This is where I draw the line..rant

[P0rk Ch0p]

Okay, I returned to work for my old company this past week.

Small company, I don't know how many trucks they have, I'd guess 10 or less.

I asked if I could get my truck in a day or 2 advance before getting loaded, so I would be able to clean it up,get everything in and organized. They said no. Odd, but whatever. So the dispatcher calls me at like 8pm Wednesday night, and says " Truck is at the Pilot truck stop, hurry go get it" I'm like WTF? okay..

So I get there, and this clown parks the truck in a fuel lane, I don't mean pulled up so someone could in behind, I mean parked at the pump as if it was fueling..and had been there about 3 hours.. what a jerk..

So I get there and see this truck, and my first thought is anger, extreme anger. It was a 2002 Century. The inside was literally full of junk. I opened the door and garbage fell out.

I call him and he says " Yeah, she isn't pretty, but it has no mechanical issues what so ever" So, off I go to Miami,FL.

About 20 miles down the road, I hear a hissing sound, like a air leak..so I pull over to inspect, and can't see or find anything out of order, but I write it down on the pre-trip inspection sheet anyway ( not that anyone reads them at this company, but it covers my ass for Mr. D.O.T)

So I get into Miami, and I go to get off the interstate, and I notice while downshifting and using the jake, slight brake pedal use, I see my air gauge go from a little over 100 to below 50,and then the no air light and buzzer come on, But I get her stopped thankfully.While at the bottom of the off ramp, I start revving the engine to help it build air faster, light turns green and I take off, right in the middle of the intersection, the buzzer comes back on, and the valves release on the dash, truck comes to a stop in the middle of the intersection holding up traffic..great.. Finally I get her moving and pull off to the shoulder and call my dispatcher and he says, and I quote " Oh it's fine, it will build air back up" He just ignores the fact that I lost brakes trying to stop, and ignores the fact that it did that in a intersection.

So fast forward- I deliver, and re-load. I call and report brake failure once again, once again he says its no big deal. At this point I am furious that he put me into a truck knowing it had a air leak, and then plays it off as nothing- Someone could have seriously hurt or killed because of that truck.

So, I come to the house, and drop the truck off at the same Pilot, but in an actual parking space- I call and say hey, truck's home, please have these brakes looked at so I can safely complete my run. Well, he has the brakes fixed, and then puts another guy in the truck. He says " oh, i might put you back in a truck, we'll just have to see" And I reply, " No, we won't see. I quit, don't bother calling me back, I am done with you and your crap, you knowingly put me in a unsafe vehicle and think its just fine to do that"

This company is a joke. They are going to get people killed,whether it be their drivers, or someone just trying to drive to work.

So, now I am looking for a new carrier to work for..

[One]

LOL, wow... Well get into a habit of inspecting the truck real well b4 u accept it or the load for that matter... I learned one good habit is to press your service pedal b4 getting moving, with the window down and listen. then repeat that with the trolley valve all with engine off so you can hear a leak. Be sure to have your parking brake released tho, never press service brake while the parking brake is on. Im not lecturing you, Pork chop, im saying this for everyones benefit.

[Orangetxguy]

Okay, I returned to work for my old company this past week.

Small company, I don't know how many trucks they have, I'd guess 10 or less.

I asked if I could get my truck in a day or 2 advance before getting loaded, so I would be able to clean it up,get everything in and organized. They said no. Odd, but whatever. So the dispatcher calls me at like 8pm Wednesday night, and says " Truck is at the Pilot truck stop, hurry go get it" I'm like WTF? okay..

So I get there, and this clown parks the truck in a fuel lane, I don't mean pulled up so someone could in behind, I mean parked at the pump as if it was fueling..and had been there about 3 hours.. what a jerk..

So I get there and see this truck, and my first thought is anger, extreme anger. It was a 2002 Century. The inside was literally full of junk. I opened the door and garbage fell out.

I call him and he says " Yeah, she isn't pretty, but it has no mechanical issues what so ever" So, off I go to Miami,FL.

About 20 miles down the road, I hear a hissing sound, like a air leak..so I pull over to inspect, and can't see or find anything out of order, but I write it down on the pre-trip inspection sheet anyway ( not that anyone reads them at this company, but it covers my ass for Mr. D.O.T)

So I get into Miami, and I go to get off the interstate, and I notice while downshifting and using the jake, slight brake pedal use, I see my air gauge go from a little over 100 to below 50,and then the no air light and buzzer come on, But I get her stopped thankfully.While at the bottom of the off ramp, I start revving the engine to help it build air faster, light turns green and I take off, right in the middle of the intersection, the buzzer comes back on, and the valves release on the dash, truck comes to a stop in the middle of the intersection holding up traffic..great.. Finally I get her moving and pull off to the shoulder and call my dispatcher and he says, and I quote " Oh it's fine, it will build air back up" He just ignores the fact that I lost brakes trying to stop, and ignores the fact that it did that in a intersection.

So fast forward- I deliver, and re-load. I call and report brake failure once again, once again he says its no big deal. At this point I am furious that he put me into a truck knowing it had a air leak, and then plays it off as nothing- Someone could have seriously hurt or killed because of that truck.

So, I come to the house, and drop the truck off at the same Pilot, but in an actual parking space- I call and say hey, truck's home, please have these brakes looked at so I can safely complete my run. Well, he has the brakes fixed, and then puts another guy in the truck. He says " oh, i might put you back in a truck, we'll just have to see" And I reply, " No, we won't see. I quit, don't bother calling me back, I am done with you and your crap, you knowingly put me in a unsafe vehicle and think its just fine to do that"

This company is a joke. They are going to get people killed,whether it be their drivers, or someone just trying to drive to work.

So, now I am looking for a new carrier to work for..

See...The thing about all of this Pork Chop.......YOU drove the truck back. From Miami.

You did not name this POS company. (The company name warns others away)

Had this been me.......(I know....I have to many years at this).........I would have stopped at the FL scales on I-10 just before the Alabama state line, and called a friend or family member to come and pick me up.....then I would have taken the paperwork for the truck inside and explained the situation to the DOT officer in the coop. But...that is me. I have been called several different types of names by a couple companies similar to that one you didn't name....but those companies understood in the end....that their butt was the one in the sling.

just sayin young lad.

[Jackrabbit379]

That's what I woulda done. I would have taken it to the first chicken coop, and I would have thrown the fox in there.

[Orangetxguy]

That's what I woulda done. I would have taken it to the first chicken coop, and I would have thrown the fox in there.

See...You and I...we have to much experience at this. WE gotta teach the "Younguns" that the only way to deal with a POS is up front. Feeding the fox can sometimes be a good thing.

[Jackrabbit379]

Thanks..
As long as you write down the defects on the inspection report, and the company knows about it, it's on the company. tell the DOT man that you reported it, and they failed to fix it. Wallah

[P0rk Ch0p]

I did look it over before I left. I noticed a slight hiss in the cab,like coming from the valves, but I've had trucks that do that before so.

Once i experienced problems is when i called, etc and was basically ignored.

Leaving the truck would have been fine and dandy- but not when you don't have the money for a bus,plane,train ticket home and no one to come get you.

After I got reloaded in FL, i adjusted my route best I could to avoid braking situations. I made it home safely.

And I talked to the company owner yesterday, and she was trying to say that the dispatcher is saying I blew 500 dollars in fuel to come home. I quickly corrected her with facts, Mapquest says I only went 120 miles out of route to come home, which is what? 75 dollars in fuel if that. And with the truck being home, their own mechanic did repairs and the savings from that greatly offset the out of route fuel. So i told the owner, I've logged 1,707 miles on this trip, knock off 150, cut me a check and I'm done with this company.

The reason i didn't name the company is because I didn't know whether they would/could see this and call it some sort of legal term and try to sue me.

But, after dealing with these people, I frankly don't give a F.

It's JCM Transportation, out of Florence,AL

[P0rk Ch0p]

I wish I would have got an in-cab video of the strange sounds the brakes made when you pushed the pedal..

[Orangetxguy]

I did look it over before I left. I noticed a slight hiss in the cab,like coming from the valves, but I've had trucks that do that before so.

Once i experienced problems is when i called, etc and was basically ignored.

Leaving the truck would have been fine and dandy- but not when you don't have the money for a bus,plane,train ticket home and no one to come get you.

After I got reloaded in FL, i adjusted my route best I could to avoid braking situations. I made it home safely.

And I talked to the company owner yesterday, and she was trying to say that the dispatcher is saying I blew 500 dollars in fuel to come home. I quickly corrected her with facts, Mapquest says I only went 120 miles out of route to come home, which is what? 75 dollars in fuel if that. And with the truck being home, their own mechanic did repairs and the savings from that greatly offset the out of route fuel. So i told the owner, I've logged 1,707 miles on this trip, knock off 150, cut me a check and I'm done with this company.

The reason i didn't name the company is because I didn't know whether they would/could see this and call it some sort of legal term and try to sue me.

But, after dealing with these people, I frankly don't give a F.

It's JCM Transportation, out of Florence,AL

Surely you have a friend or family member who would drive to the FL stateline to pick you up??


You need to quit looking at these little fly-by-night outfits, and talk with reputable companies. The "Mega" carriers may not be your first choice....but they aren't going to completely hose you, as long as you do the work properly and safely.

Try an outfit like this one

http://www.amxtrucking.com/


or this one

Wiley Sanders Truck Lines, Inc.

or even this one

McElroy Truck Lines, Inc.

or this one

Boyd Bros. Transportation, Inc.

and this one......I do believe one of the NBA stars owns it.................I think

All American Xpress - AAX - Transportation Company

[MichiganDriver]

If you have a reason for liking small companies maybe a 10 truck company is too big. I work at a manufacturing company that just happens to put 2 trucks on the road and they're way too small to have a service department, so they lease their trucks from Penske. I'm learning that Penske cuts alot of corners but I'm sure they're better than what you just left. We used to use Ryder and them were the good old days. Ryder had their act together. If I were out looking for a job I'd try to find a small company that leased Ryder trucks, but I'm not a big company kind of guy - I'd feel lost.

Edit: Now that I think about it if I were looking for a job tomorrow I'd go visit my local Ryder and ask them if they happen to know anyone that's hiring. And after the pretty lady behind the counter says that she doesn't I'd go talk to the service manager. Any leads you get would at least be for companies with reasonably new equipment and qualified people doing the servicing. Of course they still might be SOBs to work for.

[Orangetxguy]

I just saw your "looking for work" post on that other thread.

Here is a company, in Huntsville, that has an excellent reputation, and is worth the effort.

A&R Transport

Their Huntsville terminal is north of town on US20, south of the 3M plant. It is on the left about 3/4 mile before you get to the turn to 3M as you are driving north out of town.

[P0rk Ch0p]

A&R wants 25 yrs old and 3 yrs Exp.. I'm 24, with like 2 months

[Orangetxguy]

A&R wants 25 yrs old and 3 yrs Exp.. I'm 24, with like 2 months

Okay......Then take a look at some of the other listings I posted. You need to get some experience behind you for the best jobs. AAX, AMX and McElroy all run new equipment and do not force feed the "Lease Operator" BS down your throat. Sanders doesn't either....but they don't run the newest equipment either. If you are willing to run, they are willing to let you. Boyd's has fallen in love with the "LO" operation. Being in Huntsville, you could still do good with USX, JBHunt....or any of the others....But I think the first group will work better for you.

[GMAN]

With only a couple of months experience you need to find a company and stay with them for at least a year. There are opportunities, but they can take legwork to find. There are some truck stops around Huntsville. I would spend some time talking to drivers and see if they can provide some leads. There are a lot of carriers of varying size in Alabama and Tennessee. Many of them are in easy driving distance from you. I would call Covenant and US Xpress in Chattanooga. You have Star, Western Express and a few others in Nashville. Big G is a mid size carrier in Shelbyville, TN. I believe that Nationwide is also still in Shelbyville. That isn't far from you. I have no idea of their current hiring requirements. I would pick up the phone and start calling. It is only a matter of time. If you contact enough carriers someone will hire you. By the way, have you filled out an online application on this website? There are also other similar sites that also offer on line applications. You fill out the application and they then match your experience with the needs of carriers. You might also check the company listings on this site. It lists most of the major carries and their basic hiring requirements. If you went to a driving school you might even check back with them to see if they can help you with placement. One other place that you should check is your state employment office. Carriers often list positions with them.

[P0rk Ch0p]

Yeah, I'm still looking.

It just pisses me off, because so many companies want all this experience, and it doesn't even matter by who. They'd hire some jackass from Swift who had 6 months of F'ing stuff up, over someone like me who can drive the hell out of anything you give me, be everywhere early and a spotless MVR and CSA record..

[GMAN]

Carriers hire based upon whom they can get cleared by their insurance company. Carriers have different hiring requirements, but it still comes down to what their insurance company will accept. Unless the insurance company accepts the driver then they are not going to hire him. Some of the major carriers self insure up to a point. I expect that is one reason they can afford to hire inexperienced drivers. As a smaller carrier I need more experience and a clean MVR to maintain my low insurance rates. If I go outside of what the insurance company requires then my premiums will go up or the insurance company will not cover the driver. It is difficult to find a carrier that will hire you with only 2 months verifiable experience. You may not like Swift of some of the mega carriers, but those could be your best bet to get some experience. Once you get a year older and have at least a year of verifiable driving experience you will find more doors that will open for you. Sometimes we need to do things that we don't particularly like to get where we want to go.

[One]

See...The thing about all of this Pork Chop.......YOU drove the truck back. From Miami.

You did not name this POS company. (The company name warns others away)

Had this been me.......(I know....I have to many years at this).........I would have stopped at the FL scales on I-10 just before the Alabama state line, and called a friend or family member to come and pick me up.....then I would have taken the paperwork for the truck inside and explained the situation to the DOT officer in the coop. But...that is me. I have been called several different types of names by a couple companies similar to that one you didn't name....but those companies understood in the end....that their butt was the one in the sling.

just sayin young lad.

Interesting..but wuldnt that but you in a situation where you would have to dispute a 'truck abandonement' on your DAC? I guess im lucky and have not had to deal with things like this but I did run for moving companies who used to lease Ryder straight trucks and the only way we would ever turn in a truck was on a tow trucks' hook. But the straight truck division may have differed from the class 8 trucks...

[Orangetxguy]

Interesting..but wuldnt(wouldn't) that but (put) you in a situation where you would have to dispute a 'truck abandonement'(abandonment) on your DAC? I guess im lucky and have not had to deal with things like this but I did run for moving companies who used to lease Ryder straight trucks and the only way we would ever turn in a truck was on a tow trucks' hook. But the straight truck division may have differed from the class 8 trucks...

First off....fixed those for you.

As far as putting ME in that situation........No it wouldn't. At this point in my life, I understand how to do things in a manner that would circumvent a company being able to do something like that.

IF a young driver like PorkChop (Mike I think his name is) finds him or her "Self" in a POS truck like that, before doing anything, documenting the repair requests as well as the subsequent refusals to make the repairs, is important. Turning the truck over to a DOT officer at a scale does two things. It puts the truck under the control of a law enforcement facility, plus....THAT truck isn't going to be moved again until all repairs that are subject to the 49 CFR regulations, and that are found by the DOT facility, are repaired.

You have never been forced to drive a POS truck One?? I gotta say....You have been lucky. Even major corporations find themselves forcing drivers to drive poorly maintained equipment, when penny pinching managers hide the VIR's and threaten meek drivers with lose of the job if they refuse to drive the equipment.

Sure....leaving the truck at a scales may be Chicken-chit....but then again....refusing to maintain your equipment before putting a driver in it is also Chicken-chit. With CSA, drivers can no longer afford to collect DOT OOS tickets. Before, those tickets only affected the safety score of the Carrier. A carrier that is large enough, can absorb the odd OOS ticket. NOW....not one single driver can afford those tickets....but those drivers are still at the mercy of managers or Owners, that look at repairs as "unnecessary". NOW those tickets affect the reputation of the driver....and bonafide carriers will not give a rats-azz that the driver was forced to drive a POS truck. No driver has to....they can look for work elsewhere....but then again....that puts the driver in the postion of being unemployed. Classic catch22. Damned if you do....damned if you don't.

It is one thing to fly off the handle because of disagreements with a dispatcher, another entirely to be forced to do something you would not otherwise do. Abandoning a truck because of a dispatch disagreement is far different from turning a truck that is in disrepair, and that an owner or manager knows is in disrepair and ignores the drivers repeated requests....that is a whole new ballgame....especially now.


Maybe my stance makes me a "Horse's Azz".......but then again..........after 33+ years of doing this....I really don't care.

[P0rk Ch0p]

What's funny is, when I get home, Where i parked the truck at, is like 2 miles from the owner's house, and they tried to say it was truck abandonment lol. I quickly set them strait and then the owner agreed with me.

[Kentla93]

What's funny is, when I get home, Where i parked the truck at, is like 2 miles from the owner's house, and they tried to say it was truck abandonment lol. I quickly set them strait and then the owner agreed with me.

If I were you I would have documented every move on video EVERY MOVE...
In this day and age with cell phones the way they are it is not hard to document issues with any situation you come across.. If I am making a fuel drop and noticed that there is a decent stain from an earlier fuel spill, I pull out my camera and start snapping photos or video.. a simple move to make that will garentee your azz is covered..
The owner may have agreed with you over the phone or in person but will that be enough to stop him/her from trashing your DAC if they so desire???
Then you will have to deal with all the red tape and BS to get the situation taken care of which I have been told does not happen so easily... You hear lots of horror stories about guys getting trashed on their DOC'S by previous employers, is it worth the headache.. Cover your azz at all times by having a decent video/camera phone with you...

Timberwolf