Mid States Express Inc.

I remember watching Management in my facility and the District Man. when He came around. They would try to be soooooooo business like and so professional, all the while, I could see it in their demeanor how they were ashamed and how they would cower down to their own scruples.

We would confront them about different matters and a blind person could have seen the body language, the tone of their voices, how these men would have to sink to the lower depths of humanity JUST TO KEEP THEIR JOBS.

When they would do this, we knew they were being fake and covering their buns and we knew they knew. Management a title I have no respect for any longer. Without spineless people, this travesty would have never happened. This is the frustration we all are experiencing. It is easy to blame the Hartmann's, but this would have never happened without the willing accomplices called MANAGEMENT.

Sure they were in a tough position, but they chose it. Do I feel for them? No! Not when a District Manager could not answer a simple question...WHERE IS MY INSURANCE MONEY GOING? No wonder the company failed!

Management! ha! That title held no more importance than dock hand.

Now, I am through with talking about managemnet.....we all know what went on so all we can do now is wait and hope for justice.

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Has anyone heard what went on at the hearing this week? I heard, and this is hearsay, that the people who owned the trucks etc. are going to be able to get their equipment. That there are a couple of cars and a truck of some kind that can be sold. Also heard that the bank said it would loan the Harttless gang money to pay the employees if the gang will drop their lawsuit against the bank. The Harttless' said no way unless they get enough money to pay everything that's owed to the employees. If that's true, it could keep them out of trouble. Bad checks and so on. That's about all I've heard and remember this is not anything I've read, etc. I can't verify it so I consider it to be HEARSAY until I know better.

 

I heard from one of my customers the Hartmann boys are all aboard with Vitran. I cant verify. Just a rumor form a custy.

Also for whoever complained about not getting an employement verification from your TM in Rock Island....do you think the cell that Mid States gave him works? cause I know him and I cant get ahold of him cause the phone is off.

I do know the TM gave letters of recommendations for those that asked he was there two weeks after the closing. So in my opinion you werent looking for rec.

 

I don't have the time to read 27 pages to find out exactly what happened here but I have read enough pages to know that this was a f upped company. However, I don't believe in blaming this on VERY person who had a MANAGEMENT POSITION.
To say that a district manager shoud know where your premiums went is absurb at best. He may be a manager but I am pretty sure it was his job to make sure your money was not being pissed away. A company this size I am sure they had someone in the HR department that was responsible for benefits, even if it was YOUR money and not really a benefit.
I am not a trucker, a hobby trucker at best and I own my truck that I drive on the weekends around my farm. But, I am a manager of a large stamping company and quite honestly, I would not know insurance related questions such as the ones you are asking. And you know what.....IT IS NOT MY JOB TO KNOW EITHER! My job is to manage the employess that report to me. Heck, I know I have asked a co-worker about insurance related things before.....why??? because I knew that he/she had recent experience with what was covered, etc. Now I will say that a good manager will find the answers to these questions when asked by an employee but it just is illogical to expect everyone that has a manager title to know these things.
Just like in life, I have found the best employees and the most successful ones are the ones who are able to navigate the system and find the people who will provide the right answers. What you have done is similar to buying a truck and walking into the service bays and asking a mechanic the price of a truck and getting upset when he doesn't know. If you want to know, go see the sales guy who works in that department.
Not to say it doesn't sound like you have been wronged........my only point is that it is NOT ALL MANAGEMENTS fault and rest assured, some of them, if not all of them, got burned as well.

 

You know...reading some of these posts it just accured to me that you are right..some of this money that was taken out of checks was not taxed!! Hummmm....some food for thought!!!!

 

A company that is self insured can claim a tax break. Wanna bet MSXN did, and did so for how many years? Here is the catch, they may have claimed the tax break only the untaxed money was not used for insurance purposes. My better half also caught another mistake, a long these same lines which I can not relate due to my lack of knowledge on that point.

Today, I received a letter from the I.R.S. The letter informed me they have assigned investigators to look into this. This, again, is a time consuming procedure. They will how ever let me know soon as to whether or not they find wrong doing.

My wife should receive another letter from the I.R.S. in a couple of weeks.

Has anyone called corporate and tried talking to the new administrator?
I forgot to do this today...my bad!

 

TM I appreciate your comments...I know you were not there and have a limited understanding to this situation. You did say,

"Now I will say that a good manager will find the answers to these questions when asked by an employee but it just is illogical to expect everyone that has a manager title to know these things."

Nobody expected everyone in management to know the answers to the insurance problems. The complaint against management is, NOBODY had an answer! This was and is the problem! I knew the answer but wanted an official response and could never get one. Not from anyone! Not from Terminal managers, District manager, not even from corporate. Truth is, anyone with half a brain knew what was going on but not one MANAGEMENT would even dare to tell us. Sad but true...this whole Management discussion started when one of the top Managers joined in our conversations. All he did was belittle and try to defend his sorry you know what! ha! There is no defense!

These guys collected from their employees in insurance premiums in the millions of dollars, possably tax free, and used it for something other than paying insurance bills. Now the employees are left paying the insurance bills, lost their premiums and now out of a job...Management...ha! Ok! Good management will find out the answers!! Guess we had none?

 

looking back a past postings seems one was working for central transport...now they are all working at Vitran?

 

I have a contact at Central who says none of them are working there, but who knows and does it make a difference where any of them work? Their reputations will follow them where ever they land. If any of them are in sales, do you honestly think any traffic manager who knows the story would use the company they are selling for?