driver beware of first fleet inc

ive worked for FirstFleet now for almost 10 yrs. i have 21yrs on experience and for the most part the Co. is ok. The pay could always be better but I make an average of 55,000-64,000 a yr scince starting with Fleet. I love the home time an No force dispatch. the open door policy could be better they never seem to ever give a drive a straight answer. the pay for starting drivers is .36 a mile seems low but when you factor instop pay hourly pay and paid breaks it averages to be about .56-.64 cents a mile. as for running three thousand a week mile wise why would you????? My two bids pay an average of $600-650 X 2 a week and i run a total of 2300 miles a week.. so if there offering you a short trip just remember the leaste you"ll make a day is $200.... not bad.. oh yaby the way my home time is off Saturday sunday and monday..

 

For starters who have clue what they are talking firstfleet has not lost any contracts that we have to j.b. hunt we bid on a contract for dollar general but schnider got it not j.b. hunt butour company is a good company to work for all of our trucks are 4years old and get replaced every 4 years with brand new ones but miles only get dropped if you start slacking on your end or complain all the time all of our real drivers never complain and they are an excellent company to work for they take care of employees who takecare of them and there has not been a hundred drivers to quit so maybe your dads beat option is checking into drivivng for j.b hunt for a jod

 

Well, I guess its time for someone to come in with a bit more time on the board, to also call CMB74 a liar..

FF lost the account in Cedar Rapids because West Side Transport under bid us so badly, that their just simply was no way for us to compete, except at a loss. FirstFleet, as a whole, and on average, has a 93% on time ratio. We also have newer tractors. My fleet, in particular, is nothing older than 2009, and we only have 2 of those. I am willing to admit some of our trailers are getting older (especially those 331xxx heartland trailers), but we try to maintain our fleets the best we can.

The problem most of our termials have, is we hire drivers from other companys, that are used to working with sub-standard equipment. So when an issue does arrise, they dont bother to tell anyone, until the small issue, turns into a expensive breakdown/tow bill. You have no idea how hard it is to break drivers of this habit. There is, of course, an exception to the rule. They like to run their tires down to -JUST- legal before replacing them. I dont see why they cant pull the drives off at 7/32 or so, and put them on trailers, and put some new meat on the tractor.

No I am not cheerleading this company, there are MANY things I dont like. But there are alot MORE things that I do like.

Things I dont like:
They need to up their pay, its not even competitive for the market I am in, but it is an average wage.
This seniority system sucks, and makes it so a employee has no reason to excel in their job, only to be average. First In, and First out would be better.
No matter who you speak to, it seems getting a straight answer always involves a "Let me check on that and get back to you"
The employees that are under 1 year are still trying to get used to the way things work, and usually want to complain.

Things I like:
The trucks are newer
They do not slip seat unless your truck is in need of a repair that consists of more than 1 day. Then you get another truck until yours is done.
Of lot of the seasoned eployees, the ones that have been here at least 1 year, are usually people that are hard working, love their job, and have no intentions of going elsewhere.

On average the drivers are home every day, to every other day, plus weekends. They do need to work on getting the drivers more miles. 1800 miles dont cut it, and when the drivers are told they will be getting 2500, thats what they expect.

 

The real news flash is the fact that First Fleet is not a good company to work for anymore. Their reputation has gotten real bad in Co and AZ. Look at the senority list and see many drivers are left from the ones hired in any given year. Their turnover rate is high and the pay has fallen to the bottom of the payscale. After two years, no more pay raises. There hasn't been a general pay raise in over two years and none is coming down the pipe. As word has it, Kroger own controlling 51% of it and controlls everything. So for management to get their bonus checks, short-cuts are taken. So called "cost-saving measures" are nothing more than NOT cutting proper maitenance and extending it out. Have you looked at oil that's gone 35,000 miles? The use of cheap filters and recap tires saves a basket full of money! The engines are tired after 175,000 miles or so. The issues are increased oil usage, poor performance and mileage. No one wants to buy these trucks after 500,000 miles on them.
All one gets here is check and that's it. There are no real benefits as to speak of. Look in the right places and one will found a lot of bad stuff on this company. There is such disconnect between the terminal level and corporate level, that whatever the terminal manager says goes. There is NO fact checking or follow up on anything from higher up. The only thing that matters is can there be a profit shown and we don't get sued for something, Make sure blame can laid on the driver at all times.
Believe what you want to, but First Fleet gives the driver very little. Most stay as it it's close to home and only gone a night. But there is a large price the driver pays for this so called opportunity.

 

prolly depends on terminal you run out of

 

I worked for First Fleet part time out of Cleveland TN. for about two months. In my short time there, I had no problems the people seem to be helpful and I had no shortage of runs on the weekends. Decided to quit because my primary job is night shift (I am a night person always will be) and most jobs First Fleet had on the weekends was out at say 6:00 AM. After being in the same routine for 13 years on my first job it just didn't work for me.
My opinion is they are a fairly good company to work for though, and laid back compared to the company I have been with and am still with now. Good pay good benefits but a bunch of nit picking goofballs run the show now. First Fleet seemed to be more about doing the job period.

 

Yes bri1193, you correct about which terminal you work at. Part of the point is the toll on people. This company does make unreasonable demands on their drivers.
It's changed so much in the last few years that's like going to a funeral the day one must go to work. Life is short and one should be able to enjoy it. But with the job market now, it's difficult to find anything. So one one puts up with the "bad" manager with hopes of things getting better. But I do believe I'm not alone in saying "when is enough, enough?"
Many drivers are stuck with companies that their dispatches/load planners have no clue who truly makes the money for the company. They hang on hoping for the best and then reality hits. Come high water or not, they're gone to another job or changed professions. That's not the real solution to the problems. Musical chairs til the it stops and grap a sit. Those left standing are just gone. Believe most upper management lack the skills and desire to correct many problems within their company. They ride the horse til it almost drops and run to another. Funny how the same problems will pop up in their new company.
Part of my solution may be to write a book outlining many of these issues. The common one that employers just don't support their emplyees anymore. Cheaper to keep rotating them in and out. Who cares about quality anyways.

 

Does FF have anything around Kingsport and Bristol,Tn area.If so what would that be.Thx in advance.

 

Yes they do have a few terminals in your area, how close, I dont know.. Lenoir City, TN, Dandridge, TN, and others. Go to the firstfleetinc DOT com website, and click on careers, and see what you find.

 

Yea, checked it out. Thanks.