West Side Transport Cedar Rapids, IA

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by BigRich711, Dec 4, 2014.

  1. BigRich711

    BigRich711 Bobtail Member

    31
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    Dec 14, 2013
    Charlotte, NC
    0
    Okay, so I'm going to present in list form multiple problems I have endured with this company.

    1) After nearly three months of employment, I have not received a week over 2,000 miles.

    2) Although I'm an OTR driver, 90% of my runs are in two states -- Indiana and Illinois.

    3) In order to get me home, they have to hire a broker to get a load. When getting broker loads, the driver is responsible for calling the broker and getting the information, which is a customer service job. Every single broker load I have done in order to get home has been utter chaos. Days and days between pick up and delivery.

    4) My check has been messed up numerous times. For example, I submitted a receipt to be reimbursed for some fluids that I had to purchase. After receiving the e-mail containing my paycheck summary (yes, they do not offer paper check summaries), I noticed that rather than reimbursing me for the fluids, they charged me what they were supposed to pay me. Also, I have a load a month ago that they haven't paid me for yet, and nearly $100 of detention time (broker load) that I haven't been paid for.

    5) My interaction with mechanics was not so great. They're lazy, sorry people.

    6) It took them nearly two months to fix a malfunctioning bunk heater. Now, that wouldn't be an issue if I weren't in the midnorth portion of the country during winter.

    7) If you take a toll that wasn't in route suggestion, you will not be reimbursed.

    8) IF YOU QUIT, THEY WILL NOT PAY TO GET YOU HOME. If you do not return the equipment, they will charge you for fuel to return it, towing bill, and a mess load of other charges.

    9) When I first went solo, they tries paying me two cent less than me and my recruiter agreed upon. My recruiter did fix the issue after I raised hell.

    10) Equipment is horrible. If it looks nice, it's an automatic. The only have manual Freightoners, and they're all garbage. There are only two outlets in the truck that haven't damaged my equipment. Cooler, extension cord, multi-port -- all damaged because of their horrible equipment.

    11) You may earn detention time, but they'll pay you for something less. For example, I earned an hour detention time, but rather than paying me $15, they paid me for repositioninga trailer, which..... Well, it isn't $15. Basically, they seem to try ripping you off every chance they get.

    My advice is, stay away from this horrible, failing company.

    If anyone has a suggestion for a good company, please let me know. I came to WST from Con-Way truckload, and I really liked Con-Way. I'm looking for something that can give me more than 2500 miles a week, all 48 states, good equipment, and if possible, does honor dispatch (paid for the load before completing the load.).
     
    Lonesome, hal380 and Drac1985 Thank this.
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  3. Meltom

    Meltom Road Train Member

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    Jan 24, 2011
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    You're about a week and a half short of winter

    This is pretty standard in the industry

    I know a company that I worked out would pay for you go home if you were fired, but if you quit you were on your own. As for abandoning the equipment, there are expenses to the company so they're just passing that on to the responsible party.


    As for the rest, those complaints see legit and enough of a reason to stay away from a company.
     
  4. drvrtech77

    drvrtech77 Road Train Member

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    Mar 20, 2010
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    You want to be paid for the load BEFORE you deliver??..good luck on that one..
     
    reefer75 and doubledragon5 Thank this.
  5. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

    19,870
    64,149
    Apr 8, 2012
    Orion's Belt
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    Gets mighty cold up here on the tundra in the autumn .....
     
  6. Meltom

    Meltom Road Train Member

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    Jan 24, 2011
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    True story, but it's not "winter" and it's been fairly mild.
     
  7. BigRich711

    BigRich711 Bobtail Member

    31
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    Dec 14, 2013
    Charlotte, NC
    0
    Hey, it works well for Con-Way...
     
  8. BigRich711

    BigRich711 Bobtail Member

    31
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    Dec 14, 2013
    Charlotte, NC
    0
    Yeah, it's mild in Wisconsin... -5 with wind chill. Yep, very mild. How much snow has NY gotten this year? Yep, it's been mild. Hey, it's nice here in NC, so it must be nice everywhere, right? Love the know-it-all
     
  9. BigRich711

    BigRich711 Bobtail Member

    31
    10
    Dec 14, 2013
    Charlotte, NC
    0
    An industry standard? Man, most companies have prepass and ezpass...

    It seems desperate to tell a driver you're not going to get them home after you #### them out of pay for three months. It's cheap and tacky.

    When's the snow on the ground and it's 5 below zero, it's f×××ing winter. I don't care whether winter starts the 24th of December or 18th of January.
     
  10. Meltom

    Meltom Road Train Member

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    Jan 24, 2011
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    So even with ez pass when you take an unauthorized toll you end up paying for it.
     
  11. muttonchops

    muttonchops Bobtail Member

    6
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    Mar 3, 2015
    Iowa
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    I am a new driver just out of school with a family history in trucking. I have a "questionable" driving record but also wanting to stay as local as possible as I am not interested in the whole OTR thing where you're out for a couple weeks at a time and home for a couple days. West Side Transport is currently on the fence about hiring me because of my driving record and I am awaiting a phone call to let me know what they've decided. IF hired I would be hired for a midwest regional position as I only live an hour from Cedar Rapids and they have a yard in my city where I can park their truck when I'm home over the weekend for my restart. I guess my question is, does anybody have any updated info on this company? Have they worked their sliding pay scale issues out and their safety director? How's the pay (miles?) and the equipment? I know beggars cant be choosers when you have a questionable driving record and no legal experience, but I also have a pretty good idea on what I'm looking for coming from a family of truck drivers and someone who spent alot of time out on the road with dad growing up. Is this company a safe place to get my year experience in before I can move up or should I just keep looking? I welcome any info from somebody who has worked here recently or is currently working here or from somebody currently going through their hiring process. Thanks
     
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