Well I can honestly say it was not a good experience.
1. They do not preplan (no matter how much I asked to get a load before I got to the customer)

2. Many many times this scenario happened
Get a load going to waxahachie, TX their term.. get there and they make you sit for 20 + hours, then try to give you a load that is 200 miles. what they do is have the Mexican drivers bring the load from Mexico to wax then the one you dropped off they take down to laredo.
(Celadon owns a company called Celadon Mexico in Mexico)
another scenario you will see is The Canadian drives dominate down in Laredo, (Celadon owns a Company called Celadon Canada that is out of Canada) So basically they send all of the drivers from Canada down to Laredo then send them all the way back to Canada.
Just freight I would like to see American drivers haul since it is our country.

3. Would end up taking 2 or more 34 hours breaks a week not by choice just cause they make me sit. that would happen at least 2 weeks out of the month.

4. Wasn't the easiest thing to get paid for detention

5. they claim the trucks go 68MPH if you have below a certain Idle time, if you go above that idle time the truck will only go 65. The truth is only the Volvo can read idle time and all of the new Volvo go to TEAMS only. most Volvo's are traded at the end of their lease so most don't get them.
Freightliners and Internationals don't get the 68Mph if you idle below a certain limit.
They go by fuel mileage, and you have to average below 6.5Mph (including idle time) in order to get 68Mph. Anybody knows that an impossible fuel mileage to get with a newer truck. So plan on only going 65Mph
The owner of the company came out during orientation and said , the idle time they have set it at and still allows you to go 68, will be approx 8 hours of Idle a day. A bunch of BS that was.

6. As most companies Celadon maintenance takes forever.
Okay lets see if I can remember it all. 2 week driving for Celadon down in SC the truck started to lose power. Well being an experienced driver usally the first thing you want to do is change the fuel filter and pray that is it. It took me forever to get them to authorize a purchase of a fuel filter, the impression I got was they was concerned I was going to try to sell the dang thing. Well that did not work as I pulled into Indy term I took it to the shop. Truck was down for 8 full days and I had requested a loaner several times cause I needed to run. never got a loaner. had a bad injector is all it was but took 8 days to fix? paid $160 for 8 days
A/C compressor froze up as I went to pull in at Indy term about 3 weeks later, It burned the belt off and I said no way am I going to let Indy fix it so I Bob tailed out and went to the TA to have them do warranty work and replace it. one week later I was back in Indy and A/C had stop working. I a hole in the line where the the idiot from the T/A had stepped down on it and made it rub against the frame when he changed the compressor.
5 days down time to change a A/C line. this is not a joke, 5 full days. paid $160 for 5 days
Truck fan started to make noise shortly after, I new the clutch fan was going out. about the same time I noticed The truck using water. I told them about it they looked at it and said nothing wrong 1 full day downtime.
A few weeks later and several gallons off water It got cold out. I turn the heater on and instantly I knew I had a bad heater core. So I turned off the heater core hoses that went into the dash and just use the bunk heater. (noway could I afford to have this truck back in the shop.)
The heater core most likely was damaged to to one of the Idiots Celadon shop or T/A had applied to much pressure to the A/C system and damaged the heater core. The truck Fan finally went all the way out and It would overheat if I tried to drive it more then a few miles.
Got it to a term Indy and told them to fix it all
2 days $80 paid in 2 days
A few weeks later the starter started would not work. Had to go out and tap on the starter with a hammer to get it to release. Well this worked for about a month and in that month I had told Indy shop to check it out and they said the starter was fine. (it didn't do it all the time but most of the time) So finally one day leaving laredo, TX I pulled up to the loves at
exit 39 to fuel and the dang truck would not start no matter what. They ended up towing it back to laredo and took 1 day to fix. no pay
A month or to later. I went to start the truck and the truck accelerator pedal would not work. I could Idle the truck down the road and shift but at Idle the truck would not go more then 35-40 in 10th gear. They wanted me to drive the truck 50 miles with no accelerator to Indy term threw Indianapolis
(I was north of Indy and the term is South of Indy)
I might add I was at a T/A and the only problem was the accelerator sensor that cost something like $75 + labor.
They would not let T/A fix it (company policy they claimed do to the fact I was close to a term)
I told them that I thought it was unsafe for me to drive back to Indy with no Accelerator And I was not going to do it. They argued with me a little and I told them look its not going to happen. You can fix it here at this T/A or you can tow it. They towed it to INDY? I don't understand the cost effectiveness in that but they did it. 2 days down not paid
Keep in mind with all this going on to the junk truck I had (2005 with 280,000, not old at all but junk) I was requesting another truck that I never got.

7. I had a very nice FM, she was great and always tried her best but the FM are very limited in what they can do unlike some other companies.
Several times she transferred me to her boss to see if we could work something out.
let me give you an example. after 2 bad weeks in a row of having 2200 and a 2100 week. I finally had a good week, I hit like 3600 miles. I was up in St paul Min and was out of hours (i delivered that load early by the way, a full 24 hours early) I took a 34 and during that i had asked to get a preplanned. well again they don't preplan. So, at the beginning of my 34 I had set myself avail at 0500 (when 34 was up) I called at 0700 to ask where my load was at, they said hold on, 1000 i called and asked where is my load, at 1300 they gave me a load that I could not pick up till 0100 that night, well I was not very happy and called in, told them I did not really want to sit there all day and wait for that. The load was going to waxahachie TX and was only like 400+ long. well as already mentioned I know how wax works. I drive 8 hours to wax sit 22 hours and get a 200 mile load. that's how it works when you go to wax. you may get lucky and get a load going down to Laredo but not often, but then that's another 400 miles 8 hr drive then you will have to sit till the next morning to get a load.
I spoke to the FM's manger and told him that I had just took a 34 and now you are making me sit another 20 hours before I can get a load (this was a common thing I might add, sitting) He told me that's all they had and I said fine what about it going to Wax and having to sit 2o+ hours there before I get a load. He said that does not happen. I said well that's funny because it happens to me and about any other driver I talk to down there. Then on top of the 22 hr wait you give us a 200 mile run. He said that does not happen neither. I could not do anything but laugh, I told him then pls look at my past 20 runs to and from wax and tell me that it did not happened. He really didn't say much about that again but the conversation progressed to me saying "You need to look at it from my point of view" His response was "No I don't" well this instantly told me that this COMPANY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THIER DRIVERS if they allow upper management to think in such away. Not to mention every other word out of his mouth was F*** this and F*** that and 1 more F*** to boot. I personally do not speak that way and surly don't appreciate being spoke to like that, especially in a business manner from somebody that is supposed to be In a professional position/attitude.

My overall experience with this company was a bad one and would not recommend it to anyone.

Thanks for the info I was thinking about going with them. Now I don't think I will

Anybody else have anything to say about Celadon. Such a lengthy list of complaints must be way off the norm.

So come on current Celadon drivers, give us the whole unvarnished truth about working at Celadon.

I for one am ready to go with them. The 30k/$1k/7day is my attraction to the company.

PS - I know I won't be using Celadon's accommodations at orientation - I will pay for my own. I don't do bunkhouses

i use to drive for them that is all true to the fact....

As the wife of hot rod mike, let me just say that I went with him on a few runs. One of which was to wax term and it was right after hurricane katrina. There was another hurricane and people are leaving texas due to it may head there. Well living in Florida ya know when its time to leave. But because of celadon and their inability to have loads, we were STILL sitting there with this hurricane only 24 hours from hitting almost right where we were. I'm freaking out and we sit. And sit. And sit. You get my drift. Well we FINALLY got a load as people are sitting in traffic trying to get out too. That was scary timing. I cant believe they would not have their drivers out of danger AHEAD of time. Knowing that there are fuel stops, and log books to worry about, and all the other stuff drivers have to worry about. I also remember the trip I took with him when it was cx roberson. Now they were a pretty decent company. Not the best, but certainly not celadon. When we were told to come to Indy to be a celadon driver, we were pretty happy because so many drivers were comming out of that little room so upset that they were not wanted and now had to look for another job right after Christmas time. So we went to Indy and sat. Well there was a change over in companies so we were patient and sure it had to do with all the red tape. Well it wasnt. This became a normal routine. Then there was the time we got sent to Indy and I wound up getting a terrible virus. I slept in the dorm room for days. Poor Mike is trying to get me home and keeps telling them I need to go home. But about 4 days later we FINALLY got sent home. That was a good rest for me in a way, but not for the wallet. And we try not to chase money as I know that God always supplies, but he went from pretty good checks in the beginning, to lower and lower checks as time went on. Well I just know from riding with him that he got more and more frustrated which makes for a bad home time. So if I can tell drivers with a family, the only thing that is good is the 7 day vacation with the pay. But good luck trying to get to that point. It takes FOREVER AND A DAY. They really dont want to give you the money, but they would LOVE to give you the vacation at one of their terminals. They should put that in their brochures. COME TO CELADON AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A 7 DAY VACATION AT ONE OF OUR LOVELY TERMINALS.

Hi,

I will start this by saying i have a attroney representing me in a lawsuit against Celadon.

I started out as a team company driver. I had driven for celadon back in 92. And went back to them in 2006. We were put into a freightliner with the promise in 30,000 miles we would get a volvo. Well we are 2000 miles off 30k. And they tell us it will be another month or more. We quit. Only to be stupid and go back to them a few weeks later. We decided to run solo. Miles were up and down.

Then November of 2006 I got approved to buy my own truck thro there lease purchase. I had scheduled time off when i found out and was only 100 miles from indy. So they said come on up they would have me back to ky for time. I went to indy and looked at several trucks found the one i thought was in the best shape. Got all the paper work signed sealed and delivered. The guaranteed me 10k miles a month. Yea right. That is truly a laughing matter. But got to ky for time off and got ready to dispatch out and the truck died. No start period. So they sent mechanics out of louisville to fix it. At my cost. Turned out the mechanic asked me did you take on fuel at indy i said yes he said never do it again they put oil in the tank and your tanks are full of oil. So we willed up the filter with diesel and prayed to get it to the louisville yard. Where the mechanics did all they could. I was pissed. 3 days of having the truck and it was already costing me money. well as time would have it i got one pay check on the 1st week of dec. That was the last pay check i seen. Multiple break downs,one a upper over haul, that cost 5k. A hole in teh top of the sleeper allowing water into the cab thro the light in the top. Just alot of bs. Finally they got a freind of mine involved tryin to help me get the truck out of the hole. They discussed my fiancial situation with him. The made promises that they could not keep. While in the hole they promised me 150.00 a week to live on and money to pay bills at home. That happened for a few mths. The deal was get the diesel paid off and they would lump sum the rest together and take a little out each week so i would get money and they would also. But that never happened either. They promised to pay my friend for his wages if he drove with me but that never happened either. A ops manager ruined that. He yelled at me for dirving 500 miles that day and saying i had only drove 100 and he would not reschudle the eta on the load or let another driver have it. And when i told my friend my friend called him and he told him to quit taking time off and he would make money but my friend had 45days banked for time off. Funny how someone that doesnt take time off get told to quit taking time off. But back on my subject i lasted until april when i threw in the towl. I was still 12k in the hole with the truck. But i had freinds within celadon and they went to bat for me. Driver managers,op mangers,vice president asking the financial people to just call it even and let me come back as a company driver no way. They still wanted all of my paycheck. I told them at that time i wouldnt mind if they took 200.o0 a week out to pay em back but not all of it. I had bills myself. The vice president was the one to alert me to the breach of contract. From Jan-april i only ran 25000 miles and was guaranteed 40,000 that is 15,000 shy. Wheres my money...So they thought i was a dumb hillbilly back country girl that didnt know how to do anything. Well they are wrong. I was smart enought to get a attroney and sue them on breach of contract.


There contract is a joke. They have one of there own and one from the financial people and the 2 contracts that go against each other.

I would highly tell people to stay away from them they will screw you. No doubt in my mind. I wonder does steve know what there lease purchase is doing to good drivers. His #1 rule is dont mess with my drivers. Well they messed with me and did it good. To the point i dont know if i will continue to truck.

i worked for this company years ago and didn't like them. they were always playing game with you. they would get me somewhere and them couldn't get me out like i wanted. i remember when i finale quit them about 2 days before thanksgiving back when i worked for them. i was at their larado terminal and they knew that i had requested three weeks earlier to br routed towards home because i had a lot of family coming to town for the holiday and i just wanted to get threw the house for a day. i only live two hours from indy terminal. i was just going to past through the house for a couple of hours to speak with everyone them get on with the stop.
back them i was running ford company loads and i would have been heading right to ford on the way home. when i got to laredo they couldn't find me a load. i messed around a whole day there figuring they would find one by the next day. i was turn away loads that were taking me the other direction. expecially when you see guys coming in later and getting a load going in the direction i need to at least get started towards. i had more time in then most of those new guy. so the second day after when they couldn't find me anything. i call the bus station and got the time of the busses and started cleaning out my truck. i sent them a message on the quailcomm they i was quitting and about 10 minutes before my cab had shown up i heard the quailcomm go off. they had a route for me to greenwood, ind. by then it was to late. i responded back and say no thanks i quit. at that point the dispatcher came out as i was getting into my cab. he tried to reason with me. i said no. it was amazing how they found something suddenly. i will never work for that company again. i remember they tried to re-recuit me several times over the next couple of months. as you see i am not with them. so i see that they haven't change much in the last 20 years. it was in the 80s when i was there.

everything that was said above is true and things keep getting worse miles keep declining and now they are setting the trucks to run 62 mph

What companies would you suggest a newbie graduate start with? I"m looking at Millis & superior Carries. I just started researching celadon and I not looking so good.The thought of the $1000 and week off is appealing(very) especially seing my oldest is about to graduate High Schhol in June. Any positive comments? If not give me the negative its better to be informed!

i would try crete or conway or look for a small carrier