Comstar: Bait, switch, and burn

This warning is about Comstar Enterprises out of Springdale, AR. What you won't be told until it's too late: (ie: they've hired you and will file a DAC report)
1. The 'assigned' trucks can be slipseated at will.
2. Their dispatch and tracking system is all via cell phone. You'll have to furnish and pay for the phone and plan yourself. (ie: They don't help fund it)
3. You'll be required to use about 15minutes of airtime per day MINIMUM.
4. Brokers, shippers, recievers, etc. will be given your number, and you'll be required to contact them.
5. Their safestat score is incredibly bad.
6. Their "24hr support" is one guy at home with a cell phone... Who has to be back in the office the next day. (not very cheerful about being woke up)
7. Your "orientation" will be a 10minute briefing by your manager, but minor infractions and major ones ALL come with $ fines. (ranging from $20 to $500)
8. Their office 'support' sit next to each other, but might as well be speaking foreign languages. They don't communicate. (count on explaining EVERYTHING at least 3 times.)
9. Their company maintenance department is ONE guy.. who will inspect your truck and trailer... But if you don't have tools to loan him, he isn't equipped to actually FIX anything.
10. Your "high payscale" is factored with a "point system" which is only slightly influenced by experience. (ie: 0accidents is a point.. but They hire via a 3year record, but factor pay via a 5year record.)
11. Count on hearing a CPM offer that's acceptable, but actually GETTING a CPM rate that's far far lower.
12. Safety/Mileage/etc bonuses- They have them... and advertise them.. but only after you're in the door do they give you the details.
13. "good equipment"-- Nope. Slipseated trucks are usually obviously slipseated... But they'll hide the "slipseat" fact till you're in the door.
-----------------------

That's the bait and switch part. The Personal observation and opinion would include words like: "clusterf--.." and idiot... I'd agree, but the words were those of the employees... Towards the office staff. During my first day there... I heard of 2 office staff that'd turned in their resignation. And the 'idiots' weren't limited to the CPA (owners wife) and Secretary (owners daughter)

-----------

As 1st hand stories of "I was victimized" are often suspect, I'll skip the horror story details and simply state this: If other experiencers encounter the same vindictiveness that I did.... This company will resort to lies, setups, etc. to find a way to burn you and make sure you never work as a trucker again. RUN!!! You've been warned!!!

 

T'is my pleasure. I'm still enduring a nightmare because of these snakes... So I tried to keep it to facts rather than opinion.