USA-Truck (comments anyone?)

I am not an angry former worker, read my post, i said it was a good company just to get your feet wet, get the experience and then find someone else to go too, i still say you are a desk jockey not a driver, but no matter what you say, i will tell the new drivers the truth.. i had a few good times with USA, i have even thought about goinbg back there after they called me... i just want the new drivers to know the truth and not be misled

 

You say there were a few good times, yet you don't post anything about those?

You think I'm a desk jockey? I guess you're free to think whatever you want. I can't help that you're wrong and make assumptions about me based on nothing.

 

I worked at USA from April 09 to November 10. I left for a local job.

The trucks had been governed at 60 mph, but in mid-2010 they started turning them back up to 63 mph as long as the driver was able to meet their fuel economy goals, which were 6.5 mpg for trucks with an apu and 6.3 mpg for trucks without. It seemed like some guys were having a hard time meeting these goals with the new prostar and cascadia automatics, but I never had a problem with my 9400 10 speed standard.

Detention and breakdown are between the driver and FM, it isn't automatic. You won't get paid if you don't ask for it. Even when you do ask for it you may not get it, it really depends on whether or not you have a good FM. In 19 months with USA I had four different FM's, 2 of them were great and 2 were horrible. The first 2 were horrible, and in my 11 months with them I never got breakdown pay, and was only paid once for detention. I had sat for 8 hours waiting to be loaded at a shippers as a "work-in", due to being a day late for pick-up through no fault of my own. My FM and I agreed on $75, but when I got my paystub it was only $25. With my last 2 FM's, I always got what they said I was going to get.

The first 3 months at USA were the roughest. There were several times when I really wanted to quit, due mainly to the fact that USA just doesn't give its many newbs enough support. If they would have had an experienced driver around to talk new guys through dicey situations on the phone, it would have been a lot easier. But there is really no one to talk to, as the FM's I was assigned to had never been in a truck. Once I got a little experience under my belt it got better, but not much. USA is trying to switch over to a more regional operation like Heartland, so the focus is now on loads with shorter LOH's, and they pile these loads on the new drivers. I didn't see a load anywhere near 1000 miles in my first 6 months. With my first 2 dispatchers, I averaged only about $600 gross per week, which is crap pay for working on average 6 days a week and living out of a truck.

About 11 months in they restructured the FM organization (which the do often), and I was assigned a new FM. He liked to run his drivers hard, which made the job much more enjoyable. With him, I was almost always pre-assigned. If I hadn't been moved to his fleet, I would have quit after I got my year of experience. About 15 months in I decided to try their new northeast regional fleet because I was tired of being on the road for 3-4 weeks at a time. I really enjoyed working in that fleet. The FM in charge was great, I was always pre-assigned, I got home every weekend, and I averaged about 2400 miles. And it wasn't really northeast regional. I ran out to WI and IL often, and once even down to Miami, which I had never done when I was OTR.

Overall, USA isn't really that bad. I wouldn't recommend them to an experienced driver, but I'm sure a new driver could do much worse. At the time that I left, it seemed like they were trying to treat drivers better because of increased business and csa 2010, which is supposed to cause a driver shortage. They were cleaning up the terminals, trying to improve the amount of time the trucks spent in their shops (which was a LOT), and buying more comfortable trucks. You're not going to make a lot of money with USA, but I'd definitely rather work for them than Swift, Schneider, CRST, Crete or any of the other mega-carriers.

 

JOEYCOOL, is swift worst than usa, if so what area, try not to base on size thanks

 

JOEYCOOL, is swift worst than usa, if so what area, try not to base on size thanks

Dave, I never worked for Swift, so I really can't say. I do know that if I had to choose between Swift and USA, I would choose USA. It's not a great company, but I think they are trying to improve it. With USA, I never had any problems getting home when I needed to, even with the crappy FM's, and they were always pretty relaxed about home time. With my first 2 FM's I did have some problems with the pay, but never had a problem with the second 2. Another thing I really liked about USA was that as long as you stayed out of trouble with the DOT and didn't have any accidents, they really didn't watch your logs. As long as you dotted your i's and crossed your t's they let you do what you want. Not sure about Swift, but I know a lot of the other big carriers won't let their drivers run like that. Of course, all of this will change if they mandate EOBR's.

If you're looking to drive for them they hire pretty much anywhere east of I35. You're on the other side of the state and I don't know if they hire for northeast regional out of your area, but if they do, it's a good fleet to be in. I wouldn't have left for another OTR or Regional job. Also, as I've been told many times, size really does matter. Swift has about 6 times as many tractors as USA, so their operations will definitely be different.

 

There is a women on ''Youtube'' who works for Sharkey Transport. Looks like she is treated very well and is very happy. Check her out. ''Trucker 47.''

 

[FONT=&quot]I agree with itsjust me. notezbngrn71 is a desk jockey for USA. Why so angry notezbngrn? itsjustme is just voicing his opinion! And I have had the same experience with USA as he did!



[/FONT]

 

I'm not a desk jockey and I drive for Roehl transport now. But whatever, not sure why some people resurrect old threads.

 

Well since they did, I'll jump in. I drive for USIT, truck # 1179, 9400. Old truck, since being on the road with the company, its lived up to the hype of bring terrible, but oddly enough, that rep comes from disgruntled former drivers who quit or were fired for non compliance, in whatever form. Then they rail on websites or to their friends on how bad they were mistreated. When actually, if they wanna be mad, be mad at themselves for being knuckle heads.

Coordination here is sketchy at times. Maintenance is rough from time to time. Some fleet managers are incompetent. BUT SO ARE 6 OUTTA 10 "so called" DRIVERS THAT COME HERE AND LEAVE. Leave in days, maybe a few months, long before they even learn how to deal with the company. OR, they are let go, before they have a chance to screw anything else up. This is a big company, it takes some time and some communications to make your way.

As of this writing, I'm a 7 month, new driver. I'm sitting in Richmond, don't deliver till Monday morning, that's trucking. But guess what? I'm being paid to sit on this load. Like every layover I have had since I began driving on my own here. I also receive breakdown pay, $ 120 a day, detention pay, 4 hours after an appointment and whatever else I earn. I am in fleet 30, my guy is Todd Treadway, I'm straight with him and likewise him to me. We do this thing, its called COMMUNICATE, it works good.

Are there some truths to some of the stuff other poster have said here? You bet! However, their truth seems somewhat skewed, compared to my everyday experience. This place is an entry level company and is not without its problems, yet the ones that have the most outlandish tales are typically the ones who were non compliant, in some shape or form, and left (quit)......now they may owe the school loan and are finding out USA wants their money, and will take measures to collect. Makes former employees madder than he$$! OR they had a preventable accident or two, maybe put out of service by DOT a couple of times, or simply could not log correctly or follow company policy. After a few warnings, the company will let you go.

Whose responsible for any of that? The employee! Yet, they would have you believe that the company, and not just this company, fill in any company name, somehow caused their misfortune, made THEIR DECISIONS, and the company is to blame. Nonsense!

USA truck is not perfect and certainly not without its problems. There are days here I could just scream. But I remind myself, its an entry level job, not just drivers, but also dispatchers and others. For me its been how Ive handled myself since I've been here. Communicate with respect, don't accept unreasonable requests/expectations from management without further clarification, be on time, resourceful and always ready to seize the next load (I shouldn't have to explain that).

While it is somewhat regrettable the misfortune of some here, most bring it on themselves, them try to sell it like the company harmed them. Its just not true and I think most reasonable folks know that.

It's ok to be mad, but be truthful. Too many people know the difference.

 

UUMMM? Are you talking about USA? I havent seen it but IT IS WHAT IT IS!