Spirit Miller Drive-a-way N.E. - Deposit, NY

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by hitchhiker301, Dec 24, 2006.

  1. hitchhiker301

    hitchhiker301 Bobtail Member

    19
    11
    Jun 15, 2004
    Ocala. Florida
    0
    This company, Spirit Miller N.E. out of Deposit, N.Y. intentionally shorted my pay this Christmas $600.00. They have always treated me badly, and I got angry...but, I continued to give them my best. I have always been concerned they would do something like this, and now they have. Of course, they are closed for the holidays... and afterward they will claim it was an honest mistake. But, the way it was done....they will never convince me that it was anything but.. a selfish act on their part. If it were not a certainty in my mind, I would not be making this post tonight, two days before Christmas.

    Sadly, another driver who works for Spirit Miller N.E. got a raw deal from them as well. We were both moving two identical trucks for them truck this past week-end. On Monday his truck broke down, just as he had finished fueling. He had a quarter of a tank when he started, I saw the fuel gauge myself, because he was a new driver and he asked me if I thought he had enough fuel to make it to the delivery location. After adding a little more fuel, he cranked the truck drove it about 50 feet and it quit on him. He called Spirit Miller and they told him to have it towed to be repaired, later Spirit Miller pulled a dirty trick. They claimed the driver just ran out of fuel, that nothing was wrong with the truck, and so the towing bill was going to come out of his Christmas paycheck. I was with the driver at the time this happened, I had just fueled up in front of him. I told Spirit Miller "he did not run out of fuel, there was something wrong with that truck." But, I believe they knew the truth, they just wanted to screw the driver and stick him with the towing bill. I quit Spirit Miller the next day. They cheated this driver... and at Christmas yet! How rotten can you get? Today I found out they shorted my paycheck $600.00. I just wonder how many other drivers they ripped off this Christmas.

    I've tried to give this company my best, and I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt on several other occasions, when I have heard stories from other drivers of the dirty deals they have pulled. And now this. I am both sad and angry tonight, because I am without enough Christmas money, to buy anyone anything. And, I am most disappointed because I trusted the people at Spirit Miller to treat me fairly and they turned out to be rotten, selfish, and coldhearted. Either that, or just plain stupid. What hurts the worst, is the thought that these people who own Spirit Miller N.E. could deprive hard working men and women of their pay, just so these heartless, people could have more for themselves this Christian Holliday. How can people like that live with themselves?

    Please drivers....I beg you, steer clear of all of these truck drive-a-way companies. This is the third one I have worked for, and they all have ended up cheating me. I had hoped I had found an honest one in Spirit Miller N.E. but, I got taken again. I am so depressed I will never drive again, because I will always be in fear of being cheated. So, I can't trust anyone anymore.

    Drivers, don't even think of working for them. Take my word for it, I speak from experience. If you do, they will eventually cheat you out of your hard earned money. They should be exposed for what they are, no other driver should never end up feeling what I am feeling tonight because of Spirit Miller N.E. or any of these drive-a-way companies. They hurt drivers, so they should hurt. They should never be allowed to beat another driver out of his hard earned money. If you are reading this..... warn others. No other driver should ever work for a company who treats drivers this way. I have told the truth and if they get hurt because of it, then that is what they deserve.

    Exposure of wrongdoing is, of course, the first requisite in achieving justice
    .
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. darkhorse

    darkhorse Bobtail Member

    10
    0
    Aug 31, 2006
    0
    what's a drive a way company?
     
  4. THE BEST

    THE BEST Light Load Member

    91
    29
    Jul 17, 2006
    0
    I almost went to work for Spirit Miller about 2 years ago and after talking to a representative of theirs, I decided I better not do it. I went by the old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is". Being retired(and retarded), I am always looking for an easy "hustle" and I thought moving trucks around the country would suit me to a "T". But after checking into all the drive-away outfits, I really couldnt figure how a person could turn a profit. Spirit Miller sounded the best of them all, but then after the conversation with their representative, I got cold feet. Glad I did now.
     
  5. hitchhiker301

    hitchhiker301 Bobtail Member

    19
    11
    Jun 15, 2004
    Ocala. Florida
    0
    Thanks, for your post "BEST" I wasn't "looking for an easy hustle." I'm sixty-three years old with a herniated disk in my back I've had since I was in my twenties. I was turned down for Social Security disability forty years ago and have have had a very hard time making a living ever since. If I injure my back lifting anything too heavy, or even just turning the wrong way, I can't get out of bed, or even walk... for a week, or more. The pain is excruciating, and it gets worse with every passing year.

    I was just looking to make an honest dollar driving trucks. I had no idea how dishonest these drive-a-way people could be.

    I started out working for MAMO Transportation four years ago ( another drive-a-way company) and they burned me on the very first trip. They said, the dispatcher quit right after my trip to California, she just disappeared without a trace, and they said they had no way of knowing what she promised me in the way of pay. They said, all my pay was used up in expense money. They claimed about $500.00 more in expense money on my pay voucher than I had actually received. They swore this has never happened before to any driver. They said, "the dispatcher who quit, it was her fault this happened to me."

    But......they said, "the good news is..they were going to pay me for the truck I brought back from California for them." They suckered me in for a couple more trips and then ripped me off again.... (shorted my paycheck $250.00) around Christmas time, just like Spirit Miller. I never got my money from them.

    I quit Mamo Transportation. I then made three trips for a company out of Miami called Alpha & Omega Trucking. They were the worst. I hauled tomatos from Florida to Boston, Potatoes from Maine, Gatorade from up near Nashville back to Miami. I took their truck back, came home to Orlando an waited for my pay. They never paid me. Said, "I damaged the trucks' transaxle." which was not true, the truck was fine when I returned it to them. They closed their office and I never heard from them again.

    Then I went to work for Spirit Miller N.E. I had heard some rumors about them screwing drivers, but I thought they paid pretty good for a drive-a way company. I gotta work somewhere! So, I went to work for them. They've shorted my pay a couple of times but, I caught it and they eventually paid me. They always paid slow. Some drivers complained they hadn't been paid for trips turned in 6 weeks ago. But, I am really hurt in my heart by what they did this time. And oddly, this too was a trip to California that they neglected to pay me for. Seems like these companies have a habit of burning drivers on the long trips, when they owe them for 2000 miles or more. They just don't pay them. I'm certain that I'm not the only one they have hurt.
    .

    I guess I learn the hard way. I didn't want to believe that people could possibly be as mean and selfish as these people have proven to be. My faith in people in the trucking industry has been destroyed. I'll never drive again... for anyone. It has been a catch 22. Social Security now only pays me $560.00 a month because my lifetime income has been low. I have managed to live with the pain to age of 63, without their help. I have earned only a very small amount of money in my life because of my lack of education, I hesitate to admit... because of my lack of intelligence, and because of the disability, I have... that Social Security refused to acknowledge all these years, and now, they only pay me $560.00. Not even enough to live on. They will not allow me to earn over $12,000.00 a year or they take that away from me.

    But, who am I to complain...there are others much worse off than myself in this country, and the rest of the world.

    Peace and goodwill to all men.
     
    Last Dinosaur Thanks this.
  6. THE BEST

    THE BEST Light Load Member

    91
    29
    Jul 17, 2006
    0
    Well, I am going on 72, retired and very "crumpy" and "grouchy". I have been "ripped off" by one company and I got sweet revenge. They got me for $150.00 and that cost them $6000.00. I dont know if they found out that it was me that cost them $6000.00 and I dont really care, but I take pleasure in knowing that for $150.00 they paid quite a bit of interest.

    I will not allow any company or person to "rip" me off without some sort of retaliation. They might never know, but the retaliation will happen. I have been in this business since 1963 and I love to drive, but it seems that the transportation business has more "crooks" than any business in this nation. I dont understand why or how the government allows the transportation companies to abuse the drivers in such fashion.
     
    51.50 Thanks this.
  7. hitchhiker301

    hitchhiker301 Bobtail Member

    19
    11
    Jun 15, 2004
    Ocala. Florida
    0
    Well, Darkhorse...you are probably better off not knowing what they are. But, I'll tell you anyway. They are brokerage companies who hook up independent drivers with companies who need trucks moved. Want to know more? Read my post "Drive-a-way company, driver turnover" under Bad Trucking Companies. It's close to the top of the posts there. I think the seventh one from the top.



    Exposure of wrongdoing is, of course, the first requisite in achieving justice.
     
  8. hitchhiker301

    hitchhiker301 Bobtail Member

    19
    11
    Jun 15, 2004
    Ocala. Florida
    0
    That's great, I'm glad you got um. Spirit Miller N.E. is not the first to cheat me. Today, I got a pay voucher from them. They charged me for a $266.00 rental car that they agreed to pay for...and deducted it from my pay. I too..... nearly always find a way for it to cost any jerk that double-crosses me at least 10 to 20 times what they beat me out of. It may take a while, but... there are a lot of ways to make them hurt that they never, ever considered. Most times, they are baffled, and too ignorant to understand, why they are having so many problems that are costing them so much money, and so much pain. (It's because the low life's cheated one too many drivers and it's catching up with them.)

    They know they are wrong but, people almost never get their money from these type crooks, they don't pay... because they don't fear any retaliation. They assume you are going to take the screwing lying down, like the last 4 or 5 hundred drivers they screwed. I know there must be hundreds of drivers out there right now who have a beef with Spirit Miller N.E. and they are telling everyone they know, to stay away from Spirit Miller N.E. cause they don't keep their word and they will rip you off as they eventually do everyone who works for them. I don't believe I am an isolated case. Everybody hates a company that rips off drivers, but they stay in business. Drive-a-way companies are the worst. They continue to hire drivers from all over America, drivers who don't know the reputation these drive-a-way companies have earned.
     
  9. bandid37

    bandid37 Bobtail Member

    1
    0
    Jan 20, 2009
    birmingham, AL
    0
    I have been driving for spirit miller now for 3 1/2 yrs. the only problem i had is when i went to pick up a truck from a location. the only truck there that is and i made the delivery the said i delivered the wrong truck . (Global unit that is ) and that i would have to take it back at my own expence.. and i told them in no uncertain terms that was the right truck. and that there vin # was incorrect. and that it did not match even when the rental company braught it out there. so they were in the wrong. and the retarded dispatcher i dealt with was so arguementative she said i was wrong. until i made a few calls of my own. and wham.. she looked like the mules behind. and even though i was right. she never appologized and said you should have called us when you noticed the discrepancy.. and i replied do your job in the first place and i would not have to make the phone calls i made. then she finally shut her pie hole and gave me another load. and to all of you super drive away truckers out there. dont do a contract deal with these drive away company's. take the 80 cpm deal and fuel surcharge and tow your own vehicle. not there's thats were you made your mistakes. I hate those contract company drivers.. i have always made 1000.00 dollars a week minimum. i mean take home. and my best week was 2850.00 in 5 1/2 days moving car haulers to the auction. so dont cry and complain. buck up and do a good job and stick with were the money is.. no contracting dircectly for the company at 30 cpm.. now thats a joke.. and as far as being screwed.. watch your bill's and they cant screw you.. if they do sit on there delivery till they make it right. and say i must have fallen asleep.. IM SORRY>>> so take care and good trucking and keep the rubber side down. :biggrin_25518:
     
  10. billy11862

    billy11862 Bobtail Member

    2
    0
    Mar 27, 2009
    Orlando,Fla
    0
    i agree with you Badid37. I have been with Spirit Miller for almost a year and have had nothing but good things. Yea i have been in cities that i don't like and had some real short runds but very satified with them.I almost listened to one of these post and not go to work for them, But i did my own homework and decided to give them a try. Glad i did.I think alot of the problem is drivers take so many advances and are on the road so much that they forget what they did. i do it but i talk to my dispatcher and look at things real close and then it comes back to me.it also depends on how you treat your dispatcher and work with them. You piss them off and they will make it hard on you. I have seen this done lots of time and drivers ask how i get alot of good runs.Yea you do have to kiss a little ### but it pays in the long run. With the econimey the way it is and the shortage of jobs i think i would rather kiss my dispatcher's ### if it means i will be making money. i stay out about 3 weeks a month and home for 4 days so that is fine for me.hell if you need to be home every week then OTR is not for you.So yes i do agree with you suck it up and deal with it:biggrin_25518:
     
  11. Tenno

    Tenno Bobtail Member

    1
    0
    Mar 30, 2009
    Sparta, Tn.
    0
    I drove for these goombahs for 6 months, and pretty much had nothing but problems from them from the 1st job I did for them. From the time I got on the phone with my dispatcher for my 1st run it was all tension.

    The veteran driver that showed me the ropes told me right off the bat..."You being new & an out-of-state driver...they're gonna try n beat you out of as much as they can". That should have been the 1st and last run I made for them.

    I loved it though. Being on the road. My best run was from Virginia to Vegas. I LOVED EVERY MILE OF IT!!! And, sure enough, they got me for almost a hundred dollars. I kept track of EVERY penny!!!

    The final straw was after I dropped off a truck up north somewhere...in Connecticut I think...and I got into it with th' witch Sue that ran the office. That was the last run I did for em.

    They got me...all told...at 1st estimate...for around $750, but I did a bit of talking to this wonderful woman named Bonnie that works there, and got back a small portion of that.

    As soon as I find an Attorney that knows what to do, I've got about 10 other drivers that want to join me in a class action lawsuit and hit em where it hurts...

    Anyone know a good attorney that will take my case on a contingency basis??? :biggrin_255:
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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