I would not recommend any new drivers seeking employment at Transport America

Discussion in 'Transport America' started by TAV, Apr 21, 2009.

  1. SwervyMervyn99

    SwervyMervyn99 Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2009
    Madison, WI
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    it's not so easy with Transport America to get 2,500 miles a week without the right fleetleader......if you have a lazy one like I just got rid of your miles will not be there
     
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  3. fathertime099

    fathertime099 Bobtail Member

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    Jul 5, 2012
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    I know what I was told..I don't turn down loads,never have turned down a load in 27 yrs of driving and never will.I,unlike many of you so called wanna be
    drivers am a PROFFESSIONAL.I like running ALL 48 states...And I was told that I would be put on O.T.R that means OVER THE ROAD.Her words not mine.Also her words,that means 48 states.I was told that in orientation,I was told that by my terminal manager.Have a good day sir..(forgive any errors in spelling)P.s all recruiters are liars.
     
  4. TAV

    TAV Light Load Member

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    Apr 19, 2009
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    It's always the drivers with this company. I bet from the time I started this post until today, they have had an 100 percent turnover in drivers. I WARNED EVERYONE TO LEAVE THIS COMPANY ALONE!!!!!
    THEY TRIED TO HIGH JACK MY LICENSE USING DAC!!!!
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2013
  5. CA_Medicine_Woman

    CA_Medicine_Woman Light Load Member

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    Jun 3, 2009
    Oak Creek, WI
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    I stand corrected on my claim that Transport America didn't ding my DAC, they did, and in a way that ended any hope of finding another job. Fortunately, the court case is over, and I am free to tell others what happened to me (finally!). The claim from TCAM is that I quit without any notice or explanation, after only 4 months with them, something that has hurt me in trying to find work in some other profession. HireRight won't accept court records to the contrary, it turns out. Since I am now permanently disabled thanks to TCAM, it doesn't have the effect they hoped it would.

    Here's what happened...

    I went to work for these guys December 2010. Despite having to drive 14 hours in a blizzard from Milwaukee (home) to Ft Wayne (the "terminal" where orientation is conducted), I got a slap on the wrist for being 20 minutes late (I had to turn in their rental car). Other than that, things went very smoothly during orientation, which is nearly all CBT based.

    When I arrived at the North Liberty, IA terminal, the rig I was assigned to was, quite literally, the oldest POS they had available in their entire fleet. From the very start, the rig had serious issues. I was in and out of the shop frequently, with only the most serious issues being dealt with, and then "on the cheap." I was told there was no sense putting too much money into a trade rig. As this was an active rig assigned to me, I failed to see their point, especially in light of the fact they had no intention of assigning me to another rig. I don't expect to get the latest and greatest when a new-hire, but I do expect a rig that doesn't break down weekly.

    Fast forward to March 2011. I had already reported multiple times concerns about one of the air brake canisters being rusted out, and now it was leaking air badly enough to lock the brakes several times a day. I was finally allowed to take it to a mechanic, who made clear the brakes would fail within 72 hours if the canister wasn't replaced. The response from "Mike" in Road Service was that he wasn't "about to authorize a single dime in repairs on a trade truck." The 72 hour figure from the mechanic turned out to be a bit optimistic, the brakes failed on the NJ Turnpike the next morning.

    Thanks to the brake failure, I ended up with injuries to both wrists and my left ankle. The wrists took roughly 5 months to heal, the ankle injury is now a permanent disability. I wanted to see a doctor right away, but was told if I did they would send someone to get my rig (and all my belongings), and I would have to find my own way home. TCAM then kept me out for an additional two weeks beyond my scheduled home time, probably thinking the injuries would heal on their own, and I wouldn't need to see a doctor. By the time I got back to the home terminal in Janesville, WI, I was a total mess. I was told to clean out my rig, that I had been transferred to the "Lifestyle Fleet," which meant slip seating two rigs between three drivers, and they had to get my rig ready for the next driver (I pity whomever that was).

    I went to the doc on my home time, and she refused to allow me to return to work without a lot of restrictions. TCAM's response was to put me on a medical LOA, and from then on I was on my own. The last minute transfer to the Lifestyle Fleet also resulted in my losing all benefits, including health insurance and short-term disability. They refused to return my calls regarding the injuries, I would have to have a friend drive me out to Janesville to meet with them face-to-face to get what few answers I could get. This forced me into having to hire an attorney, so I could get the medical help needed to at least get to where I could take care of myself. My income, needless to say, came to a screeching halt.

    Over the next 12 weeks, I would try to return to work every time a restriction was lifted, to no avail. I was told "light duty" assignments weren't available to drivers, and that moving a driver into a non-driving position was against company policy (still haven't seen that one in writing). At the end of June, 12 weeks to the day I was placed on medical leave, I was fired by telephone by my fleet manager, but told I would be welcome back once I had all work restrictions removed. My doctor, just to make her point, removed all restrictions in September 2011. Needless to say, I wasn't hired back.

    I would learn in May 2012 from my attorney that TCAM was claiming I had quit without notice or explanation in April 2011. This was confirmed on my DAC, filed July 2011 (a week after I was fired), in which TCAM made that same claim. HireRight has, thus far, refused to change this, despite court and medical documentation that proves what really happened.

    My driving career was ended the day I finally arrived home after my injuries, but if it weren't, having a claim that I simply quit without warning or explanation after only 4 months of employment would have killed it anyway. TCAM sure has gone out of their way to hide the fact that they crippled a driver just to save $250 in repairs on their "trade truck."

    So, yes, I apologize for assuming that TCAM doesn't abuse DAC to get back at drivers, and I have all the medical, legal, and HireRight paperwork that shows they most certainly do. What both HireRight and TCAM had better figure out is that putting false claims about someone in order to "get back" at them is called LIBEL (as opposed to just saying such things verbally face-to-face, which is slander). With nothing better to do besides learn to live with an especially painful disability, I plan to make it my mission in life to deal with HireRight (and the many others like them now in business), and motor carriers who stick it to drivers by making obviously false and ridiculous claims about them as some sort of industry version of "payback."

    My lawyer in the case has suggested I return to school to study law, which would allow me to make it my mission in life to deal with Bottom Feeders, Inc, a subsidiary of which is Transport Corporation of America.
     
  6. CA_Medicine_Woman

    CA_Medicine_Woman Light Load Member

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    Oak Creek, WI
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    This is simply not true. I was told that I could run the Lower 48 if I wished, but I personally opted for regional, since I lived in the Midwest. I later discovered that lie when I asked for a run to California when available, and was told only teams run out to California. There was nothing like what you claim ever mentioned by the recruiter, or during orientation.

    Also, I have yet to work for a single company that allows company drivers to refuse a load (for reasons other than legal or obvious safety issues). I was told to expect, and got, a monthly average of 2050 miles a week, so that 2,500 mile average you claim is possible is a pure work of fiction.

    Not the first time someone assigned to a cubicle (rather than a rig) trolled the message boards here, likely at the behest of their supervisor, to discredit others, or dig up some dirt so they can be fired. All of us know that tactic very well. Here's a bit of advice for you: Tell your supervisor that TCAM is facing a libel suit if they do not correct my DAC before I finish school and am ready to return to the labor market, and that my major is law. They are very aware of who I am (as is every employer I've ever worked for, and every driver I've ever met face-to-face).
     
  7. The GYG

    The GYG Light Load Member

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    May 19, 2012
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    Transport America is a good company for new drivers!
     
  8. TAV

    TAV Light Load Member

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    Feb 06 2013
    07:23 AM
    More unhappy drivers:

    Me and my co driver
    went to transport america in birmingham alabama...they were the nicest people in the world in orientation, but when you get on the road you are on your own...recruiter lied about how much we would get paid, recruiter said we would get 48 cpm split all miles paid...we got under our first load with five stops,the said we would be paid 40 cpm split... so we delivered five loads and brought the equipment back to the yard in fontana california and quit...never got paid for those loads ,and looking to find an attorney to force them to pay us for those loads.....whatever you do dont let steven ash be your dispatcher, he will ignore you , give you bad loads, and be rude to you.experienced it for myself and was told that by other drivers in the dallas terminal.......


    STAY AWAY FROM TRANSPORT AMERICA...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.....
    http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/trans...ay-me-or-my-team-driver-for-loads-del-1009697
     
  9. The GYG

    The GYG Light Load Member

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    May 19, 2012
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    You have been posting negativity about Transport America since 2009. As I see it, you tried with Southern Cal well before Transport America purchased them. Things have changed since 2009.
     
  10. Kevin horn

    Kevin horn Medium Load Member

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    Jun 2, 2013
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    I have to disagree!! I started driving in feb of 03 and left in oct of 07 and I really didn't have many bad days with them.. It was good from day one.. I was home every weekend and holidays great pay.. Heck back in 03 straight out of CDL school and after my 4 weeks with my trainer I was making .29 a mile 10 years later companies still don't pay close to that.. Had great dispatchers.. I can't say anything bag about them.. Maybe u need to stop driving in TCAMS customers grass.. Lol I give TCAM a 5 star rating across the board
     
  11. SwervyMervyn99

    SwervyMervyn99 Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2009
    Madison, WI
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    A lot has changed in 6 years, you can't compare your time here to how it is run now, most drivers with any time in here will say. " it's not the company it use to be"
     
    CA_Medicine_Woman Thanks this.
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