Any Info. On Calex Express?

Does anyone have any info on Calex Express out of Pittston Pa.? I like what they have to offer, I'm hoping to get some feedback about them.

 

You have to understand that it takes an awful lot for me to get impressed. I responded to an ad on Craigslist for drivers needed in the black hole state of Florida. So I answered the ad on Monday 6/15 and on Tuesday morning I got a call back from the Calex recruiting dept to discuss the job and to see if I was interested in filling out an application. I give them credit for discussing the job before the paperwork. It seems that the majority of their work is LTL, which is what I grew up on in the big city of NY delivering frozen seafood out of Ca. and doing 10-15 drops in and around the 5 boroughs. I used to tell people the load starts dropping in Manhattan and ends up in Brooklyn. Well they faxed me an app that I filled out on Monday and faxed it back to them. On Tuesday they processed the app, called my current employer who I've been with for the last 10 years, but unfortunatley is closing up shop, did my background check and got a call back today, Thursday telling me I was good to go. Here's the good part, they are setting me up for my physical here where I live and they are sending a driver down next week to give me and another driver a road test, then they will bring me up via truck to Pittston PA to get my own truck. After pouring over this forum the last year or so I have never heard of something like this happening. I take this to mean no running dog, no motel for days on end, just 1 night so I can go through their orientation. I wonder if this is real or do I need to get slapped around a little. As for pay and hometime I am being told that I will start out at .34 p/m plus drop and p/u pay and because of their freight lanes I can be home every 10-14 days. I know a few of you regular hands on this board have done LTL and like it better than truckload, and so do I. My question is, is the starting pay comparable to the industry average, and has anyone had this type of experience with a truck company? Also I was wondering if anyone can give me some insight to Calex, their website is very informative but not from a drivers stand point. Thanks everyone for reading this long ### blog. Be safe.

 

On Monday 6/15 I answered an ad on Craigslist for drivers needed in South Florida. On Tueday morning I get a phone call from the recruiting dept, they are Calex out of Pittston Pa. I am told about the job and after our conversation I'm asked if I would be interested in signing up with them. Pretty cool the way it all transpired. I was told about the job before doing any paperwork. They are mainly an LTL operation that has about 170 trucks and 400 trailers. They faxed me an app. that I filled out and faxed back to them late Monday night. On Tuesday they had done all my verifications, and on Wednseday they had my background check done. This afternoon I get a phone call that I am being offered a job. Now here's the part I find truly amazing. They are making arrangements for me to take my physical/drug test here where I live, and they are having me do my road test with one of there drivers down here in Florida where I live. When it's all done I will go up to Pittston with another company driver for a one day orientation then get my own truck and hit the road. No Greyhound cattle car ride and no sharing a motel room with a complete stranger. Is this real in todays market, or do I need to get slapped around a little to wake up? I guess working for the same company for 10+ years, 2 tickets in the last 5 years, no accidents, and a clean DAC really does mean something to a few companies. LTL is what I grew up on. Everyother week I would have 10-15 p/u's in LA and 10-15 drops in NYC, starting in Manhattan and ending up in Brooklynn. Thats all I really know and what I truly enjoy. What my question is is for you drivers that mainly do LTL, they are starting me out at .34 p/m with p/u and drop pay, my home time due to their freight lanes will be every 7-10 days. I guess that being patient and suffering with the problem of living in Florida, this seems to be a pretty good deal. Any thoughts or insight about this or Calex would be very helpfull to me. Thanks all, and be safe.

 

Sorry about the double post, this is what happens when the wife calls as you're getting ready to post.

 

I never thought I would have to respond to a thread I started 2.6 years ago but here goes.

I work for the company, and have been since July '09, do you? Or do you have second hand knowledge from someone that you know? In any event, here's why I'm here the last 2.6 years.

Home every 4-5 days for at least 48 hours.
I am preplanned for all my loads.
I've layed over a total of 4 days in the 2.6 years I've been here.
I have asked to be home on 3 specific days in 2.6 years and have been.
My first year here I made a little over 51k.
This year I've already surpassed that.
Treated as a person, not a number.
Very casual work environment.
Health insurance after 30 days with dental and an Aflac plan.

I could go on but I'm sure you get the picture. I've been at this racket for 30+ years and this is only my 3rd OTR job. If you read through the blog you will see that about a half a dozen drivers came over here, then left for greener pastures but eventually came back. I have always made it a point to let everyone know how this company works for ME. I don't need to be gone 4-6 weeks at a time, I don't need 3500 miles per week, I'm quite happy with my 2800 miles per week and home every 5 days. The only time I am gone longer is when I ask to go west or northwest, which is where I am right now. Working for Calex affords me the opportunity to be home this week and make plans to do something with family and friends next week before I even leave the house. I have a home that I enjoy, I have a wife that I adore, hell I even have 2 seven year old Labs that adore me. I do things today that I enjoy, and it's not living in a sardine can weeks on end. I remember back when I started driving in '81, I decided then that I would start a retirement fund for when the day came that I would not do this anymore. I'm happy to say that if this job ended today I would be home tonight and retire from driving. This is my last job driving, and it's been my best one to date.

I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I just hope your information is first hand, and not from a friend of a friend. My information, for what it's worth is first hand knowledge from myself, and it's based on the last 2.6 years, not the last 2 weeks.

 

Thanks for the post pal. I just hope that people read the whole thing from day one.