Gardner Trucking, Albany Yard.

What a joke this company is. Hired me and laid me off five days later. I've driven truck for 30 years, with no issues, no citations and not one accident. My "trainer," who drove the first day, drove unsafe, didn't intertrip and displayed distraced driving to me. Of course I didn't call him out, as that is not a bright thing to do on your first day on the job. The second day I drove, two trips on a mountain road. Ice storm that night, trees falling across the road as well as powerlines dropping onto the road. I slowed down and safely made it through both trips. My "trainer" scared the crap out of me the first night. The truck kept popping out of 9th gear all the way there and back during my second day when I drove. Piece of crap equipment. I've never experienced such an ordeal in my 30 years of driving.
I've read here on TR many many bad reviews of this company in California. Now I believe all of them. Don't work for this outfit. They lied to me about stuff they didn't have to for those three days. This company is a joke.

 

Well, I was not fired, Joe. On my third day I called in as instructed, and was told no load due to truck problems. I called in again on my fourth day, as instructed, and was told the mill was shut down, so no loads to deliver. My job was to deliver OCC. On my fifth day, I called in as instructed and was told the road was closed. I checked tripcheck. Another lie. And so on. Now I believe all the crap I've heard about Gardner. Go figure.

By the way, Joe, I also know you are a straight up and truthful man. No sarcasm implied. Thanks, seriously, for the honest remark.

 

I read lots of bad stuff on this thread about Gardner out of California. But nothing bad about this local yard. My "trainer" on my second day when I drove through crappy road conditions said the driver's on that particular run only drove about a maximum of 260 miles per shift and were not getting paid by the hour. The turnover was really high. He said they had just switched to paying the OCC driver's by the hour a little over a month ago. He said when that happened, his own income increased by about 50%, which is, of course, substantial. I guess that shows that Gardner was one of those many companies that underpay their drivers. Wouldn't be the first nor the last.
What really bugs me is that all the companies I've driven for would sit you down and talk to you about any issues they had to work things out. Not Gardner. I live and learn.

 

Well. My wife is disabled, can't drive and I won't leave her alone for days at a time. I tried Gardner 'cause they paid $18.00 an hour plus OT and I would be home daily. Home daily jobs are not as common as OTR.

 

I like boring same old runs. And I do count my blessings. I am blessed to find out early on about this company. Happy Thanksgiving.