US Xpress

[Georgia Hot Dogg]

Any one work or has worked for US Xpress?

They are my top choice along with Star Transportation out of Nashville, TN.

I cannot get any info on Star...I want to get any info on USX I can weekly miles, equipment...anything.

Thanks for any info!

I spent my first 5 months with star.............I didnt come out from them in any better financial shape than when I went in...they have their good points, but for the most part unless you get one of their dedicated runs(good luck on that) you wont run a whole lot of miles for your first few months. They dont have tuition reimbursement so you are on your own with that loan while you are out their strugling for miles. They have pretty good equipment and start you out at $.30 per mile after your training period but that stuff doesnt do you much good if you are not running enough miles to make it worth your while...for the 5 months i was there....I would say i averaged for the whole time probably 1900 miles per week total...that=not good!

They sell you that their drivers average 3500-2700, that average comes from tha fact that alot of their dedicated drivers are running 3500+ per week. Newbies in the syatem are not so lucky.

But if you are in a hurry to get your training done they are quick about that...they send you out with trainer for 3-4 weeks and require you to do a minimum of 10,000 miles behind the wheel. I got mine done in 14 trips in just around 3 weeks thanks to being put with a trainer on a very aggressive dedicated route.

Fuel network is pilot, repairs are pretty easy to get done at their full service terminals. $.30 to start.....$.32 after 6 months. Insurance and stuff after 90 days. Volvos and Freightliners. Weekends home(i never had a problem with that part of it) But as a newbie you do a lot of sitting and waiting....especialy if they send you to florida. I cant say they were a teribble company...but i also cant say they were great...would have been a real good company if they would just run their drivers harder sometime. There are a lot of happy drivers that have been with them for years but their are alos a lot of drivers that had the same experince i did.

One other plus for them....if you keep your fuel mileage up to par, after 6 months your trucks are capable of running the actual speed limit of 70 mph...but warning on that, if you at anytime ever crawl over 75 going down hills or anything, they bump you back to about 63...that sucks...anyways, hope I gave you a little helpful info on star....ask anything else you might wanna know about them and i can probably help.

[Georgia Hot Dogg]

I spent my first 5 months with star.............I didnt come out from them in any better financial shape than when I went in...they have their good points, but for the most part unless you get one of their dedicated runs(good luck on that) you wont run a whole lot of miles for your first few months. They dont have tuition reimbursement so you are on your own with that loan while you are out their strugling for miles. They have pretty good equipment and start you out at $.30 per mile after your training period but that stuff doesnt do you much good if you are not running enough miles to make it worth your while...for the 5 months i was there....I would say i averaged for the whole time probably 1900 miles per week total...that=not good!

They sell you that their drivers average 3500-2700, that average comes from tha fact that alot of their dedicated drivers are running 3500+ per week. Newbies in the syatem are not so lucky.

But if you are in a hurry to get your training done they are quick about that...they send you out with trainer for 3-4 weeks and require you to do a minimum of 10,000 miles behind the wheel. I got mine done in 14 trips in just around 3 weeks thanks to being put with a trainer on a very aggressive dedicated route.

Fuel network is pilot, repairs are pretty easy to get done at their full service terminals. $.30 to start.....$.32 after 6 months. Insurance and stuff after 90 days. Volvos and Freightliners. Weekends home(i never had a problem with that part of it) But as a newbie you do a lot of sitting and waiting....especialy if they send you to florida. I cant say they were a teribble company...but i also cant say they were great...would have been a real good company if they would just run their drivers harder sometime. There are a lot of happy drivers that have been with them for years but their are alos a lot of drivers that had the same experince i did.

One other plus for them....if you keep your fuel mileage up to par, after 6 months your trucks are capable of running the actual speed limit of 70 mph...but warning on that, if you at anytime ever crawl over 75 going down hills or anything, they bump you back to about 63...that sucks...anyways, hope I gave you a little helpful info on star....ask anything else you might wanna know about them and i can probably help.

Thanks alot Jagerbomber...this helps alot. I am trying to see which company would give me the most miles per week US Xpress or Star...they both have good hometime. Your info was excellent...I will make a decision soon, I get out of school in 2 weeks.

[ajxsc]

You can easily get 2500 miles per week with USX and go home on w/e's.
It depends on how you want to run.
Say they give you a 500 mile trip with two days to get there. DO you stop and break at your favorite truck stop.
do you call receiver and see if they will take you early?
do you go close to destination and park and wait till your appt?

Most places will take you early SOME will not. It takes some time figuring out which and what types will.
Once you and you travel agent get familar with each other and how to operate 2500 miles with good home time is not a problem.
They have plenty of frieght heading in all directions.

Yeah, at star, I got plagued with loads that would give me 2-2 1/2 days to get somewhere I could be at in a day and a half and the customer would always end up being someone that would not take the loads early and would put you way way back in line if you missed the exact time...hard to get 2500 that way, that was another problem....I could have easily run 2700 or better a week and had good home time had I been set up properly......I am also considering U.S. Expres at this time.

[Georgia Hot Dogg]

that's good...I am leaning towards USX...I have pre-hires from both. Just will call the recruiter when i make up my mind.

Looking at USX southeast regional fleet.

[willyworm]

I'll try and answer some of questions about US Xpress

US Xpress starts new drivers at .35 a mile and a raise every 3 months the first year. you would be at .37 1/2 cent the end of the first year.
And that's for a Driver with NO past experience.

If you have received your CDL's in the past 18 months
You will be sent out with a trainer for 150 hours BTW (behind the wheel) for 3-4 weeks before you would be tested and up graded to first seat and receive your own truck.

So why would you start some where that pays less?


USX routes the loads and sets the fuel stops through your dispatch

USX is a FORCED DISPATCH
except New York City, Long Island and Canada! (There's a drop yard in New Jersey for New York City loads)

They fuel at Loves and Pilot most of the time.
They will send you to a TA or a Dealer for service, if your to far from a terminal.

Your fleet manager and customer Service is the person that sets appoints and changes them. You must go through the Fleet Manager.

2500 miles a week and still get home for the weekend is not impossible but it not going to happen often. more like 2000-2200 miles in a five day period. your not going to get 500 pay miles a day and get home every weekend. and you will do some short loads and rail pick up and drops.

If you stay out over weekend you could do 2300-to 3000 miles+ but if they start routing you home about Wednesday and you may have to pull some short loads to make it work out.
(They do a good job at getting you home on Friday or Saturday)


You will not find to many 500 mile loads that gives you a lot of time to hang out in truck stops.
And if you do, it will be over the weekend, then you won't want a 500 mile run to last two days, that eats up your hours and shorten your pay miles,
You would like a 750 to 800 mile run to cover the weekend. (and that's hard to get ) A lot of the longer load go by Teams

If your going to be out there on the road you should be working. (LEGALLY) and if you work for USX it will be (LEGALLY ) they won't put up with it. And they will catch you if you'll playing with the log books.

Here's some "FREE ADVICE" You will NOT get 2200 pay miles a week hanging out in Truck stops. (Fuel, Shower, eat and get out) and get your rest take your 10 hours and sleep as much of it as possible, and eat right

Setting in the Truck stops playing video games is a fools game, you are losing your money and miles, while the truck stop get rich.
It's a Bad habit, and you would be surprised of the drivers that spend their whole pay check playing them damn machines.

As for the bunk house at Medway, OH
they have a shuttle bus that's runs to town and back every hour until midnight every day. and "IT FREE"! and there is difference types of food delivery to the bunkhouse available, also the washers and dryers use is Also FREE!

It's better then the US Army's bunkhouse. (back in 1975) for sure!
It's not that bad and you shouldn't be there very long

Good luck
Willyworm

[fireman932003]

Hey Willyworm, do you know anything about the Dollar Tree account they have? I am set up to be on that. I leave for orientation next week. I will be going to Oklahoma City though.

[shahan]

I just did my 1st Dollar tree run and hopefully my last. The directions they give you tells you how to get to the main entrance, but your on your own finding the truck entrance. I was like 2 inches from hitting a telephone pole making a turn with my steer tire rubbing up against a curb. I hopped a couple curbs and had to do 3 u-turns in the middle of streets because of bad directions. They put a box of amonia cleaner at the bottom of the trailer and it busted and I had this horrible smell inside the trailer while I was trying to unload. For me it was very stressful getting into the shopping centers and very tiring unloading a 53 ft trailer box by box. But I did make 170$ unloading and .34 cpm @ 489 miles. For a days work. And you do 3-5 in a week. Some people here like it and make $1500 a week, but I hate it, for me its not worth the money.

[fireman932003]

I just did my 1st Dollar tree run and hopefully my last. The directions they give you tells you how to get to the main entrance, but your on your own finding the truck entrance. I was like 2 inches from hitting a telephone pole making a turn with my steer tire rubbing up against a curb. I hopped a couple curbs and had to do 3 u-turns in the middle of streets because of bad directions. They put a box of amonia cleaner at the bottom of the trailer and it busted and I had this horrible smell inside the trailer while I was trying to unload. For me it was very stressful getting into the shopping centers and very tiring unloading a 53 ft trailer box by box. But I did make 170$ unloading and .34 cpm @ 489 miles. For a days work. And you do 3-5 in a week. Some people here like it and make $1500 a week, but I hate it, for me its not worth the money.

So, exactly how does it work? Is that 489 total round trip or one way. I think you said that was one days work. How many stops did you have on that one trl? How much time between stores? I have lots of questions. Just tell me everything. :?: :?: :?:

[shahan]

My day went like this:
thurs. night 9:00pm - got load
9:00pm-10:30 - wrestling with rollers and crates trying to get them into my trailer
10:30pm-1:30am- driving
1:30am-2am - nap because I only got 3 hours of sleep the night before and didnt sleep any during the day because I was doing a run with a trainer so I could see what i would be doing
2am-4am - driving
4am-6:30am - sleep
6:30-7am - set up rollers and crates and position truck where they needed it
7am-8:30 - unloading, 350 pcs
8:30 - 10am- driving
10am - 12:30pm - unloading, 690 pcs
12:30 - 1:00pm- used bathroom and bought a pack of crackers because I havent ate since 2pm thursday afternoon. Never got to eat any of those crackers.
1pm - 2pm - driving
2pm- 2:30 - manuevering around parking lot to get to the back because there was construction in the front and in the alley way. Had to get out and walk the whole shopping center to see if my truck could make it.
2:30 - 6pm - unloading, 1500 pcs
6pm - 7pm - cleaning out trash in the trailer
7pm-7:30 - walked around to superfresh and bought a whole chicken
7:45 - 8pm - devoured chicked, 1st time I ate anything in the last 30 hours
8pm-8:30 - started doing my logbook from this morning
This is where your supposed to drive back to the DC to get another load but it was friday night and I was going home. I was too tired to drive even though I was 30 miles from my house, so I slept in the alley way. I didnt feel too safe there because there was more people walking around the back then there was the front of the shopping center.
8:30pm - 4am - sleep
4am - 5:30 - drive, fuel , drop trailer, go home

My log said totally different otherwise its impossible to get home or back the DC. You'll probably have 2-5 stops. 489 was round trip, but I didnt come back up till sunday afternoon. But if this would have been a weekday it would have all been on day. All my stops were within about 30 miles of each other.

[Georgia Hot Dogg]

This is all great info...I have heard alot of negative on some of the dedicated runs.

How are the trucks...for a newbie will i get a decent truck or junk?

Do the tractors have tape players or CD's?

If I go with them...I will choose the southeast regional...do they have alot of runs to New Jersey...I want to get thru there since my parents live there...It would be nice to stop by for a few hrs every once in a while

[freebird]

My log said totally different otherwise its impossible to get home or back the DC.

Keep playing logbook poker,
sooner or later the house will win! :wink:

[fireman932003]

Thanks for all that info. Just one other question for you. Did you have appointment times that you had to be at the stores or was it just when you get there kind of thing?

[shahan]

appointment times, and you HAVE to get there on time. I was an hour late to my last stop and the store manager had an attitude. Tonight I got 5 stops all in baltimore, then a backhaul from shasta, then thats it, I go OTR.

Regional and OTR are the same, you stay on the eastern US. My trainer was midwest regional but we were in FL, and up to RI. Only teams go out west.

[fireman932003]

Thanks for all the info. I will have to ask my recruiter about something though. I seen that you said that you are going to Baltimore. She told me that I would be staying in the Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, southern Michigan, and southern Wisconsin area. Got me courious.

[shahan]

Your going to be out of joliet, il. Im out of Berwick, PA

[Malaki86]

Well, USX got the best of me. I turned the truck in this morning and rented a car to get home. Since day 1 of orientation, I've had them do nothing but lie to me.

It started when the recruiter said that I'd have my truck on my 2nd day (I rehired). Orientation started on Friday, I got my truck on Monday about 6pm.

I had a load that was a 100% hand load on Sept 1st. It "should" be on my paycheck this Friday.

Getting hold of anyone (including my FM) on nights/weekends is a joke. They give you a phone number which you enter your driver ID, then it's supposed to transfer you to your FM. The average wait time I've had on that line is 45 minutes.

I started with them with a 660 Volvo (they have no space inside). They swapped me to a high-mileage 780 Volvo that had to be turned back in 1 WEEK later.

I was sent to do a truck recovery. The truck had set over a month. When I picked it up, it was trashed, bad steers, a lot of electrical problems. I brought it back to Medway on Friday evening, only to find out this was now my permanent truck. Also, all but about 3 permits were expired by 1+ years (including the IFTA).

While sitting at Medway over the weekend for repairs/waiting until the office people (who are on bankers hours) came in on Monday for the permits, my weekend fleet manager decided to try to push me a little bit too far. She sent me load info that picked up Monday @ 7am in Kentucky. I sent a message back that I couldn't take the load because of the expired permits. She responds that I don't have the option to turn down the load. I called her and explained what the situation was, and again, she said that "the load must be picked up at 7am on Monday". I told her "Ok - but something tells me that I won't get past the first scalehouse I come to." She then cancelled the load.

This morning I waited until 8am when everyone came in. The 1st person I saw was my FM. I told her I was leaving, and she immediately started trying to keep me from leaving.

I complained to her about my miles (which have averaged about 1,700 per week). She said that she has drivers on her board who are averaging 3,200-3,500 per week. I asked why I had to quit to get miles.

I complained to her about the way I had been re-seated into an illegal truck, that couldn't move for 3 days after I recovered it (and still hadn't been detailed). She said she'd get me a better truck. I asked her why I had to quit to get a truck worth driving.

I complained to her about not being able to get hold of the night/weekend fm's. She said she'd look up the numbers sometime today and let me know them. I asked her why I had to quit to get phone numbers for people I needed to speak with on a daily basis.

She then suggested that we speak with the terminal manager. We discussed pretty much the same things, except he offered me a bonus to stay as well as a brand new Volvo.

To me, that was an insult. For 2 months I've complained on a daily basis about the problems I've had. Now, when I'm on the way out the door, they try to kiss my ass to keep me there.

All they would have had to do was to fix the problems as they occurred, not wait until it was too late, and I was too mad to even consider it.

As far as my driving career, for OTR, I'm done. If a job requires OTR, I won't even consider it now. I have an interview on Wednesday for FedEx running local @ $12.50/hour.

As far as USX goes, every problem I discussed above is what every driver I spoke to at the terminal this weekend is having. Watching a 15yr USX driver quit 2 days before me over the same exact things says something about a company.

[freebird]

Sux for sure, Malaki!
A person can and should only take so much!
Enough, is enough!
Never let a company keep you to poor to quit!
Ala the rental car and head home!
Wish you well!

[redsunn21]

malaki you just gave me an idea.i'm gonna go to tunnel hill and im going to tell them im quitting then get that "stay with us bonus" then stay for a few months then repeat the process! cha ching baby!

i hear ya on the weekend bafoon fm's.takes a bit to get hold of them via tele but your qualcomm they must answer in a timely manner because its on record.your qualcomm must of been down?longest i waited was like 15 mins but never 45 mins.

why were you a rehire anyways? i always wanted to ask you that.good luck with fed ex. but if theres ever going to be another try with usx for you let me give you a hint when you run into logistic problems:MACRO 55! send in one of them babies and ***** gets done asap.