Boyd Bros. Drivers Share Their Experiences

Post Date - Aug 26, 2022

There’s no better way to get to know a trucking company than to talk to some of its driving force. These truck drivers are on the front lines every day and know first-hand where companies are meeting their needs, exceeding expectations and where there’s room for growth. At Boyd Bros., we’re proud to be known for our driver-focused atmosphere and safety-minded team. We sat down with a few of our drivers to get their take on life in the driver’s seat and their experiences here at Boyd.

Willie Cooley, who has been a Boyd driver for 12 years, says he’d always wanted to become a trucker. His career started in dry van, and he eventually found his way to driving flatbed.

“Driving flatbed is really where I found a home,” he explains. “I met another Boyd driver on the road, and he told me about this company. I’ve been here ever since.”

Over the years, we’ve learned that each driver has their own unique story for how they came to hear about our company and why they decided to give working for us a try.

“I saw an ad in the local paper,” says Layvester Packnett, who has been with us for 19 years. “The recruiter I talked to made it sound so good. This company right here will make you feel like family.”

We asked these drivers what it is that makes them stay at Boyd. We know that drivers have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a trucking company to work with and we feel honored to know that so many excellent drivers consider Boyd to be their long-term career home.

“It’s the way Boyd treats you,” says Robert Yates, who came to work with us 2.5 years ago. “When my grandmother passed, I was all the way in Georgia. They had me park somewhere and coordinated another driver to pick up the load and got me into a rental car so I could get home to my family. I’ve never experienced that in my life. None of them knew my family, they just cared enough about me to make sure I was there.”

For Lorenzo Powell, it’s more about the stability of our freight lanes and the perks that come with the job.

“Boyd gives you all the security you need - financially and with all the benefits. If you’re looking for a 401k, life insurance, accidental…everything is taken care of with Boyd.” He’s been working with us for 10 years now.

“It’s how they treat drivers, that’s what keeps me here,” adds Layvester. “Boyd will make you feel like family. They really care about their drivers.”

Similar to Robert, Layvester also has a story about a time he needed to get home after a loved one passed away.

“Boyd tried their best to find me a load home and they ended up deadheading me home,” he says. “They even rented me a car. Most companies won’t do that.”

The key to a successful driving career, says Arnaldo Ponce-Antonnetty (Rico), is not only choosing the right company, but also having a strong support system at home. Rico has spent the last 22 years as a Boyd driver and is a 3-million-mile safe driver and a grandfather of five.

“I’ve been able to accomplish everything I’ve done with Boyd’s help and because my wife was strong at home. Boyd believes that drivers are the cornerstone of this company.”

Robert agrees, noting that we’ve built Boyd intentionally to prioritize our drivers’ needs on and off the road.

“Boyd is really all about the driver. Pretty much everything we ask for gets implemented - they want to do what they can to make it better for us. Whatever feedback we give them, even if it’s something minor, they take it into account.”

When Calvin Pearson started working with us 24 years ago, he was single and spent as much time as he could on the road.

“I spent 17 or 18 years doing over the road and accepting any kind of schedule. Since then, I’ve gotten married, and Boyd has really looked out for me. They gave me the opportunity to drive dedicated. I can get by the house 2-3 times a week without it affecting my pay. My wife appreciates it too,” he explains.

We always like to hear what drivers want to share with future generations of truckers, so we also asked this group to give us some of their best advice:

“A lot of trucking companies will tell you only what you want to hear, but at Boyd, it’s all about teamwork,” says Robert. “As long as you do your job, it makes for a wonderful team. There’s nothing else like it.”

“If you stay in communication, Boyd will do what they can to grant your requests,” says Lorenzo. “It all goes back to staying in communication with your fleet manager.”

“You just need to give yourself time,” explains Rico. “Give yourself a chance to hang in there with Boyd, because they have all the tools you need to make a good living.”

“A company is only as good as its personnel and Boyd has the best,” Calvin adds. “Coming to Boyd, you want to be career minded. Keep safety your priority on and off the road and it will become second nature to you.”

We appreciate these drivers sharing their thoughts with us and we hope you enjoyed what they had to say. If you’re interested in learning more about joining our team, give us a call today!