Western express

　
Ok, here is what most of you have probably been waiting for. The truth about SMX/Western Express. For ANYBODY who may be thinking of coming to work for them.

1.) For starters, as most of you already know I am sure they WILL try to push you to run illegally. I will admit I did a time or two. Didnt really mind it, was easy to make it all appear legal until it became an every load type thing. Got to the point where my D.M (which by the way just since starting in October, already on my 2nd D.M, will explain more of that later...) . Now if you are anything like me, you wont mind bending the rules a little here and there. But when they DEMAND that YOU risk YOUR bacon, and wallet (if you get caught) to run illegal, you get my attitude and tell them to kiss your brown eye. If you want to come here, and like running every load illegal, or illegal as much as you possibly can then they might be right for you. However, if you do get caught, whether it be during a Level whatever inspection, and get a ticket. You will get canned quicker than tuna. And they will play stupid to the fact that you were doing it. Although unprecedented to me, they WILL say oh well run it, blah blah blah over the computer. But also note SMX trucks DO NOT have qualcom. They have the PeopleNet. Apparently unless they are just that stupid they can delete and manipulate the SMX PeopleNet to make things more favorable to them. Such as claim they had "no idea" you were running illegally. I suppose if I were them, I would say the same thing though rather than "I am so stupid I cant do basic math, I saw the loaded and empty calls and realized there was 12 hours between the two of which at least 10 were driving. Errrrrr, I thougth he still had 11 and 14 for the day when I dispatched him 15 minutes after he got unloaded for that load he would run all night for".

2.) Not sure yet if it is the fact that I told them I would not run illegal anymore. And went over peoples heads with the issue to get it properly handled, for a temporary time anyway. Or the fact that I was due home in a week and a half. I am sure it was a combination of the two. Loads went from being 800-1400 miles, to 400 here, 600 there. All with almost impossible pick up and delivery times, all at night. Just really crappy loads. I have heard from more than one western driver that they do that when it gets close to you going home. To try and get you to say to hek with it and stay out longer. I heard one driver say he goes home every other weekend, and only gets about 1400-1700 miles per week. Flat out stupid on the companies part. Especially when THEY have to make those equipment payments, THEY have to pay for the fuel, and all of that. I sat the entire weekend the last load they tried pushing on me that I did not have the hours for and I told them no. Sad thing was I picked up hours each day I sat. And of course got 34 hour restart. But, all because I refused to run illegal. They combatted my going above their heads with leaving the truck sitting, and neither of us making any money at all because I would not run illegal.

3.) D.M's here are for the most part very ignorant, some are illiterate, (can hardly spell, some I dont think can even read). My first D.M. I got tired of acting like he didnt know my hours when I send them in every single day. Come to find out from terminal manager, I was sending them in the wrong way. D.M never said a word. Except for when I would tell him I did not have the hours to run the load he was trying to give me. He would then say "I wish I had that message hours ago". Needless to say my blood was boiling when terminal manager told me why my hours werent recording correctly. I was sending them in as I saw it on my log book, like 8 and ½ hours, as 8.50 and they had to be sent in like it would be on a clock. So 8½ is sent in as 8.30. He did say something about they let "the computer" figure it out for them. So apparently basic math skills addition, subtraction, etc are not a necessity to be a D.M. for them. Second D.M not really too much better than the first. Terminal manager tried doing same thing the first D.M did saying I told him I had 13.25 hours when I only had 4.75 do to running through the night and delivering a load. Having 1 hour left on 11 which was not enough to get from Jackson MN to St. Paul MN. He got told the same thing. "Did you look at the computer? Do you not see the loaded and empty calls, you think the truck just grew wings and flew here"? T.M "Well no, but...but". That kinda ####. No buts, do the math. #######.

4.) If you come here, do not have any accidents. Regardless of fault, you will get $500 taken out of your check. Until they "sort things out". Of course even if it is ruled non preventable by you, you will have to fight with them to get that money back. Wont be easy, unless you involve the proper authorities. They require you to sign this piece of paper, better known to me as a piece of toilet paper. Stating that if you have an accident and it is preventable you are responsible for the deductible of $500. This also applies to load damage, etc. A wrecker having to be called for your truck for anything arising from something they can say was your fault, you pay for it all. I say that piece of paper is toilet paper simply because it is ACTUALLY worth less than the paper it is written on. I know this from very own personal experience. No company (employer) can require you to pay anything for any accidents or anything like that. If it happends to you call the U.S. Department of Labor, wage and hour division. They will get you to the people you need to talk to about "unauthorized deductions" which is exactly what that is. Contractors may be liable (e.g. owner operator, lease operator, etc. ) and paying THEIR deductible, but no company which you are the employee can charge you for any accidents. If they do not have the proper insurance themselves, they cannot come to you for the difference, or deductible or whatever. So if this happends to you with Western Express or anywhere for that matter call the U.S. Department of Labor. They will not only make the company pay back to you the money they took, they will also be fined. And most likely will have an investigation further to see who all they have done this act to, and give them fine, after fine, after fine. Which those fines are not cheap by any means. They also charge you $50 if you get a log violation, dont have your medical card with you, forgot your license at home, etc and you get a ticket for it. Apparently they think they have some right to YOUR money on top of you having to pay a fine. This is also illegal. Any deduction which you do not give written authorization for, advances or whatever is unauthorized. Making you sign a piece of paper saying you have to pay $500 if you have an accident is illegal. Regardless of whether or not they claim it to be a "requirement for employment". They cannot do it, plain and simple. Sure they do. But like I say, if it happends to you and you are an EMPLOYEE, not CONTRACTOR, call the Labor Board. U.S. Department of Labor. State Labor laws have no effect or jurisdiction with pay. Other than maybe minimum wage requirements. So dont let any company telling you, oh well according to Tennessee law, we can blah blah blah. When it comes to your money, its federal.

5.) If you are told you need to go to some place to get equipment. They will send you and put the amount you need to pay for the equipment you had to pick up for your truck to your comdata card. Unless you can afford to wait 2 weeks to get that money back, I would make them deal with it on their own without involving your comdata card. Because they will process it that week as an advance and withhold it from your pay. You then send in the reciept and 2-3 weeks later you will get it back. Most I have had to miss that long so far is $140. May not be a lot to some, but to me thats my cell phone payment, electric bill, etc. They almost DIDNT reimburse it because where I had to pick up the equipment they gave me a hand written reciept. It had a stamp on it which had the company name of where I got the equipment from but what I got was hand written. Of course once I called and asked why it was not reimbursed they said "we cant read what it was you got, what was it"? I told them and they reimbursed it, at the same time telling me they normally dont reimburse hand written reciepts. So I came close to not even getting the money back. So make sure when they try to pull this, oh well I will put money on your card go get this equipment you need for this load you tell them you will go get it and that is all your going to do. You are not going to take an advance to pay for it and wait 2-3 weeks to get your money back. Do that with equipment, tolls, etc. Anything they advance you for that stuff they pull out that week. And you dont see it until they get, and can read the reciepts. And if they are handwritten recipets you may not even get your money back at all. So beware of that as well.

6.) They do not like it when you idle. Of course I know most companies dont. But when its freezing cold, you need heat, and when its scorching hot you need a/c. I have seen these morons actually run through the parking lot at the terminal in Nashville, when its been 40 or lower outside telling people to shut their trucks off. My truck does not have a bunk heater, I am not allowed to have a power inverter to run the heater I bought that I didnt realize was 1500 watts just to provide low heat. They dont allow inverters in the trucks bigger than one you can run off of your cigarette lighter. BUT, they do something more chicken poop than anybody I ever seen. They record short idles as well as long. So your long idle time may only actually be 7%. Which they allow and want you to be under 30% idle. 7% being your idle time while parked and sleeping, etc. The rest of that idle time being "short idle" such as sitting in traffic, at red lights, stop signs, etc. According to my in-cab performax junk on my peoplenet, my long idle is 7% and the rest is short idle. With 6,000 sum odd short idles, and I think 10 long idle. When they are penny pinching that badly time to stop trying to buy out companies you dont have the money to purchase, or buying helicopters, jets, or houses. Trade the Lexus in for a Hyundai and be happy with that, etc. There are rumors going around that Knight is already taking over the Dryvan side of Western because Western hasnt paid back all the millions they borrowed to buy out SMX, which the balance is due by the end of December or something. And Knight wants nothing to do with the flatbed side from what I have heard. So we will either be Swift, or something. Heard one rumor they were going to get SMX to run it like they did. But doubt that seriously. I am sure lots will run for the hills if Swift ends up getting the flatbed side. I dont much like working for a company going through limbo like this.
That is all I can think of for right now. If you are badgered and begged to run illegal call the log department. They will put a stop to it for the time being. But they will try to weasel you into running illegal some more. They constantly complain about "SERVICE SUCKS". Well, little do they know Service starts and ends with those in the office. I cant tell you how many times I have been dispatched to one place, and gotten a telephone number they say is for the customer, that is a thousand miles away, and not even the customers telephone number. How many times they gave me directions that didnt even make sense, not to mention were incorrect. I am not going to go buy a GPS or whatever for their benefit. That GPS wont make me any money. But then again this is my account of my own personal experience. Results may vary. Dont let what I say stop you from working for them. Just how they have treated me. If you want good driver support and miles this isnt the right place. You might get miles, but driver support sucks. I got hung up on 8 times in a row one day from lazy people not wanting to do their jobs acting like they couldnt hear me saying hello.

 

Nice to know I was not the only one that had the same problems. At least you were able to list everything better.

Yes they expect you to run illegal. Yes they want you to take your piece of junk equipment to the next destination while claiming there is nothing wrong with the truck that is falling apart.

Calling safety BTW on your phone to report flat tires, or need of repairs is deducted from your pay too ($25 per call).

Good luck to anyone that works for them.

 

Good to hear from you again Brandond . Sorry to hear about all of the B.S. you have had to endure. BTW great feedback.

 

I would post the pay stub, but I value my privacy more than you feeling incredulous to what I know.

You really dont get it otherwise do you? As a trucking company that plays by its own poor business ethics, they can do anything they want untill told otherwise.

Then again you havent tried to work for them yet have you?

 

Got "white out?"

Don't think I have to go to work there. I have a couple prehires. None from them.

Evidently you are still working there? I thought you weren't.

 

Well I got through all my paperwork and DAC/MVR checks and I will be going to Orientation the first of the year in Jan. I will be going for the Dry Van side.

What can I expect at orientation? I was told that it is 1 day. I was told that I would have to go out as a eval since I am not coming directly from a truck. I was told that meant I would have to go with a trainer for a week or 2. Not really looking forward to that, im going to see if I can get out of that somehow but if not I will suck it up and drive on.

What is the starting pay and benifits like at Western Exp.?

How is the equipment there? I have read that they have Volvos and Freightshakers. I hope to get a freightshaker.

What are the trucks governed at?

What kind of Transmission? (I hope 10spd and not Auto)

How are they with hometime? (hopfully better than Arrow Trucking...lol)

Where do they run other than NE. I have read and been told ALOT of NE. Thats fine with me been there done that.

What do they mostly haul? (paper, water, food products)

What do they issue as far as load locks, kingpin locks, pad locks ect?

Any Grocery Whses?

How do they do their logging, fueling, and routing?

If they run west whats their policy on chains?

Do they Preplan you in advance?

What is the requirement to be a driver trainer?

How many miles can I expect to run a week good and bad?

How do they go about assigning trucks?

How do they go about turning in bills, and paperwork? (transflo, trippack, terminal)

Do they pay tolls?

Do they have truck washes or pay for them?

I hope to hear from anyone with any knowledge about this company. I prefer to hear from current drivers. Thanks Be Safe.

 

What is the starting pay and benifits like at Western Exp.? .30cpm Benefits come out of your pay

How is the equipment there? I have read that they have Volvos and Freightshakers. I hope to get a freightshaker. Freightliners and volvos, some new some old. Condos for Vans, Single bunks for flats

What are the trucks governed at? 62 slow mph

What kind of Transmission? (I hope 10spd and not Auto) 10 speeds

How are they with hometime? (hopfully better than Arrow Trucking...lol) 1.5 days on 2 weeks driven. 2 days 3 weeks driven. 3-4 days 3 weeks driven.

Where do they run other than NE. I have read and been told ALOT of NE. Thats fine with me been there done that. Hope you like New York City. If you say the Northeast they will run you there, if you want to run the country they will do that too.

What do they mostly haul? (paper, water, food products) Water from Poland Springs. Walmart out of NJ. Some expited freight for Conway and Fedex. Flats pull anything from machinery (if you want there is a group just for machinery), Coils and raw ingots from the furnace.

What do they issue as far as load locks, kingpin locks, pad locks ect? Pffft what are they. You dont have them. only thing you have is the seal on the back of the truck. Hopefully it matches at destination.

Any Grocery Whses? Maybe when you haul water. Had a load go to a Resturant Distributor in Edison NJ

How do they do their logging, fueling, and routing? Fuel at any pilots/loves. Loose leef they supply (advise you have 20 on truck, your choice). Their (really bad) poor directions, your paid by what they think is the mileage. Casing point had a delivery to Taftville, CT and they told me to take my 34 in Montgomery NY. Told me distance was 90 miles away. Driven miles were 125. they only recognized the 90.

If they run west whats their policy on chains? Didnt find any on truck

Do they Preplan you in advance? Pffft! that means work on their part. Your best to have internet connection on a laptop (your own, they wont pay for it) and run Google Earth and verify their directions, because they are never correct.

What is the requirement to be a driver trainer? Run enough miles with the company

How many miles can I expect to run a week good and bad? I ran 2500 - 3000 in the north east. Team with trainer we could only get 500 per driver per time driven (62 mph governed).

How do they go about assigning trucks? You get one, thats it

How do they go about turning in bills, and paperwork? (transflo, trippack, terminal) Trip-pak and they get lost, trainer suggested to turn in manually at terminal.

Do they pay tolls? Yup, EZ Pass on windshield with red light green light

Do they have truck washes or pay for them? Pffft, you want it washed go right ahead. The 2002 columbia I had in 2007, had not been washed in some 3-4 years. They prefer you to run with a dirty air filter because a dirty one filters air better than a clean one.

 

Not stepping on your toes there Lovesthedrive, but unless its just different for flats only fuel stops are pilots. They have a nice piece of #### directory you have to follow. And when you work for them they send you suggested routing and you must plan your trips with their fuel stops in mind. Some places (secondary stops) you can only purchase 50 gallons. If you go over, you will sit a while waiting for it to be paid. Then they charge the driver for the error. Primary stops you can fill up. But they are all pilots. And the pay when I went through orientation the flatbed orientators were bagging on the dryvan side saying .29cpm was max for dryvan. But not sure. Thats what a lot of dryvan drivers told me as well.

 

Thanks for the come back lovesthedrive and brandond.... so do they give van drivers a choice of NE all 48 or regional or do u just go where they send you?