Wiseway Transportation Services An Honest Assessment

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by TurboTrucker, Jun 29, 2006.

  1. TurboTrucker

    TurboTrucker Road Train Member

    861
    276
    Feb 23, 2005
    Rossville, Georgia
    0
    [​IMG]


    Personal Comments:

    I write this after having been with this company for six months. I am still as pleased with the company as I was the day I was hired on. These people are awesome, and they are a pleasure to work for and with.

    For sure, there might be companies out there, where I might make more in terms of compensation, but I have never worked for a company that has it's act so together as these people do. I am a person who can exchange a little money for a great deal of peace of mind and contentment.

    I work in the LTL division, which means that as a general rule, I haul LTL freight down south, deliver it, and then pick up furniture that goes to the main warehouse location in Wisconsin. My workweek is always different, which suits me fine, because I cannot stand the same thing over and over again. I have had very few problems, almost no waiting time at stops, and all the work I can stand.

    Their equipment is new, well cared for, and with amenities that make the job a pleasure. They have just about equipped all the trucks with APU's that both heat and cool the cabs and provide 120 volt power to the truck when it is parked, which accomplishes two things. It saves them fuel and wear and tear on the trucks, and it keeps the driver out of hot water in states with anti-idling legislation on the books.

    They select their staff extremely well, and I have found them all to be pleasant, polite, helpful, and without question, respectful to all of their drivers needs and desires. Is it all roses and wine? No, but I have never worked anywhere in the capacity as a driver, without some routine annoyances, and that has NOT happened here.

    This is one of the most laid back operations that I have ever witnessed. They taylor your job around your likes and dislikes, if at all possible, and they keep their word. They truly have an open door policy to all staff members, and when I say that, I mean it literally. Drivers have full access to the office staff during working hours, and the only time that doors are closed, is when there is a meeting occuring.

    Even the maintenance shop operates smoothly. If you drop them a line about any problem you are having, and an approximate time that you expect to hit the yard, they will get you in and out in a flash. I've actually had them meet me on the lot to take the truck into the shop. When a PM is performed on the truck, you can rest assured that it was checked over from stem to stern. They don't miss a thing or cut corners on maintenance.

    Are they for everyone? No. They expect professionalism, and they demand full compliance with the FMCSR's. If you run out of hours 15 minutes from home, you had better be parked until it's legal to drive again. You won't find chromed up trucks, capable of flying down the road at high speeds. 68 mph is tops. They expect you to plan your time, and know when you can or cannot do the jobs asked of you. They graciously give their drivers a level of trust in those that they hire, and you won't fare well if you violate that trust. They have one of the lowest accidents rates out there, and one of the highest safety ratings as well, and they intend on keeping it that way. We're not hassled out there on the road, and the California drivers tell me that they are not bothered out there either. If only they would get pre-pass....

    Some might be put off by the expensive insurance, or the short route mode of calculating paid mileages. I can understand that, but it's been a small trade-off as far as I am concerned, because my job is so enjoyable to me. I make more in the LTL division, due to the stop pay that comes with it. One week last month, I had more in stop pay than I did in mileage. Because I stay busy, and the fact that they do have a class "A" act, I am on track to make much more this year, than I have before, as a company driver. It's not always about the rate per mile, or the costs of benefits. What you have left over after it's all taken out is what matters, and I'm doing just fine.

    I realize that this all sounds like hype, but I cannot express enough, the sentiment that I am extremely happy working at Wiseway, and that I wish I had found them years ago. It's truly been some of the most troublefree and enjoyable six months that I can recall, since I first turned the key to start a truck.

    If you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me an e-mail or a private message. If you happen to see Wiseway truck number 2425 out there on the road, holler at me on the CB.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. TurboTrucker

    TurboTrucker Road Train Member

    861
    276
    Feb 23, 2005
    Rossville, Georgia
    0
    Update 2/03/07

    Nearly thirteen months has now passed since I came on with the company. I am happy to report that I am still pleased to work for the company.

    My miles have been consistent, even through the rough period at the start of the year, a particularly slow time for the company. Because I am in the LTL division, half of my week is generated hauling LTL freight, and those loads wind up near my house most of the time, so at least if it is slow, that time will be spent at home.

    I wound up the year with what I consider a very decent year's worth of income. I unfortunately had to find out the bad way that the health insurance actually is a very decent plan. The out-of-pocket expenses we encountered, due to my wife having to endure a full round of tests for an eye disorder she is suffering from at the moment, were for the most part taken care of. All Physician expenses were taken care of, and only the costs for the hospital were not covered, and I have negotiated lower charges for those expenses on my own.

    I have now taken advantage of the 401K program, a first for me. It's been years since I had a company job, so a 401K was never in the cards before. The company matches 30% up to 6% of my gross income, which is where I chose to start my contributions. I am thoroughly convinced that it will do well. I had some experience with investing, but not much with funds. I spread out my investments over four funds, two rather aggressive, and two on the conservative side. The company constantly monitors the program and will make decisions from time to time to make changes as necessary to keep profits up. I feel very comfortable that I will do well. Another aspect of the program I like, is that I have 24/7/365 access to my account, and am allowed to make any changes I desire, at any time, with no fees whatseover incurred.

    Another change that occured since I came on board, was to be among the first of Wiseway's drivers to enter the paperless logging program, and to work with an electronic on-board recorder. I am thrilled with it. No more logs to fill out, and although there is absolutely no way to cheat, I find peace of mind in all of this. A little planning is all it takes to make everything remain legal at all times. This is a company that means it when they tell you that you will be legal, and that's fine with me. I've been paperless and monitored by the minute for a full three months now, and have not had one violation to date. I'm rather proud of that record, because with the paper system, it was inevitable that a few mistakes a month were going to be made. The way the system is designed, unless you go out of your way to mess up, it won't let you. You know at a glance what you have left in regard to your 11,14, and 70 hour rules.

    The company is in the process of growing, and they have big plans for expending their customer base. As I understand it, they are going to gear up heavily in the southwest. There will be plenty of need for drivers in the plans that they have.

    What amazes me is the awesome way that they have all of their bases covered. They have linehaul operations, local operations scattered around the country, both truckload and LTL divisions, and they have a very successful brokerage division as well. I consistently run into drivers from other companies that haul Wiseway freight.

    They made a recent change to award gifts to drivers for each quarter that you drive without having a preventable accident. I was awarded a very nice tool kit, that has 175 tools in it. I can just about take apart and reassemble the truck with what is in it. It was a cool surprise.

    I have amassed two weeks of vacation time, paid as personal days at a rate of $100.00 a day, and now in my second year, acrue those at a rate of 1.5 a month, so it won't be long until I have lots of paid time off, when I need it.

    All in all, I am pleased with how things are going, and see no reason why I won't be here for as long as I decide to work. I hope I can stay healthy enough to put in a couple of decades here. I don't miss being an owner/operator working, because I don't really feel like a company driver here. I never thought I'd ever say that.

    My supervisor is an awesome guy. He's rather young, but wise beyond his years. In fact, most of the folks in charge of the division I work in are much younger than myself, but they all are fine people to work for, and they click well working together. I can always depend in them to help me out, if I need them. The respect that they show all the drivers is something I have never witnessed at any other company.

    I reiterate something that I wrote last year. They have an open door policy, and those doors are open all day long, with the only time being when someone is in a meeting, and this goes for the three men who own the company. The drivers have access to the office areas. There are no bars, windows, or speakers. It's truly refreshing.

    If someone legitimately offered me a buck a mile, with fully paid for perks, I still wouldn't take it. That's how much I like my job, and some things just are not worth taking a chance on.

    Being home each week, with plenty of time off to spend with my family, the overall compensation that I make, and the respect I don't always deserve but get anyway, is worth a mint in my book.

    I know it sounds like a recruiting ad....but my reputation speaks for itself. I spend a great deal of time sizing up companies, so that when I address the issues on this site, I know what I am talking about. When I found this company at a time when I needed to make a change, I knew I had found what I was seeking. I am thrilled 13 months later to still find that my judgment was sound.

    There are indeed good companies out there, and Wiseway is one of the best.
     
  4. BMISS

    BMISS Bobtail Member

    9
    0
    Feb 7, 2007
    missippi
    0
    thanks...they are one of the companies i'm looking at...
     
  5. deadmanwlkn

    deadmanwlkn Bobtail Member

    13
    0
    Jul 29, 2007
    greenville, PA
    0
    wow I am glad that you found a company that is so good for you. no all I have to do is wait a year and a half untill I meet their requirements then I can try apply. it sounds like a really great company, and to hear you talk good about it, it really has to be good. I have read the boards that you are tearing up companies but have not found one other then this one that you are talking good about a company.
     
  6. Muleskinner

    Muleskinner <strong>"Shining Beacon of Chickenlights"</strong>

    Glad you found a good outfit to work for but you sound like every recruiter I've ever heard."On track" ,supervisor"Wise beyond his years","In terms of compensation","full acess to office staff"....I've heard all these things you are saying before but it was usually from some pencil neck recruiter with his fingers crossed behind his back.If you in fact are a "driver"for this outfit I wish you nothing but continued good luck and health but if this is just a recruiting scheme,I hope your nads fall off:biggrin_25525:
     
  7. STICK HAULER

    STICK HAULER Light Load Member

    50
    10
    Dec 11, 2008
    HICKORY,NC
    0
    he speaks the truth on wiseway,, they are one of the better companys i have driven for and would return there if the economy recovers family and personal health problems forced my departure the only thing that bother me was the log system for years i have driven what ever it took and then loggged it, i know times they are a changing, for good or bad but i hate to take 10 off at a truckstop 15 miles from home, so take it for what its worth they are a good and decent company,,,,
     
  8. moosc

    moosc Road Train Member

    3,284
    1,171
    Mar 5, 2009
    Lincolnton NC
    0
    been with the company 7.5 years and Tues. they fired me on something i cant fight. Times are really tough there the slightest slip up your out the door. there firing or laying off drivers and office people like crazy.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2009
  9. _ton bundle

    _ton bundle Road Train Member

    1,230
    936
    Jan 7, 2009
    Elevator Bay, Minnesota
    0
    Sorry to hear about that. It sounds like a tough break and many, many companies are doing what Wiseway is doing.

    Can you give me more info on how bad things are over there? Were they really slow before you got let go? I know a few people who work out of the Hudson, Wi terminal.
     
  10. moosc

    moosc Road Train Member

    3,284
    1,171
    Mar 5, 2009
    Lincolnton NC
    0
    well up at the main terminal they've taken the city guys and cut them down to half work force. the relay guys got put onto line haul work they just let the sales team go. Its bad id go home and sit 10days for them to find me a load. All bonus are gone and pay is frozen for a year, no more raises.
     
    _ton bundle Thanks this.
  11. _ton bundle

    _ton bundle Road Train Member

    1,230
    936
    Jan 7, 2009
    Elevator Bay, Minnesota
    0
    Sorry to hear that. I have always heard that they are a good company to work for. I was just driving by their Hudson terminal and it was like a ghost town, compared to how it was in the past.

    I thought they did a lot of furniture, and I'm sure that those shippers are really slow.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.