My Experience with Lone Star Transportation

Today started rather early

One of the guys woke up when his alarm went off at 3AM, but it said 6am which is when we were suposed to leave. This guys Cell phone is from like 1990 and he's from the sticks in CO. So he didnt verifiy the time, and jumped up, looked around didnt see anyone, went up to the office told them to page the other Lone Star Drivers and tell them they need to get up because their late, then he jumped in his truck and left and he didnt even know where the Fort Worth Terminal was......

So I get a call at 4am, telling me that a coworker said to remind me i had orientation today..... i couldnt fall back asleep so i just got up/showered and got ready to go

Anyway so 6am comes around, i have the van warmed up, and everyone in, BUT where the hello is this guy? his pickup truck was gone....no one had his phone number, we waited and looked around, tried the fron desk...nothin so at 615 we said screw it and left.

Got to the Fort Worth Terminal (HQ) at 7 am, didnt have to be there until 730. Went in, did some paper work, met a bunch of people, Our Dispatchers, HR people, did all our benifit stuff, lots more paper work. Then we met the OWNER (Tex) of Lone Star Transportation, really cool guy.

Then we went out to lunch, WITH, our dispachers, HR people, Maintiance guys, etc all really cool people. Had some GREAT Meatloaf, mashed potatos,green beans on the recomendation of my dispacher.




Oh did I meantion I'm Officially Hired!


Anyway, then a few guys went to pickup their trucks from Peterbilt down there and brought them back to Gainsville, meanwhile, me and another guy went and cashed my $400 Comcheck and went to pickup my rental car. I got a BRAND NEW Dodge Avenger, nice little car, looks allot like a Charger just smaller and better looking.

Anyway by the time we found that place and got back to the hotel in gainsville it was about 630, so we waited a little longer for the other guys to come back (who didnt show by 7) so the 3 of us went out for dinner (steak) applebees was SO good last night we went back and got another steak lol

Also some more things I've learned y'all might wanna know....I didnt know anything about either of these things before i got here (great Surprise)

They Pay $150/Day for Orientation (5 days = $750)
They have a $1,500 Sign On Bonus


So far this company has done nothing but impress me, just when i think they cant get any better they do something else lol.

I've got tomorrow off to do whatever i want, i do need to find/book myself a hotel for next week in Houston, TX (They are paying for it, i just have to do the leg work which isnt a problem). Then sunday I'll drive down there. And I start Training 730am Monday Morning at the terminal


Everyone in my class has a truck now, all got 379's all look brand new. I can't wait to get mine.




American Trucker

 

Also Lone Star Has 615 +/- trucks......only 272 of them are company trucks! Thats what im talking about!




American Trucker

 

one more thing, I got down to the bottom of the chains.

They have some tire chains, if you want them, you can put them on your truck to satisfiy DOT. They said if it gets that bad park it.

Although we are not not allowed to use them, we just are not,will not be asked to do it.

They will buy chains if you need them, they will pay the fines willingly if you get caught by DOT without them. They said 1 year they spent $40,000 on chains, the next winter most of the trucks chains were "missing". So they decided to just pay the fines since Chains = $40,000 Fines equal $5000 (is what they said they spend a year on fines)

I'm going to see if i can hunt some down, if not. They WILL pay for them. BUT they said it takes a year to get reinbusred for them.....So i'll see what i can do.

Also since 70% - 80% of their freight is Permited loads they would rather you just park it.


American Trucker

 

Got my Hotel booked down there. $175 for 7 days I hope its not too bad lol.




American Trucker

 

They gave me a $400 comcheck to cover food/hotel for next week. I'd like to have gotten a $100/night place like i usually do, but since they are paying for it, and the place im going is the only hotel in the area that gives discounts for Lone Star Drivers. It was $280 for the week, but LST drivers get a discount, AND she also made it cheaper by giving me a 3rd floor room since the elevator isnt working she said 3rd floor rooms are even cheaper

If its that bad i'll move to another hotel there are like 50 of them within 5 miles of the terminal most are allot more and the other cheap ones had horrible reveiws lol





American Trucker

 

Knights Inn, they're not known for being nice. But its convienant for me.


I'll post a bunch of pics when i get it.




American Trucker