Extortion Alert!!! Red Tazz Express Delivery Company

Just wanted to answer a little more precise on a few things. I was on my phone the other night and now I am on a computer.

The driver quit- No. He would not talk to us. Just threatened us with his "bad" brother that was going to come burn our place down and try to hurt us. We could not do an exit interview. Klint tried to talk to him. He got himself in a bad situation by taking 5 extra days to get somewhere when all of our other drivers had reloaded and left 4 days prior to him. Like I said in my last message. We have plenty of owner ops on the lease purchase deal that are doing just fine. We don't make the charges so high each week that they cannot make a decent check. But, they have to run. He became an owner op, got lazy, went into debt within a matter of weeks. This guy was a driver for us before an owner op. He was a good driver. Last thing we expected was how things ended. He was even renting a trailer from us that he was living in. We liked the guy. But, can't make money as a driver or owner op if you do not run. It is a fact.

Yes, this is the first year our insurance premiums have went up in 10 years after this awful last year. But, our major shippers have not left. They know us and they know what a good job we did for them. So, you are wrong there. Yes, they know our CSA scores. But, they also know our drivers that have been with us for years and they know our good customer service. And if you really studied CSA, you would know how even when the company does their part, we get punished. A seasoned driver with no record forgets to do something or bring his medical card, DOT officer cannot find anything wrong so he writes a warning for that, we get it on our record for 2 years when the seasoned, professional, good driver messed up.

Walmart- we've had Walmart drivers come to us complaining. I guess they are not all happy. But, as mentioned in my other message. They go for miles at a time without stopping, strapped, waiting to load, unloading. Our drivers make multiple stops in one day sometimes. Wait to load, reload, etc. It is a whole different field than a box trailer or chemical fleet. Ask any flatbed driver. It is hard work. It adds more room for error on logs, equipment, etc.

The fact that we have had drivers leave and come back repeatedly speaks volumes on how well we treat and pay our drivers. I don't need the opinion of someone who does not know to feel confident in that. Plus the fact that we have had drivers for years who are very happy. Our drivers are extensions of our family. I even used to make them all an individual cake for their birthdays before we moved away from the town our yard is in. We have dinners with our drivers. My husband does personal do walk around inspecting the trucks and trailers that are in town every week when he goes to town once a week. We PM them every 12,000 miles which means they are PM'd about every month and a half on average. We do what we can to take care of our drivers and make them feel like family. Usually the seasoned, very qualified drivers are working already or tired of flatbed because it is so exhausting. (have you ever had to tarp a load and chain it then turn around and unchain and tarp it in the same day? In 105 degree heat?) So, we have trained and hired rookies who have honestly turned out to be some of our best drivers. In our industry, you cannot just hook up and go. You have to physically work to secure the load. Tarps are heavy if it has to be tarped. You have to have what it takes. So, we pay them for that. We pay percentage of the line haul and they have a guarantee. Usually they make more than the guarantee. But, if they don't make it, then the guarantee is there to make sure they have a good check to take home each week. Oh, and our drivers are usually home each week also. Not on the road for weeks at a time. That is something else my husband makes sure of. After being a driver first, we know what it is like to have Daddy gone from home for too long.

 

.......HA! accidentally stamped in the office! People who cant handle a freakin rubber stamp sure as hell wouldnt know how to handle another human being! Only if some people knew how transparent they really are......

 

It was his first week to be direct deposit and I was having major medical problems working from my bed at the time so our other main lady made a mistake. Why did he not cash it when he got it? Because he knew he had already been paid. Would you like for me to post a copy of the cleared check so you can see he waited and knew exactly what he was doing? An honest person would have destroyed the check knowing he was already paid. Mr. Respress is not that honest person. Any other time he got paid he cashed the check immediately. He knew the money was in the bank already and waited until he quit and disappeared to cash it. Months later.

 

As we were at a company dinner tonight with our drivers, I brought up this post in humor. I was reminded about the truck full of beer cans that was found when our driver went to go pick up the truck that was left. I was also reminded that he used the money that was given for permits toward his trip back. This guy was not looked upon as anything but an alcoholic from the sounds of things. Very sad. Sounds like he needs help and prayers.

 

I apologize for not getting back to this, I completely forgot about it.

Yes I was an O/O, that is why I said I was leased on to RT and rented a trailer from you. I want to address something you said

Be careful about making assumptions and accusations, that statement is what is commonly called "Slander". I had no debt to RT, real or imaginary.

1. At the time, RT was taking 3 weeks to pay a settlement, due to poor cash management on the part of RT.

2. RT was running red dyed off road fuel in the company trucks, Klint would offer to sell the fuel to O/O for $2/Gal from the pump in your yard next to the garage where he kept his Camaro.

3. Klint was very nervous about running into FL, for fear that he would get caught with the fuel at the inspection station.

4. The 53' SD I was renting from RT had a serious alignment issue and would eat tires at a staggering rate. Klint refused to pay for the correct repairs, or good tires. He insisted that used tires be placed on it every time there was an issue. He then failed to pay for the tires when they blew after only a couple of days.

I don't know the OP from a hole in the ground, and I don't care to. I do know that when I was with RT, there was a LOT of shady stuff going on.
I truly hope you guys got your act together finally. Happy trails to y'all.

 

Red Tazz Express is now a Landstar Broker.

I am guessing that is why Klint's wife never bothered to respond to the truth. All you Landstar O/O out there be on the lookout for an agent from Dayton, TX.

You have been warned...

 

I've noticed that in this thread along with many other threads that the the instance of companies attempting to levy fines on drivers for actions that they did or did not do is increasing in the industry.

Fining company drivers is illegal in most states even if there is some BS document that the company requires the driver to sign.

What I find amusing is that the companies that want to try and play this game never have it as a two way street.

For example, the company pays a fine to driver if the company makes an error, ie, late pay, incorrect pay, late or incorrect reimbirsment, failure to pre-plan, etc.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the shoe was on the other foot.

Any driver that comes across on one of these fine scams should ask to see the list of fines that the company will pay them if the company screws up.

 

Never got a notification so I did not know anymore replies had been made.
nightgunner- who are you? Seeing as I am the one who has handled the pay from the very beginning, if I truly owe you any settlements, please contact me. redtazzaccouting2@sbcglobal.net

To set the pay straight- we settle pay 2 weeks after the load is complete. Not 3. Look at the calendar. See the Friday, that week will be settled two weeks from that Friday. It is very simple. Two weeks after, not three. Back then especially, we did not have cash flow issues. Cash flow issues only started after our insurance got so high this past year.

You were an owner operator, you were leasing the trailer. YOU were responsible for any tires, etc. for the trailer. Step decks do eat more tires than flats.

In all seriousness though, if I owe you any money, I would be happy to set the records straight. I have history of everything.

Yes, we are a Landstar broker now. Insurance was high. Our trucks are leased onto Landstar. We had a brokerage company for several years and have been kicking around starting brokerage again for a while and decided to take the plunge. We have 7 new 2014 Peterbilts and 9 new flatbeds and wanted to keep our drivers on the road. Same drivers, same trucks, now leased onto Landstar. Same customers, now going through Landstar. Drivers are happy, we are happy, and our insurance for our hotshots that are still Red Tazz is much lower.

So nightgunner, everyone knows who we are, what is your name and what exactly do I owe you for and how much? Otherwise, it is just slander what you are saying without proof. Anytime anyone has ever challenged me that I owe them anything, I have not. I have a 100% perfect record on settling everything correctly.

 

I have a few issues with LadyTazz's comments on here:

First with the check in question - Why didn't you just put a stop on it if you knew it was an error on your company's end? A few dollar fix to save a $400 problem. You also state, "We love our drivers" yet blame all the negative CSA data on "stupid drivers". That's a slight contradiction don't you think? Let me point out that the negative CSA data is in no way 100% the fault of your drivers. You can't tell me you had no idea any of your drivers were running over their 11 or 14 hour rules as often as your company was cited for it. I am sure it was helping your bottom line so you just turned a blind eye to it. When did you switch to elogs in the third quarter of 2013? Your company has had 10 citations for HOS issues since 10/2013. 42 HOS issues in a 2 year period is a COMPANY issue and not just a driver issue. You also seem to have more excuses than a school nurse. You blame everything on the nature of flat-bedding being difficult or your "stupid drivers". Also, can you clarify the statement about your husband "going into town once a week"? Is that your terminal and he only goes in once a week? I also find it hard to believe your insurance rates never went up in 8-10 years of doing business. Rates go up upon renewal due to repair costs going up, more miles traveled, new equipment purchased, etc. The majority of your post seem disingenuous, are rife of finger pointing and blaming everyone else for the problems at your company and your horrendous CSA scores.

 

This whole thread has a sort of greasy feelin in it ,can't put my finger on it ....i guess just another sleasy slime ball trucking story i suppose .....
.....tell miss Babylon to "get it there herself "