Celadon?

I totally agree: as you all know I’ve been a driver with them for almost 10 years. It’s so different now. They actually care about us as drivers. The pay package is so much better( of course as we all know all of us are underpaid for what we do; and any company driver compensation package can be much better) but, they upped the ante on all aspects of trying to keep us happy.

 

I have to disagree with the above poster. While I've only worked for them for 3 years, I have been both a lease and a company driver and have been through hell with them.

First, I've already posted about Quality Companies. They no longer lease to individuals, apparently, and only do fleet leasing.

I left and came back as an internal lease for almost 2 years. It was ok at first. I had stable pay and they were quick to respond to repair requests.

However, a few months ago I came in contact with truck # 92182, a truck in the same fleet as the one I was in, and ran into several electrical issues before the lease truck broke down and was taken from me.

I was switched to a company position in a company truck at that time. Just a few days ago they completely messed up my pay. I had a $0 check and was told I didn't work 2 days the prior week. I was paid hourly and have the logs to verify my work.

I was billed for the maintenance repairs and was being charged $100 a week as a company driver.

I quit a few days ago on the spot when they did this and refused to give me a pay stub and paid me with comchecks.

I am filing a claim with the local labor board and several other trucking-specific entities and have to sue for the rest of my pay. It's dumb they would even do this seeing as how I have my logs and bills of lading to verify the work performed.

As a whole, this company is bad. They do stupid things to you and #### with your pay a lot. Good luck getting benefits if you're company as most people won't return your calls.

I am under the impression that the driver in 92182 was the fleet owner and decided to take my truck back after I sunk about $50,000 in repairs into it. I had about a year left and they recently just stopped taking money for the escrow payment so I couldn't pay off the balance as fast as I should have, despite me requesting them to take out more so I could pay off the balance.

I had planned on keeping the truck and working there for at least another 5 years until they did this.

If you can identify trucks # 92182 or truck # 92180, both white 2014 Volvo VNL 670s, I will pay you for the information.

They are borderline scamming people. If you've read the news, you'd know they were under investigation for tax evasion and several other things. Quality Companies was their attempt to write off some of their debt and I believe they got caught for it.

They no longer lease trucks themselves and go through TEL because most of their equipment is bad. The Mexico side if the company, Jaguar, has nicer equipment. I half-believe it's just to fund that side's operations or even has some cartel involvement. It's a very shady outfit.

 

Every company has ambassadors and every company has complainers and/or drivers with bad experiences. I would not mention the cartel involvement on here. You don't want to slander a name. Celadon looks to be in the uptick though. I am seeing a lot of new equipment on the road

 

Yeah, from scamming their drivers and leasing through TEL. I've seen it first-hand. Their trailers are very bad unless you use the ones from the companies they bought out like Eagle or Osborne.

I've worked here for 3 years and am giving my personal experience. This is not an opinion but is based on facts that I have evidence of.

 

Not disputing you. You did work there for some years like you said. All I am saying is that there others that have had pretty good experiences there.

 

I did the second time until a few months ago. I have no write-ups or accidents. I was kept in as a company driver afterwards and not fired.

My personal opinion is not grounds for a claim of slander, though I do believe this company would go so low as to attempt to sue over it. That just proves my point, though.

 

Did you end up working for another decent sized carrier?

 

I almost stopped driving entirely and considered becoming a forklift operator. I still have another few semesters until I finish my bachelor's degree or I'd do something entirely out of the industry.

But yes, I'm in orientation for an unnamed company now and I start in a few days. It's not in direct competition and I haven't heard anything bad about them on this board or anywhere else. It is as a lease but they pay better, allow time off, trucks are under dealer warranty, etc. etc. on the advantages in comparison.

 

That's cool man, hope this one is a winner for you

 

It's a means to an end for me. I plan on changing industries after graduating and put all my money into ERISA-protected retirement accounts. Worst comes to worst I file bankruptcy and keep everything I have. My state has some of the best bankruptcy protections.