ruan bad business

I knew I'd see this here which prompted me to sign up for the hate fest. I worked for Ruan locally in northern NJ for 3 1/2 years and it almost made me want to quit driving. Our customer basically owned the rights to our hides and the TM tried to go along with them instead of defending us when we were clearly in the right. I had to complain to corporate because our TM threatened our jobs if we didn't layover in daycabs in a area that wasn't in the original terms of our contract ( we went from 150 mi radius to 250 - 300 mi ). Our regional safety manager had to come down and he wasn't happy about the application of the 16 hr once a workweek rule as being the norm. We had drivers routinely go over their hours and just fudge the book at least twice a week but I refused and even brought back freight, which pissed the customer off, because I knew they couldn't fire me for it being that delivery would put me past HOS. The customer was sold to their Chinese owned competitor and by this time our TM had passed away from cancer ( he smoked cigars heavily ) and our acting TM from about 250 mi away at another location knew and didn't tell us. Luckily the places we delivered to had informed us drivers months before even the customer's employees knew.
So to sum it up my operating area expanded about 85%, HOS went to the max allowed by law and sometimes we had to haul overweight if they knew we could bypass the chicken coop. Did I mention that despite the customer throwing BBQ's every Friday for their 100 or so employees complete with steak and angus beef burgers I never got a raise which was determined by the customer? From what I understand, this was one of Ruan's first customers in the Northeast so they signed away almost all rights just to get a foot in the door. On a positive note, our dispatcher was disgusted with the way we were treated ( he's a long time flight manager for Fed Ex and worked there part time) and made sure we got every dime and often more than what we were owed.

 

I never hauled batteries for Ruan, but I did drive a tanker for them for 5 years. It was the best job I ever had. I've wished a thousand times that I never quit. Grass is always greener until you get to that other side.

 

Looking at joining Ruan in their Dairy Tanker Division.
Anyone have any insight before I resign my present job?
(yes, I have a firm offer from Ruan)

 

It sounds like with Ruan it depends on what you are doing and who your TM is. I had a really good experience with them in Ohio. Over 5 years I had 3 TM's. The first one quit almost immediately. The second one was a lying, cheating, stealing scoundrel. But Ruan investigated him and fired him. My last TM I worked under for 4 years and he was very fair and reasonable. You probably need to talk to a driver who is already doing what you will be doing. And remember, truck drivers LOVE to complain.

 

ive been there for 3 years this month. i haul dedicated account and its the worst experience ive ever had. not one person there knows hows to even open the hood on these trucks but because they have a college diploma they run the show....and we all get treated like that. in the years ive been there we have gone through probably 20-30 drivers easy and 10 dispatchers. if it wasnt for the decent pay i wouldve been gone last winter when i refused to take a load any further, there was a blizzard and they shut down the interstate but i still got threatened to be fired. i know their OTR drivers are happy, but on a huge dedicated account they forget all about us and worry about that profit....which is why they are still short 11 drivers. and with my TM calling me an ####### a few times i gotta calll it quits. hope this helps!

 

Applied last week, 3 days later some arrogant broad called me and assuresd me
that the acct. that I applied for (Liberty, Mo.) has no excuses, 6 days, and low pay.

Told her that i have 4 ex-wives, so ive learned not to eat crap on the first date!
thanks jus the same.

And so my search goes on!!!

 

May as well add my 2cents... I have worked for them about a year hauling batteries and I am happy working here. It is not perfect, but no job is. The pay is very good, the paycheck is in the bank on time every time, the people that run our terminal are tolerable. Emphasis on safety is big time here, so I can't relate to some of the other comments, just don't happen here. We run very safe equipment. Pay is 50 to 65k year depending on the driver. Unloading freight is not for everyone. We do use electric pallet jacks which makes it very easy and safe. We have drivers here over 15 years, we also have drivers that quit within a month or two, as I said unloading and multiple stops are not for everyone.

 

Knight loaned me out to Ruan in San Antonio once. I loved it. The guy from Ruan told me to apply but I didn't because this was out of San Antonio and I live closer to Dallas. Knight paid me a $1000 dollars for the week I was there so I can fully see you guys at Ruan making more. Like you said it certainly is an acquired taste delivering batteries. The thing I liked about was simply, you give me a job, I do it and go home. Simple as that.

Ruan is only as good as the customer you are servicing on your particular account. That's why there's so much difference in opinions of the company.

 

Motel 6 Super 8 vs. sleeping in a truck..?
How much did you pay out of pocket for the room driver..?
You also got a meal allowance too..?
You aren't doing the right thing on people net, which they have brought your errors to your attention..?
I'm of the opinion your in a "big hurry" take short cuts in your "job performance, which will lead to accidents, bad csa scores for yourself, and Ruan.
Slow down & smell the roses, learn to work smarter and not be in such a big hurry.
There aren't many carriers out there pay'n the pay scale of Ruan, with good benefits.
OTR will become a thing of the past, and regional will be the norm.
All the feeder carriers are using the rail, I've seen the intermodal trains, with Martin, Taylor, U.S. Express, and others along with the Schneider's J.B. Hunt's putting their freight on the rail.
CSA scores are bad, and DOT is telling these carriers "the only way you can improve to keep your authority to stay in business use the intermodal".
Truck accidents are increasing, more "roll over's" rear end accidents, drivers just aren't driving safe, everyone is in a "big hurry" which doesn't get you any faster down the road.
We are our own worst enemy for these new regulations, and soon to be the use of on board cameras.
So review your "own back yard" for what you have, and what you can do to improve your SAFE OPERATION as a professional driver, which we all can make things better for EVERYONE..!