Calex Express....My New Home!

Well it's been 2 years now that I've been here at Calex, so here's my report card on the company. I know some drivers have hired on and then quit, their reasons are there's. I don't fault them for leaving if they went somewhere to better their quality of life, and in this career we all want quality of life. I think I have found it here at Calex so this report card is based solely on what it's been like for me.

I'm going to break this down to the departments that I deal with on a daily basis, they are, dispatch, safety, payroll, shop and appointments.

Dispatch is first for the simple fact that this department gives me the freight to run with, and preplans me so I don't layover anywhere but at the house. Louie is my dispatcher, he's the one that assigns me my outbound loads to Florida and California. When in California Louie is the one that brings me back with produce to PA. Under Louie's dispatch this past year I had to layover twice, and got paid for it. The joke I have about him is if you have more than one question when you call it will take multiple phone calls. He doesn't like the phone and rather preplan you the whole week than have to talk to you. I guess after 20+ years here I can understand that. Jason is my dispatcher when I'm in Florida or anywhere else in the Southeast. He also will occasionally bring me back from California with produce for his customer. Jason's demeanor is the complete opposite from Louie. He's very laid back and will talk to you on the phone. He also will preplan you for the whole week. We have Billy who handles all our local freight. The only time I did anything for him it was through Louie so I can't really say anything about him except he's always pleasant when I see him. Because of my 2 dispatchers I've been home every 5-7 days this past year except when I go out to the west coast than it's usually 16 days. I'm home minimally for a reset, but most of the time it's at least 3 nights home in my bed every 5-7 days. I have averaged 2900 miles per week this past year and have absolutely no complaints about how I am dispatched. Grade A+

Safety is our department that we initially go through with any issues. Be it dispatch, payroll, the shop, insurance or God forbid an accident. The department is run by Joe with Mort and Brian as his side kicks. In the beginning when Joe got here taking over for Jim, I didn't know how to take him, especially after the incident I had with my E-Logs. But since then I have come to understand his sense of humor and his genuine concern for the drivers. Mort is the same today as he was 2+ years ago when I first called about the job. He listens and follows through with what he says he's going to do. If you can't get along with Mort, their's none else on this great big planet you can. He's the most helpful person I have ever met. Brian is the third person in the department. I enjoy going in there and hearing the jokes and the banter going on between him and whoever is in there. It's a tough job in there, they have there jobs cut out for them.
Grade A

Payroll is run by Gail who also dispatches all our time sensitive freight. Look, this is a trucking company, not an hourly job, mistakes happen. I've had my share this year and all it took was either a phone call or an email and it was corrected. I'm not one of these drivers that live paycheck to paycheck so when the problem is corrected it goes on next weeks check. The nice thing about the way our payroll is set up is it goes to a payroll company on Wednesday. We can go on line to view it and if any mistakes are on it it can be done before our direct deposit hits on Friday. Grade A

The shop is run by Ray. Better him than me that's all I can say. Calex owns the Volvo dealership so our shop is set up to run just like the dealerships. I have no complaints about them fixing anything I write up. My biggest complaint like so many others is how long it takes. Our coast trucks have priority over everyone else. Me? I run both west coast and regional and I still have to wait to get my truck in. Take for instance this past week. I got to the yard Monday around 2pm. I was told they were jammed up and to be there first thing Tuesday morning. I got there the next day at 7am and my truck was brought in at 7:30. They had it all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday. They completely redid my Regen system, fixed an oil leak, put 4 new tires on the front drive axle and gave me a front end alignment. Then I got a complete service on the truck and APU. Do I really have anything to complain about? Grade B+

Eddie handles our appointments and comchecks. Get empty at 6am, call Eddie. He's been there for 25 years and made only one appointment mistake this past year. At 6am in the morning after getting the comcheck the conversation ends the same way, "Be safe kiddo". Grade A+

Calex as a whole is not perfect. There's some things that could be done a little differently. But for me it works just right. I don't need to run 4000 miles a week, I will not be gone for 3,4,5,6 weeks at a time. I figured this company out real quick, pick up and deliver on time, be professional in what you do, and do it with safety as your priority and you'll do just fine. It's a good company, they treat me very well, and I make money. Do I want to make more? Sure I do, but when you add all the intangibles in it works perfect for me. That's it. Let's see what happens next year at this time.

 

Long time no speak. I've been to McElhattan quite a bit lately and haven't seen you. Glad everything is going well for you. Yeah Gary is a super guy. He was the first one that followed me here to Calex. he too has almost 2 years now. I'll look for you this week when I get up there Lorne, be safe.

 

Good luck. This will be quite the experience for you here. We aren't micro-managed and are able to do our job without all the BS one finds at the bigger carriers.

 

Time to hit the grind again. I loaded all my stuff last night into the truck and saw on my computer I'm preplanned up to Pittston. I reload this afternoon up at the Port in Jacksonville for a delivery tomorrow at 6pm in Mills River NC, then I'm preplanned to drop and hook in Greenville SC going to Mountain Top Pa for Wednesday. Then from there to the terminal. I'll let you all know how my big 50 mile trip with my wife went later tonight.....this should be comical.