Western Express, Inc. - Nashville, Tn.?

rollin coal-did you come here to meet women or hear what other drivers have to say?things in this business are bad and hate to see where it's going.i've never been on the company got bought side and its been very frustrating to say the least.i've got over ten years here when my company wasn't great financially,being bought and now to see the no changes policy change was just a line so no mass exit!

 

I'm in the cab of my truck when I come in here. It's just a way to kill time for me. I thought the whole thread was funny. Anything from here is just as suspect as what comes off the cb. If I was working at a company I suspected was on shaky ground I'd be pro-active about getting a new job lined up really quick instead of wondering what a bunch of strangers thought about it all. Companies come and go. So what.. You've got the skill move on..

 

i have been at western for 4 months now and i truly like them. i cant complain much except for the money and the fact that im always in the northeast. But ive been home every single weekend since i started..just like they promised..if i get sick of NE..i just ask my dispatcher and he'll send me on a california run or something out west for a week and still get me home by the weekend. I am a newbie to trucking..and this is my first company..but they seem better than some of the other companies i read on this forum. I wont be working for them too much longer..just gotta get my 6 months to a year in..but its because i can do better than 30 cents a mile at that point..not because of other BS...anyways..thats my opinion...

 

Well my time with Western Express is finally over. After almost a year of running with a couple dedicated accounts with the safety department awarding me with a gold watch and a wonderful letter of accomplishment (28 positive DOT safety inspections) I was fired by Eric M., the 28 yr old head of the dedicated division. I was transferred to a new dedicated run from the Lowes division and in doing so they wanted my tractor to stay so the numbers would coincide with the division. He sent me with a driver to Cartersville, Ga (3 hrs away) at 8am. Didn't tell me he had 5 stops on the way and we arrived at 6:30pm that night, 10.5 hrs later. Originally, the plan was for me to be right back, so I didn't bring any bedding or personal items with me. Now, they sent me a dispatch to go down below Atlanta (2hrs away, 5-6 hrs back) to get a backhaul. I called my dispatcher (Ruben) and explained to him the situation and he told me to bobtail back and authorized it. Got home about 10:30pm that night. The next morning called in for instructions from Eric M. only to be yelled at and rudely told that HE wasn't going to have drivers bobtailing all over the country and to empty out the truck and turn it in. He refused (and to this day) to discuss or listen to the fact that I was authorized to bobtail back from my dispatcher, and furthermore, wouldn't pay me for the day I put in either. Said it was for the fuel I used. Oh, did I mention that he is marrying the owner's daughter this week? So, he only answers to Wayne W. now and pretty much gets what he wants. I'm really glad that I'm finally out of there and even my blood pressure has lowered! You can read my other blog for more details about what horrible people they are to work for. It's not even about business, it's about their ego's. For a company that employs about 1800 drivers and has to hire almost 1400 drivers a year, what does that tell you? It's NOT the drivers.

 

I beleive the SMX merger was too big for them to handle. They have maxed out their line of credit and cutbacks with layoffs are due to take place in Jan. The owner closed his company and locked the doors before. This was before he started Western Express.

 

that is very possible.they have already started letting people go.the freight slowing down and start of a bad winter came at a bad time for them.smx did the same thing-got to big to fast and went through some growing pains.

 

Hey guys, I would like to hear from current drivers about western, how many miles do you average a week, is the hometime good, what are the speeds of their trucks and is equipment good, and also is their a rider program for spouse or child, and can you take the truck home. Thanks and be safe.

 

the trucks and equipment is good-trucks top out at 65.they have a rider policy for wife and i believe 1 child 12 and over.miles and hometime will vary based on where you live,who your dispatcher is per usual.starting pay with experience is 30 or 31 cpm-not great.insurance is about average price-but going up.guarantee if you live on east coast will see maine too often.shops are not the greatest.be prepared to waste a day and signd posted not responsible for lost items in shop.if you have options use them

 

do they take current students and can you take the truck home also do they run everywhere or a certain area.Thanks and be safe

 

Like a driver on here told me... Alot of whinning will not get no money in your pocket at all. Western might not be the A one company to drive for, cause as of right now the way the econmy is things are hard and to jump company from company is a dumb move.Within the last three weeks my miles have average from 2300-2800 and this is been REAL SLOW along with winter stroms,econmy and etc. Western have lost three big customer since October for drivers getting service failure. so that mean we have to fight for every load we get. I'm from MS and far as my hometime... guess what i dont have a laptop on the road so am at home delievering monday in GA.(i get home every wkend friday afternoon or saturday AM) to clear this up too, i run out the birmingham terminal/southeast,southwest,midwest,some east coast not much...I've heard from alot of drivers that running out the nashville terminals you will get more miles(ALOT OF CALI) but hometime sucks mostly around three-six weeks, some said they've been out two-three months.. Just saying..
It's a company not 20 miles from my house name Jordan Carriers,inc .39cpm after 6 months .40cpm... Why i'm with western exp and not with these guys!!!??? They require one year OTR flatbed experience.. So that's what am getting at moment and learning the ropes while having fun doing it.. And i agree with every flatbedder on here.... IT's A DIFFERENT BREED OF WORK!!!!!!! NO LIE.... BUT GOTTA LOVE IT WHEN YOU FINALLY GET FINISH SECURING/TARPING OR WHAT NOT,AND JUST STAND BACK WHILE TAKING YOUR GLOVES OFF WHIPPING SWEAT.. READY TO ROLL
Truck # 5598
~LeeBoI~