I worked for USA for two years, I quit about a month ago. Number one reason? No freakin home time. If you love to stay out and work for weeks at a time and come home four days a month then this company is for you.

I realize there are a lot of companies like this out there. The basic fact is this is a "STARTER COMPANY," which means this is a company where all the newbies go to earn their wings. Once you get your experience you find a decent company to work for. You are nothing but a number to them and you WILL be treated as such.

There is no point crying or complaining about your weak paycheck, lack of hometime, or dilapidated equipment because unless you're going there with previous experience they are going to USE you like a cheap ##### and know they can get away with it. Until you know what you are doing, and know how to "work the system" you probably will be very unhappy.

What can you do? COMMUNICATE with your fleet manager. Tell them how you feel and what is going on EVERY DAY. Say good morning to them, wish them a happy fourth of july, etc. Basically treat them like a friend... and most of them time they will return the favor.

Do NOT complain (without a VERY good reason), curse at them, or be difficult to work with... because your dispatcher can make your life miserable if he/she wants to. All you need to do is suck it up and put your time in while you gain the experience needed for a real trucking job.

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My experience with USA personally was positive overall. No company is perfect (especially OTR companies), and USA has problems just like all the rest.

I averaged close to 3000 PAID miles a week as a solo driver (USA pays short route miles, not actual miles). I averaged about $400-600 per week in my first year. After my first year I became a trainer and averaged $800-1500 per week.

Yes, I cheated on my logs, but I never put my life in danger just to deliver a load. If I was tired, I pulled over and slept no matter if the load was late or not... I wouldn't suggest doing that too often! BUT, regardless, I did what was necessary to get the load delivered on time and to stay safe. They know if you fudge the books but they really don't care as long as you don't get caught.

Their trucks suck and run at 62-63 mph (unless they've changed this since I left). Their terminals are old and run down, the showers are dirty, the washing machines are always broken. Their mechanics are overwhelmed with too many broken truck which makes them slow. Forget about calling dispatch at night or on weekends because you will be stuck on hold for about an hour before anyone answers.

My basic opinion? They are a good place to start out... and if you don't mind the fact that you never go home you can even do pretty good there if you get on your dispatcher's good side. They WILL pay you detention and breakdown pay IF... pay attention here.... IF and only IF you specifically ASK for it and IF your dispatcher likes you. They will not just hand it out to you every time you get stuck somewhere for 8 hours... but if you have a good reason and are detained for 12 hours or more they might just pay you for it.

I didn't mean to be so long winded but I hope this info helps someone.

Good post and thanks for the insight. As a student in school and new to trucking this is the info I need to make a good decision about a trucking company.

Thanks
Ed

Dammit boy! I'm basically headed down the same road as you. I became a trainer after 9months. I averaged roughly $700-$800 each check, and as a trainer the avg check is about $1500. So what are you doing now that you have resigned from USA. Every OTR company has a required time for you to be out no matter where you go. More home time, less pay, not just with USA. I stay home 5 days, they never say anything to me.

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A closed mouth won't get fed, you must speak up and be proactive in this industry!

Right now I'm looking for a gas-hauling company to work for. I can be home every day and still get decent pay. I don't mind driving portable bombs. I had to renew my hazmat and I failed the test before I finally passed it again (shoulda studied harder, I was over-confident, they trick you with those questions!).

im there now and you hit my 2 biggest complaints spot on!! the maint/ service and the crappy terminals. you know that washer at w. memphis is STILL broken!!! otherwise i am happy here. my FM (old and new) are/were good to me for the reasions you stated. my old one jeff got promoted to gfreight group mgr or something, but its over my group so i still have a direct link to him.

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.

been with them going on 8 months now,my take home this week was $995.00 that is take home not gross.i am very happy there.Never have a problem going home.I am home now for 4 days even got home the night before i was due home so i got one extra night in my own bed.i just get out there and due what i am paid to do and dont worry about all the other things.

yep, i rarely have any trouble getting home on time. i was due home today, got here at 630 pm last eve

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.

huh? so what. I started after 9months, so how does one become a supertrucker?

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A closed mouth won't get fed, you must speak up and be proactive in this industry!

So what might I ask is your occupation now that you have moved on? and what is your weekly avg now? I am a trainer with USA and I can relate to everything you are speaking of. I made 40k my 1st year and looks like a possible 70k plus if I finish this one out. But I am ready 2 move on and find a good solo company. I'm thinking about TMC. they can get me home every week, although it will be a cut in pay, I can get to enjoy my family more, and relax and rest properly every night, instead of sometimes.

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A closed mouth won't get fed, you must speak up and be proactive in this industry!

have u ever worked for another big company they r all the same even so right now with the fuel prices the way they r i get 3000 miles a week and always get home on time and i can tell u this company is look for drives that will make their loaads on time pick up and delivery this is how they get more freight to build there company to make more money and is up to u to show them that u can make the loads on time u have to talk with them when u cant do this the company cant make u do something that u r not suppost to that is any company if u lie on ur logs then its on u not them if u cant do a load and u take it its on u not them u have the right to say no i cant do this but i can do this { on pick up or delivery }. if there is any delays in delivery let them know that is going on and they should work with u on it but the big thing is to put it all on the Qcom so u have a record of every thing that u have said to them and it cant com back on u. break down now there is on in break down i think should be fired because he will get some one kill that dont know the ropes and what u can and cant do. that is why the driver with the exsperince needs to help the newibes out and let them know about these things see how there driver trainers arent doing there jobs but they let the lc push them in to driveing team loads when they should be training there trainees how to do things the right way. well if any of this make sence to u then im glad if it dont then i will try and help u understand what i mean with 12 yrs u dont know it all and i shure dont but i do know that a training company is just that trainees come and they go so dont put down the newibes for not know what to do and not do we live and we learn ether the ez way or the hard way and we all do the same job some better then others some better then us we cant make it better if we keep putting down other drivers in or out of this company


im just a bug on the wall that is watching it all