USIT Talk

As I write this I am in the Flying J at Blacksburg SC. I was talking with 2 USA Truck drivers today in the Dennys here. One was headed home to Ohio, he has made his year and working out the last few days of his notice. The other driver has only about 4 months since upgrade. Both drivers are unhappy and broke. The driver with 4 months told me he can't seem to get more then 1200 to 1400 miles a week and can't support his family. He told me he is headed to Spartanburg to clean out his tractor. Since I was fired from USA Truck I have spoken to about 15 USA Drivers, with 2 exceptions all seem depressed and have plans to soon quit. The exceptions are trainers whom still think the sun rises and sets with this company.

 

Not meaning to keep hitting a dead horse, but I just got finished speaking to another USA Truck Driver today whom is also thinking about quitting soon. She told me that she has spoke to her FM about the miles she gets ad nauseam (her words not mine). Can't seem to get more then 1600 miles and is now behind on her car payment. I could see the pain and disappointment in her eyes as she talked to me. There is a serious disconnect between USA truck management and their Drivers. The freight is out there, I just finished a 3000 mile week. Why are the USA Truck drivers having to go through all this misery? I gave this driver a card with a number on it to the recruiting dept at my company and walked away feeling real bad for her.

 

I don't know why they are all getting bad miles either. I mean, mine weren't spectacular when I was there, but I wasn't starving or anything. I was hitting 23-2600/wk...I am glad for the change I made. I finally get to work for a company who has me trying to figure out, if I will run out of hours this week or not, and they had me preplanned 5 days straight from the same place with over 1000mi runs there and back. I am very happy with my decision to jump ship. Not even counting the $360 still owed to me and no one will call me back from the office to make it right.

 

They cut you loose, why do you even care anymore? Let it go already.

 

If I am not mistaken you do not now work for USA Truck either, why do you care that I still have friends there I still care about, and report my conversations with USA Truck drivers in these forums. If you don't like it why are you opening my posts?

 

Just read online that Celadon is looking to buy USA Truck they have purchases 6.3 million dollars worth of stock since September

 

This makes sense. I have been hearing USA Truck was a takeover target for about 6 months now. I think I even wrote about it in these forums.

 

might just be a good thing for drivers like me with good mvr,and good standing with the company might be a takeover where they just want to keep the two separate also kinda like CFI and Conway where USA keeps the name and shares freight with Celadon and vice versa who knows lots of things to be on the look out for in the future as we all know this dont happen overnight and is just in the early stages

 

I am sure any possible future changes with respect to the drivers will be positive. Depending on how this happens (if it happens) it could mean most if not all upper and middle management positions at USA Truck will be eliminated and control moved to Indianapolis, or USA Truck becomes a subsidiary company and continues pretty much as is.

 

Did anyone else get Qualcom message stating that Celadon wasn't buying USA? They said that no matter what we here it is not true. I haven't heard that from any drivers. I can play chess. That makes me think someone just made a move on us. I dont particularly want the word Celadon on the side of my truck. My time is just about up to. I think it is about to go gentle into that good night.