Sharkey Transportation, Inc. - Quincy, IL.?

In July of 2009 I applied and was accepted to orientation at Sharkey in Quincy. I started orientation and was taken to get DOT physical at DR. Davis's office in Quincy. I passed the physical but because I had a heat attack 9 years ago the doctor stated I needed a stress test. My last stress test had been in 2005. I called my doctor and set up the test for a week later. I passed the test and the results were sent to Dr. Davis who stated he wanted another type of test called an atomic test . I contacted a cardiologist and set up that test in another week. I passed that test and the results were sent to Dr. Davis who was on vacation for another week. Dr. Davis approved the last test and signed my medical certificate. After repeated calls to Sharkey I was not taken back to finish orientation and never hired. I had quit a good job. The tests were VERY expensive and I lost a months income. I was never offered an explanation as to why I was not hired and I am out a pile of money. I had 14 years experience and an excellent driving record.

 

Sharkey ? First off , the $1000 guarantee no longer existes ! Like any job you need to listen closely to the recruiter ! As we all know they only tell you what you want to hear ! Ask many questions & write down the guys name & what he tells you . This applies to any company ! Sharkey is one of three companies , Core & Sisbro are also part of "STi " All 3 have differant rules & pay rates , some have paid vacation , but Sharkey does not ! Orientation is a joke , they do put you up in a motel , nasty old joint that you would not go to on your own ! They do pay you $300 while in Orientation ! The $1000 sign on is real , payed to you in 2 portions after you are hired ! As you do not get a pay check for those 2 weeks , That helped ! Then you have to stay with them for 120 days or you will have to pay it all back ! $1300 plus ! For that first 120 days they treat you pretty well , then the nightmare begins ! Either "no loads" - "or things are slow in your area" since my 15 days out & 3 home / 15 days out & 4 home began , my loads have been 3 one week & then 5 the next week , was home more since then when first started ! My take home pay averaged from just over $700 , to as little as $300 !
As for logging , only thing that needs to be matched is fuel stops & within 1 hour either way !
When I applied with them I said I had 28 years driving & best at dry van , only ran a "refer" twice in my life ! And that I wished to run full area cover ! At orientation I was assigned "refer" & dedicated to GM "General Mills" . This division only runs about 6 states & to some of the rudest costumers I have ever had to deal with ! At some places it takes up to 8 hours to get unloaded ! They do pay all lumpers fees , they preffer you use lumpers !
They have 3 pay rates for driving , percentage,40/30 cpm & 35 cpm"all mileage" This choice is yours , but they push percentage !
There trucks are older than I would like , but I have had no "breakdowns" since I started ! Not even a flat tire ! My experience with there shop has been ok , but they only repair what keeps the truck running , the looks are not important ! As for the color , well it has a stary as well ! The companies first 6 trucks were bought from a guy in Wisconsin & colored after the "GreenBay Packers" They liked the colors & stuck with them ! Yes , they only do 60 on the pedal & 63 on cruise ! And at times you will hate being passed by everyone & anyone on the road ! But , when you see the big dogs with a cop on the side of the road getting a speeding ticket , well you know !!!
The worse part is being sent in every 3 weeks for "service" that usually turns into every 5 weeks ! Mainly because of dispatch , but everyday past the 3 week call , you get a reminder sent to your "Maxx" telling you , you are late & need to come in !
There is "NO REAL MONEY" to be made here , unless you wish to run completely illegal & that brings us to the new rule "CSA-2010" starting this summer. Which runs a file on each & every driver out there ! Then any & all violations that you get , go into a personnal file on you , that "DOT" keeps ! When you go to find a new job , this file will be the biggest thing they will look at ! It will make some drivers un-hirerable by the biggest & best companies !
My biggest complaint with the company is there dispatchers , all they do is cover loads . Not that they will not work with you , but that is there job ! My feelings to this company are very mixed . Guess it all comes down to what you are willing to do or work with ! What you can handle & what you cannot ! And , what kind of money you need or want to make it work !
If you have any questions , do not hesitate to ask ! I do my best to keep an open opinion about companies I have been at !

 

Does anyone have information about Sharkey Transport? They have offered me a job and it sounds good but i have a family that relies on me and cant afford to be lied to by a company recruiter. So i ask you fellow truckers, can you help me?

 

enter the co name into the search function at the top of the page (between quick links and new posts). There are several threads about sharkey (maybe not the same one your thinking of?).

 

just wondering if you still work at sharkeys

 

just wondering if you got the job at sharkeys was thinking of going there if so how are they treating you

 

Sharkey , Sisbro & Core if you decide to work for them be very careful ! I went to this company for 1.5 years & quit them . They blame the driver for everything & I have no hate towards them , just what really happened to me ! They will pay the orientation money & the $1000 sign on , but you are then stuck for 120 days or you will be billed back for all that money + the hotel & travel expenses ! I went thru 3 dispatchers (managers) or message takers ! As the planner is the one that dispatches your truck , if you say you can not do a load they give you , they punish you by letting you sit from 2 to 6 hours & that is during your on-duty time ! They will tell you for detention to keep track of your time & then never pay you for it ! I spent 8 hours # a costumer in Jersey & never got a penny for it ! I have been driving truck for over 28 years & they have been my worse job ever ! When getting ready to quit , I had to plan carefully how to get the truck back under thier dispatch , so I took a couple days off & then called the shop & scheduled the truck for service & repairs . Contacted dispatch & said needed a Hannibal,Missouri load to get me within 20 miles of Quincy , then to shop , where I had already had the truck cleaned out & scrubbed down inside & out . After a visit to shop , I gave them the truck & keys & gave NIGHT dispatch my cards & final paperwork , had my wife waiting outside with the car , she followed me almost 450 miles so I had a quick & inexpensive way home ! One more thing I took like almost 100 photo's of the truck before I turned it in to them , security !! This is all 100% true , no BS & I am not or was not mad when deciding this ! Good luck if you go here !

 

is sharkey that bad to work for iwas told to come in for oreintaion reading some of this is making me think twice about going there

 

I am presently a Sheriff's Deputy and I have driven a truck in the past. I have decided to take a job with Sharky's. Am I making a mistake? I currently make $14.08 hr and I have seven children. The recruiter stated that I would receive a thousand dollar sign on bonus and home at least 10hrs through the week and home 48hrs on the weekend. Is this correct? Can anybody help?

 

I am a driver for Sharkey and I stumbled on this post so I thought I would throw in my two cents. I've noticed that, out of the 600 drivers that work here, no one has posted anything. Must be because we are too busy working, spending time with our families, and spending all the money were making. LOL I've worked for Sharkey Transportation Inc for over 12 years. Most of the drivers around here have also worked here for just as long. The best way to hear about any job is to talk to the drivers that still currently work here. Not the guys who are negative nancys because they got fired for something or the guys who quit and Sharkey wont take them back. LOL Yea right, you should listen to those guys because they've got it all figured out! LMBO!!