Current FFE drivers... info?

Biscuit75:
I have been a trucker for 5 years now. I started at CRST and left after 1 year. I looked at alot of the companies out there and found FFE.

Now I am not saying that this is nirvana on 18 wheels, I don't think anyone will ever find that. A owner op responded and talked about how bad it is and I am always amazed at owner ops who stay somewhere, even if it is so bad that their miles downshift.

I started out in the rodeo. I was a PBR bull rider for awhile and made alot of money, but after so many injuries and broken bones, many companies after CRST would not hire me, because it was for medical reasons. CRST hired me and gave me a start but that's all it would ever be.

I went to a doctor who told FFE, this guy can drive a truck and a career at FFE was born. There have been some issues but nothing earth shattering, we worked through them.

My wife gets to travel with me. I did not have this at CRST and that is one of the reasons I left, not the main one, but a huge one. Another was I got tired of smelling another mans bad body odor and looking at his really bad teeth. Personal hygiene is a big thing with me.

Anyway, like I said above, there have been some issues but those were in years one to two and a half and since then, I have not had issues.

Here is why. I deliver and pick up on time and I am always courteous. I don't drive around buildings looking for a dock and taking up space and getting into peoples way. I don't get nasty with customers when they tell me we are not ready for you. I get angry inside the truck not in customers view.

I am a company driver, not a owner operator, so I am not hard pressed to get the next load scheduled as a owner op would be. What I am trying to say is I do my job as it needs to get done and as long as I get that done in a day, everything else is all good.

FFE does not have the fanciest trucks on the road and some of the equipment has seen better days. I have had one bad truck that always broke down when it was not a good time, as if there ever is, but after FFE saw that there were mechanical issues that went beyond normal wear and tear, I was given a better truck but not new.

When I got the truck, it was clean on the outside, the clutch needed to be adjusted and the inside of the truck needed to be cleaned somewhat and I was okay with that. The mattress needed to be swaped out so I took the one from the truck I was in and moved it to the new truck.

I get miles that keep me making a living. They go up and down, but I get a pretty good paycheck.

I have it different than alot of drivers in that I made alot of money in the PBR and It is not like I need a huge paycheck anyway, so a small check here and there is not going to break me financially. The kids colleges are paid for, the ranch is paid for so financially I am doing well enough to do this for FFE.

If your looking for nirvana, it ain't here Biscuit. If your looking for an opportunity to get to work and draw a paycheck, it is here. I guess the same could be said for most companies.

I have found that they have always been square with me, have always told me, we ain't promising you a darn thing more than a job and benefits and I always respected that. They have been people of their word with me and the things that we had issues with were things I failed to comprehend and things I needed to learn, not issues with broken promises.

 

FFE IS ONE OF THE WORSE TRUCKING COMPANIES OUT THERE TODAY. THEIR COMPANY TRUCKS ARE THE SLOWEST ON THE ROAD 62 AND YOU WILL BE SITTING A LOT WAITING FOR LOADS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THEIR TRAILERS ARE JUNK AND YOU WILL BE SPENDING ALOT OF TIME GETTING THEM REPAIRED FOR FREE IF YOU VALUE YOUR CSA SCORE. MOST NEW DRIVERS WILL BE PUT INTO 07-08 trucks MAXED OUT AT 62\63. THE MAINTENANCE SHOP AT LANCASTER IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN AND I HAVE BEEN TRUCKING SINCE THE LATE 70S. THE DISPATCHING IS COMPRISED OF EVERY THING FROM X SCHOOL TEACHERS TO JANITORS AND NONE OF THEM KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. NO ONE IN THAT PLACE KNOWS WHAT ANYONE ELSE IS DOING SO THERE IS NO PLANNING BECAUSE THEY DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER. IF THERE IS A LOAD IN THE STATE YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN YOU GET IT. THEY DON'T CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE HOURS TO RUN IT AND THEY DON'T CARE. THAT IS WHY MOST OF THEIR LOADS ARE LATE. YOU THE DRIVER WILL BE THE ONE WAITING TO GET LOADED OR UNLOADED BECAUSE OF A MISSED APPOINTMENT. THEY DON'T CARE. THERE IS A LOT OF DEAD WOOD WORKING THERE AND THE COMPANY RUNS JUST LIKE THEM. THIS COMPANY WILL MOST LIKELY BE OUT OF BUSINESS SOON IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL OF THIS. IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE GO WORK FOR ANOTHER COMPANY THAT IS ON THE WAY UP NOT ONE LIKE THIS THAT IS DYING. I THINK THEY ARE TOO BIG AND THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE THERE NOW CAN'T HANDLE IT. THEY NEED NEW BLOOD IN THERE AND A NEW BUSINESS MODEL. I WORK THERE NOW AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DAY I CAN MOVE ON. THEY HAVE A REALLY BAD CSA SCORE AND ARE TRYING TO FLOOD THE COMPANY WITH STUDENTS OUT OF THEIR DRIVING SCHOOL TO GET A BETTER SCORE. IT WON'T HELP AND THE STUDENTS WON'T STAY ON LONG THE WAY THINGS ARE RUNNING NOW. THEY HAVE LOST MANY MAJOR ACCOUNTS BECAUSE OF BAD SERVICE AND WILL LOSE MANY MORE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. THEY ARE ALSO LOSING DRIVERS AND ANY TIME I AM IN THE LANCASTER YARD I SEE MORE DRIVERS UNPACKING THEIR TRUCKS TO MOVE ON. THE PLACE SMELLS OF DEATH. STAY OUT OF LANCASTER AT ALL COST. GET ALL OF YOUR REPAIRS DONE ON THE ROAD IF YOU CAN AND STAY OUT AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS IF YOU WAN'T TO MAKE A LITTLE MONEY. AND KEEP LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR DRIVING JOBS AND GO WHEN YOU CAN. FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH THAT IS MY TAKE ON THIS PLACE. NOT A PLACE TO HANG YOUR HAT JUST A STEPPING STONE. GOOD LUCK

 

I just heard a rumor that Celdon bought FFE and drivers are losing their trucks on the spot (like Arrow experience) is that true? you know how rumors are...

 

I find most dispatchers don't know their ##### from a hole in the ground. What Sportsterbob wrote, is pretty much the norm, from what I've experienced. A few times I have dealt with a dispatchers who drove a truck, what a blessing that is!
BY THE WAY; Why do these companies insist dispatchers have a degree? That sure doesn't help in the intellegence department, here's my suggestion: hire dispatchers with driving experience.

 

Bikerdave with the serious wisdom

 

http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/Data/carrier.aspx?enc=Cos3MX7gtwsC1qPWqzWmXmqh2SMuLPQpHk2TQSC5ano=

 

there's some current info for ffe !!!!!

Enjoy !!

 

With that driver fitness score, does that put a "Highway Patrol target" on FFE trucks?