Originally Posted by seanoleary1979

Originally Posted by jlkklj777

Wow that is a terrible report on Eastern. Too bad I have been employed there since june of 2001 and have a completely different take on the company and the personnel. Lets try to have a balanced account of what went wrong with Eastern.
Fact 1: Eastern Freightways is a non union truckload carrier owned by the Shevelle Group. They are in fact loacted in North Brunswick Nj. This is the only full fledged Eastern terminal the company has.
Fact 2: The company is a northeast truckload carrier primarily. This means the average length of haul is about 300 miles. The Northeast pays better freight rates than the midwest and south so they tend to shy away from these operating areas.
Fact 3: The insurance offered is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of NJ. It used to be free for the driver and his family but due to increases in insurance premiums the company execs started charging the driver for a portion of the premiums which in fact is $40.00 per week for family coverage as you stated. This is very reasonable as compared to similar coverage offered at other companies.
Fact 4: The company equipment consists of old Freightliners (pre 2000 models), Volvo's (varying in age from 1997 to 2006 models), and a couple of test Internationals (2007 models). They have purchased 50 new Volvo 610 road trucks and they are parked at a Nemf terminal in Vt.
Fact5: The older volvos are basically day cabs with a twin sleeper behind the seat. I drove several from 2001 thru 2007 when I was given 1 of the newer automatic volvos, a 2006 model with a hundred thousand miles on it.
Fact 6: We operate as a force dispatch system which means you go where you are told and if you don't it is grounds for dismissal.
Fact 7: Eastern is a regional truckload carrier that attempts to get their drivers home every weekend. They do expect their regional drivers to be out all week and service the customers as needed.
Fact 8: drivers that refuse loads are customarily parked until another load comes available.
Fact 9: layover is not paid until the 2nd day of sitting without a load. This has happened to me 3 times in 6+ years here and only for 1 day not 2 so I have never received layover pay here.
Fact 10: the company pays for the truck and the fuel. So is it no wonder they might get upset if you use their fuel to drive the truck "unproductive empty miles?"
Fact 11: Direct deposit is available and it may take 1 to 3 weeks to set up. Most are done within 2 weeks so long as the routing number and account numbers match up. Delays more than 3 weeks are usually due to errors on the drivers part regarding the routing info.
Fact 12: Eastern Freightways was a teamster organized company during the 70's and into the 80's I beleive. After some bad blood between the Union and Management (and a suspicious suicide). The company was basically shut down for several years.
Fact 13: Eastern Freightways assets were purchased by the Shevelle group and re-opened as a non-union truckload carrier to expand the companies operational base. Carrier Industries is also under the Shevelle Groups banner as is Apex Logistics.
Fact 14: Older equipment is used at every major trucking company out there especially for local drivers, look at any major ltl outfit for proof of this.
Fact 15: New drivers have an unreasonable expectation of new equipment and telling management what they are going to do and what they are not going to do. I leave it to you to decide if this applies to you or not REELTYME.
Fact 16: Eastern Freightways offers paid holidays, sick days, personal days, vacation, 401k, breakdown pay, detention pay after 2 hours plus disability, life insurance, and AFLAC (if you want it).
Fact 17: Eastern is actively hiring team drivers paying .50 cpm for long hauls out to Ca and Fl. They are putting the teams into brand new Volvos (610 models only so far)
Fact 18: Eastern is attempting to expand their operating areas to accomodate drivers more oriented towards the long haul end of things. This is occuring hand in hand with Nemf's expansion into the Chicago Il area, Columbus Ohio area and Richmond Va area with partnerships with Oak Harbor freight in Ca and AAA cooper in NC and GA.
Fact 19: The company has within the past 2 years gone with EFS fuel cards for drivers to fuel "off site." the card does in fact have a $400.00 per day limit as you stated but what you neglected to say is drivers are encouraged to fuel at a NEMF terminal to save the company money (as this fuel is purchased in bulk and is already paid for). We have access to every NEMF Terminal (some 20+ terminals I beleive) in the company from South Portland Maine to Miami Fl to Columbus Ohio and almost every state in between. Many companies do not even allow their drivers to fuel at truckstops due to the cost yet you complain about a 400.00 per day limit? WOW!

I have no idea how long you were employed with Eastern Freightways but last I heard we only had about 100 trucks actually in use. No company is perfect but considering the money I earn here (about 1300 to 1400 per week on average) with home time every week and excellent insurance that has kept me out of the poor house I am content.
As for respect I am treated well and although every day is not a "cake walk" I am compensated for difficulties (breakdowns, delays etc).
I have only worked for 3 other companies in the past 15+ years so perhaps I am naive. The fact is no other truckload carrier I worked for (JB Hunt, Trans-States Lines [was purchased by Burlington Motor Carriers and now defunct], and Shaffer offered paid holidays,sick days, break down pay, and benefits for 40.00 per week. The best I ever got for pay from any of these outfits was with JB Hunt in the 90's where I was making about 1200.00 per week. Compare that to the 70+ grand I make here at Eastern and I think you will reconsider your opinion. There are many other drivers here with several years of experience that paid their dues with the older equipment and breakdowns and are still here because of the hometime, pay, benefits, and even respect.
Best wishes to you regardless though. I hope you find a carrier more suitable to you.

Originally Posted by REELTYME

Ive been reading some of these most recent replies to my original thread concerning Eastern Freight ways, I noticed some are trying to make Eastern out to be a good company, I laugh at this! My original thread is true, every last word of it Wastern truly is a scumbag company that screws hard working men and woman over and has crappy equipment! These recent threads appear they found my thread and are trying to cover it up so drivers are lured into them like a fish to a worm on a hook! If you read through all the threads posted you will see the true Eastern Freight ways in the past comments by other members, dont let these few good reports trick you, someone from in that office as it appears to me has found out about this posting and is attempting to hide the truth about the comapany so they can get drivers. Eastern peels through drivers like a man with a bad case of the runs does toilet paper!

Originally Posted by REELTYME

First and foremost, I am not a x employee of Eastern Freightways with a hard on for them, what I am is a man with over 15 years class a otr safe driving exp. that was called by Eastern Freightways recruiting department. I was told all this great #### such as what you preach, traveled to NJ to go to work for them after listening to the lies and believing them I got there and upon arrival at the terminal wanted to get right back on the bus and go home after seeing thier yard and the trucks that were in it! However I didnt I gave them the benefit of the doubt and completed orientation and gave them a chance after all they had spent money to get me there, as well as motel. What I experienced with them as I wrote in my first postening to this thread was a deadbeat #### company as I have clearly stated numerous times! Furthermore my only reason for writing and coresponding with you regarding this is the same as it was when I initialy wrote the first thread, I WANT OTHER MEN AND WOMEN TO BE MADE AWARE OF EASTERN FREIGHTWAYS BEING A DEADBEAT LOWLIFE #### COMPANY SO THEY DONT WAISTE THIER PRECIOUS TIME AND MONEY BY BEING LURED IN BY THESE PARASITES !!!!! As a driver who has been used and abused over the years when I find a #### company like Eastern Freightways I feel an obligation to other drivers to tell them and warn them so they dont get suckered in as I did, Bad Companies Like EASTERN FREIGHTWAYS cost good drivers alot of money, that is the bottom line. We all as drivers need to use sites such as this to comunicate with one another and put an end to these #### companies using us. If they cant get drivers they cant stay in buisiness! WE PAY THEIR BILLS AND KEEP THIER DOORS OPEN!
As for your request to know more about me and when I was there I will tell you nothing, as far as Im concerned it is apparent you are an office employee of EASTERN FREIGHTWAYS trying to identify me and cover up the truth about how crappy EASTERN FREIGHTWAYS is! I hope I have kept many people out of that hell hole and hope to keep many more out in the future! This website is only one method I use to tell other drivers about bad companies such as EASTERN FREIGHTWAYS!