Heartland Express is doing good

Wow thanks for that Greenllll!! Guess the Heartland drivers who last more then a week get all my respect.

 

Just got off the phone with the recruiter and waiting to hear back from them Monday morning. Coming out of Jacksonville, Fl with a yrs experience they sound like a great outfit and part of my future!!

 

Heartland Express pays a good cpm but thats it. This is all part of there business model to maximize profits. Keep in mind they offer no orientation pay, detention not until after 8 hours, minimal hometime, subpar insurance, short hauls, 40k plus on most loads, maximum of 2 weeks vacation, etc...

 

No inverts allowed, no idle automatically, no shuttle pay, no matter how many weeks out you will still get 2 days [34hrs +] off, they tell you how much to fuel on the road and at times you won't even get enough fuel to have a shower and the list goes on. My experience with Heartland was horrible and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Also DON'T try to take ANY advancements from the comdata card. Unless you wanna be charged 3.50 per transaction! The things you pay for like scale tickets and such for the company you won't be able to take it from your comdata card, unless you wanna get charge to do so..

Also be careful if your regional driver, they will or might have you run OTR. Or as they call it "service driver"; which you WON'T get the right amount of pay for doing those runs. As a OTR driver would..

Every company has its pros and cons but Heartland I think has a lot against them.

Good luck to those who do drive their rigs. Drive safe

 

Most of my loads are less than 20k. Not 40k. I would say that 15% of my loads are heavy.
I will agree that the health insurance they have is sub par.
Home time really depends on your dispatcher. If you are running regional or System. And where you live.
I run out of Columbus OH. When I was running regional I was home most weekends for at least a reset.
Now I am dedicated and home every weekend. I make a little less some weeks due to this. But the hometime makes it worth it to me.

System/ OTR drivers make 4 cpm more than I do. And average a couple hundred more miles per week than I do. No most drivers will not see allot of weeks over the 2800 mile mark. But if they are making 47+ CPM then they will still be making the same money or more, than a driver at a company where they have to run 3000+ miles per week.

Yes, they have allot of short hauls. They are not a long haul company. This makes them more money per mile than the long haul company's make. And they are not anywhere near the cheapest carrier around. They pride themselves on 99+% ontime service. And charge a premium for that service.
Not many company's that a driver with 1 year OTR experience can come on and make 40+ cpm. And be home a few times per month.

No, they are not perfect. I have not found any company that is. But it works for me. And works very well for many others.
It takes time to learn their system though. Learning how to use your e-logs to the best use of time. So that you can take advantage of as much of your 14 every day takes time. You are normally not on any load more than a day and a half. But we have close to 70% drop and hook. Company claims more. But I am going by what I see.

 

I have never had a fuel stop of less than 50 gal. If I did I would skip it.
Trucks do not idle more than 5 min when temps are 55-72. Unless it is a sunny day and around 70 this is not an issue. No reason a driver should idle a truck when temps are in that range.
I do not take advances. I know how to manage my money. I take 100 bucks out of my account every week for on the road use. This covers all my food and scales. I have never run out. And normally have money left at the end of the week.

All regional drivers are expected to run into other regions. Normally it is only into the next region and at times into the one past that. But never to cross 2 regions. The big difference is that regional drivers are expected to be home 2-3 weekends per month. If you are not getting this you need to talk to dispatch. And make a change.

The no inverter thing is a pain. But I have adjusted. And company is working on a change in that with the next run of new trucks. I wait to see if it actually happens.
I have to say that FL region is the one that I hear the most complaints out of from newer drivers. The ones that have been in that region for several years seem to love it. I do not know if it is a dispatcher thing or what. I have only been into that region 1 time in 2.5 years. So do not have much experience in that region.

 

Ok I'm thinking of comeing over to Heartland,I'm looking at the Texas regional.how are the driver's doing working out of that area?the company I was working for burned down.the dispatch office is all that is left.and my truck got caught in the fire.So I'm looking for work.

 

Just an idea/suggestion to you guys posting your miles and pay... How about keeping track and posting your actual odometer miles along with your paid miles so everyone can see the difference.