I have been working for the Trans-Am F.A.C. division (based in Rocky Mount N.C.) for three months, and have worked more 15-24 hr days than 14 hr days.

They have no load planning whatsoever. Every load I am assigned assumes that I have a clean 14 hr clock, and that it only takes :15 min to load and unload. I am constantly assigned loads that I am allready late for the pick-up when they are given to me. I am still expected to deliver them on-time. I get loads that are 680 miles I am given 10 hrs to deliver; my truck does 67--if I floor it and never let up for 10 hrs, I will still be ten miles short. I get loads that I pick-up and deliver on-time, and then am given the next load that picks up in four hours 200 miles away. I have allready used 10-14 hrs and can not possablyget the load on-time. they tell me "Go to the SHP--get the load--don't make my loaded call until 10 hrs is up. I get caught in a traffic jam for three hrs--run out of time, and they tell me; log it at 65 mps and do it. I just finished a load that took a 23.5 hr shift to deliver, and they gave me 4 hrs off and expected me to get the next load 235 miles away and deliver on-time the next day 690 miles away. Every time I tell them I have no hours they tell me how to falsify my logs to do it. I ran for ten days straight working 15-20 hrs a day and every load i got was the same. They never let up. I beg and they don't let up. I refuse and I am in trouble for refusing a load.

I have talked with other drivers and they all have the same problem. If you refuse you get 1400 miles a week, and then get run-off.

I can quit and get another job, but I only have 6 months experience. The only companies that will hire me are #### companies. I can't quit then look for another job; I have a wife and kid to support. I can't report then to the D.O.T. because I would have to admit all of my illegal driving.

I don't understand why they can't just plan their loads propely and avoid all this. Every day It's me and dispatch sending dozens of computer messages arguing about these loads. I am trying to sleep, and they are trying to run me 24-7. It never ends. Every load is the same--day after day after day... I am tired. I am stressed. I am going to get in an accident if it doesn't stop. Every driver I talk to says they have the same thing. How can this be? How can they screw up this bad on this large of a level?

I know I have to quit and find another job for another crappy company. But can anything be done to make them quit? Can I report them without getting ticketed, arrested, or blackballed on my D.A.C.? Is this what trucking really is? Run your drivers into the dirt until they kill somebody or have a heart attack do to stress? I started with Werner and left them because the truck they gave me was a rolling death-trap. They wouldn't repair or replace it. They forced me to drive a really scary piece of equipment that was going to kill somebody. Now these people are going to make me kill sombody running on 3-5 hrs sleep a night. What the hell is going on? It's not enough to expect someone to work 14 hrs a day and only go home and see their family 48 days a year? They want more than that?

Did I pick the wrong career? Can I drive a safe piece of equipment, follow the law on hours and still make a living?Can I go home and see my family more than 48 days a year? Does anybody in this industry care, or am I just screwed?

And if I wasn't allready stressed beyond belief I have to deal with all of the veteran drivers and independants that don't have governed trucks. If I try to pass J.B. or Werner they scream at me over the radio because it takes too long. I try to pass a four-wheeler and they speed up now I get trapped in the center lane and other drivers won't let me back in. Veteran drivers speed up and won't let me pass even though I'm going faster than them. Veteran drivers cut me off and act like a four wheeler because I work for Trans-Am. I don't get the same respect as other drivers because of who I work for. It's not my fault! A real company won't hire me with six months experience.

I get screwed by my company. I get screwed by the four wheelers. I get screwed by other drivers.

Like the song said: "Is that all there is?" Is this trucking? Am I just destined to get screwed and hate my job? Am I some kind of idiot that I think I should be able to work a 14 hr day in peace and like my job?

Can anybody help me with advice?

I feel for you and your wife! I'm sure you'll get excellant advise here, but speaking from a truckers wife, I would not be very comfortable knowing my husbands driving that much - it would be more comforting knowing he's working for a "crappy" company and safe, than being so tired he couldn't react. Think about your wife and kid - You do want to be around to see them grow up - Is this company really worth it?

I hardly ever respond but I think I gotta say something. If I was you I would gather evidence, record them on your cell. keep records of where you were suppose to go and how long to get there, etc. Basically gather enough stuff so you can cover you own butt and prove beyond a doubt they are forcing you to drive over your hours. After you have all that info I would start searching for another job and get hired before you give these guys your notice. If they black mark your DAC you will always have the evidence on hand of what they did. I hope you realize that if you do get caught, its on your record and you are ultimately responsible. Get into an accident and they find out you fudge your logs....................

Thanks for the heads-up, DeepC. It's always good to know a certain company doesn't care about my safety on the road. I'm getting really tired of hearing these types of stories, and I'm gonna have to start taking action on my own, but that's another post. Let's dive into your situation here first.

I'd do these things if I were in your shoes.

1. I'd get all my proof together that they are asking me to run illegally.

2. I'd start refusing to run illegally. If they threaten my job because of that, that is even more ammo I could use.

3. I'd call a lawyer (OOIDA can help here) and ask him for advice. He will want your proof, so have it on hand.

4. I'd call the state attorney general's office in the state where TA is based and let that office know about what is going on. Explain that you are being "forced" to break the law and cannot refuse. You have a wife and kid to support, after all.

5. I'd call the DOT in the state where TA is based and tell those guys about this situtation. To light a fire under their #####, I'd also tell them about the other steps I have just taken, especially step 4.

6. I'd call the lawyer back and tell him I've done all these things and then ask him about something called the "whistleblower" act. This act has been put in place to protect people like you from retaliation, and you know TA is gonna retaliate against you hard if you report them. They will trash your DAC report for one thing. But let 'em go ahead and do it. You can fight them and win.

But you are going to need PROOF to do all these things. Make #### sure you have it.

Remember one thing as well: if you fight TA on this, they will lose if you have the proof to back yourself up, sure. As they realize they are losing, they will try to sweet-talk you into a "good deal" in a lame attempt to kiss and make up. Don't fall for it. These guys are risking your career and even your life right now, not to mention MY life by requiring you to drive like this. They care nothing for public safety or for your safety.

Hell, if you don't report these idiots, I will.

Now. You have to decide if you're going to do battle with them. If you do, go all out. Don't compromise one inch and don't be a "nice guy". Load up your battleship and go to war. Blow their ##### out of the water with the AG's help, the DOT's help, and an OOIDA lawyer's help.

Can you do it? I hope so. Lots of guys wimp out at this stage, understand. Usually it takes only a little bit of sweet talking by their offending companies and the drivers forget all about the offenses. They roll over and show their pink underbellies like obidient, cowardly dogs and all is forgiven. Don't you do this. Pull the trigger and fire those big guns into their broadsides. You may save your own life. You may save MY life.

Good luck, and keep us posted. I'll also let you know if I report them this week. I have a right to safe roads and so do you.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

The best evidence I have is the computer messages they send me. I generally delete them because I don't want the D.O.T. to see them in an inspection. I could start saving the messages on the computer. I think there is some kind of master database somewhere that keeps every message sent and it requires a court order to gain access, but those messages would show what they were doing to me. Also if there were some way to gain access to their GPS info on the truck it would show it moving quite a bit when I'm supposedly in the sleeper.

My idea was to find another job, quit, and then blow the whistle just to make sure they don't screw with me. As it is I'm currently fighting with them on $500.00 they owe me. It seems that every month they forget to reimburse me for a couple lumpers, and-or forget to pay a 1200 mile trip. After three weeks of phone calls I finally get the money (without interest.)

If this is the stuff they pull while I'm in their good graces I'm scared to know what they can do if I piss them off.

I really want to quit before I turn them in.

p.s. I should have known better when I went to orientation and was taught log fudging 101 by the trainer.

I see a few flaws in this, the first one being that you are FAC you aren't a lease operator, which means you are under more pressure to have good log books, that MATCH your satellite. So if you have been doing this for three months, that means you would have already been fired for excessive violations. I pulled a couple FAC loads as a favor, and its tough but if you don't waste your time it can be done. Not every load is perfect. The next flaw is, it seems you haven't complained to anyone due to fear of retaliation. Is there a reason you didn't use the anonymous driver rep? And I know the guy who did your orientation, and god forbid he try to help you out so you don't run out of hours from being stupid.

You pulled a few loads for them so you think you know what your talking about?

1. My logs do match the sattelite-- there are only three or four things that have to match it's all the stuff in the middle that's fiction. They also tell me to pick-up and deliver loads, but delay my loaded and empty calls so that everything does match. I don't consider going to a shipper and getting loaded to be part of a break. I consider that part of the job. I should be able to break uninterupted--not pulling in to doors and hiring lumpers.

2. No many times it can't be done! Many of the loads I'm dispatched on are impossible for any driver anywhere to make without violating.

3. I don't run out of hours by being stupid. I run out of hours by being dispatched 24-hrs a day without being allowed to take my 10 hr break! Many times a split break won't work either.

4. I don't know what the anonymous driver thing is your talking about. I will check my employee handbook and find it, but wouldn't be too hard for them to figure out who I am.

Is there a reason you're schilling fo the company and trying to discredit me? Do you have something to gain?

I can assure you I'm not making this stuff up. Many other FAC drivers I talk to tell me the same story I have told you. It happens every day to many drivers at FAC. I don't know about regular fleet I've never worked for them, and don't know if want to after this.

Have a Digital Camera with you and photograph "every" message they send on the qualcom but make sure you get the date and time on the photograph and have your camera set to give date and time on the image.
I did this with LandAir with a smart dag night dispatcher beeping me when I was in my rest period that a load had to be delivered by 0700 - well it was, and with time to spare and not pushing it.
Have your proof with photos and voice if you can do it as well!

You should stop deleting the messages. Keep them around in case you are in an accident. If you do have a wreck and it's your fault, TA will throw you to the wolves, as you have already guessed, I'm sure. They will disavow all knowledge of "forcing" you to break HOS regs. But if you save those messages, you'll be able to fire back.

Where is Stone Phillips when you need him? You could get him to follow you around in his car and film your daily life at this outfit.

One other thing. When you do quit these clowns, be sure to choose your next carrier carefully. Fully check them out first before going to work for them. It's too bad you didn't find out what TA is like from your fellow employees before you got the job. Any company you go to work for will want to know who you are. They will check your driving and work history for the past ten years, as you know. You would think you're getting a CIA job, a trucking company will be so anal about you. You should check THEM out just as thoroughly. This means finding out what their turnover ratio is, what their safety status with the feds is, how often they advertise for drivers, and how present and past drivers feel about them. This website is a good place for info on a lot of companies as well. Yeap, history works both ways in trucking, and a trucking company's history is far too important when choosing who to work for to not use it to your advantage.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

So do you get a preplan that you have to answer to or are you saying it is forced dispatch even if you can't legally do it?
At JB Hunt they give you so much time to answer then if they think you can do it they will just dispatch.
I've had some minor problems with being dispatched on loads I can't do, but nothing of that extreme.
When I take my break, I turn the volume down on the OBC and just take my darn break.
Sounds like maybe they think you are a team? I've heard this happen many times, a call is made and someone says "OH! WE HAVE YOU DOWN AS A TEAM TRUCK, ooops!"

BIG QUESTION: Do you have a safety dept person you can speak with? This usually grinds all the BS right to a hault.

And I just recommend because it sounds like some of my days and nights at Swift but maybe once a week would I run 18-20 hrs. I switched to running ONLY at night and solved 99% of the problems. Those impossible loads are easier and you will average close to top speed if you overnight it. BUT GEEZ MAN those loads as you said can't be done even at night driving nonstop in a fast(er) truck.