Interstate Distribution - Tacoma, WA - My view

My husband and I will be attending Interstate's orientation at their Lebanon, TN facility in 2 weeks. They seem like a decent company. Any comments or opinions would be appreciated. We have 9 years experience in the trucking industry and know that half of what you are told by recruiters is bull, but we are hoping to get miles with this company and to be treated like a human being. Thanks!!!!

 

They seem to be one of the better companies out there. As a team you will get a Freightliner, solos get Kenworths. Some but not all have APUs.
Only problem seems to be communication, they use a system called drivertech instead of qualcomm, its always going wrong!
I think their trucks are fixed at 63mph now, but maybe someone can correct me if that is wrong.

 

Thanks Mrs T. I've never heard of drivertech. I'm pretty sure they are set at 63 mph but that's ok. I'm more concerned with miles and hoping they actually have freight to keep us moving. Our last company sure didn't.

 

Drivertech is a nightmare!
Hubby is in LA, but his dispatch says the drivertech is showing he is in Sparks NV!

 

They have driver tech but have a different system to get the loads and I have only been there a little over two weeks but they keep me moving I usually have a load before I am even empty, I really like the trucks I am solo and have one of their freightliners And they take really good care of it and me so I have nothing but good to say and when you go to orientation they don't try and sugar coat anything they tell you how it is and its all good so far

 

Seems like a class outfit! If I was an experienced driver I'd sure have them on a short list. DriverSEA 40.20, VehicleSEA 28.98, ISS-D Score 28.

 

The problem is, I have them all on a short list. They all seem 2b the same. Tired of being treated like a robot. If there was work available in the small town we live in, I would give up driving OTR. Just trying 2 find a halfway decent company 2 sign on with......

 

Hubby has been with them for years now, only complaint is the drivertech. he gets all the miles he wants, gets home now and again, (long story, don't go there!), but since they replaced the qualcomm the biggest problems is the frustration of not knowing if the drivertech is working properly.
It can be fine for days, then just freeze up, but there is no way we can see that you know its stopped working.
You send a message to dispatch, no response, send again, no answer, how long do you wait before calling them instead?
Thats if you can get through, since they 'improved' the driver tech progam, about 3 weeks ago now, its gotten a whole lot worse, and hubby ends up calling to confirm every message. So does everyone else, so then you end up in a queue waiting to talk to the dispatch!!


and btw, it also records engine activity. Idle more than 5 minutes and it automatically send a record to dispatch. Same with speeding.
You can get a whole string of idling records sitting in CA traffic, it has no way of knowing that you are in traffic and that the "idling" is you stuck in 4 lanes of stationary cars.
But stay out of downtown traffic, get a good cellphone plan for calling your dispatcher all the time, and hey its a good gig, one of the best out there!

 

Thanks for the info. We have done our fair share of sitting in CA traffic. Does your husband have 2 constantly explain 2 them the situation with sittin in traffic? Is there any kind of blowback from Interstate in regards 2 the idling? I don't know what they expect if the truck doesn't have an APU and you are waiting on dispatch in 100 degree heat or freezin cold. Do they give him a hard time about that? Thanks...