All American Xpress

Not sure where to post as I'm unable to say this is a good or bad company and no DAC report exists (mod - is there a way to add a company to the DAC list?).
I'm sure anyone reading this will think "that's a bad company" so this is where I'm posting it even though I'm keeping an open mind for a while longer in case apparent changes going on may be for the better.
Anyway, I recently signed on as a company driver for All American Xpress (AAX), supposedly out of Calhoun, GA. I had applied a long time ago and they were the ideal job for a driver like me, solo wanting long haul.
AAX contracts with both CocaCola (mostly juice loads) in FLA and runs them to the NW and out west has a contract with Publix to pick up produce to run back to Lakeland, FL. 2800 mile length of haul seems ideal.
I was told that being from Chattanooga, I would pick up loads relayed from FL at the Calhoun yard (55 miles from home) going to the NW. I would then return produce loads to Calhoun where again, local drivers would complete the relay to FL and I would take my break at home.

1st impresssion was that this is the most disorganized outfit I have ever encountered and after one month I am warily wondering if they are about to go the route of Arrow Trucking and simply fold. My head tells me they've made it this far (7-8 years) and its unlikely they are collapsing the moment I sign on, but the signs aren't good.
I traveled to ATL for an interview and was suspicious when I could google no info on AAX in ATL. Turns out they recently restructured and relocated their "hq" from the Calhoun, GA terminal to a downtown office building. They run in conjunction with a new outfit called "TLP" which I understand is owned by the sister of one of AAX's top guys. Nepotism, another flag.
They wanted to hire me right then and there despite it being a few days before Thanksgiving and I refused. They said to call back the next week and I did, and they had forgotten about me. The second week they said come back down for orientation. I arrived to find the girl I had been interviewing with had quit and the current HR girl had no idea I was being hired. Chatted with the head of safety who said he was with AAX several years ago, left, and just recently hired back on. I had done some research and found that after bad ratings last year they seemed to have turned the corner and were running better, and had electronic logs. "Orientation" was personnel paperwork and nothing more. I learning nothing about how bills were handled, how trip info was relayed to the company, was given two fuel cards that weren't turned on, got a sheet of paper with phone numbers of staff except it was nothing but names and numbers, I had no idea what individual did what. I was given a 'driver manager' and met him before heading up to Calhoun to their main terminal. I should say FORMER main terminal. I arrived to find the place looking abandoned. It was.
They are closing the terminal and relocating to somewhere in Dacula, GA, 100 miles south of Calhoun. 3 weeks before Christmas while owner Jamal Lewis was getting press for a Christmas tree give-away to the poor, he fired 6 f/t mechanics. Oh, and the woman who ran the terminal also quit that very morning.
I met the guy in charge of maintenance and he was nice and sincere but I was left with a lot of questions and items about the truck I was assigned were dismissed (broken front fairing from a deer strike was left for me to duct tape back together)
(check engine lite and a problem with the engine fan, was "not a problem")
(radiator dumping a gallon of coolant after long uphill pulls was "normal")
(shop in FL carries no stock inventory of coolant or motor oil, we purchase it at full price on the road).
So I hit the road.
First day comes the announcement, no more driver managers. Um, that leaves us with just two load planners managing 200 drivers.
Over the next few weeks I find that NO ONE answers their company phone. Any call goes to a voice mail for that person and even the switchboard goes to a mail menu. All employees have company cell phones apparently saving the company the need to actually have on-site 24/7 staff. Most let their cell phone mail boxes go to voice mail also.
First paycheck was ok, but seemed short. Have been unable to get the woman in payroll to answer her phone or return calls. Second paycheck did not show up. Am waiting today to see if third paycheck is deposited - if not, I quit. (update, though I never spoke to anyone in payroll, this morning my bank account shows a deposit equalling the past two weeks - so, maybe a holiday glitch, maybe my load completion fell on the wrong day to pay out on time).
Also today a fuel card was refused and I was told it had no money in the account (the second fuel card worked fine). Oh, and the safety guy who had recently hired back on? Quit again.
OK, the road :
Scheduling was ok westbound, I could route myself within reason, fuel stops were normal places (Pilot/Loves/J). Ran legal 11 hour days with normal sleep breaks. Got my return load after a 34 hr restart and came back to FL for a 4 am Publix delivery. In trying to set myself up for a 2nd 34 hr restart, I was told that I could use the "line 5" provision on the elog - Off duty/driving - to bring the load from the terminal to Publix, 3 miles away. From off duty log on "off duty driving", drive to the warehouse, log back into sleeper, after unload log back to line 5 to return to yard, and back to sleeper.
Totally illegal (line 5 is for bobtail use only).
I've just returned from my second round trip in which the return was scheduled for a team and they gave me heat for not being in FL on time.
Note, they DID NOT pressure me to run illegally. I tried to time my arrival so I could make a legal delivery but was told to get there ASAP. I did, legally, and of course Publix wouldn't unload for another 7 hours so I again was forced to do the line 5 cheat. I informed them I would not do it again.
Don't know what to expect - will insist on talking to payroll today and if that is smoothed over, my mood would be much better. Will have the truck in the shop today for minor repairs and will see if my next load will again allow me enough time to stop in Chattanooga for a one day layover. One day off at home for 12 days of driving isn't my idea of good, but its a price I'll pay to enjoy the freedom of 2800 mile length of hauls.

I am really hoping I can come back to this report and edit or update it with positive news. Obvious there is restructuring financially going on for the company - closing a terminal, trimming staff, issues with credit - I just hope they keep their head above water (and maybe get newer equipment, LOL!) and I can keep this job!
There are several long term employees, both drivers and staff, and none seemed concerned, so I am trying to take my cue from them.

But, I am still looking for long haul ops for solos, especially any running SE to west coast, so feel free to add suggestions. I have another thread on my search for long haul solo runs and have pretty much followed all the leads I was given finding most were low paying or did not cater to a Chattanooga based driver. Worse comes to worse, I finish my pre-hire with Heartland to run SE regional for them which is

 

Although I got paid, I also saw my first paystub and learned several things
1) per diem, never discussed, is mandatory
2) pay, which was discussed and is on the website (but not in any hiring paperwork) is 10 cpm LESS than advertised
3) they are withholding Georgia state income tax though I am a Tennessee resident.

As soon as I can afford to get out the truck and transition to another job, I am quitting and have already had that discussion with one of the VPs.
AAX should absolutely be in the bottom of the barrel for anyone not ready to be underpaid and overworked and unless you live in Lakeland, not get any hometime, just a 34 hr restart every 2 weeks.

 

Old.
LOL! Most of them seem to be 2006 era Volvos. Mine is a 2006 with a Cummins 500, 10 speed meritor tranny and 660k miles.
Beat up body they won't repair (Schneider was the same way), mechanical glitches they prefer to ignore until it shuts down, don't know if they even have a tire program, my trailers have had a mix of regular and STEERS on them. They recently bought a lot of the old Shaffer/Sunflower reefers - equally in lousy shape.
I think they started up this company with a huge investment and then never saved a penny - they are about to be screwed as their fleet is left dead on the road.

 

Some issues remain (time off for north georgia based drivers now that they have shuttered the Calhoun terminal), but others seem to be getting squared away. After 2 weeks of some $$ problems accounts seem to be in order, all trucks re-registered with the new Florida paperwork, the President fired, and Mr Jamal Lewis stepping up and taking hands on control.
He has had meetings at all levels (management, operations, maintenance, accounting) and is down at the Lakeland terminal as I type spending a couple of days going over shop items (repair schedules, daily maintenance, parts and service inventory etc). Last week when there was a payroll problem he announced it via company QualComm message and then announced a day later when everything was resolved along with a message that we would all receive a $50 bonus for the inconvenience. Several office people are gone, and many here are very optimistic that he is about to (finally) take the reins.
Still looking for another opportunity, but for now I like the miles, love the long haul lifestyle (after years of 450 mile length of haul that Crete/Schneider now specialize in), and will stick around unless another good offer comes along.