Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

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You do not know this posters history with the company.


Edit........risk versus opportunity is not a personal attack it is how a business functions. If you are a greater risk than you are a profitable opportunity than the company will make a business decision. As for the background, if you have a problem saying more than "they suck" is helpful. Most of us at Abilene are willing to help each other. We are a trucking family. None of that is a personal attack.

 

Nope, my black cloud. Spent the 4th on the USX yard in Markham, IL as the reply to my "anything available" was a basic blow off. So I call in Fri morning and say "c'mon". Was going to pick up a new reefer and was waiting on a VIN. Well that got changed because I got a deadhead to Americold in Belvidere <sp> going to Gordonsville. I get there and it was supposed to be picked up on the 3rd. They were almost finished loading it when I got there. Hey look a flat tire. No load info either (I'll explain that in a bit).

Made re it over to the rest area at the 139 on the OH Tpk and shut it down. Was gonna wash clothes and take a shower in the morn. Crap storm continues. Woke up early and noticed I haven't heard the reefer start in a while, it was a -10 load. I look in the mirror and the light is green so I didn't think much of it. Take the dog out and look at the display, 25 deg. Ahhhh sh@#. All kinds of alarm codes and it won't kick on. Call breakdown and they found a tech in Hubbard 2 hours away. Sweating bullets now. The starter motor was shot. I asked him if he could jump it to get it going. Got it started at 29 deg.

Got over to Gordonsville at 10 and they turn me away. Still no load info or appt info. Ahhh my favorite cloud.

 

You want the full story,fine. there is no orientation pay.You will stay in the filthy Indian hotel,you will get 1 subway sandwich for your 3 meals a day. I hope you like walking back and fourth to the terminal from the hotel.The dispatcher are young punks with bad attitudes.They do not pay for truck washes but will fire you on the spot if the owner see's your truck is dirty. I hope you like being on camera all the time and have to explain to the safety man everytime it goes off when you hit a pot hole or turn to fast. You will get alot of 100 and 200 mile runs and starve like I did,enjoy the ride,you have been warned.

 

Wow, I've been here a little over a year, so I have a pretty fresh memory of when I started. That was not my experience at all. I can't believe that things have changed that much and I didn't notice. I routinely leave my truck parked in the yard dirty and do you know what happens? Someone washes it! I have never even been asked about hitting a pothole. I can only think of one or maybe two jerks that are back with the dispatch. My guess is you were not a very good fit and you should be glad you moved on. It makes things nicer for the rest of us.

 

Good luck on your endeavor to be a trainer, master yoda. Guess that bumps mommy6 outta the truck, huh? What does she think of that?

As to the negative comments about Abilene, my husband worked for them briefly. He thought them providing Subway sandwiches for lunch was great of them. The hotel may not have been 5 star, but it was decent, and they had continental breakfast. From stories I've heard, the camera can be very beneficial and prevent drivers from being falsely accused for incidents caused by others. Sorry for your sour grapes, disgruntled Abilenee. My husband was proud to be working with them and still would be, except for a few incidents he had. He got along great with the "punk" dispatchers and respected them. Of course, that might be because he was a dispatcher prior to going into trucking, so, he knows how chaotic their job can be. Good luck to you, but as John boy pointed out, your complaints fall on deaf ears on his forum or definitely causes a rebuttal, as the drivers (even though they have occasional bad days) are committed to Abilene and like working for Abilene.

 

Are u sure u have the right company? From my understanding u get a free truck wash at a blue becon when u have your truck in for a oil change... there is also a wash bay at the terminal for u to wash your truck for free. You get a warning if the owners see your truck dirty on the inside. They are the ones who have spend thousand of dollars for their employees to drive nice equipment. Keep it clean on the inside like u would your only home bc lets face it the truck is your home away from home. When master yoda started he told me that another driver came to the hotel to pick him up and off him off when orientation was done.

 

One more thing since I am evidently offensive. Every carrier, no every Employer has its issues. They are ALL ran by humans. You can make two choices in a job: make the best of it or focus on the bad. As JH said we are ALL commute to Abilene. Even on our bad days, we still remain respectful to the company that gives us miles, good equipment and pays the bills. Anything else is just gravy.

 

With a comment like what was posted, what do you expect?