Link America.. GOOD

If I should decide to make the switch later, whoever wants the referral bonus just pm me your name and I'll put it on the paperwork wherever that goes. Anj I have no idea why you would turn down perfectly good money in this economy, but if you don't like making extra cash I'm sure shaggy and the rest of the guys on here would.

 

Link is trying. They're not a large company. They are medium sized. 500 to 1000 total employees puts them near the low side of the medium list. They are trying to offer what large companies can. I've worked for larger and smaller that were way worse than this one can even come close to. The smallest I worked for was a 3 truck operation. Two trucks ran, one was a backup. Worst ever! I'll never work a mom and pop again. They ruined it for me to work a family operation.

I'll take every referral that comes my way, but don't expect to hear all roses from me. That company doesn't exist. If it did, we would all be there. You just have to find your niche of toleration. This one is it for me. It's just not for everyone.

Dennis Miller, you mention breakdowns in other threads. Keep in mind, I chose this truck for an o/o used to have it and it's put back in the fleet. She didn't do proper maintenance on it and I'm working those kinks out and have them almost all out. Otherwise it's a good truck. Trailers I'm finding are fault of other drivers not reporting them. My inspections are more thorough, then again I'm a trained technician that has worked on them and know what to look for. Average drivers tend to glance them over. I measure my linings on initial trailer pick ups. Then I get paid extra for doing so. The problem hasn't been the company. I report it, take it to closest shop, and they repair every problem I found. The problem is the lazy drivers that see there is a problem, like no lights or flat tires, say nothing to breakdown, and drop the trailers with notes in electrical plugs and leaving it to the next driver, who will be upset and leave it for another driver. Fix that and I'm good here.

Leroy, it's experience and division based on your pay. SW pays more than SE, but they work for it for that .03\mile extra. I rather do SE and be consistent than SW and running like a chicken with my head cut off. They have more JIT loads with live load/inloads. SE has more d/h loads with open appts. I asked the difference for pay and that is the reason.

Anj, I'm going to run in anyway. If they say no, I have a parking spot one exit North. Has a restroom, store, food, etc within walking distance. I park there when I go this far down. There are a few hidden gems around the Miami area.

 

Act, hear from sandman lately? I haven't visited your thread in awhile.

 

Nope. Giants quit too. He's now driving a garbage truck and apparently making pretty good $$$

 

No overnight parking at Costco. No one in the guard shack at all. Security drove out like I disturbed her sleep, rubbing her eyes, and said show up 30 min prior to my appt. She had me back until a local came in and no choice, but to turn around. At least I know for future. Documented in my notebook.

 

Do you blame them? The road life is hard especially when companies don't want to pay. It's just not worth it anymore when you can make more in less time and home every night (or day). I can make the same, if not more as a tech sometimes than running out here. I just needed the break from the hustle and bustle.

 

If you like it I love it. I guess people just use this forum to get things off their chest. This has been one of my favorites threads to read since its mostly positive. It seems to have a negative tone to it lately. A bunch of folks jumping ship as you have said you are the only one left in your orientation. I really was thinking about giving one of their other divisions a call when I get tired of OTR, but don't know if that will ever happen. Do u guys go up to Catawba SC picked up a paper load out of their and they were calling for 2 link america trailers. I know the guys on here seem to stay in FL, GA area. Also seen a boat load of link america trailers at the Wal-mart in Hope Hills NC.

Well bed time for me for 3 hrs anyway till my 10 is up then off to Tomah,WI. Cya and hope things change for the better.

 

I'm beyond tired of OTR, thats one reason I started looking at link. Their miles seem to be steady. Mine are more unstable than a crazy woman hooked on painkillers. I never know from one week to the next which bills I'm gonna be able to pay, if any. I'm not looking for paradise, but I AM looking to get home a lot more often and earn a fairly predictable living. Being gone 4-5 weeks at a time is getting old. At least with a regional situation like they have at link, the paychecks would be about the same from week to week and I wouldn't have to be married to the road anymore. I could actually have a life for once.

 

I live in Orlando and see home often. I've had loads going through, delivering there, picking up there, etc. No complaints at all.

Dennis, we tell it all whether good Weeks or bad Weeks. Right now we are going through a major hurdle with corporate office move end of last month, beginning of this one. We have a lot of new people in the office and they are doing their learning curve which is upsetting a lot of drivers and making them want to jump ship for they don't want to wait on the changes.

Since I started here in March, I got put into a better truck, I've seen a ton of new trailers come in and old ones go, 4 new dms in the office with two really bad ones fired for treating drivers badly, dm hrs changing and now on a solid 24 hr coverage, getting a regular dm on the weekends and not just any weekend guy, insurance changes giving better insurance for less out of pocket and cheaper premiums, the maintenance team getting mandatory training, dms getting mandatory daily checks with planners giving truck numbers of who is loaded and who needs freight, weekly safety messages that are starting to make sense and not bore you to death plus they are shorter, quality of incoming drivers is better than just anyone to sit in the seat, and 65 new International Pro Stars that started their roll into the fleet. Yep, they are on their way in. Tags were in a big box in the office. They have hurdles and are slowly improving. Drivers from orientation, the four left, quit for several reasons. One his dad passed and he will return, but needs to handle family issues. Another went to IRT because he wanted a new Pete. Another that lived in GA and said he was home too much and he missed California so he went to Prime. The last was because he teamed with a friend and Link didn't have a team slot available.

Yes, I do vent on here. I tell my story, good or bad. I don't have complaints here other than the few I mentioned. There is a LinkAmerica Cares initiative that launches July 1st that will completely revamp payroll, hr, benefits, and operations. We get tease messages all the time with new macros on our pn systems for it. We're supposed to have a big packet mailed to us because it has our open enrollment forms as well as the announcments. Our open enrollment is in August and our whole benefit package was redone and supposed to be better with new benefits added. We'll probably mention it when we get them.

Yes I was just up in Hope Mills and Catawba. We do run up that way, but us Florida residing drivers tend to do FL GA loads. That's about a good 80% my guess. Those in GA tend to do a lot of GA SC NC loads. There is so many variences.. Planners know their good trucks and try to keep you in their covered areas by being stingy. Sometimes I have to hint at my dm that I want something different for the week. I see so many of the same customers that I'm now getting to know the customers by name. Anymore, you can say go pick up at KC Beech Island and I'll go right in, say hi to Al in the morning, Steve in afternoon, or Becky at night. Lol They also get to know us and soon as we walk in, they have your paperwork ready for you. Sometimes it's good for they'll jump you ahead of others. Then like Lee, you'll wait in line like everyone else.