I would not recommend any new drivers seeking employment at Transport America

BE CAREFUL, THESE PEOPLE WILL BLACK BALL YOU USING DAC REPORT; MAKING IT HARDER FOR YOU TO GET ANOTHER TRUCKING JOB!!! I KNOW IT'S TOUGH, BUT YOU MAY SERIOUSLY WANT TO RECONSIDER NOT WAITING A YEAR AND SAVING YOUR DRIVING RECORD! I'VE EXPERIENCED THE SAME BEHAVIOR FROM THESE PEOPLE, THEY THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT THEM!

IF AND WHEN YOU QUIT, SOMEONE WILL CALL YOU POSING AS A THIRD PARTY OUTSIDE EVALUATOR ASKING YOU QUESTIONS CONCERNING WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS COMPANY NOW THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER EMPLOYED THERE, SIMPLY HANGUP THE PHONE AND DON'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR YOU TO GIVE THEM A REASON TO BLACKBALL YOU!! THIS HAPPENED TO ME!!!

COMPANIES LIKE THIS ONE NEEDS TO BE UNIONIZED. TEAMSTERS UNION OR THE AFL-CIO WOULD NOT LET THESE COMPANIES GET AWAY WITH THIS.


AS OF TODAY:

Transport Corporation of America, Inc.

Truckload carrier Transport Corporation of America wants to deliver the goods on time for manufacturers and retailers in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Long- and short-haul freight carried by Transport America includes department store merchandise, furniture, and recreational equipment, as well as consumer, grocery, industrial, and paper products. The company operates a fleet of about 1,400 tractors and 4,300 trailers; its trailer inventory is made up primarily of standard dry vans but also includes some refrigerated units. Its TA Logistics unit provides third-party logistics services. Minneapolis-based investment firm Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison owns Transport America, which began its operations in 1984.

 

Some Legislation:

Effective in 1983, Section 405 (49 U.S.C. § 31105) was enacted to encourage employee reporting of noncompliance with safety regulations governing commercial motor vehicles. Congress recognized that employees in the transportation industry are often best able to detect safety violations and yet, because they may be threatened with discharge for cooperating with enforcement agencies, they need express protection against retaliation for reporting these violations. See, e. g., 128 Cong. Rec. 32698 (1982) (remarks of Sen. Percy); id., at 32509-32510 (remarks of Sen. Danforth). Section 405 protects employee "whistle-blowers" by forbidding discharge, discipline, or other forms of discrimination by the employer in response to an employee's complaining about or refusing to operate motor vehicles that do not meet the applicable safety standards.
Congress also recognized that the employee's protection against having to choose between operating an unsafe vehicle and losing his job would lack practical effectiveness if the [481 U.S. 252, 259] employee could not be reinstated pending complete review. The longer a discharged employee remains unemployed, the more devastating are the consequences to his personal financial condition and prospects for reemployment. Accordingly, 405 incorporates additional protections, authorizing temporary reinstatement based on a preliminary finding of reasonable cause to believe that the employee has suffered a retaliatory discharge. The statute reflects a careful balancing of the relative interests of the Government, employee, and employer. It evidences a legislative determination that the preliminary investigation and finding of reasonable cause by the Secretary, if followed "expeditiously" by a hearing on the record at the employer's request, provide effective protection to the employee and ensure fair consideration of the employer's interest in making unimpaired hiring decisions.
Truck drivers who believe they have suffered retaliation for reporting violations, refusing to commit violations, or participating in proceedings, can seek relief from the U.S. Department of Labor. Under STAA, truck drivers who believe they have suffered an adverse employment action (such as discharge, demotion, discipline, or denial of advancement), have 180 days to file a simple written complaint with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The complaint can be postmarked or faxed to meet the deadline. If OSHA determines that a violation did occur, it can issue a preliminary order requiring reinstatement during further proceedings. Both sides will have an opportunity to present their evidence in a recorded hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). The ALJ's decision is reviewed by the Administrative Review Board, and parties can appeal to federal courts of appeals.
In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brock v. Roadway Express, Inc., 481 U.S. 252, that due process requires that employers receive prereinstatement notice of the employee's allegations, notice of the substance of the relevant supporting evidence, an opportunity to submit a written response, and an opportunity to meet with the investigator and present statements from rebuttal witnesses. These procedures provide a reliable initial check against mistaken decisions

Believe it or not, this piece of legislation still isn't enough!!