D'un chargement à plat à l'autre : l'histoire de Joe Allen
Before my truck is empty, my Coyote rep’s got us booked on another load. She always works hard to find us something.”
– Joe Allen, chauffeur de Joseph A. Tomaski Trucking
Faits sur Joe Allen
- Chauffeur de camion depuis 28 ans
- Aime travailler avec Coyote pour localiser le fret disponible
- Transporte principalement à plat
- Drives with his fiancé and their two dogs
At Right: Joe Allen, his fiancé Sloan, and their dogs Jake and Kilo
Joe Allen of Joseph A. Tomaski Trucking has been a driver for almost 30 years. In that time, he’s worked for trucking companies big and small. He’s also worked with multiple 3PLs and brokers. Now, he works for himself as a proud owner-operator and works his Coyote rep, Katie, to locate available flatbed freight—no matter the state of the market.
We talked with Joe about his years on the road and what it’s like living on the road with his fiancé and dogs.
Coyote : Pourquoi as-tu choisi de devenir chauffeur de camion ?
Joe Allen : My grandfather drove trucks. My father drove trucks. It’s always been in the family, so it felt natural for me to get into trucking.
C : Depuis combien de temps êtes-vous chauffeur de camion ?
JA : I’ve been driving for 28 years. I have worked for larger companies, smaller ones and have been under my own authority. I liked hauling for smaller companies better—they treat you like family. However, I like operating under my own authority best. I really like being my own boss.
C : Et quel genre de camion avez-vous ?
JA : Je conduis un Kenworth 2011 sur lequel j'ai parcouru 1 003 700 milles. Je transporte principalement du fret à plat, mais j'ai effectué quelques chargements de fourgons secs uniquement électriques avec Coyote pour me soutenir. Haute saison too. That’s been helpful when it’s slower in the open deck market, which it usually is once winter hits. It’s important to be flexible when looking for freight, especially flatbed freight, and Coyote always finds something that works for me.
C : J'ai entendu dire que vous aviez quelques passagers avec vous dans ce Kenworth 2011.
JA : That’s right. My wife-to-be Sloane and our two dogs, Jake (a 20-year-old red-nosed pit bull) and Kilo (a year-old dingo). Katie calls us the Bonnie and Clyde of over-the-road. We’re on the road year-round, but we take a few weeks off to get back home and visit my family.
C : Et comment as-tu rencontré Sloane ?
JA : We actually met at work. I took a break from trucking for a bit to move back home to Pennsylvania and started working in construction. She worked for the same company and we clicked right away. After a while I realized construction wasn’t for me and I missed driving.
I like trucking, being out here on the road, being my own boss, it’s just better. When I told her I had to get back into it, Sloane said, “I’ll go with you” – and she did! That was four years ago and now we’re together 24/7 on the road.
C : Comment avez-vous découvert Coyote ?
JA : I was hauling for a couple different 3PLs and brokers, but I wasn’t very happy. They wouldn’t give us a reload until we were empty with the one we had. We ended up doing a lot of sitting and waiting instead of driving. I have a friend who has a truck, and he recommended Coyote to me. So I called in, and ended up getting hooked up with my Coyote rep, Katie.
C: What’s it like working with Coyote?
JA : Well above the rest. She works hard to keep us loaded—before I get empty, she’s already looking for another load for us. I’ve been working with Katie for three years now, who specializes in finding flatbed loads, so she knows exactly the type of freight that I will want and that will work with my equipment. Coyote has always paid on time—except a few times where we had to straighten out some paperwork errors. Overall, it’s been a very good experience.
C : Comment gérez-vous les hauts et les bas du marché du fret ?
JA : Flatbed freight in general is very seasonal, so I’m used to having to get resourceful. It’s a lot easier to find in the warmer months than during the winter, but Katie’s great about finding flatbed loads that work for us all year. If there isn’t enough flatbed freight available, Katie finds other power only and dry van loads that I can haul.
C: Can you think of a time when Coyote’s gone above and beyond for you?
JA : I can tell you a story that pretty much sums up what it’s been like working with Katie. A couple years ago, we were delivering a load of HVAC units to a job site in Chicago. We had an employee from the previous delivery show us how to navigate the city streets to the next delivery site. Well, we came up to a bridge that didn’t have enough clearance, so I stopped—and the person who was helping us just kept going. They didn’t pick up the phone and the guy never came back.
Alors, j'ai appelé Katie. Eh bien, il se trouve que le bureau de Coyote n'était qu'à quelques kilomètres de là, alors elle a juste sauté dans sa voiture au milieu de la journée. Katie nous a rencontrés sur le bord de la route, puis a roulé devant et a repéré tous les dégagements du pont pour nous amener au chantier. Ensemble, nous avons compris et finalement livré sur le chantier.
Vous voulez savoir comment les autres transporteurs du réseau Coyote assurent la circulation de leurs camions et développent leur flotte ? Lisez l'histoire de Monica Byers de Sugar Creek Transportation, qui a multiplié par 13 sa flotte tout en travaillant avec Coyote.