[aintgotone]

Dont feel to bad it will all get better sooner or later then it will get bad again then good again. I spent three years with that company I got to know West Memphis pretty well Look at the bright side atleast you can sit in a locked yard and not at one of the truckstops with all of the lot lizards and drug dealers

[ben45750]

Originally Posted by chris_stfc

I woke up sweating buckets to find that the a/c on my truck had quit was put in a hotel room overnight t

Your lucky, I had to spend a whole week in my truck when my A/C went out in the middle of August last year, they refused to let me take it to a T/A and rufused to put me up in a hotel. Talk about on long week, hardly slept at all. It's tough starting out but it really does get better.

I tried to find a company to buy out my contract, couldnt find anyone.

[apache34]

Originally Posted by chris_stfc

A little piece of advice for you.....steer well clear of USA Truck!!!!!!! For me it's been a catalog of disaster right from day 1. Went through orientation last week, picked my truck up immediately an engine warn light came on, truck went into shop for most of that day, got a 178m load (wow!!) delivered following day, was assigned another load in Nashville that wasnt there spent all day waiting on someone to get something sorted out had to take my ten hour break, during which I woke up sweating buckets to find that the a/c on my truck had quit was put in a hotel room overnight then got sent back to the same p/u the following morning only to find that still couldnt pick up sat around all day again got another load assignment at the same place that again didnt exist eventually got someone to agree to send me to terminal in W.Memphis where upon I was informed that the likelihood of anyone looking at it until Tuesday at the earliest was slim to say the least.

Also my experience is not an isolated one. Many of the guys in my orientation class had similar experiences with useless trucks, trucks that werent there didnt work or they had to be put on long bus rides to get them from salvage yards. Also several of my classmates from Driving School have had similar experiences.

Does anyone out there know if there are any companies that would buy out the one year contracts???????? I have sat around basically not earning a dime for over 3 days now!!!!!!!


Thanks and have a great day!!!

welcome to USA TRUCK :lol: I use to drive for them. Hang in there it will get little better . give it another month or two and ask too get another truck. I dispatcher was Buddy not sure if he's still there. I was lucky my truck was right after class but others had go all get theirs.

[movinit]

Unfortunately you are seeing the real side of trucking right off the bat. Trucking comes with a lot of ups and downs, it was just your luck to get the down. Hang in there, it will get better. :lol: There are some days I swear up and down I am going to park this truck, then there are some that I laugh when I see that my paycheck is so large for very little done.

The truck you were assigned is about normal for newbies. Most companies don't want a newbie in a new truck for newbies have a tendency to run into things :shock: and they reward the drivers who hang with them by give them the new trucks.

There are some companies out there that will take over your contract, such as Interstate Distributor (not sure of the details) however you should give USA a chance for a few months.

[PackRatTDI]

Originally Posted by ben45750

Your lucky, I had to spend a whole week in my truck when my A/C went out in the middle of August last year, they refused to let me take it to a T/A and rufused to put me up in a hotel. Talk about on long week, hardly slept at all. It's tough starting out but it really does get better.

I tried to find a company to buy out my contract, couldnt find anyone.

Damn. I once had my AC go out in my truck when I worked for Stevens. I was headed from Bakersfield, California to Atlanta, Georgia. I told my fleet manager there was no way I was headed to the deep south with no AC so he routed me back to Dallas to get it looked at. Ended up being a faulty relay.

Another time the sleeper AC got stuck in heat mode so I had to keep it shut off. Fortunately the front AC was enough to keep the temp in the whole truck tolerable, lol.

Still luckier than many truck drivers down in Mexico who don't have any AC in their trucks at all. :wink:

[ronjon619]

Still luckier than many truck drivers down in Mexico who don't have any AC in their trucks at all. :wink:

Really? I see alot of them in the desert areas of El Centro and Yuma with their windows rolled up. If thats true, those guys are tougher than I am.

[chris_stfc]

having looked at all the replies on this topic I find myself somewhat heartened by it!!! I am just one of those people who look real pessimistic at these things for a short while then weigh things up and find its not so bad after all. At least I know that I am not alone in my experiences as a newbie. I guess that's how most companies are to newbies. I certainly plan to stick with it as I have rather too mych riding on it, and I guess my dispatchers really arent so bad by putting me up in hotels as clearly some others have had problems in that area!!!!

Thanks for all your comments!!!!

Talking about truck problems.....I went into my current company with some experience but was still started off in an old junker....I ended up being passed around from truck to truck and in 7 months I went through9 trucks and 3 break downs before i finaly got a nice new 2006 model that is cold and clean on the inside. I feel your pain on the truck issues....just look at it this way, if they give you the worst they have to offer right from the begining....then it can only get better :lol:

[PackRatTDI]

Originally Posted by ronjon619

Really? I see alot of them in the desert areas of El Centro and Yuma with their windows rolled up. If thats true, those guys are tougher than I am.

If they're operating in the US, chances are they have a newer trucks with AC. But if you travel in Mexico, you'll see drivers operating older trucks with their windows rolled down and sleeper vents open. I've seen them parked, waiting to load/unload with their sleeper doors open while lying down.

For every Mexican operator running a brand new Volvo or Scania tractor, you'll find one running an old KenMex W900 or DINA 861. 8)

You know, that looks hot and uncomfortable but dang if that doesn't look mean as can be!!