Add Henderson Trucking to the BAD list

# Bearkat:
what the hell are you babbling about??? I drove trucks to make money - not to starve to death! I can handle life on the road better than most O/O's out there, but getting royally screwed over by your employer isn't a way of life. For you, maybe, but not for me! If I work for ANYBODY, I'm there to make money. That's what capitalism is all about.

# YankeeTexan:
I didn't say exactly how it was resolved because it appears that they want to avoid my sueing the living crap out of them (I got them for breech of contract), and I'm not in the mood for having their lawyers drag it out for the next 20 years. They walked away, I walked away. They got their truck & trailer back, but they had to pay to get it - and that's more than I should probably say! Maybe in a few years' time, I'll post what actually happened. However, there are no bad marks on my DAC, or anywhere else.

They m a y be okay if you're a company driver, but never do a lease-purchase with them. I knew several other lease/purchasers wit them, that even tried hiring a co-driver, in an attempt to actually make a living with them - it didn't work: Henderson still made them sit, or gave them loads that had lots of miles, but then made them relay to a company driver. Thus, they didn't get all of the miles. (they did that to me a few times, too)

 

Actually, Slim1, I already had the cars! (several were given to me, in fact, while others were bought years ago, for very cheap)

Texasbound: I don't know what your idea of commitment is, but they had me in the midwest for a month or two, at a time. They would run me for about 1200-1500 miles, then make me sit for the rest of the week.

I would send messages asking for another load - no reply.
I'd send messages asking what's going on - no reply.
I'd CALL the office - everybody's got their voicemail on, and so I'd leave a polite message (every hour or two) - no reply.
I'd call the manager of the dispatch office, get her on the phone once, she'd promise to call back. No call back.
I'd call the fleet manager - same thing: get him on the phone once, let him know what's going on, and he promises to call back. NOTHING!

They knew EXACTLY what they were doing to me: 1200-1500 miles is the "break even point" - the truck expenses are covered, and anything after that was money in my pocket, but they wouldn't let me earn anything to take home. They ran me that little. Then when I did finally get some miles, they'd set it up so that the money was split over two pay periods - guess what? I got screwed anyway, because they'd make me sit again!

Then, when I finally got back to the office, I'd approach people about it, then the excuses - "it's slow", "there's no California freight".

I'm sorry, but only a complete idiot would believe that!!!

If there's no freight, why are they still pushing large groups of new suckers through orientation every week?

If there's no California freight, why did Sarge tell me that running from the midwest fo California, is specifically why they wanted to hire me?

If there's no California freight, why did they have company drivers that lived in San Diego, that ran there EVERY WEEK, and took days off at home every week?

I still laugh when the fleet manager asked me why I didn't go to the owner of the company, if I was having problems! I mean, what the hell is HE there for, if I'm supposed to go to the owner of the company!?!? Everybody in that office knew I wasn't making any money, and nobody bothered to do anything about it.

I should have known something was up when I started orientation, when I looked at the plaque they had that listed the drivers that completed their lease purchases, and there was only ONE name on it!

Hell, even the company with the WORST equipment I'd ever seen in my life, kept me moving better than Henderson (and quite honestly, every other company I've worked for, except for one) did!

I was very professional, I was very polite (until I got tired of them making me sit in the middle of nowhere),I was always on time/early for pick ups and deliveries, I kept an accurate and legal log (I wasnt' there long enough to go to the ELOG), I kept myself clean & clean shaven, and I kept their truck clean & in good working order - until the shop suddenly didn't have parts!

Btw - they also failed to disclose to me, that while the truck that was supposedely in perfect condition, it had had the front end tore-up by the previous lease operator, and that the entire steer axle, radiator, intercooler, A/C system, hood AND bumper, were all replaced - I found that out from the shop! That explained why they gave me #### when I complained that it was pulling to one side, and tried to tell me I didn't know what I was talking about!

What I CAN say, is that Salem, Illinois, is a pretty cool little town: people are friendly, resturants & the Wal Mart are easy to get to, as is Henderson's yard. I can also say that the Freightliner Cascadia is a great truck - if it's got all of its bugs worked out of it.

But I can't say anything nice about how I - and the other lease operator/owner-operator in my orientation group were treated. (all of us have since left Henderson for the same reasons) I can also say that there was no reason for them to treat me in that manner.

And yes, you CAN make money in a truck, and be home every week! If I wanted to, I can get my own tractor/operating authority, sign on with a broker, and run reefer loads from Fresno, to Vancouver B.C. Canada, and back - 4 1/2 day trip, I'd gross about 7K each turn, and have weekends off! Cost to me would be about 1500 in fuel at the current price: I did this run for the past year working for another company, so I know its possible.

I don't do that, because there is something to be said for spending 5K on a Triumph TR-3 to make it perfect, then selling it for 50K, AND being home every night in the process! (unless I decide to spend a few days in Reno relaxing)

If you want to stay somewhere that has you thinking that its the only way you'll ever make a living - be my guest. If they're treating YOU right, more power to you, but what they did to me was nothing short of a total screw job. Seriously - if you can't pay your bills on time no matter how much of your time that you put into work, its time to get another job. That's exactly what I did.