National Carriers "The elite fleet"

Wow, I can't believe National Carriers are still able to sucker people to go work for them. Here is how their lease works; they give you great miles for a month, then no paycheck/miles until you quit. On the company side, I was bringing home a big $300 a week. They rarely pay any breakdown, layover or detention pay. When I left, they still owed me over $800 for this and of course, never saw it. For reginal, they hire for that, then tell you in orientation that they don't believe in "boundaries", so reginal means nothing. I was there four months as lease, then one month as company so, I saw both sides. If you still want to give them a try, have fun sitting three days for a load.

 

It is amazing to read stuff like this and still see people asking about how the lease works and appearing to be interested ot go to work there. I'm laughing out loud at these dummies. If they still go there it is fair that they get what they get.

 

No I didn't, went fedex ground instead

 

How well (not well) do their owner ops do in the west coast region? What is their truck spec? 70% and surcharge any better deal than fleece or company slave?

 

JahB, are you talking about their lease trucks? If you are, they are at 70mph. They pay .94 loaded and .80 something with no fuel surcharge empty. They have no problem deadheading you 300-500 miles for a load so you take a hit. If your planning on leasing with them, don't plan on making any money. By that, I mean literally, your check will be $0. They only give you 1000-2000 miles a week and if your lucky, you will cover the truck payment and that's it. Normally though, they give you tons of miles your first month, then nothing. This is a bad company all around with nothing positive about them.
On the company side, you will be lucky to take home $500 a week but, $200-$300 a week will be the norm. Either way, you sit almost 50% of the time and even though they claim they pay layover, they don't.
I would advise you to read all the threads about this company and take the negative comments to heart, this company will ruin you. You have been warned.

 

Oh, I forgot, being on West Regional means nothing. They tell you in orientation that they don't believe in "boundaries" so being on regional makes no difference especially on West Regional.

 

Well I climbed out of the truck to spend time with my son and daughter...but will tell you I ran hard when I worked for them..they kept me moving I always had a good check. Always got miles..but just like NY other company you can't cry where they send you just hook and book....there were a few I didn't like..but many I did and still keep intouch with. Nice trucks.just do your job don't cry and you will be just fine.great company on the company side I would not lease..there lease program sucks.

 

Well Yogi, how long ago did you work for them because what I expirenced there is the norm. Waiting three days for a load, being treated like garbage, refusing to pay layover and breakdown, that is National Carriers. As far as being a company driver with them, at .34 a mile (that was the pay no matter how long you have been driving), impossible to make any money no matter how hard they ran you. Problem is, they don't have freight so that's impossible. Before you defend them again, don't forget, I was there, I worked for them and I had to stay out three months straight just trying to break even with their 2000 mile weeks. As far as you saying its the drivers fault they got no miles, give it a rest. You don't know any of the people posting on here so you can't honestly say that. As far as I go, I begged for every mile I got there and treated the office staff with kit gloves and got the shaft for my troubles. I had to stay out week after week until it turned into month after month, so don't tell me they run anyone hard, they don't. They make you sit for days, then give you a 250 mile run with three days on it or a 1800 mile run with an entire week on it.
For someone like you, that says he has been driving for 14 years and how great this company was when you only made .34 a mile is kind of interesting. How many miles do you consider being "ran hard"? I can say, without a doubt, every driver I talked to while I was there was in the same boat as I was. Also, at my current company, there are many former National Carrier drivers here, and we all had the same problems with them.
So please, don't be a cheerleader for these criminals, people read these post to help them decide if they should give them a try and giving false info about them is only going to hurt another driver.

 

Oh, and an FYI, their equipment is just new, but not at all good. Their trucks look nice but are constantly breaking down and have no APU's. And here, this should give anyone an idea how much you sit with them. Company drivers get hotels when they are laid over. The reason, you sit so long and because the trucks have no APU's, it's cheaper for them to give you three days in a hotel then to idle your truck for that long. And don't forget, they never, and I mean never, actually pay you for layover or detention like they are supposed to. By the time I left, they owed me over $800 for that and still haven't paid.
So here is an average week with them: go to Dodge City and wait three days for your load to be ready, then drive your 1000 mile or so load, and if your lucky, you get one more short one in before the pay period ends, that's it.

 

Greetings to all,

Let me start by saying Im an "old school driver" But the days of 3 log books are over! You will not run illegal at NCI.

Being on the company driver side of NCI I'll fully agree with Yogi.

Ive been with NCI for 2.5 years.

I run good miles,{average 2500 week}

Have a great truck {altho governed at 65} Mandatory 30 day inspections are done at one of the terminals.If there is any issue discovered its fixed then.If there is an issue with a truck or trailer while on the road and it needs to be fixed before it can get to a terminal,it goes to the closest place to be fixed.{or roadside is called out}

Decent insurance

Great dispatcher,Who does get me paid for any extras or layovers.

My paychecks are never late,EVER. And if there is an issue with an aspect of my pay,settlements dept takes care of it without hesitation. The only time i have ever not gotten a paycheck was when I didnt get my papers in on deadline. {transflo by monday at 5pm CST to be paid that friday.}

99% of the time I am preplanned on my next load well before I ever get to my delivery. Im given the option to decline any load with a valid reason.{My ex lives there is not a valid reason!}

Have never been forced to deliver NYC.Have taken loads to Jersey and swapped with someone who likes that rat race.

Company policy is 1 day off for 6 days out. I tell my DM when and where id like to take off and it happens.I have seen loads swapped several times with other drivers to get someone home.

I cannot expand on the lease side of the company as I would never lease a truck I would never own at the end of the lease.

A previous poster made reference to sitting 3 days for a load. I have never sat 3 days for anything anywhere that wasn't of my choosing.

If anyone would like to pm me certain questions feel free.