One thing you said in the original post bothered me a bit -- they assign you late pickups so that you can't collect on the $800. Why would you accept a load that you KNOW is late?? If you were taking late pickups, that is on YOU.

 

They assigned us late pickups. Human Resources told me to tell dispatch that I could not take the load until the updated the pickup time to something that was attainable. Message after message would go out over the Qualcomm with no response back. Take that back, once a hour I would get a message saying, "Please commit to preplan". That would be the only response I would receive.

Try the phone. Well, they have caller ID. Calls would not be answered and would roll over to VoiceMail. No attempt on their part to return VoiceMails. So, no ability to contact them over phone or Qualcomm. I can contact them, but they will not contact back. Talked to numerous other drivers with McLeod at that time and they were having same problems. Once called trying to get head dispatcher, receptionist was frustrated because head dispatcher was sitting at his desk staring into space and not answering the phone. Tried 5 times to get him, rolled to VoiceMail each time.

As to why I would take each "late" load? When it comes down to the choice of taking a "late" load or not driving any miles, which one would you take? I had spent as long as 8 hours trying to get a pickup time changed without success, lucky for me on that one I was rolling on a delivery.

When you are a truck driver, the only way you get paid is to be putting on miles. Sitting at a location trying without success to contact dispatch isn't putting on miles and isn't putting money onto your paycheck. You get to the point where you either give up and take the "late" load or do without miles for the day. A $700 before taxes check is better than a $500 before taxes check.

The main reason I left was the dispatchers not getting back in contact with you. Doesn't matter whether you are trying to move the pickup time to something realistic, have a question, or need to tell them something.

 

Nice screen name, insert joke here.

 

Well I been here 5 months now.i came to a decision
this company isn't all roses [what company is?]
the first 3 months we're great..high miles..home friday evening..
now it's a total 360.i'm getting home on saturday afternoon/night
miles are around 1700-1900 week..and alot of new york/new england driving.
sad to say i should of listened 5 months ago and stayed driving local.
if you have any experience driving,word of advice..don't come here
i'm planning on giving my 2 weeks notice very soon.
gonna try local again..

 

Well at least you didn't get screwed as bad there as some companies will do to you. I have looked on here for a while, and most info on here seems to be good. Just try to listen next time! j/k

 

Friends don't let friends drive for Mcleod Express!

They are so incompetent when it comes to maintaining their equipment. The shop manager acts like its the drivers' fault when the truck or trailers need repairs! Forget about getting a PM!

They cut down the fuel stops to like 26 Pilots & Flying Js. WTH? Plus, they don't give you the Pilot points. Just another way for them to nickel & dime the driver!

They don't have an EZ Pass or PrePass. If you decide to get a cash advance to pay THEIR tolls, they keep $2.00 of it when they reimburse you. $2.00 adds up after week after week, month after month of getting money to pay tolls!

They don't give you the real delivery times, they schedule you in an hour early. It used to be two hours early. This cuts into the drivers' time and throws his whole day off sometimes.

They have got the poorest planning board I have come across! These people absolutely do not know what they are doing when it comes to legally planning routes!
Honestly, no driver should have to butt heads with his company day after day about his hours or his DOT break. But alas, run into any of their drivers and if they tell you the truth, it is exactly what they have to do in order to run legal.

We all know that most companies rip us off of our mileage pay ie. HHG. If you work for McLeod & calculate the miles, they take 2-5% extra off the top plus HHG. I know this because I have seen bills before with the real miles that they are getting paid!

They advertise three out of four weekend home, yeah right. Most weekends, you don't even get the 34 hour reset! In on Sat evening, leave on Sun evening!

This is just a warning for anyone considering driving for McLeod. Don't believe the recruitment hype!

Friends don't let friends drive for Mcleod Express!

 

Sounds like a horrible company.I hope you're not still driving for them.I'd be raising alot of cane with the tolls.Who knows maybe their not reimburing you for all tolls,then keeping $2.00 every pay period,thats just wrong.A company I drove for did'nt reimburse me for my tolls and ripped me off on the load pay.I did;nt discover that till I left and filed charges against them for something else.What do u mean u don't get pilot points?Don't you have your own pilot card and you automatically get points for each gallon?I did'nt know companies can stop you from getting pilot points.That company is ripping the drivers off big time.Who knows,they may not be paying the drivers for every load.Sad how companies are,drivers are literally making peanuts and the upper staff better known as pencil pushers are making the big bucks and the drivers are the ones that work and will stop at nothing to get that load delivered on time and you the driver don't get as much as a thank you for your loyal services.

 

It's not the company that you drive for that gives Pilot points, it's Pilot. Something's amiss there.

 

Wanted to give UPDATE:

Recently took a load going halfway across the country. Before I accepted it, I asked dispatch if McLeod would approve ALL tolls. They said yes.

Big SURPRISE: they didn't reimburse me for ALL the tolls like they said they would. I'm currently out of $50.00.

I have proof of this...I'm no dummy. Dispatch put it right on the Quaalcomm!

 

You are absolutely right about the driver getting little respect in some of these companies. I think it has gotten worse in the last decade.

The owner of the company gets that penny that adds up on the card put back into the tank. The drivers don't get the points, I guess they go back into the Company's account.

If you don't mind running outlaw, it's the company to go for. Just note: when you get caught, don't be surprised to find yourself by yourself on the gallows.