Unimark Truck Transport - Kenosha, Wi.

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by silverlilyprods, Apr 2, 2007.

  1. silverlilyprods

    silverlilyprods Bobtail Member

    6
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    Feb 23, 2007
    Texas
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    My Best Advice:...get Everything In Writing! It's Not At All Like They Tell You It Is!
    Too Much To Elaborate On.
    You Can Make An Ok Living, But Not At The Level They Tell You.
    Beware!
     
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  3. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    45,827
    200,204
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
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    No, I'm afraid "Too much to elaborate on" just doesn't cut it. We deal in specifics here, so if you wouldn't mind, let's have some.
     
  4. silverlilyprods

    silverlilyprods Bobtail Member

    6
    1
    Feb 23, 2007
    Texas
    0
    You won't make anywhere near the kind of money they say you will. You can make just as much locally, doing a lot less work and a lot less stress. You only need to purchase some of the tools from them and their tool bag will only last you a couple of weeks.
    The ability to make money isn't with the way you manage your money, as is what they tell you. But there isn't any money in the loads they give you. By the time you pay for your hotels and fuel for someone else's truck, then the taxi's and tolls getting from place to place and the flights getting to the trucks, you're lucky if you clear $500/week.
    They also tell you that they encourage you to negotiate the loads and that they prefer those who do. It tells them they're dealing with a professional. NOT TRUE AT ALL! The most negotiation you might get will be a third or half of the taxi's or transportation getting to the load. Some of the loads, not many at all, will provide you the airfare or transportation reimbursed.
    The travel or pay miles are as much as 250 miles shy of the real miles. There is NO decking pay! You don't have an hour and a half time limit to decide on a load. If you do take that much time, then when you call back in the load is gone!
    I'm telling you this because I happen to like the job, the travel, the creative thinking to try to make a living, but I have a second company at home that is definitely supporting my wife and me. I don't like working a local job either. The dispatchers here seem to be nice and respectful but sometimes it seems as if they're getting a piece of each load. I DO NOT know that for a fact.
    They don't need to tell people these things that are untruths. They DO have a 98% turnover. The HINO loads are not as frequent as they make them sound. Basicallly, you DO have a choice of the loads, but it's not a great choice. You simply need to decide whether you want to make $200-$300 per load and how you can do as many of those in a week that you are able to do and get your paperwork in on time.
    This is the absolute trurh as I have experienced it in the 7 weeks I have been here. Half of my class has already quit and gone elsewhere. Remember, I like my job and have the ability to EKE out a living here but I want people to really know, up front, what they're getting in to before it truly disrupts their lives, career and credit wise. I take that very seriously.

    Oh yeah, one more thing, their sister company "Auto Truck Transport" has NO openings at present, I have never met an unhappy driver there, although I'm sure there are one or two, and the pay and benefits are UNBELIEVEABLE! Family men should consider them first!,

    Good luck I hope this helps.
     
  5. Sentinel

    Sentinel Bobtail Member

    40
    9
    Dec 18, 2006
    The Blacklands Of Texas
    0
    Interesting! Auto Truck Transport is a union operation:

    http://www.autotrucktransport.com/DriverOpp/WhyDrive.aspx

    I know you like the driveaway operations but if anyone is into auto hauling check out United Road www.unitedroad.com . They do take new grad drivers. Have a friend there and he really loves the operation. He has said it is the best thing he has found yet!
     
  6. hitchhiker301

    hitchhiker301 Bobtail Member

    19
    11
    Jun 15, 2004
    Ocala. Florida
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    Do you mind if I copy this and post it on may site?

     
  7. silverlilyprods

    silverlilyprods Bobtail Member

    6
    1
    Feb 23, 2007
    Texas
    0
    Yeah, Unimark is Union as well. Machinists Union. The only difference is that at Unimark, you're hired on as an Independent Contractor, which has its perks, but the money just IS NOT in the loads.

    After you deduct your fuel, motels, taxis, airfare and bus rides, plus adding up all the travel and down time between loads, it gets very costly. By the time the check comes out, there's very little money to manage.

    Like I said before, I'm EKING out a living here but i assure you it's only until my 90 days probation is up.

    Oh yeah, if you don't stay 90 days after your training , you will be obligated to pay back $2000 for the training. You are also allowed to work for other companies while contracted to Unimark, and why not, they give you all the tools, permits and licenses you need, so if someone is really on the ball, they can build this into a pretty busy business.

    But since my first input about this matter, I am now, the only one left that was in my class.

    I'm working on a different angle now, using the tools I got during training. If that doesn't work, I'm outta here after my 90 days is up.
     
  8. ambivalence

    ambivalence Medium Load Member

    415
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    Jul 9, 2009
    Cleveland, NC
    0
    Don't mess with Unimark. That $1.50 per mile (or whatever they pay now) sounds good but you pay for everything except your first tanks of fuel. Represented by the IAM? Since when? If so, Unimark employees are going backwards for sure.

    I laughed out loud when I read the following:

    Only the first statement about 'no openings' is true as most everyone is laid off at the moment. The rest of that statement is complete garbage. By ATT's own admission back in 2005, their turnover fluctuated between 60% and 140%; normal for a non union truck load freight carrier. When this sector was wholly represented by the IBT many years ago, turnover was almost unheard of.

    Since Troha created ATT and 'invited' the IAM to 'represent' his workers, everything has been going backwards for sure. The apparent goal is to transform into a 'Unimark' across the board. American drivers would have to be pretty desperate to deliver new trucks under those conditions. The Mexicans? Well...

    Unimark usually employs those who are new to trucking and don't know any better, or those who have 'histories' and are marginally employable to begin with. I posted to the ATT thread concerning my experiences; some other good info there too from knowledgable drivers and some BS contributed by those with questionable motives.

    Troha just started up a company named Iron Tiger Transportation last year to handle the Volvo and Mack accounts. Was supposed to be a non union operation but Troha had major problems staffing his operations. Troha ended up resorting to 'Employee Relations' contractors (strike breakers/ union busters by any other name). Once hiring levels began to reach minimum goals, Troha finally 'invited' the IAM to come in and 'represent his Iron Tiger employees, although under an older contract previously in force at ATT.

    This is a pretty cool job but its best for a single or divorced person. My advice: look before you leap.:biggrin_25512:
     
  9. ambivalence

    ambivalence Medium Load Member

    415
    143
    Jul 9, 2009
    Cleveland, NC
    0
    I'm surprised this topic isn't active. Unimark drivers are quitting as fast as they are hired.

    'Employees' have to pay $52 a month union dues just to come on ATT property; no benefits, just a 'courtesy fee'.

    Singles pay: .50 per mile and first tank of fuel. You're on your own after that. Decked Set pay is reportedly $1.50 a mile but unable to confirm. Same deal; first tank of fuel included, on your own afterwards. Most drivers reporting they actually have to pay Unimark after the end of a trip and promptly quit as a result.

    The parent company JBT Holdings is using the economic downturn in an attempt to staff Unimark and it's equally mediocre Iron Tiger Group (ITG).

    Beware of 'recruiters' disguised as 'drivers' who are going around telling the unsuspecting they are making loads of money as a result of making their best job change ever.

    Pay, benefits and work rules have been sliding downhill ever since Dennis Troha and his JBT Holdings bought up IBT represented companies (Cold Iron, Dallas Mavis and others) and began driving them out of business with his IAM represented and newly created Auto Truck Transport Corp (ATT) many years ago. Active Transportation Company (ATC) is the sole remaining IBT represented new truck hauler owned by JBT Holdings and they only have the PACCAR account at the moment.

    JBT Holdings dominates new truck hauling through its various companies (ATT, ITG, Unimark, ATC). Unimark and ITG are the only ones hiring at the moment as they are having massive 'retention problems' despite the economic downturn.

    ITG was envisioned as a 'non union' company but JBT Holdings was forced to ask the IAM to come in and offer a 'minimal contract' in order to get a few 'warm bodies' in the door and to stop using expensive 'private contractors'. Unfortunately (or fortunately!), ITG is still relying heavily on 'contractors', some of whom are reportedly disreputable.

    Beware.:biggrin_25513:
     
  10. silverlilyprods

    silverlilyprods Bobtail Member

    6
    1
    Feb 23, 2007
    Texas
    0
    Unimark shouldn't be allowed to operate as they do because they take serious advantage of drivers that really need to feed their families.
    They can hire,train USE and then lose drivers and still get their loads moved.
    The driver then walks away with worse credit and a still very hungry family. This is sooooo wrong when human beings USE other human beings, with little or virtually no regard for their well being or their families.
    Find a company that wants to keep you on and wants to help you grow. There are a few companies out there that know that their best asset is the driver.
    We need to SPREAD the word about Unimark to keep others from stepping onto that hole! Merry Christmas!:biggrin_25513:
     
    Beechvtail Thanks this.
  11. Beechvtail

    Beechvtail Light Load Member

    280
    56
    Jul 14, 2009
    Wisconsin Rapids, WI
    0
    Do yourself a favor and NOT HIRE on with Unimark...
     
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