Heartland- Here I Come!

[P A Frederick]

Howdy all. I'm getting ready to leave for the Greyhound terminal here in Knoxville. Hope everything is going good for you and yours.

I'm not taking my MacBook with me just yet, so I don't know when I'll get to post again. I'm supposed to get a load coming through here for my first one (to pick up bedding, CB, etc, etc) so I might get to make a short post Wednesday. I'll let you know how everything goes.

Contrary to what some of you might thing (notice I said some), I'm going to post both the good and the bad that happens to me while at Heartland. I'm not going to sugar-coat it, but I'm not going to be overly harsh either. Most the time, the truth is somewhere in the middle anyway.

So hopefully I will be seeing you all on the road somewhere. I hope sometime in January I will be able to take one of my weekends off in Southeastern Illinois where I am originally from. It is technically out of my region, but only by a few miles really. My region's west border is the IL/IN state line (basically the Wabash until is reaches the Ohio, then the Ohio till it reaches the Mississippi). Southern IN is in the region, so where I'm from in IL isn't far.

Have a good one!

[Orangetxguy]

Good Luck!

[P A Frederick]

Howdy all, I thought I'd drop you a quick note from Atlanta.

Things are going well here. The room isn't too bad. I have been in both better and worse. From my experience for this price hotel, this is about mid-range. Nothing fancy, but it was free (since I had to share a room).

Orientation is going well. I didn't have a copy of my long form DOT physical (and it expires in February) so I have to get my physical tomorrow morning, followed by my driving test. There are 6 of us in here now. There were 7 this morning, but one was sent home because he couldn't get a work release from his doctor for a surgery on his back a couple of years ago. He was my room mate, but a different guys showed up this morning for the class that didn't get a room last night, so they put him with me. We are getting along real well.

Everyone here is super-nice. I've met lots of drivers that have been here lots of years. When we went to dinner today, they loaded up all the drivers in the lounge and paid for their meal. I know that isn't much, but its something.

All the drivers that I've met thus far are pretty happy. Thats all relative though. Several I've met have over 5 years in the company in. They still enjoy working here, even with all the mistakes they make, they know it works out in the long run.

I'm not making any judgements about the company and dispatch as a whole until I've been in a truck for a while, but right now its going pretty good.

Hope to see you all out there on the highways and biways sometime in the near future.

[headborg]

boy pa for somebody that doesn,t even work there yet,you act and sound as if russ wanted your first born you would give it to him and tell him your parents didn't raise you to be greedy!! can't wait for the post's in the future when you QUIT because it wasn't what you were promised,that's if you'll eat crow and admit it.worked there myself years ago for nine months, the longest in my orientation class,their trucks were so stripped down that the floor gave my wife's feet blisters from the heat because the padding under the rubber floor was not there!! oh ya,go ahaed and not care if you are home tue or wed,you will find out in orientation that if you are home on a wed,they keep enough money out of your check to go recover the truck from your house if you quit,you will get it back on the next check,but you will be making Soooo much money that will be quite alright,RIGHT??? good luck at heartless express.

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone one would dare discuss the "HOLD" Money policy at Heartland. Yes, they THREATEN you at orientation about going home during the week( at/on day prior to payday) about them "making an error on that paycheck-- an error that works out to be $1.00 per mile for every mile between your hometown and the nearest yard.
I was home twice during my 4 month trip through purgatory. It never happended to me-- I was looking for $220 bucks worth of "payroll error"-- but never happened-- so I chalked it up to "discouraging" the slaves from taking hometime during the week... after all, it's illegal . Funny, how there's that old "double standard" there again--- you must be honest, and do everything legal--- but we'll threaten you with an illegal practice. Even tell you-- you'll never get management or anyone in payroll to admit they are "holding" money back.

[headborg]

Been over a week... where's our Update? How goes the new Heartland adventures?

[P A Frederick]

Sorry its been so long. I didn't take my computer with me, so I had no way to update while on the road. This is going to be short cause I just got in.

After orientation, they didn't have a load for me until Thursday about noon. They did put me up in the motel for the extra night though.

First load was from Atlanta to Pikeville and Paintsville, KY. 408 paid miles. Two live unloads Friday. It turned out this was the only load I got emptied before midnight that Friday.

As soon as I was empty I had a pickup in Kimper, KY (D&H), took it to Columbus and dropped on the yard. (I also forgot my notebook in the truck, so all I have is my weeks end total milage.)

From Columbus pickup on the yard going to Berwick, PA. On this trip my truck gets to acting up. Take it to a TA (this is on Saturday) and they can do nothing with it. I take it on to Berwick. Drop, no empties, but I can't drive 55 bobtailed so I'm broke down till Monday when the nearest Cummins dealer is open. Come to find out it was an EGR back pressure sensor going out. Sat from Saturday Midnight till 4:30 PM on Monday for that. Did get breakdown pay, but it was next to nothing.

Then I go from where ever in PA I got worked on to Milesburg to the TA to relay a load to the Scranton, PA Petro. Ended up being about 230 miles I think both ways, but my FM kicked in a little extra money from the Heartland Cares account.

From Scranton deadhead to Avon, OH (Cleveland) to pick up and deliver in Hagerstown, MD.

Hagerstown deadhead to Martinsburg, WV to FedEx, take it to Bedford, VA (Roanoke).

Switch trailers at the Roanoke TA for a loaded going to the Kingsport yard, switch for an empty for my reload Monday morning in Loudon, TN.

Because of pay cut off, the last thing I'll get paid for this week will be the transfer from Roanoke to Kingsport, but I got 2016 paid miles (keep in mind I was broke down virtually two days).

Next week is going to start with a bang. I'm picking up Monday morning or Sunday night in Loudon, TN going to somewhere in PA, 618 paid miles away (plus 120 something from Kingsport to Loundon deadhead).

I told my FM I would work last weekend since my family wasn't here anyway. I also told him I'd work through Christmas as long as I could be home over the weekend. My little boy is 2, he doesn't know what day Christmas is, so it'll work out.

I'll probably write more tomorrow. I'm pretty tired right now and need a good shower and meal... I've got a lot of things to cover, some good, some bad, mostly a wait-and-see type deal though. I'll say more tomorrow when I can think of everything I need to cover.

[belpre122]

Been over a week... where's our Update? How goes the new Heartland adventures?

Not lookin for some drama are we brother HB?

[P A Frederick]

Here's a few things from my first week and a half:

They shouldn't be called heartless going down the road, they ought to be gutless. The truck of mine is the ultimate gutless wonder. I took 44000# from Columbus to Berwick. Before my EGR sensor went out I couldn't hardly get over the hills on the turnpike.

People seem generally nice when you call for one thing or another. My dispatcher seems like a good guy (I've talked to a couple other drivers that run out of Kingsport and they seem to like him). I've only had one guy be half way snippy with me and that was a night breakdown guy. They all seem nice enough. Of course, I tell them my truck # every time I call, so they might see that I'm new and don't know what in the world is going down sometimes. It could change as I've been there longer, but I hope not.

Breakdown pay stinks. I was down from Saturday Midnight (Sunday morning) to Monday at 4:30 PM, and they gave me $75. Yeah, seventy-five dollars. Whoopee!

The interior of the trucks aren't as bad as I imagined. I figured I'd get in and their would be a mattress and nothing else. There are two TV cabinets (that need doors or curtains or something, a place to hang up clothes, a place to hang your towel (which is handy), a refrigerator cabinet (which needs some shelves or something to make it easier to use if you don't have a fridge), and two large shelves above the head and foot of the bed. One of these works real well for a library if you are so inclined (which I am). Rubber matted floors (no surprise). The seat isn't bad, but my right arm rest is broken. It hangs down too low and won't adjust. I'm sure there is nothing they can do about it until I get a different truck. I'd say overall the interior doesn't lack storage space, it just needs to be organized differently to make it more usable. Its kind of awkward how its set up.

The truck does ride pretty decent. Pulling spring ride trailers doesn't help of course, but the ride is o.k. Now that its been worked on it runs and drives good.

I did do some sitting, but that is to be expected. Of course I sat the most when I was broke down (and I already had a preplan when I broke down...). Then I sat for a few hours in Scranton after I relayed a load. I sat the most (other than the breakdown) in Hagerstown, MD. I got to the truck stop at 7 PM on Wednesday, and didn't move again until 11 PM Thursday. That was bad... It was a load going closer toward my house (they claimed it was the only thing they could find out of that area) but it was still a long time sitting.

There are things that could be better, some could be worse. So far I'm happy with the way things are going, but we'll see. Sorry if I disappointed you by not getting in a fist fight with my dispatcher my first week or something, but there is no high drama here. In fact, I haven't even met my dispatcher face to face yet.

I hope to be on here next weekend with some more news. I'll let you know how week 2 goes.

[jonp]

I heard some not too good things about Heartland from the regional guys out of Jacksonville. I hope that it works out better for you a little farther north.

[headborg]

The Borg do not require Drama...only reports.. updates... data to be assimilated by the collective here at CAD

of course, if there were to Be....Drama.... please give us the dirt..the juicy stuff....

[P A Frederick]

HB, I'll give you every little detail if there is any drama, I promise you.

Jon, There was one guy from my orientation that lives in Florida. He could have run out of Jacksonville, but opted for the southeast regional out of Atlanta instead. If you look on their website the region for Jacksonville is only Florida. Of course you go out of region all the time (I'm going out of mine Monday and spent nearly all lat week out of it) but still, having just Florida kind of limits your options. He said he would also get paid a few cents less per mile if he ran out of Jacksonville as opposed to Atlanta. Thats all I know on that subject.

Going to pick up my load today and then I'll head out tomorrow morning early. Its going to be a long day on i 81 tomorrow. At least I can sleep in Carlisle at the yard Monday night and not have to fight a truck stop!

You guys have a good one!

[jonp]

The guys I talked with said they were getting .50/mile plus but were only doing 1100-1200 a week. They were going up into AL and GA also but you are right, constrict your range and it gets tuff in a hurry. Still, that works out to $600 a week or so and home on weekends. The main beef I heard was that they sat around alot. Of the 5 I talked to 4 were going to quit. However, that is not a turnover rate much above alot of other companies out there so I dont know.

Drive safely. I think its going to be a brutal winter in the north with lots of ice on the snow line of PA and MD.

[P A Frederick]

Howdy all. I'm going to make this quick since it is Christmas.

Went up to Carlisle Monday. Was supposed to deliver the load Tue. just south of Scranton, but they wanted me to drop it in Carlisle (decided this Mon afternoon). Wasn't real thrilled, but it only knocked 100 miles off paid milage. Dropped it about 6PM Mon. Thought for sure I'd have something 1st thing Tue morning. During Christmas week? Yeah, right.

My FM told me to get an empty about 9:30 or 10. Had a load that loaded in Denver PA and went to VA somewhere (but it was a tail-gate unload... uck). While sitting in the inspection line (for over an hour-they need to figure something better out) they cancelled the preplan. That was great. Finally got another load. Pick up a loaded in Carlisle (that wouldn't be there till 8PM) and make it to Suffolk VA for an 8 AM live unload. Got it, made it (with lots of Pilot coffee). Got to Sysco systems in Suffolk, its all stacked on the floor, and they want $360 for a lumper. Thank God Heartland paid it. I did not want to down stack all that crap onto pallets.

Now, I was supposed to work over Christmas. Not because I had to (they were supposed to have 95% of fleet home) but because there is not freight to haul. Picked up in Windsor VA headed to Kansas City MO for a Tue AM appt. 1121 paid miles. They told me to bring her home (even though it is out of route), so I did. I'll leave here Sunday morning and go to my parents house in IL (about 25 miles off of I 64) and go to KC Monday afternoon and get a break in before my delivery.

Miles this week absolutely sucked. 500 some to Carlisle, almost 300 to Suffolk. So about 800 paid miles for this week. Because I won't get this load off until after this Friday's Midnight, I won't get paid for it this week. This is one reason I actually volunteered for working Christmas so my pay check wouldn't be nothing this week. You think, I knew I would be coming out this last Monday, then home WED night or THUR morning, thats only about 3 days. Can't get miles.

Hopefully the miles will be better next week. I know Christmas screws freight up every single year, so maybe it'll get better. Can't complain about the week before, but this week was abysmal.

Bad:
800 or so paid miles.
Sitting in Carlisle, PA for 26 hours.

Good:
Paid the $360 lumper for a 6200 # load.
Got home for Christmas (even though I was willing to work).
They let you bob tail off the yard to get meals and such (most companies this size, once you're on the yard, you are there to stay).
Good 1st load for next week. Plus, I'll be 800 miles from home when I get empty. Got to get home sometime (hopefully by the weekend).

Thats all I got. Hope you all had a good Christmas.

P.S. If you stop at the TA in Roanoke, VA the one pound Sirloin meal is good and a good deal. Real nice people there and clean showers.

[kentucky24]

hey. Pa

Thanks for posting on my thread on Henderson

Serious question

If they could get u home enough at Henderson where u live now and after beiing at heartland for a few weeks

Would u

1 stay with heartland

Or

2 go with Henderson

Still weighing my options any advise on this would be cool

[P A Frederick]

Kentucky,

I really don't know the answer to the question. I haven't been with Heartland long enough to know how it will work. I know I make about 3 cents more per mile at Heartland, and a lot more drop and hook than I would ever get with Henderson (thats the curse of pulling a reefer), but there are a lot of other factors to consider. I'll let you know later I guess.

There is good and bad I could say about both companies. You also have to keep in mind I ran a dedicated route with Henderson, so I was never OTR or regional. I don't know how much better/worse my opinion of them would be if I had done either of them.

If you decide to go with Heartland or Henderson, PM me, I'll give you some more info. Wish I could give you more info at this time, but I'm still so new at Heartland, I'd hate to say good or bad yet. Only time will tell.

Good luck!

[jonp]

Don't be discouraged over your miles this week and next. Those of us that have been at it awhile can tell you that freight this time of year is a real hit or miss thing. Some places are open some days and not others, people are clearing inventory for next year..it's just tough. I had 300 miles Christmas week, home Christmas Eve and Day, got about 300 miles Friday and Saturday and am off till Tuesday. At least I'm home. Thats just the way it is.
Make sure you give it 6 months. Find out the in's and outs of your company, where they run, how to get different loads, get off bad ones and get on good ones, how to drop stuff and keep running, what area's to run into and where to keep out of, which yards to get service done on your truck and where to never ever let them get near your vehicle, etc.. before you quit.

[P A Frederick]

Well, this week sucked, and I mean MAJOR sucked!

Delivered in Kansas City Tuesday morning early. Get to KC Monday evening to take 10 and head to consignee first thing in the morning. I get a preplan. Load at 2PM, deliver by 1AM wednesday. Not going to work. I have to start my 14 at 230 AM to make delivery appt. Call dispatcher "Well, I changed your availability cause I thought you'd be able to take your break at the consignee." Well, I called consignee, no parking, when I set my availability. I guess I'm new enough he doesn't realize I take these things into account. If he would have kept it like I had set it, who knows how much better my week could have been (cause it couldn't be worse).

Delivered Tuesday AM in KC. Takes 5 hours. Go to Lees Summit, MO (Southeast KC suburb) to pick up a load heading to Baltimore. I think, right on, its 1000 paid miles to Baltimore, this'll be great, not. I have to drop it in OFallon, MO (St Louis). I still don't know why, I could have delivered it no problem and Baltimore is in my region, St Louis is not.

Because it took so long to unload and load in KC, my 14 is up when I get to St Louis. No problem, I figure it'll be Wednesday morning before I get a preplan. Apparently that was wishful thinking.

To make a long story short, I sat in St Louis until Friday around noon to get my load going to Atlanta. It was a long 3 days. He's given me a little bit of layover pay, but I told him it won't cut it, and he says he'll get me some more, but who knows if I'll see that. Basically the only miles I'll get paid for this week are from Windsor, VA to KC and back to STL.

I keep telling myself this is just a bad, bad week for freight. There were several other drivers there, I had the longest wait by a few hours. Some of them were very senior drivers.

It had better be better this week. I'm leaving here early Monday AM to head to Palmetto, GA for drop/hook. I hope the Atlanta yard isn't as bad as when I did orientation. I have a feeling I won't be leaving there till Tuesday, but I hope not. K Mart is there in Newnan (as well as PetSmart) that has a lot of freight coming this way, but you have to fight with the salary drivers to get anything out of there.

Here's the strangest story I heard this week. A guy was coming through the O Fallon Terminal. Picked up in Baltimore, taking it to Denver for a team to take to California. Yeah, you heard me right. Solo takes it 3/4 of the way across the country and THEN the team gets it. I thought thats what teams were for, taking freight across the country real fast? Oh, well, just kinda struck me as odd.

All-in-all this was a bad week. I hope and pray next week is better. I know freight is slow, but 3 days in St Louis? That is ridiculous.

I'll let you know something next weekend.

[Jumbo]

I hope it works out for you.

[Biscuit Lips]

You must not have many financial burdens. Seems as though it would be difficult to provide for your family on that income. Good luck, though and stay safe.

[dobry4u]

Well, this week sucked, and I mean MAJOR sucked!

Delivered in Kansas City Tuesday morning early. Get to KC Monday evening to take 10 and head to consignee first thing in the morning. I get a preplan. Load at 2PM, deliver by 1AM wednesday. Not going to work. I have to start my 14 at 230 AM to make delivery appt. Call dispatcher "Well, I changed your availability cause I thought you'd be able to take your break at the consignee." Well, I called consignee, no parking, when I set my availability. I guess I'm new enough he doesn't realize I take these things into account. If he would have kept it like I had set it, who knows how much better my week could have been (cause it couldn't be worse).

Delivered Tuesday AM in KC. Takes 5 hours. Go to Lees Summit, MO (Southeast KC suburb) to pick up a load heading to Baltimore. I think, right on, its 1000 paid miles to Baltimore, this'll be great, not. I have to drop it in OFallon, MO (St Louis). I still don't know why, I could have delivered it no problem and Baltimore is in my region, St Louis is not.

Because it took so long to unload and load in KC, my 14 is up when I get to St Louis. No problem, I figure it'll be Wednesday morning before I get a preplan. Apparently that was wishful thinking.

To make a long story short, I sat in St Louis until Friday around noon to get my load going to Atlanta. It was a long 3 days. He's given me a little bit of layover pay, but I told him it won't cut it, and he says he'll get me some more, but who knows if I'll see that. Basically the only miles I'll get paid for this week are from Windsor, VA to KC and back to STL.

I keep telling myself this is just a bad, bad week for freight. There were several other drivers there, I had the longest wait by a few hours. Some of them were very senior drivers.

It had better be better this week. I'm leaving here early Monday AM to head to Palmetto, GA for drop/hook. I hope the Atlanta yard isn't as bad as when I did orientation. I have a feeling I won't be leaving there till Tuesday, but I hope not. K Mart is there in Newnan (as well as PetSmart) that has a lot of freight coming this way, but you have to fight with the salary drivers to get anything out of there.

Here's the strangest story I heard this week. A guy was coming through the O Fallon Terminal. Picked up in Baltimore, taking it to Denver for a team to take to California. Yeah, you heard me right. Solo takes it 3/4 of the way across the country and THEN the team gets it. I thought thats what teams were for, taking freight across the country real fast? Oh, well, just kinda struck me as odd.

All-in-all this was a bad week. I hope and pray next week is better. I know freight is slow, but 3 days in St Louis? That is ridiculous.

I'll let you know something next weekend.

Don't despair. From what others have written here on CAD, this is the slow time of year. It has to get better, right!!!

Good luck out there and be safe.