UPSFreightDUId
TB Lurker
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I still see Benton daily around Atlanta, GA.
By 'interesting', I take it you mean Benton and Ross Neely have the same 'variety' of equipment?
I used to drive for Sidney Alterman, Alterman Transport, and I would load chocolate over on Mt. Zion Road, fingerprinted the entire load. We got a lot of hours on this, and during the summer with the TK running it wasn't a bad gig, and Sidney was always good to his people, everybody knew that. Sometimes, we would also get a little 'grease' ourselves, from the TM, if you know what I mean.
And at the Alterman Terminal, you would always find a table of "Tonk", somewhere.
Ross Neely would load beside me, sometimes the same guy, with one of the two Reefers he had.
Benton would come in, never with a Reefer, load palletized candy, and the Driver didn't have a thought about opening a case and eating some, putting some in his pocket. 'Checker' never saw it.
Just 'splained a bunch to me. Didn't know about "Muscles McGirk's" running around.
One other little story about Benton and I'll let this one rest, but this wasn't the only time and not the only Carrier I've seen this happen with.
Bi-Lo Warehousein Greenville, I was Driving for Aunt Fanny, Grant Park, waiting for a dock.
Benton pulls out, hooks the hood of a conventional, and drags it across the parking lot.
Guard wouldn't let him out, and the driver of the conventional cold cocks the Benton driver, right there.
Other Guard backs the conventional jockey away, and I had to wait until they got a wrecker to clean the place up. No cops ever came, don't know what happened to the Benton driver.
...Memories, ...Memories,
I don't know what it was with Benton, I really don't. Their Customers wouldn't go to anybody else no matter what.
The drivers couldn't back for Christmas, and,
they did stuff that would put you or me in jail and got away with it.
But Retired, 62, all I can do is sit here and paint pictures with words, but when it comes to Benton, MGM and all, I just can't figure that one.
All Sidney Alterman had was Rrrs, Matey. But Jack was a whiz and he kept those bad boys, Triplex Monsters and all, purring like kittens.
You know I loved 'em.
LOL!!! I've forgotten all about Ross Neeley! Can't think of the last time I saw one of their trucks. Benton used to never buy new trucks; I delivered a new Sterling to them a few years back in Orlando - actually it was to a leasing company but destined for Benton. I'm a new truck transporter/tech now - things are slow at the moment(!!!).
Benton had quite a collection of classics when I first started - stuff I'd never seen or driven before or since. They were getting some better trucks when I left.
By 'interesting', I mean the in house 'employee relations team' (thug squad) that answered directly to and were reportedly hired by the Corderos after the failed attempt to bring Teamster representation into the Atlanta terminal in the mid '80s. None of the people in question had any kind of trucking or mechanical background experience - on the job training all the way! I've never seen intimidation tactics of that magnitude before or since.
The motor vehicle accidents, customer complaints, mechanical 'malfunctions' perpetrated by this choice group were legendary. One individual in particular was a dope dealer who handled his 'goods' in the open, even to the point of servicing people driving into the terminal parking lot! The original terminal manager wouldn't put up with this stuff and he wouldn't allow them in the terminal - a major reason he was fired most likely.
As soon as the new 'management' was brought in the local operation turned into a 'ghetto' nearly overnight. I'm surprised they're still in business. My relative who works in the corporate office of a major LTL carrier says Benton is one of the major jokes of the industry - I have to agree.
Benny Is a big problem there. I am amazed he has remained healthy there. When I worked there a shotgun was standard under your bunk for all the nice Urban areas they put there terminals. Herb was a fair man.