[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by BanditsCousin

It is true, I am an o/o. The rules for me may be different than the company driver side, but my log theory holds water.

I did drive as a company guy for about 3 days, but I won't get into that. :lol:

How many compnay drivers have late/incorrect log policies which fine the driver? It might be apples and oranges, but, nonetheless, a fine is being passed through to the driver for negligence, no?

And whoever is dumb enough to post with 2 names from the same IP belongs on Mind of Mencia

A company can still not charge you for late or missing logs!! period, the END. Not for a company employee. They can however keep all or part of any bonus they give to an employee. I have been in this industry longer than you are old, and would never let a company take money out of my paycheck. I would quit then see them in court.Period.....

[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by sunset

Yes, the damage was my fault. So the company works like this. They charge you 500 dollars, then tell you they have no obligation to repair the truck. They told me they could just pocket the money if they wished and the so called "deductible" is just a cost of doing business. Therefore they have made a 500 dollar profit from my misfortune. I have to wonder how much income the company makes on a yearly basis due to this. In addition I was a trainee at the time and had backed the truck maybe 4 times.

As far as the chains. The trick Covenant uses to force you to buy chains is they dispatch you to an area where the law requires you to have chains on your truck. Then when you write them and tell them you cant finish the run they send you a messege back saying you will have to buy the chains yourself. If you refuse they will tell you that if you do not buy the chains then you will not get good runs in the future. This is all documented on the Qualcom.

The deal with having any kind of accident at Covenant is this. If this is your first company, make sure you can handle the truck yourself without any further training. They will not train you to back the truck. The trainers only concern is to make himself money because he gets paid extra to run with a student as a team. At no time is there any backing practice until you return to the terminal and then they will assist you in backing into a large hole to pass their so called "test". If you stand and watch people being tested you can see that hardly noone knows how to back the truck at an angle so the so called "tester" will stand outside and guide the trainee into the hole. Once they get it in they will pass you and say you have successfully completed the test. This is no joke and not an exaggeration. It was laughable and I'm ashamed for taking part in it.

I had to threaten my trainer for teaching me (in his words) to "cook the books". This was from day one. I told him that if we did not do it correctly I would jump. Time after time he would use intimidation to have it done his way. When I finished training I assumed it was an isolated incident until I talked to others in my training class. Not one but ALL I talked to went through the same experience with being taught logs as well as no training to back the truck.

Back to the chains. Again, intimidation is used against the driver in the form of threats that they will not give you good loads unless you buy the company equipment for their truck. I have to wonder how many drivers were intimidated enough to do this. I told absolutely not. The next thing they would do is ask me to buy the tires!

And again the so called insurance deductible. OK, maybe. Just maybe it might be legitimate to charge a driver an insurance deductible. Only problem is that you will be hard pressed to get anything for your money because the people at the company then turn around and tell you they have no obligation to actually fix the truck. So they just pocket your money. Where does the money go? Do they pool it all together to buy new trucks in the future? I really can see no other angle to this other than stating that to me it sounds like insurance fraud.

All I'm going to say is, if you let them take your money its your fault. As far as the log cooking, get used to it.
When they tell you to buy chains tell them "NO" and ask them where they want their truck to be returned, its that simple!!! I don't mean to sound mean or rude, grow up and "get a pair". I have never ever hit anything in 30 yrs. even when I was new to the industry. My grandfather taught me, and would have killed me!!! If you pay attention and are always aware of your surroundings, their is no reason for causing any damage to your vehicle or anyone Else's................ In my opinion you have made the wrong career choice, find another!!!!!!

[BanditsCousin]

Sunset,

They did not make a $500 profit off you. To think so is FALSE. If they go to trade that truck in (or sell it) they will take a beating for the damage that currently exists on the tractor if they don't repair it. In your opinion, could you have fixed (or had fixed) for under $500?

SSoutlaw, it is true that they CAN charge you for late/missing logs as a company driver (depending on company). To say "all" companies can would be ignorant and false on my behalf. However, if I can find it, I can pull out my Covan/Allied contract where its states the fines associated with late logs. Again, this may be niche specific thing, or company specific practice, as I've heard of it elsewhere. Althought the fines were petty (ranging from $25-$100) it can really add up. Of course, I had to sign at the dotted line agreeing to such a practice, for I wouldn't let them yank money from my check either, and if they did, I too would not be working for them!

[sunset]

Now onto their so called Solo driving and 30 day extra teaming.

Covenant forces you to go out with a so called "trainer" for 21 days paying you 13 cents/per mile then continues this practice by forcing you to team with someone for another 30 days at the same pay.

Once on the truck you are virtually stuck. Now I wouldnt be able to say too much about this unless it was fully documented on the Qualcom. For anyone new or who doesnt know this - ALL things written on that Qualcom are kept on record - so there is no way for a company to deny this in the future.

After my 30 day forced training was up me and my partner were forced to stay on the truck together. Day after day we requested to go solo like the company promised. Day after day we were denied. It went from a request to a demand. They dispatched us within 20 minutes from a terminal at least 4 different times. When we demanded to be removed from the truck we were refused. They ended up turing our 30 day forced team into over 2 months!! In the middle of all that my team partner put in for hometime. We thought this would be the best way to get off the truck. Hometime was approved. Not once, not twice but THREE times!! Was the hometime ever honored?? Not ONCE!!! We were stuck out there on the truck being paid minimal pay for over 2 months!!!

The only thing we could have done was abondon the truck. Day after day we put in requests to end the madness. Day after day we called person after person - each time being routed over the phone lines to someone who said "I'm sorry, I cant help you".

It was complete and total madness. They scammed us and the scammed us good. Again, keep in mind that although I do not have permission or authorization to obtain the documentation of this, it IS available. The company has it.

What I would love at this point is for a represenative of Covenant to get on this forum and explain to EVERYONE all the charges I have made against them. Let's hear it Covenant! Explain yourself to all these people. Justify it in your own words. We all await your response.

[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by BanditsCousin

Sunset,

They did not make a $500 profit off you. To think so is FALSE. If they go to trade that truck in (or sell it) they will take a beating for the damage that currently exists on the tractor if they don't repair it. In your opinion, could you have fixed (or had fixed) for under $500?

SSoutlaw, it is true that they CAN charge you for late/missing logs as a company driver (depending on company). To say "all" companies can would be ignorant and false on my behalf. However, if I can find it, I can pull out my Covan/Allied contract where its states the fines associated with late logs. Again, this may be niche specific thing, or company specific practice, as I've heard of it elsewhere. Althought the fines were petty (ranging from $25-$100) it can really add up. Of course, I had to sign at the dotted line agreeing to such a practice, for I wouldn't let them yank money from my check either, and if they did, I too would not be working for them!

You are a O/O, that is why you have a contract and in this contract there are provisions built in for this. It is not legal to do this to a company DRIVER!

[BanditsCousin]

SS, this was as a company driver for Covan Van Lines, not as o/o.

[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by sunset

Now onto their so called Solo driving and 30 day extra teaming.

Covenant forces you to go out with a so called "trainer" for 21 days paying you 13 cents/per mile then continues this practice by forcing you to team with someone for another 30 days at the same pay.

Once on the truck you are virtually stuck. Now I wouldnt be able to say too much about this unless it was fully documented on the Qualcom. For anyone new or who doesnt know this - ALL things written on that Qualcom are kept on record - so there is no way for a company to deny this in the future.

After my 30 day forced training was up me and my partner were forced to stay on the truck together. Day after day we requested to go solo like the company promised. Day after day we were denied. It went from a request to a demand. They dispatched us within 20 minutes from a terminal at least 4 different times. When we demanded to be removed from the truck we were refused. They ended up turing our 30 day forced team into over 2 months!! In the middle of all that my team partner put in for hometime. We thought this would be the best way to get off the truck. Hometime was approved. Not once, not twice but THREE times!! Was the hometime ever honored?? Not ONCE!!! We were stuck out there on the truck being paid minimal pay for over 2 months!!!

The only thing we could have done was abondon the truck. Day after day we put in requests to end the madness. Day after day we called person after person - each time being routed over the phone lines to someone who said "I'm sorry, I cant help you".

It was complete and total madness. They scammed us and the scammed us good. Again, keep in mind that although I do not have permission or authorization to obtain the documentation of this, it IS available. The company has it.

What I would love at this point is for a represenative of Covenant to get on this forum and explain to EVERYONE all the charges I have made against them. Let's hear it Covenant! Explain yourself to all these people. Justify it in your own words. We all await your response.

You really need to put this to rest. All you had to do was use the QC to ask them where they wanted you to bring there truck to, and QUIT.
I don't think you were meant to be in this business, again I'm not putting you down, its just my opinion.

[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by BanditsCousin

SS, this was as a company driver for Covan Van Lines, not as o/o.

Its still not legal, and as I told sunset, just quit, or better yet, don't go to work for them!

[sunset]

This forum has nothing to do with "getting a pair" of anything. I'm not bitter for my experience with this company. I am glad that I was there to be able to come back and document this for others in the future. To give them a clearer choice of what the options will be once they get there.

It seems to me that companys like to hide things in the fine print or to treat people in a way that noone expects or imagines.

I am not using this forum to obtain advice from others. I am merely on here to let others be able to make a more informed choice on whether to choose Covenant as an employer.

As far as you not ever having a fender bender in your career, congratulations. Unfortunately this is not everyone and to allow others to know all side of the issue I believe is the only way to either change things or allow others to decide to walk the other way.

So I hold strong for all I have written. My experience along with others with this company has been a huge disappointment. It's not how you would expect to be treated. What I have written on this forum are legitmate concerns for anyone considering Covenant and may bring up questions for them to ask the recruiter when and if they decide to call them up. [/img]

[sunset]

Yes, you are absoltely right. I should have quit. I wont argue with that. In hindsight there are many things I should have done. But instead I held firm to the idea that I would not be pushed around and in the end no matter what my choices were I was able to do nothing.