USA-Truck (comments anyone?)

Well USA promised me 36 cents a mile starting out for my level of experiance...but nnnoooooooo as soon as I got to Van Buren I was told 30 cents!!! Oh well live and learn...Thomas I hope it works out for you I just cannot work for 30 cents a mile its not enough. I was wondering has anyone ever herd of Sharkey Transport known as STI I guess they gurantee you $1000 dollars a week? That is really something I wonder how it works if your breakdown for 3 days do you still get the $1000? hmmmm I just don't know if I can trust that recruiter he seemed like a really nice guy.

 

Granted I've only worked for them for a month but have gotten from 2700 to3000 miles aweek,guess it depends on your fleet manager[avoid night and weekend dispatch].Was actually ordered to make a detour for servicing[the truck I had picked up after orientation was WAY over their limit[17.000 m]and they replaced both of my steer tires because before I got it only one tire had been replaced and the mech.replaced both even though the right side was nearly new.This was at their Spartenburg term.which I will make a point of returning to for future serv.

 

good to hear some positives finally barkhorn.I go tomorrow to take my 5 written test at the DPS office.General knowledge seems to be giving me the most trouble so far,lots of info in that section

 

I cant speak from personal experience since I am just starting school myself. But a god friend of mine drove for USA for several years. He was a trainer for them for the last 2 or so. Recently left there to go to Prime as an O/O. What info I have is based on his experience so take it as second hand info please.

Mileage wise they kept him running pretty hard usually. This may have been because he was a trainer and as someone else mentioned they got cheaper miles out of students. But he was able to run 5k or better almost every week.

He never had any real complaints about the way they treat their drivers other than the usual weekend dispatch issues.

He liked working for USA enough that he tried to push me that way when I decided to go into trucking. I cant think of any real true issues he had that would raise a red flag to me. I simply didnt go with them due to a 4 yr old DWI, they require it to be 5 yrs or more. I wont say they are the best company out there, but my impression of them is they are a decent company for a company driver.

Wish I could give you some hard facts, but as with any second hand info it could be dead on acurate or a bit of a stretch. So all I can do is pas on the basics that he was happy with them.

 

thanks for the info

 

Took all five of my written test today and passed them on the first try!

 

I have been with USA Truck since April of 2007 and want to dispose of some of the missed informed newbies who have only stayed with them for weeks or months. First of all you have to go to orienation, 2 1/2 days, then you are assigned a trainer, could be regional or general frieght (4-6 weeks) depending upon your trainer, then to Van Buren for testing out (road, backing, general knowledge and mapping test) at this time, a no brainer!!!!! Then you meet your dispatcher and leave that night to go home before you get your own truck (5-7 days off). Not going into all the drama I went thru during that time frame, that was the short version!!!!!

Now for ROCKSTEADY'S comments: your training pay is $400.00 a week, not $100.00. Maybe after taxes and all the money you spend to live on the road, it's not cheap when you ride shotgun in someone's else truck, I know it wasn't for me and any company knows that $100.00 a week is joke!!! Also, you stated that after your testing out in Van Buren not Vandallia, they wanted to send you home (Michigan) but YOU "threaten them with employment elsewhere if you didn't get an assignment, so they gave you a brand new international condo because they didn't want to loose you" and THEN LEFT after just two months!!!!! We've one thing in common, I'm also from Michigan, but I'm not [snipped] like you!!!!!!!! Did you read your last comments, "DON'T GET DISCOURAGED ABOUT ANY COMPANY AND QIUT ON THEM" your one to talk. Stop giving advice to newbies on this website because you didn't have a clue about what your're talking about.

Now for Ronbrown20n00 comments's: had the same problem with my first home time, gee, happen to be the same requested home time. My story: LD assignment from Oklahoma to upstate NY(1354 miles), go figure, NO MILES THERE, due home on Friday July 5. Qualcomm fleet manager about home time, drop trailer in Vandallia Thursday night and home by Friday afternoon. GOSH, that took about 5 minutes to resolve. Current home time: after LD assignment in Akron, Ohio, stuck at Joann's drop yard with no trailer and no new load assignment. After an hour from my MAC 13 (Empty call for you newbies) pick up the phone, called my fleet manger. First words out of his mouth was "GO HOME". That was one day early. GO FIGURE!!!!!

Service issues: Had my truck in for service twice, both times for 5 hours. After that, brand new steer tires, brakes, routine mantainence etc. etc. etc. My truck has 383000 miles on it and I wouldn't swap it for a newer truck. The only problem I have had with servicing my truck was to get an appointment time within a few hours of being near a terminal and on an load assignment. For all you newbies, USA Truck does take good care of thier equipment, you just have to make the time in your busy schedule to get to a terminal. It's a pain in the ### sometimes, just get your truck into service!!!!!!

Now for Panhandlepat Comment's: hit the nail on the head. Short and sweet. My truck number is 7682. Happen to see me, stop by and say hello.

Nerok9: what trucking company do you work for and how many miles a month do you drive????????????

Now for the milage that previous employees didn't get while with USA Truck. Just arrived home after eight weeks of over the road general frieght. Out of the those weeks, only 4 days spent not driving. One was for my birthday, two were for waiting on loads out of New Jersey (happens to everyone who drives a truck) and one for waiting on Best Buy to open Monday morning. Other then that, I drove my ### off!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to keep in mind that "YES" you do drive a company truck but you have to operate your truck like you own it!!!!! Its the only way to make it in this business. If you get unloaded at 10am, empty call by 11am, new LD assignment for 3:00pm pick up, don't drive to a truck stop and wait, pick up the phone, called the shipper and get your load. Those times are not set in stone and I've never had any shipper nor cosignee say "your appt. time is at ?????" don't show up till then!!!!! Unless your loads are all D/H (Drop and Hook for you newbies) the shippers/consigness are open from 8:00/5:00pm, some willn't allow any unloads after 3:00pm. These people have lifes, there're not open 24/7 for us truck drivers!!! You have to make good use of your time, drop early /load early.

Reimbursements: I've never had any problems with getting reimbursed for any scales, tolls or any out pocket expenses. Remember, there're 2500 drivers hauling freight in 48 states 24/7. Payroll just might miss something, there're only human. You be surprised how communication or the "lack of" can resolve these issues.

Pay: .28c a mile for the first three months, .29c a mile 3/6 months, then .32c a mile after six months. Not bad for under six months experience!!!! Not sure what the other posters are complaining about. Like to know where the other ex-USA truck drivers went and what they're making with less then six months experience??????

THOMAS0810: are you still holding your breath waiting for an answer from newdriver?????????

you all have a good evening!!!

 

Welcome to the world... its the same everywhere... not just trucking...

 

Those times are not set in stone and I've never had any shipper nor cosignee say "your appt. time is at ?????" don't show up till then!!!!! Guess you've never had a live load del. to wal-mart dist. their appointments are chiseled in stone

 

Never had to deliver to Walmart yet but I'll keep that in mind if I every get one.