Getting tired of the Roehl game

grc56 I am sorry to read about your recent problems with the company, and I hope you get everything worked out to your satisfaction. Please direct your anger at the company, not at the hometime fleet drivers. They in no way created your problem. I was on the hometime fleet for my first 6 months at Roehl and had to switch to national in March in an effort to get more than 1040,1200 ,1300 miles for seven days out. I have read your posts with great interest as you seem to get a lot of loads well over 1,000 miles (a rarity for me) and you don't have to sit between loads(something I do much to often). The drivers at Roehl should try to stick together and not think the grass is greener on the other side. I sometimes joke about the other fleets (flats and reefers) but I have nothing but respect for the work they do. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

ETCH/ Eric It was good to meet someone from the forum in person, great to talk to you as we have many shared interests. I really liked your truck, with the Eagle interior and the full skirts, it is a great looking tractor. You are going down a path that many of us hope to follow, keep us up to speed on your progress. Drive safe and hope to see you again.

 

I guess I am Cutting my teeth because I've been driving 25 years 15 of that as O/O sold my truck now working at Roehl. I Like Roehl. Dont like the micro managing but understand why. Many drivers cant route very well, and that ends up costing the company million's in a year. For an example. How many of you would blindly follow the company routing out of western North Carolina up hwy 29 to DC area then all the way up I95. If so this routing has now been changed. it cost the Co. 150.00 more than going I77 to I81 to I84 and back in route near Boston Ma . By the way only 16 miles more starting in greenwood sc. All I did was call fuel dept. show them the savings and they changed it.
This is the first company I have seen that most of the first time drivers I meet stay here for many years and like it. Most drivers I meet on the road have a good Attitude also.

 

Whoa!! Online I read some good things about Roehl. As never having the chance to drive for Roehl. One occurring theme seems to be constant with all the OTR companies out there. They use and abuse you when it soots their needs.

I believe a happy employee is a more productive employee. Another occurring theme seems to be training and a loan. If a student wants to work for a OTR why charge them? Seems alot of OTR's get money this way which really is bad. I was considering a career in OTR but I'm changing my mind.

I can deal with all the mcro managing but the hidden agendas are totally something else. I rathjer drive local and make a steady amount and be home with the family. Atleast I know what I'm getting into.

When I went to CDL school, there was alot of individuals like me wanting to support our families and what not. As a newcomer to this industry. What can I expect? I was told all sorts of good things like, money in your pockets, seeing the country, etc.. etc.. Now by doing some reading and investigating a little. It seems this can be a pipe dream of sorts.

Why would I strive to get a job only to be in more debt? I could work at the local supermarket and get by without having to worry about some collection agency coming after me.

 

You're changing your mind, but you already went through school? That sounds like the worst of both worlds. Debt plus no income.

 

If you go into it with 'eyes wide open', positive attitude, and prepared it can be ok and (I'm told) once you get the miles under your belt it gets better. Sure there are 'trying' times and they are documented on this and many other threads. I came back into this prepared (house/car/credit cards are paid off0 debt is at a minimum. It is still tough but makeable. For the detractors reading this, I am not saying this is easy or everything is bright and rosey (I have and still do at times have 'difficult' times) but until I get the experiance needed, this is the 'gig' I'm gonna stay with as I personally do not like to job hop.

 

Wow, I can't believe the change in direction the Roehl section has taken over the past two years. Like ETCH, I've been a fairly outspoken proponent of this company and I've been treated very well here for the most part. It saddens me to see that others are having bad experiences with Roehl. I want to be proud of the company I work for, this stuff doesn't exactly invoke those feelings.

It's been hit or miss for me on the o/o side. I don't regret leasing a truck, it's been an interesting expereince but to see the turn Roehl has made I am thankful the lease is walk away. Initially my IC DSR and I just weren't seeing eye to eye. Things have improved but still aren't what I'd like them to be. I agree with them wanting favors but not returning them.

I recently non-commited a load that was 1000 miles for three days. After bouncing messages back and forth, they dispatched it anyway. I sucked it up and ran with it because I was "the only one available". My thanks? A 200 mile deadhead and 300 miles loaded run to Chicago. If freight is slow, I get it. But right after the preplan came through I called my DSR to get me through the house so I could pick up winter gear. Literally three minutes later he called back with an OD load that ran 1200 miles and picked up 26 miles away. There were two of them, why was I sent the #### load orgininally?

The planners are spriteful in my opinion. If you question them, they'll make you pay for it. Even when I got to the drop, they planned me on another load knowing I was supposed to go home. I turned it down only to be asked if I could pick it up and relay it. I agreed since it paid my fuel home, but they still showed no consideration for my original request.

Time after time I've been getting bad delivery or p/u times. Not listening to when I say I need to go somewhere for something. Short miles over the weekend. I even got dispatched on a load that picked up on the other side of PA from what the dispatch said. The folks in Marshfield are really dropping the ball more and more.

Things have improved the past two weeks, but I think it may be the calm before the storm. With Winter coming, freight will become scarce and the geniuses in WI will be too worried about Christmas shopping to concentrate on work. It's sad, the DSRs that I considered to be good, get let go and we are left with the bottom of the barrels that will do what they're told without questioning or thinking things through.

 

Venture. Glad to hear from you as it has been awhile, and was wondering if things were going O.K. on the I.C. side. Sorry to hear about your problems with you DSR/FM. There seems to be a lot of that going around. I had to change F.M.s about 6 weeks ago and while we are still a little unsure of each other so far so good. Reading posts on this and other threads make one aware of how important your F.M. is to your perception of this company. I ran into one of my trainers at Gary last week who was leaving Roehl after 6 years to do the lease purchase deal at Dart. He had no hard feelings with Roehl, just thought the deal looked better at Dart. Anyway, glad to see your back, keep us posted on your progress.

 

DSR's and FM's they get paid salary or hourly. If so, they could care less about any trucker. What they get to go home after every shift? It's bad hearing all the horror stories about how FM's treat their guys. It seems to go with the territory. I don't sit well with this. While one is under contract there's hardly anything one can do about their current position. We've all heard the good and bad about OTR's. I'm thankful to have a job. As with all jobs I love it but hate my supervisors. well, some of them. But I have my life to live. I don't need any company hanging a DAC report over my head, or some other vengeful tactic in order to keep me out of work. In the NYC area I can find work practically everywhere. Example: Oil truck, cement truck, garbage truck, lumber truck, etc... Best of all they don't offer any training or one that I have to be under contract with them. I understand that most parts of the uSA don't have enough jobs for people to work. But OTR, I'm quite disgusted with how they treat human beings. I know... some of you say you got to put in your dues. But at what cost? certainly, not your family and you. I just don't get it.

I really don't like that people accept a company that treats them like garbage. Come on, we are worth our weight in gold. Don't let these OTR's treat any less. Stats: 10 million drivers, 300 million population, 80% of all goods and services provided by truckers to the county.

Tell me, Do you or anyone you know. Friend, family member, associate, who knows someone who drives truck for a living in europe? I wonder if or counterparts go through what we go through here in the states.