My journey with Knight

Steve used to run the Katy terminal. Seemed like a nice guy but he would stiff you every chance he got. That's the Knight way. Seemed to take it personal when I quit, which I thought was funny. That's how Knight trains these guys to think..."life is hopeless, you work, pay taxes, and then die. You might as well get screwed while driving a purdy red POS Volvo." Some of Knights management actually thinks this way, that they are the bee's knee's of the transport industry when in fact their nothing but joke.

 

That seems to be the way to get ahead at Knight into mgmt---voluntarily be a 'henchman,' as in co. 1st at the expense of personal integrity & one's humanity...sounds like Steve must have crossed over, and then woke up to having sold his soul!

 

Did they use the phrase 'you're a professional' in your conversations? I.e. you do trucking as a career and not just for the $$$. Funny, tho professionals always get paid (see pro sports!), which is the difference between being an 'amateur' and being a 'professional.'

BTW, you wanted 7/7 but was offered 5/3..theoretically shud make more $ as more relative time on duty over the long term with 5/3....altho usually shorter runs.

Working for Knight, unless they get paid for a load, the driver wont get paid for it....if they get a basic pay to pu & deliver, the driver portion is pretty much all that will be allocated if it isnt the co.'s fault... Knight is a bean-counter co. and has it all down to a business science in order to max profit....the driver is the one who will come out on the short end....congrats on another semester of the 'School of Hard Knocks.'

 

Did you have a change of heart????????????????????

You deleted a 'book' of a rant in your last post that I responded to.!!

And now, deafening silence..........................

 

Yea, there's a few new faces in the phoenix office. Or I should say lots of new faces. From what I understand, most people quit. No one got fired or anything like that. I guess you can say that the phoenix office looks more diverse? Maybe? As in politically correct? Idk.

 

Started with knight back in may on the squire program. Did my 30,000 miles like i was suppose to then was off the squire program. Well since joining i have run over 80,000 miles and turned down no loads. So far so good. I was thinking of switching companies for more pay until i talked to a few seasoned drivers. Come to find out they are getting paid .33 - .42 a mile with this sliding scale. Was wondering why the heck was i getting .27 - .38 a mile so i looked into it more. OOPPSS knight forgot to boost me up to regular pay when i got off the Squire program lol. Called my dispatcher up and was told to talk to payroll. Talked to them and was told the terminal handles this problem. Called back to my dispatcher and they will take care of this right after xmas. Now that i will get the .33-.42 i will reconsider staying with knight. So far so good on the dispatching on my end as i hardly ever have to sit around except for my 34 reset. Oh and i will be getting retroactive back pay for what i am owed. Overall Knight is not a bad company to work for. Yes there are things that could be done better but i am sure other companies have the same thing. Just wish they would get APU or extra batteries to run the ac/heater.

 

getn2it,

I feel your pain!

I was scheduled to pick up my "get home for Christmas" load at 2200 on the 23rd, would've gotten me home on the 24th in the early afternoon, all is good, right? Crappy time to load (Sun night at 10PM?), but hey, it gets me home.

Been driving truck a long time, though, so my "spider sense" kicks in, and I call the shipper, see if I can load early, or if the load is even booked. Turns out they are closing at 1700 on the 23rd and not opening until 0600 on the 26th! Load was ready to be "picked" though, they said to come on in and they would load me.

If I had gone in at appt time, place would have been cold and dark, and Knight weekend dispatch would have no doubt been little help (I don't fault the weekend dispatch, they do their best with the tools they have, but still...)

Bottom line is that you, as the driver, have to take care of yourself and cross check, double check, etc. Knight is a big company and the turnover in the office is just as bad as the turnover in drivers. Doesn't mean it's a bad company, it's just that you have to learn to work with the system.

 

As my 1st FM said to me when I asked him about 'high turnover,' he replied "It's the nature of the industry."

It's ALL not just Knight..

Have a Happy New Year, and hope you drivers have enuf freight to carry you thru to April....OD