this had more to do with workmans comp issues than anything else. #2 the time I used to do it would need to be logged on line 4. This would take away from the number of hours I was available to drive that week.
Talk to some of the van drivers at Schnieder and see what they say about this. I'd be willing to bet that they don't touch freight very often either.

Answer:
OK I have it and thanx for the info on Brentag