Beware of Mitten Express LLC, Howard CIty Michigan

I leased on with Mitten Express LLC as a Independent contractor/Owner Operator on July 20, 2009 and canceled the lease on August 20, 2009. During that time I have received $2,393.02 for payment for freight hauled. Although I did not notate the rates for each load, my best guess is that I have generated somewhere in the range of $9,500 to $11,000 worth of revenue. I can’t tell you exactly because they will not provide Rated freight bills, weekly settlement sheets or a suitably conforming computer generated document as the Federal Truth In Leasing Regulations mandate and now I am thousands of dollars in debt from funding my operational costs for the month I ran for this company and I am being told to sue them for the money I worked for.

After being out for 2 weeks with this company I spoke with Mr. Alverson about my pay and was told that I would have to wait for up to 30 days to receive payment. I informed him that the law states that I must be paid in 15 days upon receipt of the necessary documentation. I thought we had an understanding when he told me that the loads can be settled via “ Quick Pay” for a variable percentage of the load. I told him that he should do whatever he needed to do in order to fulfill Federal law regarding timely payment and I went out for another 2 weeks.

My brother lives with me at home and I asked him if we have received any settlement sheets or checks and he said “No” On August 17, 2009 I drove to Mitten Express in Howard City, MI and spoke with Mr. Alverson and Teri about the lack of settlements and my pay. I was given a document and a check for $542.90 at that time and was told that I would have to wait until they ( Mitten Express ) received payment for the loads hauled.

After returning home I reviewed the settlement sheet supplied with the check, it only listed loads that were paid to me while on the road and they deducted quick pay fee’s in the amount of $71.52 and T-Check/Com check fee’s in the amount of $10.00 and another deduction for “Lettering” in the amount of $100.00 As of August 21, 2009 that is all the money I have been paid. I tried to talk with them about it and they refused to do anything. I contacted an Attorney to review and represent me in case I must bring Civil action to recover my funds and i get this voice mail message from Teri who states in it that they will not pay me and told me to sue them for my money. She even said that she is “sitting on 2 checks” Please listen to the message yourself, here is the URL:

http://www.mediafire.com/?qmzfkdkyumg

So just in case your thinking about signing up with these guys, you might want to make sure that they will give you a Lease that comply's with Federal Truth in Leasing Regulations and that you don't have to wait 30 days or pay fees to collect your money when Federal Law states that they HAVE to pay you no later then 15 days from receipt of paperwork....good luck

Oh...If you lease on with your own Trailer like i did..be prepared to get the salesman job from Martin..he will try and tell you that you will make $7,500 a week pulling his car hauler or that you will make $1.30-$1.50 a mile pulling his Van Trailer...which of course you have to purchase from him....

 

After i sent them a copy of the letters i have been writing, i get the two checks Teri talks about in her voice mail message. They include deductions for quick pay fees ( again ) i told them that they need to pay me by the 5th...which would include the refund if those fee's.....also, i think you have to be a member to download and play it, it was uploaded in .wav format..so unless your running some kind of exotic system i don't know why it won't play for you, but it's certainly a classic.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?qmzfkdkyumg

 

Just a update, I sent them a email asking for my 1099 and this is what I get for a reply:

WHY ARE U BOTHERING US......Don't have a clue what you want Miguel, your weird way of living your life must not be enough for you, you need to suck other people into your sick world of loneliness, no wonder your ex left you.... I sent your 1099 out to you a long time ago to your last known address.... you must have a address problem. And oh by the way, if you keep running your mouth we will turn your logs over to the DOT, because of all the mistakes you made they will start watching you.  



Mitten Express LLC
Auto Transporters
9691 Beech Ave
Howard City Mi 49329
231.937.7078
231.937.6452 fax