Obtained Cdl Today, Keim Ts Orientation Tomorrow!

I've read a lot on here that it was hard to get your cdl without going to school, and yes it was a challenge, But I am proud that I accomplished that challenge. I've also read that it's hard to get a job, keim hired me without any issue that I didn't complete a school. Maybe it was due to the fact that all my training was with a flatbed O/O, but I could not be more excited! I head to Sabetha, ks in the morning to start orientation, drug test, driving test and then out with a trainer for the weekend! This site has been a good tool and I will continue to keep you all updated!

Sounds awesome Greg! Definitely keep us updated on how things progress. I really don't know the first thing about that company so I checked out their website. They've been around since 1956 so they must know a thing or two by now.

Best of luck!

Sounds awesome Greg! Definitely keep us updated on how things progress. I really don't know the first thing about that company so I checked out their website. They've been around since 1956 so they must know a thing or two by now.

Best of luck!

Thanks! I arrived today at there terminal in Sabetha, I was greeted by their training coordinator and their recruiting director, both really great easy going guys. I took my road test in a brand new, 2016 Kenworth 660 studio sleeper. Extremely nice truck. Their oldest trucks are 2013 and they only have 1 of those left to trade in, extremely clean, very well maintained equipment. Passed my road test and did my drug test, filled out a ton of papers, watched a lot of videos. I learned a ton of stuff today including a safer and better method to couple trailers. All of there equipment has super single tires, Cummins engines, and Eaton fuller 13 speeds, which was a learning curve because up until now I've only driven a super 10. Their trucks are governed at 65 with the pedal and 68 with the cruise. They run mostly building supplies but most of the loads come pretarped, they also haul a lot of John deere equipment. I leave out with my company trainer on Sunday and will be with him for 2-4 weeks depending on how quickly I learn. They put me up in a motel until Sunday, provide 1 meal a day in training, have laundry services at their terminal, own their own truck wash and require you to bring it in every time you come through. During training and orientation I'll be making 100 dollars a day and. 40 cpm starting out when I get in my own truck. So far it seems like an amazing starter company! Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Gregory, I'm curious about something. People are all the time asking me about flat-bed companies and when I'm talking to them about Keim TS I always tell them that they are still running on paper logs. Last I heard that was the case. Is that still true?

Gregory, I'm curious about something. People are all the time asking me about flat-bed companies and when I'm talking to them about Keim TS I always tell them that they are still running on paper logs. Last I heard that was the case. Is that still true?

Yes, they only run paper logs, they're furnished by them and come already filled out with the company name, you just circle which terminal you're at.

Today I was assigned a trainer, really helpful and nice guy. He drives a 2015 kenworth t660. We have our first load together Sunday, pallets of gypsum heading to Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Loving this company so far!

Best of luck to ya Gregory. I've always heard good things about those guys, I think you are going to do real well over there.

I dont want to burst anyones bubble but I worked for Keim for a while and will give you the total truth. I have moved on some time ago.

The good point is that they are currently using paper logs..... for now. That however is going to change. The other good point is that if you live near the Sabetha KS area you "might" be ok. They have nice equipment and let you fuel where you want. That is about the only good thing about this company. The real devil is in the details.

They usually pull in the midwest. Dont be surprised if you get really short runs and receive poor pay for it. YOU WILL NOT GET SHORT HAUL PAY....EVER!! Tarp pay is usually $20.00 unless you load at a place that has a machine put the tarps on for you. Even if it is 3 huge lumber tarps and you have to do all the securing and rolling up the tarps etc when you are through you will get NOTHING!. Keim says that if a machine puts your Tarp on the load you are not entitled to tarp pay!!! Despite you having to do all the work strapping it down etc etc and then removing the lumber tarps etc etc....you get NOTHING!! This is nothing but a pure rip off. Most companies will pay. Usually up to $40.00 At Keim you get squat.

You will not get job site pay unless its a US Gypsum load. This means you can rot on a job site waiting to unload and get nothing!! Combine this with a short haul and you are making peanuts. If you are payed percentage you will deadhead your brains out and get nothing for it. If you choose mileage you will get a ton of medium/ short haul. I did both so I can speak from experience. If you have to wait hours and hours to loaded or unload you get NOTHING!!

They like to trick drivers into loading shagging loads back to their yard. (very short haul) They act like you are being dispatched on the load.....but then they tell you to drive back to the yard and drop it. You might get $50.00 or $60.00 for wasting your entire day. When I complained about being manipulated like this I was basically told "oh well.....you dont have to stay here."

Oh, and about John Deere loads. Only the "good ol boys" and "favorites" will get those loads. They are a small town trucking company with a small town attitude. Unless you are in their inner circle you will take what they give you. If you complain you are told "maybe you will be happier elsewhere." In a nutshell they care less. You are a warm body serving their needs. They try to play the happy family card....but it is all all for show.

You have to really force yourself to argue when you want time off. Its like pulling teeth. Most often you will be ignored or they will give you a load that might allow you to go to your home for a few hours. The main owner doesnt take care of the day to day operation. He leaves that to his kids who are in their 20's. This includes the majority of the dispatchers. I think you can figure out the rest. They turn over drivers left and right.

They try to convince that they are family oriented. But the truth is they are just like the other big carriers. If you complain you are told you can leave. They are a driver mill just like the rest....but smaller. To be honest you would be better served going to Melton Trucking. You get $40.00 tarp pay and a much better pay package and more freight. That is where I went. I would check out Maverick too.

I know you will enjoy your honeymoon with Keim.....but in the end you will see I was right. I wish you the best.

PS When you get your 6 months in I strongly suggest you start looking.............

Oh, and about John Deere loads. Only the "good ol boys" and "favorites" will get those loads. They are a small town trucking company with a small town attitude. Unless you are in their inner circle you will take what they give you. If you complain you are told "maybe you will be happier elsewhere." In a nutshell they care less. You are a warm body serving their needs. They try to play the happy family card....but it is all all for show.

Kevin, you are new to this site, and I'll just let you know that we don't normally allow you to come in here and start slamming a company like this. It just isn't fair to the company for us to let you give your one sided slanted view without them here to share their side of the story.

What you refer to as the "good ole boys" and "favorites" are more than likely the ones who they know will get the job done without griping or complaining. Or maybe it's the ones that always make things happen out there on the road. You listed yourself as an experienced driver, so I hope you've got enough experience to know that is the way it works at any trucking company out there. If you haven't figured out that this job is performance based yet then you've still got a long way to go. The cream always naturally rises to the top in this industry, while the malcontents generally wallow around in the same cesspools no matter what companies they are working for. You can find em in the trucking forums, or the lunch counters at the truck stops, and there seems to be an excessive amount of them hanging about at the trucking terminals for some reason. The movers and shakers are generally out there on the road "getting er done."

Anybody that is new to a company will "take what they give you" - If you want good loads and respect in this business you earn them. Talk is cheap, real cheap at trucking companies. Performance in the face of adversity, now that speaks volumes to the folks who are giving out loads and looking for the kind of drivers that can handle it.

How long were you with Keim TS?

I have talked to a lot of their drivers and have never heard any of them "rag" on this company like you just did. You say the devil is in the details, but my good instincts tell me you just left out some of the most important details in your story.

I was there for a few years and tried like hell. I am not one to play politics. I am not a malcontent. I am speaking the truth. Speaking of truth look at their website where they brag to have locations in Medicine Lodge KS and Braymer MO. Basically it sounds like they have a terminal there. Well they dont. Medicine Lodge a dirt drop lot that they share with other companies. The one in MO is a municipal lot where highway workers park their trucks. Trust me I have had this place clocked for sometime. I rarely griped or complained until my miles and money took a hit.

There are not a lot of people to shine the light on small carriers because they think the so called "malcontents" will just skulk off and say nothing.

Your right about the cream rising to the top. Thats if you are some of the chosen. Sooner or later Keim will run off enough company drivers where some that left will feel obligated to tell the truth.

I am not ragging on this company. Just pointing out the truth. There is not one single item I have posted that is not true. There are movers and shakers out there if they can keep moving!!

They dont provide short haul pay. They take advantage of drivers regarding tarp pay. Job site pay doesn't exist unless you pull a USG load. You wont get home unless you battle with them (unless you live next to one of their terminals). If you have an issue or want to question them you are told "maybe you will be happier somewhere else." For lack of a better term it means "if you dont like it quit." I was told once that they have other applicants that are waiting to get in a truck. Really!!!! lol

The only thing I I am suggesting for this student driver is to have an exit strategy if things dont go his way.

When I left a year ago I gave my notice properly. For the next 2 weeks all they did was screw with me. SO I asked them to let me go early. That is how they are. This is just a glimpse of my experience.

Sorry but I am not a malcontent.