Star Transportation: new idle policy

[Oakdancer]

From the January, 2009 company newsletter:

"In order to eliminate all unnecessary idle time Star Transportation has implemented an Idle Chargeback policy effective January 1, 2009.
All tractors without an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) will have a standard of 30% idles or less. Any idle time over 30% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour.
Tractors with an APU will have a standard of 5% idle time or less. Any idle time over 5% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour."

link: http://www.startransportation.com/images/newsletter.pdf

This cheesy policy might not be so bad if you didn't spend half your time sitting around waiting for a load, but I've only averaged 1850 miles per week over the past 2 years. This is the last straw; I mailed my application in to Crete today.

[belpre122]

From the January, 2009 company newsletter:

"In order to eliminate all unnecessary idle time Star Transportation has implemented an Idle Chargeback policy effective January 1, 2009.
All tractors without an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) will have a standard of 30% idles or less. Any idle time over 30% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour.
Tractors with an APU will have a standard of 5% idle time or less. Any idle time over 5% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour."

link: http://www.startransportation.com/images/newsletter.pdf

This cheesy policy might not be so bad if you didn't spend half your time sitting around waiting for a load, but I've only averaged 1850 miles per week over the past 2 years. This is the last straw; I mailed my application in to Crete today.

No surprises here. What else could be expected from a Covenant sister company? Gets better all the time, huh?

I wonder if that is actually legal? No matter, they'll get away with it.

BOL on getting out.

[Windwalker]

Oh, yeah... Now that fuel prices have come down...

[belpre122]

I took the bait and skimmed over that newsletter. It really is worse than I originally thought that it might be. I couldn't resist cutting and pasting a couple of dandies from this so-called newsletter. Maybe they should have included a prayer regarding freezing your ass off, or experiencing a heat related injury.

The nerve of these animals..........................

"New Year Resolution
First, I would like to personally thank each of you for your loyalty during these difficult economic conditions and your efforts to keep safety a culture in our company. (blah blah blah blah)
Even better news is we serve a God that is bigger than any of our problems and His promises come with an eternal guarantee."

"Word of Life
“for I know the plans I have for you, “ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11"

[Oakdancer]

Oh, yeah.. Ronnie does like to preach. We also regularly get those little inspirational messages at meetings and over the qualcom. Don't get me wrong, I don't care what, if anything one holds as a personal belief; Just don't try to cram it down my throat. But do you think they could have come up with a more hypocritical verse to include along with the news that they've found yet another way to give their drivers the shaft?

[Jumbo]

We are owned by a born again and his brothers but at least they let us idle and dont cram the lord and his plan down our throat. Except for my Birthday card. Which read: Dear Tim, Happy Birthday. Jesus loves you. But we think you are an A**hole.

[Pack_Rat]

No surprises here. What else could be expected from a Covenant sister company? Gets better all the time, huh?

I wonder if that is actually legal? No matter, they'll get away with it.

BOL on getting out.

Actually NO it is not legal. They CANNOT withhold anything from your check except tax's and other things that you have given them WRITTEN PERMISSION to withhold. The only thing they can do without permission is things like child support and IRS for back tax's. But that takes a court order. So unless you sign something giving them permission to do this they CANNOT do it legally.

[belpre122]

Actually NO it is not legal. They CANNOT withhold anything from your check except tax's and other things that you have given them WRITTEN PERMISSION to withhold.

Well, we have to remember that we are dealing with some cagey Christians here PackRat.............

They'll have all of those poor folks signing off on agreements/authorizations to rob them of their pay in no time at all. Else not signing will mean.................... You got it.

Bakker, Swaggert.............apparently that ilk has found a new flock.........

[cdswans]

Pack_Rat is correct. They can discipline, suspend or fire you but they can't play with your money.

What really frosts my glass is the reasoning: "Any idiot can see that we're too stinkin' tight to equip all our trucks with APUs but God has blessed us and brought you to our flock to pay for 'em."

[Malaki86]

Just how much fuel are they using to idle now? I mean, is the truck using almost 2 gallons per hour?

That'd be reason enough for me to park the stupid thing and get a new job.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

These 30% of moving run time is impossible to meet at 2500 miles in the heart of winter/summer ,as it is only about 25hrs ,which does not even cover your 8hrs sleeper birth portion of a 10hr break ,as in 5 days you are at 40hrs and 56 in 7 days . The problem is the low rent types who will sweat/freeze and live like a hobo to accomodate such ridiculous policy ,as they give the company leverage out of doing right .


It would be great to see some lawsuits brought against these carriers when drivers fatigued from poor rest created from sleeping poorly in an attempt to meet the guidlines of an idle policy are involved in accidents .

[carterbeauford]

These 30% of moving run time is impossible to meet at 2500 miles in the heart of winter/summer ,as it is only about 25hrs ,which does not even cover your 8hrs sleeper birth portion of a 10hr break ,as in 5 days you are at 40hrs and 56 in 7 days . The problem is the low rent types who will sweat/freeze and live like a hobo to accomodate such ridiculous policy ,as they give the company leverage out of doing right .


It would be great to see some lawsuits brought against these carriers when drivers fatigued from poor rest created from sleeping poorly in an attempt to meet the guidlines of an idle policy are involved in accidents .

wishful thinking, I see your point but I can sleep relatively comfortably down to about 15 degrees with a 12v heated blanket. the only time I need to idle all night is when it is 15 or below.

don't get me wrong, I am not saying I enjoy it, my queen bed with flannel sheets and a Sealy mattress at home is a little nicer, but it doesn't affect my sleep to the point where I am dangerous on the road.

if I am running hard, below 30% is no problem. if I am sitting for the weekend empty and its 0 degrees out, yeah it sucks. I parked at home for the weekend, 6 degrees Mon morning and it started. if not I have jumper cables and a pickup truck with a big alternator and 2 batteries. running the truck all weekend to prevent a jump start is going to kill my idle %. they can't have it both ways.

legislation is not going to fix anything, if it got that bad I would just find a company that had APUs. though I sincerely hope if I am still with TMC, their new trucks have at least something.

[Copperhead]

Does anyone get the idea that company owned trucks may eventually be on the decline? With all the issues, I envision companies making moves to utilize more owner ops. I know I would. Then I would only be out a percentage of the load or a mileage rate. No fuss. Especially with the threat of universal EOBR's and other ideas coming from FMCSA. Probably why the carrier I am with is on a virtual hold in hiring company drivers and still taking O/O. Company trucks here were a minority already and the ratio will decline.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

wishful thinking, I see your point but I can sleep relatively comfortably down to about 15 degrees with a 12v heated blanket. the only time I need to idle all night is when it is 15 or below.

don't get me wrong, I am not saying I enjoy it, my queen bed with flannel sheets and a Sealy mattress at home is a little nicer, but it doesn't affect my sleep to the point where I am dangerous on the road.

if I am running hard, below 30% is no problem. if I am sitting for the weekend empty and its 0 degrees out, yeah it sucks. I parked at home for the weekend, 6 degrees Mon morning and it started. if not I have jumper cables and a pickup truck with a big alternator and 2 batteries. running the truck all weekend to prevent a jump start is going to kill my idle %. they can't have it both ways.

legislation is not going to fix anything, if it got that bad I would just findcrash landed a company that had APUs. though I sincerely hope if I am still with TMC, their new trucks have at least something.

Well doing what you're doing is laughable and wrong ...Sure if it was your truck and you decided you wanted to operate like this then fine ,but when you do it to meet a company idle policy that's just funny .

[PonceDeLeon]

How can people work for such scum buckets. The use of scripture is blasphemy. May they rot in hell.

[carterbeauford]

Well doing what you're doing is laughable and wrong ...Sure if it was your truck and you decided you wanted to operate like this then fine ,but when you do it to meet a company idle policy that's just funny .

well then what are my other options? if I start putting up bad numbers I get fired. but dammit I'm a truck driver and I can work anywhere I please, because I make the rules. I have a good job and do what my company asks, yes that's hilarious.

I laugh when I see trucks idling all night anytime it drops.below 45. its called being responsible. its about 20 outside and I am comfortable. I don't particularly like to listen to this thing rattle all night anyways. objectively wrong? I have only ever been dead tired due to lack of sleep maybe twice in my time here, and neither time had anything to do with the temperature.

an APU would be NICE was my main point.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

well then what are my other options? if I start putting up bad numbers I get fired. but dammit I'm a truck driver and I can work anywhere I please, because I make the rules. I have a good job and do what my company asks, yes that's hilarious.



I laugh when I see trucks idling all night anytime it drops.below 45. its called being responsible. its about 20 outside and I am comfortable. I don't particularly like to listen to this thing rattle all night anyways. objectively wrong? I have only ever been dead tired due to lack of sleep maybe twice in my time here, and neither time had anything to do with the temperature.

an APU would be NICE was my main point.

If your company is asking you to live like this then I would seriously re-think saying I had a good job ,and yes if you openly accept this treatment it's sad/hilarious ...But I'm putting money on you driving a desk for a living not a truck...But as to the numbers ...yes ,because if people would insist on being allowed the basics of heat in winter/cool air in summer then maybe the company would find it more priority to equip the trucks correctly to meet their idle requests ,but why bother when jim bob is willing to live like a redneck sleeping in a tent on a hunting trip during his trips in order to do what ..."his comany asks".

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

One final thoughT...Did TMC even buy or reimburse you the cost of that heating pad you are using to keep from getting hypothermia ? LOL .

[Biscuit Lips]

Why on earth would anyone drive ,willingly, for these companies? If you stay and work for Star after this policy is enacted you are a F'N IDIOT. Do they deduct additional funds from the office workers so that they may remain warm in cold weather and cool in hotter temps? Where will it end? And many of you guys cry when someone bashes the typical OTR jobs out there, but this is the type of things that make one despise these carriers.

[Malaki86]

If you can sleep comfortably at 15f, that's fine. Myself, I can't. Also, what's the company say to you when you've had the truck shut off all night when the temp is 15f and there's a 50mph wind, causing your fuel to gel. Now they have to pay a fortune to get a service truck out there to get the tanks warmed up.

Sorry - I shut down when it's comfortable for ME to do so. I can't get restful sleep if I'm too hot or too cold and that's the bottom line. No sleep = not safe.