For the new drivers and these contract companies.

Well of course your new employer will talk badly about another. All companies think they are the best since sliced bread. For a company to out right put down another talks to me of low self esteem, and one to be very careful of in the future. A self respecting company may rather say, "glad you are here, let's get started with your orientation". nuff said.

 

So what's the "problem"...fulfill your contract, then move on. You made your bed. You have all your life yet to pay for one of Western Express' trucks for them; except for the time you still owe Cedar Rapids Steel Transport for MAKING your career.

 

Actually no. My employer said nothing about anyone. I think the way I worded that steered you wrong. This was a conversation between 5 drivers who were in the orientation class.

My company never even uttered a word about another company.

 

I'm with ya, Patty. Whenever I see these, "Hey rookie, do not do what I did" posts on TTR, I wonder if the OP knew about TTR beforehand, didnt say anything because he/she knew that everyone would be against the idea, and when they get burned, they come here and say, "DO NOT DO A LEASE FROM WESTERN EXPRESS!!!"
See, if I were stupid enough to hear what the incredible vast majority of drivers here thought about some of these companies that go after rookies, and I ignored the warnings, and got burned, I wouldnt say anything. I would be too ashamed.

 

Really they can't with a driver, the driver isn't competing with the company, they are there to provide a legal means of moving the truck and the process they went through is unique but not uncommon to be a profession. so the company can't limit the person from plying their profession somewhere else.

My wife went through this a while back, the cheesy company she work for threaten all the employees they laid off with a lawsuit if they went to work in that field (medical billing and coding) because they signed a non-compete agreement, I told my lawyer about it and he has us conference in with the owner of the company and their lawyer - he dressed the lawyer down, told the owner if she even considered pursuing any suit against any employee, he and his firm would represent all of them pro bono and they would own the company and all her assets by the time he gets done with the counter lawsuits. He said to her lawyer he would file ethic charges against the her if she ever brings this crap up again. He said you can't lay people off and then not expect them to return to the work they were trained for because you think they will compete with you - they are employees.

I would do the same thing, it is a joke what some people think they can sue over.

Not really, there are laws/rules that are supposed to be enforced by the courts over frivolous lawsuits - many are not, example is Pearson v. Chung

 

I may be wrong, but I believe that is in federal courts. There are many different courts that a lawsuit may be filed in. But I don't claim to be a Truck Stop Lawyer.

 

I know a couple guys from there. Took them about a month to realize they suck donkey balls and moved on. We drive with the same outfit currently and talk maybe once a week. Never mentioned any issue getting hired.