All American Xpress

I think I was there when you called - I was chatting with Kathy about it all and figuring out all the players (the company basically is Lewis, his cousins, and cronies). Seems like he is interested in accountability right now, but then right in front of him one of his lackies asked me to make a 40 mile roundtrip to fill a reefer with fuel and handed me the keys to a daycab - basically telling me to use that truck and not log on duty. I refused and took my assigned truck with elogs.
Its a deep pit and the fraud in AAX is everywhere - time will tell if Lewis really cracks the whip here and even if he does, if it means anything to the drivers who are treated like poo, paid like poo, and drive poopy equipment!
The company rep with their biggest clients, Coke and Publix is way down and I think he is trying to bail out a sinking ship - he already broke rule #1 of business, ALWAYS diversify your clientele so your business wont fold if you lose one client. And AAX is 90% Coke and Publix.

 

today's message was from the former VP of the company who has now been elevated to Chief Operating Officer.
Sounds as if some complaints by driver's have been heard and are being addressed:
1) cash advances, discontinued last year, are being resumed ($150/wk)
2) changes are to be made in our chain of command so that drivers aren't left trying to call 4 different people, none of whom will answer their phones, to request assistance on a load (they instituted a driver manager position last year but then cancelled the program the day I was hired leaving 2 load planners and 1 terminal manager to pretty much have to field any and all calls from drivers 24/7). They have already hired for a new position specifically to deal with late loads.
3) new 2012 Cascadias will begin to arrive in the next few weeks.

wait and see ...

 

update - AAX going the way of Arrow Trucking?
While the past two months have been ok, steady freight, no problems with fuel networks, pay, or expenses, something boiled over today.
We were told we were getting new rigs a month ago but that fell through. The remaining CEO who had just been given a promotion after the firing of the last CEO, was fired last month leaving only Jamal Lewis in charge. Maintenance on my rig is falling behind and I have been cited twice, once for a repair that the shop insisted I continue without (a tire with increased cupping), and the second a totally unforeseeable issue with trailer registration. Both will end up on my CSA through no fault of my own (short of my giving up my job in protest that they would not replace a tire soon enough).
But today, in Lakeland, the repo man cometh. Many trucks, including mine, were hijacked off our terminal lot before anyone knew what was going on. They still have all my belongings with the exception of a few items they let me take when I finally discovered where their storage lot was (a duffle bag with a change of clothes, my phone, my car keys, my laptop and my medicine). AAX management did NOTHING to help myself or another driver who was also stranded at the terminal with no clothes, no cash, no phone. For 7 hours the terminal manager ignored our plight and not until I got into his face did he offer a comcheck to get us a hotel room (but with no clean clothes? or food? ). We took a yarddog and sought out the repo people ourselves since he did nothing all day and then we managed to keep our cool enough when we found the repo lot that they let us get the basics out of our trucks. We have to return tomorrow with a signed notarized paper saying we have the permission to recover our property.

Word is that Jamal Lewis is letting this happen to declare bankruptcy for AAX while he is already starting up a new outfit that most AAX drivers should transfer to (with new trucks). Supposedly this was the best way he could deal with his convict cronies who had run AAX into the ground in the past half year and me and the other driver just got caught in the cross-fire. No word yet how soon we can expect to return to work, if the backpayments will be made and the rigs returned (I hope not, mine was a piece of crap), or if we are up sh**'s creek and need to find new work. Over a dozen rigs were repossesed, fuel networks were shut down, and as far as I know, all company drivers are watching over their shoulders if they come to the yard in the next day or two in case they step out of the truck and repo man jumps out of the bushes. AAX drivers may well be stranded on the road with no fuel for all I know - be kind if you see any of us out there pan-handling!
Also heard that AAX lost one of the two lifeblood contracts, hauling produce east for Publix and now are getting those contracts via brokers. After today, with a yard load of coca-cola orange juice product stranded in trailers that have no tractors to deliver them, I imagine Coca-cola will shortly end their contract with AAX as well. Will be interesting to see Jamal pull a rabbit out of his, uh, um, hat, to save this one.