Arrow Trucking

[dewercs2]

I heard on our local radio station here in OKC this morning that Arrow was laying off 36 clerical and administrative people, so there must be something to them having problems.

hmmm, well looks like they are trimming down in some areas. But then so are many companies. I came from Home Depot and after almost 24 yrs in retail total. You all saw the news about the Expo division closing but they are also trimming in clearical, training and other areas.

Tell you what though. They should staff the breakdown phone lines so I don't have to spend 1.5hrs on hold waiting for someone to pickup to get numbers to pay for a tire on the side of the road.

Everyone is having a hard time, come on springtime! lets get the freight moving...

[married to the road]

hmmm, well looks like they are trimming down in some areas. But then so are many companies. I came from Home Depot and after almost 24 yrs in retail total. You all saw the news about the Expo division closing but they are also trimming in clearical, training and other areas.

Tell you what though. They should staff the breakdown phone lines so I don't have to spend 1.5hrs on hold waiting for someone to pickup to get numbers to pay for a tire on the side of the road.

Everyone is having a hard time, come on springtime! lets get the freight moving...

How can they be timming down the training department when they are replacing 10% of their fleet every month? But I totally agree about the guys in breakdown, I would have to wait around forever for them to answer and then sometimes they wouldn't help me or would have to wait for them to put money on their comdata account. It was total bs.
I wouldn't think that a non preventable accident would hurt you that bad, even as extreme as a rollover is. But there are probalbly worse places to work, just they are not the type of place that you retire from. Good luck!

[jvnd1953]

Hey Dewercs2, thanks for starting this string. Keep from hijacking DD. I guess you saw the message that maintenance is down to 1 shift. I hope I don't have to go in. Never get out. I was called in to safety the other day and thought it was about me knocking down that stop light but it was a COV check. They looked everything over and said I was good to go. I figured don't ask, don't tell huh? Also just had to take my physical again which I passed. I have to take one every year because of blood pressure meds. Sucks getting old. I'll call you when I get back on the road this week. Watched another Arrow driver go into a ditch the other day. Tried to warn him but he didn't have a CB. We were loading hay with a Melton truck first and then him. I offered to help him secure since it would help me beat a pending rainstorm and he declined. Steel trailer, portable winches, etc. Well after putting the rear tarp on wrong and having to turn it around after unfoldimg it he finally was ready to pull out onto the paved county road and finish with the bungees. As he turned right he didn't watch his trailer offtrack and I saw what was about to happen and tried to stop him but too late. The trailer slid into the ditch and the load started to layover. As it teetered I told him to get out and stand clear because if the load went over it would take out a wood power pole and probably set the load on fire which with the prevailing wind would also set the barn load of hay on fire. When I left he was still waiting for tow trucks to get him out. It also started to rain right then. Let's hope things get better.

[dewercs2]

JVND,

I haven't been to Tulsa since I left orientation... knock on wood. I haven't had a PM since I was assigned the truck in July. I know the truck was due for one in august but they wouldn't let the AZ terminal do it.

DD is pretty cool about the hijacking but I figured this would make it easier to find if the topic was just about Arrow.

I've noticed alot of the Arrow drivers don't have radios or atleast they don't have them on. I like to say hi and ask where they are headed especially if they are in bound to Cali.

Sounds like the driver was new to FB since he doesn't know how to put on a tarp. I assume he didn't roll since the QC came out saying how many days without a rollover, which is pretty cool. I checked the SafeStat System to see where Arrow is ranked. 93 = inspect. I've been a magnate for inspections and I've past them all. I have a level 1 inspection and later that day or the next morning I've been pulled in again. I kid the guys and show them my inspection paper and they laugh and say they can't check me then. I've heard through another driver that when he was pulled in he was told DOT has to check Arrow since they are aware about the issues with the company. Just make sure all your stuff is good to go.
Off to Vegas sunday morning for monday delivery.

[Jumbo]

It's Febuary and your truck hasn't had a p.m. since July? WOW

[devildice]

I thought Arrow was doing good until the change in economy. I think they do have some problems maybe worse then others and better then some. I'm going to stick with them since I do have that slight problem of a rollover. Nobody would touch me.

Besides, I'm now regional, was making decent money till a little while ago, home on weekends and maybe one nite a week.
I'm home tonight after making a delivery and will head out hopefully in the AM.

Well it definitely sounds like Arrow is having some financial difficulties. I hope everything works out for you there or where ever you go. As some have stated already, it would not be wise to jump ship until you have something else lined up. By the sounds of it, I personally would be looking for something real quick like. Good luck bro.

[jvnd1953]

A PM at Arrow when they had 2 shifts working 7 days a week took about a couple of hours if nothing was wrong. If they found some repairs or if you complained about something the average stay was 4-5 days. Now they have 1 shift 6 days a week. My 05 FL has 610,000 on it. Luckily I have nothing major. I was known as the "king of breakdown" earlier when I started a year ago. Fingers crossed. Do they consider knocking over a stop light as serious as a non-preventive rollover? I wouldn't think you would have a problem dewercs2 knowing the circumstances. These companies insurance company sets the hiring standards now I guess.

[INKTOXICATED]

Most of these pms are worthless mechanics walking aroind the truck and putting a little lube on the 5th wheel. I got my truck back from pm and it had a headlight out. Good pm. And i guess fixing a 12 inch crack in the windsheild isnt important anymore either

[jvnd1953]

When I was in last time I had a cracked windshield on one side and they replaced both sides. Go figure. The trainer I had with Arrow called me last week. He had picked up a trailer out of Tulsa that supposedly had been inspected. The sticker indicating when it was due for annual check was expired in 10/08. The Texas DOT almost wrote him up but didn't because of some unreasonable delay in holding the driver. With Arrow, check that sticker because they evidently aren't. I was given a level 3 inspection in Oregon just because I was with Arrow. The inspector said "we can usually get you Arrow guys on something". Not this time though. I hope we can keep this string going with factual info from other Arrow drivers either current or recent.

[jvnd1953]

Should never have talked about breakdown. Monday started truck and can't build air pressure. Arrow wanted to tow it to a dealer but I said the tow truck would have to drive on my neighbors lawn to line up behind my truck since it was in my driveway. It would then take my front fence out trying to turn out. They sent a repair truck and it was a valve in the dryer. Easy fix. Showed me how to fix it next time because Arrow didn't want to pay to have the dryer rebuilt. Too late for dispatch. Tuesday morning I go to start truck and batteries are low, won't start. So I have battery charger on it and here I sit. I guess if you're going to break down, your driveway ain't the worst spot.

[dewercs2]

Should never have talked about breakdown. Monday started truck and can't build air pressure. Arrow wanted to tow it to a dealer but I said the tow truck would have to drive on my neighbors lawn to line up behind my truck since it was in my driveway. It would then take my front fence out trying to turn out. They sent a repair truck and it was a valve in the dryer. Easy fix. Showed me how to fix it next time because Arrow didn't want to pay to have the dryer rebuilt. Too late for dispatch. Tuesday morning I go to start truck and batteries are low, won't start. So I have battery charger on it and here I sit. I guess if you're going to break down, your driveway ain't the worst spot.

I hear you about the breakdown.... I've had to jump my truck with my pickup twice and on the third time I couldn't do it so a repair truck was sent out to me where I park the truck on home time.

My air dryer has been bypassed since I made the mistake and took that load to northeast texas area about 5 months ago.

Well after waking up at state line of NV and CA monday morning I made my drop in Vegas and ran to N. Vegas. I loaded drywall, tarped and then ran to Phx. This morning I delivered and loaded this afternoon and came home to Ca. I have a 10am appointment at a Home Depot about 25 miles from the house. Figure tommorrow I will load in LA somewhere and back to Phx. So far I've been moving pretty good this week. knock on wood.....

[dewercs2]

It's Febuary and your truck hasn't had a p.m. since July? WOW

Yea...... Shush... Don't let anyone know.....

I'm hoping to prolong what I know will happen. Just as long as It can be done after the winter has gone.... And before the tornados start.....

Give me an earthquake any day.... I saw twister.

[dewercs2]

Well it definitely sounds like Arrow is having some financial difficulties. I hope everything works out for you there or where ever you go. As some have stated already, it would not be wise to jump ship until you have something else lined up. By the sounds of it, I personally would be looking for something real quick like. Good luck bro.

I've been talking to different arrow drivers and there is one who is looking at tankers. He told me that he spoke to the safety guy about my situation (rollover) and the safety guy said it didn't sound like a big deal.

Only catch..... 10 days learning the tanker side of training and then I would have to do lease purchase........

[devildice]

I've been talking to different arrow drivers and there is one who is looking at tankers. He told me that he spoke to the safety guy about my situation (rollover) and the safety guy said it didn't sound like a big deal.

Only catch..... 10 days learning the tanker side of training and then I would have to do lease purchase........

run away from that......

[Orangetxguy]

I've been talking to different arrow drivers and there is one who is looking at tankers. He told me that he spoke to the safety guy about my situation (rollover) and the safety guy said it didn't sound like a big deal.

Only catch..... 10 days learning the tanker side of training and then I would have to do lease purchase........

What tanker company is it you are hearing about?

Bulk Transport? One of the others?

[dewercs2]

What tanker company is it you are hearing about?

Bulk Transport? One of the others?

Hi Oranetxguy.

I think he said CTL or California Tank Lines

[dewercs2]

run away from that......

Yea, Don't think I want to get mixed into something like that right now. Have thought about going out and buying a truck/trailer but the boss informed me that she would kill me at that point.

[mike3fan]

Yea, Don't think I want to get mixed into something like that right now. Have thought about going out and buying a truck/trailer but the boss informed me that she would kill me at that point.

that's why she's the boss

[jvnd1953]

Tankers huh? Well I went Wednesday to Boeing in Long Beach and picked up 5 containers holding engine covers for the C-17 Globemaster. Supposed to deliver Friday in Dallas (1400 miles). Had to be inspected by Boeing for bombs and when they finished, my truck wouldn't start. Batteries were fine. Called breakdown and while waiting tried it again and it started. Has been fine ever since. I couldn't get to Dallas until 1600 on Friday and the receiver closes at 1400. Delivery was rescheduled for Sat. at 0800. Got an atta boy from my DM for my time anyway. My paycheck was a whole $80. This was for 1 day last week. It was a run from Phoenix to Palm Springs. Arrow pays miles first and if regional pays more we get the difference on the next check. They pay whatever pays the most. The mechanic they sent to my house on Monday to repair my truck called me on Thursday and said Arrow hasn't paid the bill yet. In fact, they hung up on him a couple of times. Hope I don't need this repair company again. I'll deliver Sat morn and then sit all weekend but I know they don't dispatch on Saturday so I should get 1 day of layover $50.

[dewercs2]

Tankers huh? Well I went Wednesday to Boeing in Long Beach and picked up 5 containers holding engine covers for the C-17 Globemaster. Supposed to deliver Friday in Dallas (1400 miles). Had to be inspected by Boeing for bombs and when they finished, my truck wouldn't start. Batteries were fine. Called breakdown and while waiting tried it again and it started. Has been fine ever since. I couldn't get to Dallas until 1600 on Friday and the receiver closes at 1400. Delivery was rescheduled for Sat. at 0800. Got an atta boy from my DM for my time anyway. My paycheck was a whole $80. This was for 1 day last week. It was a run from Phoenix to Palm Springs. Arrow pays miles first and if regional pays more we get the difference on the next check. They pay whatever pays the most. The mechanic they sent to my house on Monday to repair my truck called me on Thursday and said Arrow hasn't paid the bill yet. In fact, they hung up on him a couple of times. Hope I don't need this repair company again. I'll deliver Sat morn and then sit all weekend but I know they don't dispatch on Saturday so I should get 1 day of layover $50.

Tankers was what I wanted to end up driving after I did some time on a flatbed. It was either that or move up into a more specialized side of flatbed/steps/OS. But with that rollover it stopped everything. I wonder how long it will be before I can get back onto my plan...

I'm running the 10 all the time between CA/AZ so if you see a Arrow truck jump on the radio it might be me.

When you stop at a customer do you leave anything on? 4ways? With the way my batteries are I shut everything off about halfway through the loading/offloading I kick on the motor. This way I'm building air pressure and I know my truck is charging.

I was loading with a 4yr line haul guy friday and he told me that I must have a dead short. He seem to know more about the trucks then I do so I asked a few questions and just listened. He told me that when he finds a good deal for oil changes he stops, pays for it and then submits the receipt with his load. He does this for anything that might run around $200 or less. I was surprised when he said he wasn't lease purchase but just a company driver.

I don't know if I'd be willing to take that risk right now. I do understand about paying for your tractor to keep you moving but for a company rig and 200 bucks... I don't know... I understand to run it like it's my own.... but.... will I be repaid???

Well I gotta get, Heading to Phx tonight with a load, dropping trailer and heading back to CA in the morning. maybe I can make the turn and start heading back to phx monday night.