An ShipEx Driver Journal....

Good day peeps,

Name is Jake, I will be keeping y'all updated on my adventure with ShipEx Inc. I heard about this company through a couple of friends whom already are drivers there.

There is not any updated or valuable information about this company anywhere. (Facebook, TTR, Google, BBB, etc etc) so I plan to shed light on my experience.

Little info card about me. I have been driving for almost 5 years with 0 accidents and 1 speeding ticket(knock on wood). I have a wife of three years and two kids (David who is 2, and Inessa who is 2 months)

I started with CR England, and was stupid enough to do their lease program. I understand few are able to make out alive and be successful with it. I however was not one of them. I did complete my 2 year lease, and moved on to better things. I found a good company called Marten Transport(Mondovi, WI). I was western regional there for 2 years with 1 month temporary leave each year due to kids being born. I loved it there, but DO NOT have your wife and kids bring you dinner at a shipper / receiver while another company driver is there. He might take a picture of your son playing in the front seat and report you. (Thus my abrupt end to that business relationship).

I have been to all lower 48 states. Seen all of California and Nevada(I mean most if not all as interstates, and us/state highways)

I'll be on here every other day or so, to answer any and all questions.

Cheers

 

Road Test + Orientation + Truck Assignment

(Long Post, See Bottom for Quick Facts)

Arrived Tuesday at 1200 via personal car from Boise. I turned in the receipts for reimbursement for gas. We checked in at the terminal, half hour later we left the terminal on a road test. The truck was a 2016 Cascadia which had full gauge package, wood fixture on dash, trolley(trailer) brake, 5th wheel slide/interaxle differential/5th wheel dump switches, automated transmission, had only 167K miles. We took her from the terminal to Park City and back. After arriving back to the terminal, we finished the test with backing into a dock they had on-site. I passed. No pull ups needed. (It was a good day)

I head to the hotel they had us staying at, which was a Country Inn off of the California Exit. Checked into a room, and had pizza ordered.

Wednesday, I went to the terminal via shuttle @ 1030. There was a total of 7 drivers there including my self for orientation. They went over insurance, policies, truck assignment, routing etc etc. General orientation items.

The safety manager that took me out on the road test and also leads the orientation. Director of safety buds in once in a while to give more information when he felt needed. Everyone got along really well. They kid with each other, and are like brothers. They both drove before which is a relief. The VP Maintenance is a blunt, loud, straight forward type person, who is proactive in keeping the trucks washed, and maintained. He told us to call him Uncle Dave. Dave told us after 3 months of running the required you are able to switch out your truck for a different one than assigned if it's avail in the yard.

The safety director came in the company when they had 98 CSA score, 14 months later they have a 20 something score. He gave us very clear information on Personal Conveyance and HOS.

They explained everything very thoroughly and answered all the repeated questions that everyone asked.
They gave us 15$ for chili's for dinner, we all decided to have dinner together(the 7 of us)

Thursday, HOS/Rand McNally day.
Arriving at orientation today at 745, with all of our stuff and checked out before departing. We went over the Rand system and made sure everyone knew how to use it properly, and went over more HOS things. We took an 2 hour lunch break while they handed out fuel cards and we packed up our trucks. After 12 we awaited to be dispatched. I was given a load to PA and off I went.


,...............

Salary
They explained the only requirement for the salary. Which is

Must not have any driver at fault reasons why you cannot meet the quarterly 36K miles

Thats only 12K monthly/3K weekly/600miles a day for 5 days.

The $60K Salary=$5K monthly=$1250 weekly.

Any miles obtained after the required will be calculated at .41 CPM

The 1 month probationary period is to see if you are able to run the miles. You are paid .38CPM(may be lower depending on experience). After the month, you will be on salary if chosen or .41CPM

Does not include the bonus!

Bonus: .03CPM on all miles, paid quarterly. (36K miles = 1080$ payout) (Must meet 3 Requirements)

Mileage Requirements:
Productivity Requirements: 98% On Time Delivery and 11,500 miles per month

Safety Requirements: No preventable freight loss, 11,500 miles per month, no CSA points, 2 safety trainings(videos), no unreported damages.

Fuel Requirements: 6.5MPG, <20% idle.

Facts that were told
You are able to choose not to be on Salary! Which the CPM will be discussed per case basis(Usually .41CPM)
They are offering an option to choose Per Diem.
The driver medical insurance is paid 100%
Drivers family has a monthly premiums
Orientation pay is 100$ (Can get 200$ Cash Advance with no penalty) but after its 50$ fee to get 100 or 75$ to get 200.
EFS Checks are used.
Loves is the only fuel stop used except SAP Bros in SLC and Cheyenne.
Rand McNally TND760 are used for GPS, Dispatch via email, HOS.
BOLs needed to be faxed one hour after delivery(Smartphone app called Drive Axle can be used)
We do not use I90 in NY, I76 in PA.
I70(unless asked first) in CO.
There are only getting autos here on out.
No check calls needed, just when you go on duty make sure Order number and Trailer number is there on the logs.
Off duty driving needs approval before doing so.
10Mins needs for Pre/Post, Fuel, Load/Unload. That is the minimum but safety guy is laxed on the Fuel part.
Newer trucks will have Lane departure and crash avoidance systems on them.
63 on pedal, 66 on cruise
Espar bunk heaters on all trucks.
Apus will be on next batch of trucks.
2k wat inverter on all trucks(might be lower)
Refrigerator/freezer on all trucks
TND760 (getting. Newer version on all trucks slowly but surely) on all trucks.
Double bunks on all trucks(except maybe for the Pete's)
Chains are in a bag in the utility compartment and are expected to stay there, it's your choice.
Only 200 drivers or so.
Team drivers are welcome supposedly.(there was a son and dad team there at orientation)
Trailer/Truck washes are done at the terminal, if out on the road and need a trailer wash out call Dave to get it authorised.
You visit the terminal pretty much every week if not, every other week.
Their Idle policy is... Stay below 20% and above 6.5 (which isn't hard to do at all). That's it..



CB Radio/TV Mounting must be done by shop(Its always allowed but must be done by shop. Any drilling must be done by shop or stickers outside the truck must be approved. Dave was quite anal about that.
They reimburse 100% of scales, lumpers(if cannot be paid by check or account charge), tolls, anything dealing with the company.


My truck.
12 Speed Auto, Wood like dash, Full gauge package, Trolly brake, interaxle/fifth wheel dump/fifth wheel slide switches, refrigerator, no crash avoidance or Lane departure on mine, LED headlights. I'll upload a video to YouTube here in the next couple days showing it. I had the shop install my CB radio before leaving. They have wall outlets in three different locations inside the truck connecting to the inverter.

The transition into an auto is an adventure the first day, but afterwards I got used to it, it rides smooth and shifts flawlessly. The Jake brake works wonderfully and the power of the engine is lesser than I'm used to but still great ride.

I made it to NE from SLC, and today I should be in IL when I shutdown, will keep you guys updated

 

Update!

It has been 180 days since my last posting.

I am still with them, and loving it (McDonalds theme is playing in the background) haha...

I am in now a Volvo 780(My Choice), Auto 12 Speed, Bunk Heater, I will be doing a video on it.

Somethings I'll go ahead and update from my first post.

The 'unwritten' rule is that if you cannot sleep comfortably in the current weather condition, then Idle.
I have had Idle % higher than 30%+ and never once did I get a call from Dave. So, Just not to go crazy with the idling. Open the windows and freshen out your truck once in a while.

This is no longer true, It's like a 15$ fee to get cash advances.

This seems to be untrue, We just received a msg not to use I70 during winter. So If you have a light load, you may take I70 as that is the only feasible reason to take it.

This seems to be true on Freightliners only, As I have a brand new Volvo 780 and None of those systems are on there.

All Freightliners that we are getting (and those new ones we just received these past months all have Electronic APU, Which the Idling is still possible if you are doing a 34 or so due to the fact that these EPU's will not work after 10 or so hours.

This is true, I have 'heard' a driver get yelled at for using his chains to go over Donner. So you've been warned haha...


Miles are up and down, I have did little as 8,9xx something miles and still on Salary. They basically want to make sure you are doing the miles they have available and not just loli-gagging.

We get PDF Paystubs every Thursday for pay on Friday

We are def. needing drivers as there is always at least 10 Loaded trailers at the yard regardless of the day.

Regards to hometime, I have never had any issues getting home. I'm usually out 3-4 weeks and home 1 week(6 days) I have been getting around 880$ every week(even if I'm home) That figure would be after all the insurance offerings they have for my wife and I, don't forget Mr. Government as well.. 3520$ a month regardless of miles (as explained earlier, If you are doing everything that a driver is supposed to do, they will not take the salary away from you).

I have heard maybe 2 or 3 other drivers having issues getting home. So, each to their own in that matter.

We did switch to different health insurance providers couple months back. We now have SelectHealth.

Some things I would be happy if they did away with are, Safety Videos(Mandatory, and New one every month), The sensors and auto braking on the freightliners, Some guys in the office do not know the regulations if it bit them in the butt, LAZY Drivers... YES we do have them too... slowly but surely getting more and more... We have drivers that are averaging 480 Miles per work day. as for myself and some others are averaging 590+ Miles Per work Day. (Drivers like that do lose their salary)

Only 200 Some Odd Drivers, Still feel like a hybrid small company.
Growing pains are noticed after 2 or so months.
I can text my dispatch and he texts back regards to load information/lumpers etc etc.

Pets and Passengers are welcome!


Anything else I can think of I'll post away.

Thanks...Jake