After four months back with Keen Transport Inc, it feels like coming home. For those who don’t know my history with this company, let me give you a quick rundown. I previously spent two fulfilling years driving for Keen, a period I genuinely enjoyed thanks to their commitment to handling oversized loads and the overall company culture. However, like many in the industry, the economic downturn last year forced a change. To meet my financial responsibilities, I had to seek opportunities elsewhere. Throughout those eight months away, I maintained close contact with management at Keen Transport. Late last December, that connection paid off when they reached out, asking if I’d be interested in returning as freight volumes were picking back up.
During my time away, I kept in touch with several drivers still at Keen Transport Inc. They consistently confirmed the positive trend in freight availability. Based on this encouraging news, I gave my two weeks’ notice at my temporary driving position and scheduled an early January orientation date with Keen. That first orientation saw eight drivers, including myself, who had either been laid off or left on good terms, welcomed back into the fold.
(Allow me a quick word of advice for newer drivers in this industry: never burn bridges. Regardless of perceived unfair treatment, always strive to provide notice when leaving a company. This professional courtesy is crucial and can significantly impact your future career. Your Driver Activity Check (DAC) report keeps a record, and my experience is a perfect example. I gave notice when I left Keen initially, and was rehired. A friend who quit around the same time without notice wasn’t so lucky. When he applied to return to Keen Transport Inc, he was turned down with the direct reason being his prior no-notice departure. Now, he’s driving for a less desirable company, earning significantly less per mile.)
Since rejoining Keen Transport, I’ve been consistently busy and earning excellent money. The base pay is a solid $0.48 per mile, with an additional $35 for oversized loads. This typically averages out to around $0.51 per mile for me, considering the type of freight we often haul. In my experience, Keen Transport Inc stands out as the best company I’ve driven for. Their equipment is meticulously maintained, and any maintenance issues are addressed promptly. They also provide essential cleaning supplies for truck upkeep, including paper towels, Windex, Armor All, and binder lubricant. Furthermore, they offer an annual reimbursement of up to $100 for steel-toed boots. These seemingly small gestures truly make a difference to a driver’s quality of life on the road. The drivers here at Keen are also a close-knit group, and I genuinely missed that camaraderie during my absence. Weekends spent away from home often turn into impromptu cookouts with fellow drivers, fostering a strong sense of community.
We primarily serve as the main carrier for Caterpillar, which constitutes the majority of our freight. Typically, we transport Caterpillar equipment from their plants to dealerships, ports for export, or directly to coal mines. A significant advantage of hauling this type of freight is the positive reception at delivery points. Customers are generally pleased to see us arrive, and most deliveries don’t require strict appointments. We load up, provide our dispatcher (referred to as a travel agent here) with an estimated time of arrival, and as long as we deliver within a reasonable timeframe, there are usually no issues. While occasional set appointments at coal mines or specific customer locations do occur, they are infrequent.
However, hauling over-dimensional loads with Keen Transport Inc, like anywhere else, does come with its own set of challenges. We must adhere to curfews around larger cities and follow designated routes specified on state-issued permits. In most states, oversized transport is restricted to daylight hours, with limited exceptions. Patience is paramount in this type of hauling, as waiting for permits to be processed and issued from different states is a regular part of the job. You can’t simply operate on your own schedule; strict adherence to permit regulations is mandatory to avoid substantial fines.
I intend to provide weekly updates on my experiences here at Keen Transport Inc. If anyone has any questions about driving for Keen or oversized hauling in general, please don’t hesitate to ask.
