First let me say,that evidently at some point Lance had a wonderful reputation...Both of my other 1/2's Uncles retired with them....So he made the descion to park his rig after seeing their ad in the paper...

Qualifications are strict and only 2 drivers out of many made the grade..one being my other 1/2....

We heard they paid VERY WELL and when they gave him the figures...it was better than what we could do after fuel in our own truck..plus benefits...

What he found was,that drivers of 20 years were quitting,he later found out,because high risk management had been brought in,they were wroking,longer and harder and the money wasn't what they promised.. # 700.00 shy of what they promised....Now they have such a shortage of drivers do the new policies and workloads,that some trucking managers are having to drive trucks and work like dogs..they were over heard saying..Now we know what these drivers are talking about...

In one week..my other 1/2 only got 12 hours sleep...see they drive in teams,plus have to unload trailer of crackers,cookies etc....on a good week he got 4 hours sleep a night.... They have it setup,,,where you come back to Charlotte evrynight to get new load and with the workload...some guys are working 6 and 7 days a week..never getting their 36 hour break...they have a strigent accident policy..evena minor bump will get you fired...yet they don't see to it that these guys have ample time to rest...

We have heard they are trying to get the Union in,don't know much about if the Union is a good or bad thing..but I know that alot of long time employees have left the company becuse of the changes...

Just thought I would give folks the headsup as even a company with an outstanding reputation can bite the dust and turn into a micro manged nightmare....

Heather

I guess you now know the meaning of the advertising slogan, "Put some Lance in your pants".

I predict many of a driver will wish he had a union backing him up in the near future. But, as typically the case, drivers are ignoring the warning signs and are exerting nary an effort to stop what is coming. This is no surprise, as many a driver will go to a training school with a size 30 waist and have bloated himself from junk food and sitting 12 hours a day to a size 46 waist in a year or two. No, if a driver can't even see his own bellygrowth as a warning sign, he won't see his own economic demise coming, either.

There is sort of a "perfect storm" brewing in trucking right now: states are starting to implement no-idling laws, mandatory emissions standards are just starting to bite (and CAT is rumoured to be leaving the highway engine market), and a "green wave" is starting to sweep the land. I see all these as dark clouds indicating some bad weather is coming for the trucking companies, and a lot of companies are not going to survive the onslaught. When Hillary wins the presidency next year, say goodbye to solo driving. If you want to continue with your OTR driving career, you will be forced to team, at least in the first year or two of her administration. Not long after she gets established, the trains will begin to carry most of the OTR freight, meaning many a driving job will slowly disappear over the next decade.

Nope, overnight idling will become a thing of the past, as will an OTR cab with only one driver in it. Enjoy these last years, as they truly are "the good ol' days".

All my predictions could easily come true. This is because most drivers have no union representation (conveniently, of course) and can be thrown out of jobs tomorrow. Don't believe it can/will happen? Go talk to Warren Buffet, a guy who made his billions by being a shrewd businessman and making the right calls. He just dumped a ton of other people's money into the railroads. Those rail companies are gonna make a profit one way or the other, and Hillary is gonna make sure that happens. This means YOU are gonna be saying bye-bye to your solo-driving OTR career, in case you can't guess. Some of you will get teammates. Some of you will become regional drivers. Most of you will become unemployed.

All of you will wish to hell you had been unionized. But then it'll be way too late.

You have been warned.

__________________
--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.

**Please let me say this mighty presumptious of you to assume truckers come to be some overweight food junkies....my fiance has been doing this 25 years...and not that I really need tell you this but he is still slim and healthy and sexy as hell as far as I am concerned..and then helps keep our farm up when he is at home... I didn't come here to debte the good or the evils of the Union....bottom line with or without them..it is up to us to speak out and take a stand...and if we sit back and let what happened,happens,then it will continue...

The green wave needs to come and has been coming, if we don't take care of the earth,there won't be any driving jobs ethier...So maybe you start with thinking about all that plastic you use and throw away and conserving energy when your at home..all the little things add up to big things...push truck manufactuers who will have a voice in all this because their dimes will be on the line,to come up with better fuel mileage etc...put pressure on all these 4 wheelers out here joy riding around,wasting fuel, stop buying products overseas,demand products from American manufacters, better on the enviorment and less fuel,buy green products to clean your house and yourself...doesn't seem like much,but everyone does it it is enough to make a differance ...you know,to me it seems things aren't working,ilook it is our fault there are no American companies,why? Because we buy products from China, and the likes...if there wasn't a demand,they wouldn't be in buisness.,companies overseas who pollute the enviornment, if you don't want to lose jobs,speak up put blame where blame is due,the trucks aren't thre problem,think about that next time you open your wallet at Walmart,look in your cart and see how much plastic is in there..it has come down to the almighty dollar,guess it always will be,but we need change...Damn.look at all these companies ripping off folks, these cmpanies need to have their butts hauled in and out of court until they get the message,The way I see it,it isn't up to anyone but us,to stand up and say enough is enough...Little ole me plus 1000 little ole me's can add up to some pretty loud voices!!! I made my voice heard about Lance and I am not done....Union or not..people got to STAND up for themselves...PEROID!!! I am not pro or con Union,but I know one thing ,ain't nobody gonna save us but ourselves...

One day when you are down in NC,I would love to have a look at your cyrstal ball...


Oh,Lance in your pants.......please,that slogan, just goes to show what kind of DA some companies have working for them...

Heather

I can't argue with that. I wasn't singling out anyone, but I know most OTR drivers, as in 90% or more, gain weight while on the road. Some go from BMIs in the mid 20s to BMIs in the low to mid 30s (the obese range).

Hillary is coming, and when she does, the green wave will become a green tidal wave.

Enjoy your solo careers while you can. Enjoy that idling truck that keeps you cozy tonight.

__________________
--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.