A.D. Transport Express

Has anyone got any recent first hand experience with A. D. Transport? I have a job offer to start this Tuesday and there is very little info on this company. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

If you want miles, you'll get them there. They'll definitely have you run hot there. Most guys had to looseleaf it to minimize the risk from DOT. There have been folks who have been up all day waiting on loads that get assigned to the dreaded Ford HCC runs, which pick up 2100-2400 and deliver in Cranbury, NJ by 1030 the next morning. Some have tried refusing and have been told to either run it or clean out their trucks. And to the poster who observed that A.D. has a good safestat score, you are right. If a driver fails an roadside inspection or gets an equipment violation, his job is in jeopardy. That much is made clear to you in orientation.

They will take a $500 damage account out of your check too over a matter of 20 weeks. Any damages to equipment are taken out of that and you repay it back up to $500.

All in all, not a real bad company as long as you don't mind running hot or staying up 30 or so hours straight sometimes. And liking to run overnights would be a definite plus. You'll make good money then. Trucks were turned down to 68, used to be 75 when I first hired on. But you weren't given any more time to arrive at your delivery. All the Ford runs have to be there when the plant opens in the morning. No if's, and's or but's.

I was home every weekend except for 8 in the 3 years I drove for them. Me and A.D. parted ways in late December and I start orientation at another company this Monday.

Good Luck in whatever y'all decide to do!

 

Chuck, I'm only interested in them if I can crank out 60,000 year or more. Last year I made 50,000 at my old company even though took off about 6 weeks vacation. Hardly ever took any other time off though. They also ran hot because of a major client, but never heard about anyone threatened about losing job for not running a load. (Don't have first hand experience, never refused a load).

Also, would you mind telling me why you left and would you consider working for them again. Thanks again.

 

Yes, $60k is possible. I made just under $59k this year with getting home every weekend. I personally would not work for them again because it was not a real good fit for me personally. I mean, it wasn't terrible or else I wouldn't have lasted 3 years. And generally A.D. is not the sort of company that's known to rehire folks. Once you leave that is basically it. They didn't pork my DAC (at least not yet) or give me a bad reference though. My new employer required a good reference from my employer to be hired and they checked it before hiring me, so A.D. did me right when I left.

As long as you know what you are getting into (and you seem to) and are fine with it, they are not a bad place overall.

 

Chuck, thanks again for your help.

Do you know how often they run orientations. I'm asking because another company I'm more interested in is still checking me out for approval. If I delay going with A.D. to wait for other company, will it be a long time before another orientation for A. D. Thanks.

 

Chuck,

Forgot to ask you if driver can make extra money loading and unloading. If so, how often is this possible?

 

Last I knew they were still having orientations every Tuesday. I doubt that has changed. Mark or Michelle should be able to tell you for sure though. I haven't been thru the yard on a Tuesday in quite a while so I would check with them.

Good Luck!
:smt023

 

Chuck, if you get back on this weekend, would also like to know if the same sliding pay scale was in place your last year (ranging from .32 - .47 mile depending on length of run, or is this something new.

Thanks again, you have been a great help

 

No. I've never had a driver unload at all in the 3 years I was there. They covered lumpers, I believe, 4 or 5 times that it was required. Other than that it was no touch. What they said in orientation was that they wanted us to drive, not unload.

I think it may be a concern on their part about possible workmen's comp and not wanting to take a chance on having to pay for someone who was sitting at home due to an injury.

 

That pay scale was adopted in March. Before that it was .42/mi loaded and empty, with a .04/mi safety bonus monthly. Things were pretty slow at the start of '09, but by June or so I began averaging close to 3000mi a week for the rest of the year.

We were told in a driver's meeting they held in early December that we could refuse the 1500mi+ loads that pay only .32/mi. A chuckle kinda went around the room. Nobody was about to take one anyways. Not enough money.

I know how it feels being where you're at. I couldn't find anything on A.D. when I was starting with them. Made me nervous to be going in blind.