If you were concerned that this whole Pilot Flying J debacle was going to blow over without any repercussions, without any justice being served, worry no more. The Freeh Group has just been hired to investigate Pilot Flying J. The name might ring a bell; not only are they the internationally respected firm responsible for publishing a scathing report during the Penn State sex abuse scandal, but the founder, Louis Freeh, is the former Director of the FBI.
The Freeh Group was hired by a group of trucking companies that have filed class action lawsuits that allege that Pilot Flying J cheated them out of their promised fuel rebates. They are one of the most respected independent firms who specialize in complex legal issues. According to their website, their team members are made up of many experts including “former FBI agents, prosecutors, [and] forensic accountants,” all of which should prove useful in this case.
This news was broken by ABC news who spoke with Mark Tate, the attorney who is representing the class action members against PFJ and its owner Jimmy Haslam. “I can confirm and I am pleased that the Freeh group is supplying the victims of the apparent Haslam scheme with support they need to hold Haslam and his company fully accountable.”
It is extremely interesting that Tate references Haslam directly instead of just referring to Pilot Flying J. Jimmy Haslam has been making a valiant effort of distancing himself from any wrongdoing while condemning the unethical business practices that he says he had no part in. He recently even went so far as to say that the behavior that was reported in the affidavit released by the FBI was “really sickening.”
You may recall that the very same affidavit he references also contained fairly damning testimony that seemed to indicate that not only was Haslam aware of the rebate scheme, but actually approved of it.
Haslam – whose nasty habit of saying “truthfully,” “candidly,” “honestly,” and other such phrases before everything he says makes him seem anything but truthful, candid, and honest –has been receiving support from local newspaper ads paid for by civic and political leaders in Tennessee, the state where his brother is currently the Governor.
Besides his family and their supporters, it seems that Haslam’s list of friends is running short. Other lawsuits are piling up as trucking companies take PFJ to court over their unpaid rebates. The sheer volume of cases being brought will no doubt put a strain on the PFJ legal team, but now that they have a former head of the FBI picking through the company’s dirty laundry, their job just got a whole lot harder.
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Source: newsnet5, overdrive, tennessean
Image Source: nj
While the pilot and fying j’s have been taking over, and ruining the image of truckstops all acress the country by reducing truckstops to little more then neighborhood convince stores with big parking lots and. Showers, it seems they were also buisy screwing over the very people who they claimed to be serving.
Not too smart.
Perhaps now that their tail is in a crack, other REAL truckstops will step up to the plate.
Like who Sam…Loves great if you want to buy a NASCAR shirt…
Yet, the parking lots remain full. It is as if drivers and their companies enjoy being ripped off.
With truck parking so short around the country people are pretty muck stuck parking at PFJ. My company still does business with them but I’d rather use loves or even TA. The company I drive for is not real bright because they actually told us to stop fueling at a couple of our Loves fuel stops and start fueling at Flying J instead, this after the whole scam news broke. Yes, I’m looking for new employment.
So John I take it you’ve never worked for a company with a few bad employes? Over all PFJ does a great job taking care of both the driver and company you work for. I hope no one ever implies that your a theft without having to prove it.
Where else would you have the trucks park? In case you haven’t noticed there is a severe lack od adequate parking nationwide. So your statement “Da Beef” seems lacking in material substance!
Seriously , what choice do we have ? Do you really think we like getting ripped off ? I think not .
These trup stops have a firm grip on our throats . I dont have the energy to go off on a rant .
Let’s pretend the Freeh group does a better job than they did at Penn State or the FBI, for that matter…….
You sound like a Penn State fanboy… truth hurts, doesn’t it?
Funny, you must have a lot of parking choices where you drive. I drive in the US, where parking is scarce. Nope, I don’t give a r/a where I park, and the Flying J’s/Pilots are newer and cleaner.
how ironic ? there is only one way in ( to the fuel island ) and one way out at most PFJs and now the billionaire sees himself looking for a way out when this is said and done.
Many of us on the road have no choice but to stop at Pilot Flying J. Sometimes it’s the only option. In my book that’s called a monopoly. And they know it, cutting benefits of the loyalty card every time they get a chance. They don’t care. It’s all about the money.
That being said, I don’t know if Haslam knew about it or not but just because the Freeh Group is brought in doesn’t mean suddenly the evidence or facts will change. It’s just a known name. They still have to prove it.
But if you look this month they have double points so that’s got a lot of people like “who cares”!!!!!!
the double point are at few and far between locations if you notice
I’m very happy to hear that part of the trucking industry is getting what it deserves ! All that happens does fall onto the trucker as the trucking companies have to cover their expenses and that falls onto the drivers.. It all rolls down hill !!
NOW the FBI should start busting the trucking companies ! This whole industry is filled with criminals and thugs ! Werner is being sued for ripping off student drivers for paying them below min. wage. So if you drove for Werner as a student look up to see if you can jump on that law suit ! I’m pro trucker as I used to be ONE ! Got tired of being ripped off, threaten to run illegal and promised to get me home at hire and that was a lie ! I have nothing nice to say about this industry other than I support my fellow truckers ! The world would stop without truckers ! I hope the FBI totally throws the book at PILOT and Flying J !
Wow I open this story up thinking I would find news and I find a hit piece. I think its time to change the name to Truck Reports and opinions. I really like how many details and facts have been left out of this story. While I do not speak for PFJ I have read many stories and watched all the interviews. First up PFJ employ’s about 28,000 people all across the U.S.. Many depend on this job to support their family’s. PFJ offers a better place to work than most factories and a honest wage. Anyone can work up into management and they care about the good employees. So when you go slamming PFJ remember you’re also slamming the 28,000 people that depend on the job. You know much like you depend on yours. Now a few facts, Mr. Haslam has personally gone to,or is in the process of visiting every trucking company that was listed to make it right. I know for a fact he gave his personal cell phone to every one so they could contact him. There is also no solid evidence at this time to say Mr. Haslam had any knowledge of what a few rogue employees where doing. They only thing they have is a tape of one person saying he knew( really now put yourself in his spot ). That’s not even enough to get a Grand Jury indictment. What ever happen to innocent until proven guiltily. PFJ also works very hard to take care of the drivers the best they can and still make a profit…once again that’s why people start a business. They do the drivers pay back points and even let drivers rate the store they go to. Thus allowing the company to fix any problems drivers may have. Now to Mark Tate lol I think they have a name for attorneys like him. Calling out Mr. Haslam like that is classic and I hope a defamation law suit soon follows. See Mr Tate already lost his first law suit against PFJ. By the time Mr. Haslam is done every company that was truly owed money will have been taken care off. I know a few other details just wait and see. Mr. Haslam also hired and outside investigator that is controlled by the board of trustees not him to find out all the details. He has opened his books and is working with the FBI 100% not hiding like a guilty person would… Now if you want a real scandal lets talk about companies and the U.S. Government that’s screwing drivers and importing low wage can even speak a word of English drives that’s destroying the trucking industry. Also what about the drivers that are having sex with kidnapped under age girls at night in the truck stops. Both are not only bigger stories but a lot more costly to America than this one. The people who committed a crime will be punished.I leave you with this to remember a few bad people do not set the standard for a company with 1000’s of good hard working people that love the trucking industry and the drivers that make it work.
BILLY BIG RIGGER,
Knowing now that your an employee of PFJ, I have a reply to every single thing you said in that big long defense.
Instead I’ll just say these 2 words: “FUEL PRICES!” I’m an owner op of several trucks and I’ve never used your fueling network because of the way you work your rebates, in a way that its easy for ya’ll to just say “hey, sorry we forgot your rebate” IF your called out on it. If not, our loss. CROOKS!
You SOB’s are the biggest problem along with crooked trucking companies.
First up I don’t work for PFJ I drive a tanker truck..BTW I see you know nothing about selling fuel most of time the only a few cents a gallon is made by the service station selling it…If you want to be upset over fuel pricing look to the Federal Government…Now for stealing how do you get that…the price is clearly listed and the state does many random checks on every station to make sure the pumps are putting out the amount listed…You chose to fuel there and get what you pay for…I would also like to point out once again..the “SOB” lol nice name calling what are you two…provide many people with a good job…
Either you are an employee or family, but it seem you are taking this to personally. The only person who has had their finger pointed at is Haslam, and are you saying that recording of him telling his employees to screw any truck driver that does not look sophisticated, so in fact your comment of he didnt know, of course he did, he initiated it. and maybe those were not the exact words, but that was what was implied. Not only did he steal money from the carriers, but how many honest owner operators got taken by there carriers, because of Haslam good deeds. Many driver that infact go home with less of a pay check than a PFJ employee. I will trust there are many more owner operators on the road, then there are PFJ employees. Tell me are all PFJ employees taking it personally when the name Haslam is used. No one knows which employees were involved, but yes, I do believe those employees should have consequences. And by the way owner operators can’t live on flying J points. And yes I do believe the carriers loss was passed on to the owner operators, so thanks for that. There is an old saying if the truth hurts suck it up. As I say this is way to personal for you, and from what I am hearing you are in fact quit biased. Tell me why a PFJ employee would steal money from a carrier, when there would be no actual benefit for them to do so, all the money would go on the fuel cards statement, would it not? Who would profit from that kind of theft? The only way employee could have any benefit would be to steal a fuel card and pin. And how did Haslams accountants not catch on? I think in the end you will find the one person connected to it all is Haslam. And to throw in the rest of what you wrote was, just a lame grasp at getting the attention off of the initial subject. My only hope is that in the end, not only will the carriers be given the money due to them, but those dishonest carriers who held back funds from owner operators, cause what they say is usually true,shit runs down hill, and due to Haslams deciept (what you consider good deeds) will in fact end with drivers getting the money owed to them. But now unless the drivers can in fact get together all the money needed to find good lawyers to fight for their rights, then in fact how much would they lost, to the good practices of Haslam. But let me guess you could care less.
That was not Haslam that said that said screw every driver that does not look sophisticated… That was supposedly Mark Hazzelwood ( not sure of the spelling ) so see you don’t even know what your talking about. It was also a recording. Now I’m not looking for or do I need attention of any kind. I would not have posted a word had this not been a hit piece and would have been news. That’s why I said something. I cant stand only hearing one side of the story. I deal in facts and the truth and stories like this is one are a big problem for America we the people do not get the complete truth. I also do not speak for PFJ in any way shape or form. I’m just a normal personal that drives a tanker for a living. By using your logic any person who post about this must either work for or against PFJ.
Hey BBR,I just guess you like taking it in the shorts or back pocket???.I called my dispatch and no one had heard about this after being publicly known for over 2 weeks.I informed them to check all back fuel receipts against what the .05$ rebate was supposed to be.End result who knows,But the majority of our fleet no longer fuels at PFJ.We now frequent our own customers that we sell product to.All this was done by the drivers not management.BTW BBR we were a primary supplier of product that PFJ used when we got the .05$ fuel discount for being a primary vendor..Also BBR PFJ is only a 7/11 to truckers because of company attitude and services offered at these travel plazas.Personally I hope PFJ sells out,disbanded,or folds because of the actions of the sales team/management.
ryan s i,m with you. these sob,s steal from us all the time. prices are nuts. yet they also know they got us by the balls, some of us have no chose but to use their dam places, and they know it. if my company send me there for fuel???i got thir dam fuel and left, when down street to mom and pop to eat diner or buy things. i gave them nothing. if more of us did that? just how long do you believe they,d be in business? not long….. but just try and get everyone to stick together out here is a pipe dream.
Has anyone noticed that they’re giving double points now? LOL!
Yes not a bad deal for the drivers.
Like running a hundred dollar bill through a trailer park.
Yes the fuel is treated and its not to cheat anyone lol once again the State holds random checks to check this and every station by every company does it…The fuel is also not hot when it goes into your tank…Yes the CEO is held accountable and Mr Haslem is working non stop to fix the damage done by a few bad employees. He said I take full responsibility for my company…what more do you want.. Call me whatever you want little man but you don’t have any real facts and have no clue what you’re talking about. That’s why you feel the need to name call.
You seem to know way to much about Haslam, You talk as if you know him personally.
I doubt you are a driver unless you are a company driver and this doesn’t effect you. If you were an owner operator why would you take the chance on it effecting you in any way. How do you know so much about the gas industry? Also due to the fact you defend him the way you do, it seems you got a vested interest in all of this. And again why would a employee do what you are accusing them of,when there is no profit in it for them, unless they were told to do so by someone who will make a profit from it?
No I have never met Mr. Haslam. I’m a driver have been for 22 years now. I’m not an owner I work for a company. I think your wrong about the price of fuel not affecting me it does effect everyone. My best friend hauls fuel for a living is how I know so much. I also haul Oil. See your wrong about the profit for them…There was profit for them as they where given a bonus. All sales jobs are like that its called commission. Now as for why I’m defending him…I would do the same for anyone like I said in my first post innocent until proven guilty. That’s America and that is how we all should act. I’m also more defending the 28,000 employees that work for PFJ that depend on that company and had nothing to do with this. I have friends that work for PFJ and I care about trucking. I also care about the country we live in I have 4 kids. What those few employees did was wrong. If Mr. Haslam knew and gave the ok he like them will be punished. I ‘m also not accusing anyone of anything only using information that is available to the public. Everything I have or will ever post is based in facts. If by some chance I have it wrong I have no problem making a correction.
In theory that should be the way it is , innocent until proven guilty, but this is not or never has been the case, in any country, unless you are a politician. If you in fact know all there is to know about this case, then you know about the recorded comments in which in fact came out of Haslams mouth, telling his employee to basically screw every on that didn’t look sophisticated, but instead of screw it was the f word, that goes to show me how sophisticated he is. How can you say you think he is innocent, so maybe you are not up to date on the whole story. And also this is his his company, how did he not know of the corruption in his company, it does not sound like this just started. When Owner Operators rely on that extra money to live, and Haslam is already raking in millions a year, he should make himself sick. Most of these carriers get invoices that Owner operators never get to see, they are expected to trust the carriers as far as fuel cost passed down to them. In the end how many Owner Operators who already make very little, have been raked over the coals due to Haslam. Do you think the carriers are going to bare these cost if they can pass them down to the Owner Operator without knowledge to them. And is it not all to common that the little guy always is the one to get screwed. Then when the big guy gets caught what is there first defence, they didn’t know. If the company is that big and you don’t know what is going on within the walls of your company, then I guess you should not be running a company you cannot have control of. Can a parent after there child has gone out and robbed a convenience store say I didn’t know, In the end it will be the parents fault for not raising their children better, how is this any different? But wasn’t this the same case with Loblaws up to 1000 people had to die, so Gailen Weston could add to his over 6 billion dollar net worth. Just so he could say he never knew. Also Haslams brother paying for adds to help bail him out, what are the odds the money used was from the taxpayers, and next he will say he never knew he couldn’t use taxpayers money, and nothing will be done about it, that is our typical government, it seems that is the normal now, steal from the taxpayers, and then act stupid, what are the consequences to them, you have to pay it back. Are they really any different then the tax payers that don’t pay taxes, either way theft is theft. And unfortunately in the end you will find out, Haslams hands will not have come out clean.
Classic I say…so your hatred for rich people really came out in that post..no owner has to stop there period…Haslam Senior started that company with one station and turned it into a company that provides 28,000 jobs and who knows how many more with outside vendors… I see you can try to point out everything bad under the moon and yet say nothing about all the charity work … And the good that PFJ does.. Please provide 100% proof that Haslam said that and I will admit I was wrong… But see you can’t … Why don’t you hold the federal government to the same standards… They’re the ones hurting owner operators. I really doubt tax payer money is being used as that’s against the law… You’re simply just making stuff as a feel good for self to justify the hate you have against people that’s worked hard and became successful..when you can’t.
Haslam comments that he has no knowledge of the alleged wrong doings makes him sound just like some of the DC political scrimmage filling the news sound bites these days. It’s quite a statement they are making, letting us know that they are above the law while We the People are held fully accountable.
WOW, the Pilot pr machine is working overtime today.. spin all you like, bbr, you are not getting any traction..
Just wish they would get rid of that annoying, sycophantic store promo Pa system robot.. It must drive their employees up the wall.,
The NFL’s Cleveland Browns new owner, Haslam gets tossed from the game, “illegal hit to the pocket”.
But I like PFjs’ fried chicken at Sunday brunch buffet.
When this whole thing started up, the company I am leased to sent out a message saying that the company has had none of the alleged issues with Pilot Flying J. So why should I stop using their services? Whatever they were to you, to me they gave me the fuel I needed at a fair and reasonable price. I buy fuel where it is cheapest for me, not where other people who aren’t paying for the fuel want me to. So yes, I am one of the guys you still see shopping at Pilot and Flying J. Once the situation is resolved, I will of course reconsider based on the evidence, but not the allegations.
I quit fueling at pilots when they charged me to pay for fuel using com checks. I new then that they were crooks of the worst kind. after they bought out flying j. I quit fueling there. and by the way. pilot owns the loves travel centers. so your getting ripped of at loves by pilot too. when bosselmens signed the agreement with pilot. pilot ruined another good truckstop. the 2 truckstops i miss the most. is williams and the uncial 76 truck stops. t/a really no better then pilot. I remember when t/a bought out ripp griffins. t/a wanted to take out the restaurants and put in fast food. all the drivers said, and i quote. we’ll stop coming here. and when t/a bought out the petros. the first thing the did was shut down the grills inside the fuel store. the top 3 truck stops that we’re ruined the worst. is. the petro #2 on us 41 in kentucky. pilot took out the did away with the restaurants and put in a subway. it impacted the local community. 2. the gas city truck stop in demotte,indiana. they completely screwed up that truckstop. and the 3. is willy’s place in texas. I really liked stopping there. it had that friendly country western feel to it. the employees were really nice. and the food was really good. now i think it’s a petro. and it has the cold cooperate feel of we only care about your money. they have completely ruined willy’s place. any ways. I hope pilot get’s forced to give back the money they stole of the truckers. and now maybe truckers will see just how stupid people think they really are.
So, Billy Big Rigger, explain why PFJ (or other stops, for that matter) are generally the most expensive palces for diesel? You’d think with all the volume they do, they’d be less expensive. I drove my Dodge diesel cross country 3 years ago and didn’t stop at a single PFJ or other truck stop for fuel, since they were 10-15 cents/gal higher.
I understand that drivers can’t just pull into some quicky mart and fuel up, but if PFJ was REALLY helping O/O and drivers, they’d quit screwing you at the pump.
And yes, I’ve been a driver. Kinda glad im not on the road anymore, with all the BS just getting worse.
My first reaction to this story is ‘What goes around, comes around’. You see large Carriers are offered rebates based on their volume purchases. Many Carriers purchase fuel for Company trucks but also utilize ‘leased operators’ or ‘OOs’ purchases to reach rebate thresholds. However because of the combined purchases they receive 7-9¢ a gallon but give the OO’s and Leasee’s a “fuel card” incentive to hire on with them of 3-5¢. YES. Sad but true. Don’t believe me ? Ask your Carrier for a copy of their fuel invoices. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO THEM UNDER THE TRUTH IN LEASING LAWS.
I look at it as the Carriers got what was coming. Two wrongs do not make a right. The whole mess smells and none of it would be possible if the Fuel Stops and Carriers did not have Leased/OOs making purchases.
BBR. I respect You, Your 22 years and your writings as well. However retailers make way, way much more than a few cents a gallon on sales. Do the math Brother. And be safe out there !
I am so glad that Haslem is under fire. I use to work in a Pilot and met him several times. His company is greedy in every way and I have no doubt that he knew about the rebates. That’s why I go to Love’s for my fuel.
I left a job of 7 years to drive for PFJ only so they could screw me over in a month’s time. Well, I can’t say “they” as there were some really nice drivers there. I guess I should blame the lead driver who trained me. He kept running back to HIS boss telling him, “I don’t think this guy’s going to work out,” with absolutely nothing to back it up with. The amazing thing is, his boss actually bought into his bs and subsequently let me go. Oh well. Karma is a bitch and I hope this place gets what they deserve (with the exception of most of the awesome drivers/employees).
Remember the govenor of the state of Tennesse is the brother of the brother in charge of PFJ. Also, remember that the govenor used to be the Knoxville County Mayor. Look at the Knoxville County truck speed limit for trucks. This was instituted while he was in charge here, these unsafe, stupid split limits are still in place. They make the county a lot of money at the drivers expense. This family in my opinion, has never cared about anyone’s safety, only profits. So, what is going on at PFJ is no surprise to me at all but I believe the whole leadership of this family needs to have the FBI/RICCO TAKE A VERY CLOSE LOOK AT THEM. Also, some of the old timer drivers (like my self) who do remember what truck stops used to be like know very well that it is the Haslem family who is guilty of turning the commercial fueling industry into nothing more that convience stores/tourist traps. They used to never have parking lots bigger than for a dozen or less trucks, it was always about get them in, get them out (profits), sort of like Wally World, (once they have your money the cashiers are taking care of the next in line before you can even get your change in your wallet, everything is about profits and nothing else matters.