Driving OTR with US Xpress

You're right. It depends who you work for, just like in trucking. Some good companies and some not-so-good. And there is different pay for flying pkgs vs people, and different pay for flying domestic vs international.

 

This is so true! They are paying upwards of a quarter of a million a year for Captains. They have great websites with pretty pictures and they lure you in with the big pay and the limo to work, etc.

But you have to live in China or Dubai or Shanghai or wherever. You have to sign a contract to stay for 2-5 yrs. It's extremely dangerous. They take the pilots to work in company vehicles to keep them safe from being mugged and/or killed. The air traffic controllers don't understand or speak English very well. The flight manuals and maps have been translated into English but for the most part it is not translated properly and pilots cannot understand them. There are entire chapters missing or still printed in another language. The maps are outdated. There is a lack of communication due to language barriers, which makes flying dangerous. There is no one they can call to explain things they do not understand. Company schedulers and ATC (over there) will tell pilots to do things that are against rules/regs or are unsafe, knowing the pilots will be held responsible for anything that they do or that could go wrong, (not them), so the pilots have to be very careful. They will be put in prison if they mess up. And they are out flying for several weeks at a time, leaving their wife/kids alone in a foreign country, with a few days off in between trips. And they also have "lot lizards", so to speak, we were told prostitution is rampant over there and the ladies go after the pilots because they make so much money. We have talked to a pilot and his wife who did this for 4 yrs and just got back home to the USA, he said it was extremely dangerous and stressful and the worst flying job ever, but he made it through his contract and got the heck out of there. He said the experience really made them appreciate all we have here in the USA. All the things we complain about, the laws, the rules, the regulations, etc ... are all a good thing and you really appreciate all of it once you don't have them anymore and you realize how unprotected you are in another country such as this. The only good thing about it was he came home with a ton of money. But I told my husband that the money isn't worth putting him through that kind of stress and danger.

Again, sorry for the hi-jack of the thread. (Not supposed to say hi-jack in our business! I was a flight attendant.)

 

it's not a hi-jack it's a unplaned unforseen forced deviation form the original plan

 

yep, like 9/11

 

Hope Everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend out there on the road

 

I am an experienced driver who is disgruntled with my CPM and amount of miles I'm getting with my current employer. Have talked to Scarlett Yancy on several occasions but never pulled the trigger. The last two weeks of pitiful miles has about made me decide to go ahead and go with USX. My main concern however is after looking at this thread it seems a solo driver's miles are so erratic. Wedge, I saw where you were highly dissatisfied with the first quarter of this yr. Was the second qtr. any better? How is the third qtr. going. It also seems as though a lot of you have breakdown/truck maintenance issues. I'm also leary of huge companies after spending my first five yrs. with Schneider. I like the smaller companies but theyn usually don't have a very large customer base so you sit way too much. My current company won't let you run over the weekend so you've got to get your miles over a 5 to 6 day period. Any input would be appreciated. I would like to be hired by middle of Sept. to take advantage of the $3000 sign on bonus. Thx...Budman

 

im going to be starting with usx im going to shippensburg on the 24th finally cant wait to get started

 

Budman58, I started out with SNI in 2008, they are a great company, compared to USX... I have been with USX since last year, was a solo for 3 mo's than wife came aboard. As a solo,,,I wouldn't sugges anyone come here. Miles are probably better than SNI was for me but here is what I don't like. Lets say you get a Load that picks up tomorrow morning around 9am You go there to find out it has been cancled, no big deal, happens,,,right? Well, than you sit around all day waiting to get another load. Around 16:00 you get a load that picks up at 23:00 and delivers at 07:00...wait! I have been up all day! FM says,,,"you turning down the load?" You cant refuse loads except for Canada and NY City.. I think other than that, 2 and thats it... now someone may come on here and say they have turned down many loads and still work here,,,we shall see. The FM's don't give a rats patute about you,, which isn't really a big deal, except when you NEED something. Communication in this company is a joke and thats no lie... Some FM's are great but they are far and few between... Now, if you and a wife want to team...come on over but you will still deal with communication issues and FM's that dont give a blank...