My new adventure with Gordon Trucking

tow614, my only hope is that people learn facts about things and don't only listen to the repeated rantings of a few, however credible they may be. I ask that people be decent human beings and respect other people's opinions as yours are respected too. I can appreciate that you are upset and have strong feelings. Know that there are many many many Heartland drivers on the other side of this deal who have been doing their job and doing it well and take a lot of pride in Heartland Express. There are so many well respected drivers on the Heartland side as well who have been with the company for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and up to 35 years who are proud to drive for Heartland and who make an excellent living in the industry that they love. Please show respect to those guys and gals as well. Just as the excellence at Gordon and the outstanding drivers there are respected and should be listened to. The fact is that Heartland would not have joined together with a lesser company, and likewise Gordon Trucking would not have joined together with a lesser company. Mr. Larry Gordon has said as much, he said that Heartland is the only company that he would have ever made a deal with. This is not your everyday merger. The Gordons and the Gerdins have been in trucking their entire lives. I don't know who you are personally tow, but would love the opportunity to be able to meet with you in person and talk in person with integrity.

 

Delano was always table grapes for walmart for me.

 

Glad the hawks won today

 

I'm sure many here would LIKE to hear from Heartland DRIVERS, as well as management. It has been brought up that the LACK of credible HTLD driver participation and input here throws a big flag.

We generally believe ALL negative and lightly sprinkle a little positive on it for just that reason.


/I can also confirm that tow614 has often tried to lay tire tracks all over my backside when he thought I was too critical of mama's cookin' (Gordon). So it would be darkly ironic if HTLD/GTI retaliated against him for his honest participation here now. That would speak volumes about HTLD, wouldn't it?

 

Dude are you serious? Whats the big deal over discussing trucking industry pay whether you are a NEWBIE with Werner or a seasoned Veteran Driver with LandStar? This sounds like those being employed with white-collar bank teller-legal clerk-insurance sales desk job employment whereby the Employers do not want employees discussing their personal pay contract. Or at minimum, warehouse jobs where division-ism amongst employees is encouraged and this type reasoning "I don't discuss pay" applies............................ Sorry to be so harsh but "COME ON MAN!" this is Trucking!

 

I'm not in a habit (by far) of defending joseph. But who are you to demand? His pay and that of most GTI drivers has to feel really uncertain right now.

joseph doesn't have to disclose anything. Not anything at all.


/In fact, joseph's on my ignore list. I don't even see his posts any more.

//joseph and I have engaged in mutual piss contests. I was TOLD to put him on my ignore list and did as told (Mastertech). You might be next...

 

Why ignore Joseph? Do you have an issue with someone defending all the spew you have let loose? You basically prefer to talk to inanimate objects because they don't argue back..

 

Facts and not repeated ranting ; feel free to correct me when i am wrong

1. Gordon has always paid practical miles. I am never shorted on miles. I always get paid for the miles i drive even when i have to go out of route to find an empty trailer. Both loaded and empty miles are all paid.

a. Heartland pays tariff/short miles. In my opinion this is theft by deception. But i guess if you tell someone up front that you are going to be stealing from them and they agree to it that makes it ok..
a:1 is this factual

2. Heartland routes around toll roads using u.s. and state routes. Requiring drivers to navigate through municipalities with numerous traffic lights and stop signs exposing them to heavier traffic. While this may save the company money in tolls it reduces the drivers miles due to the longer travel times.
a. Not to mention the safety issues related with driving in these conditions.

3. Heartland does not provide Apu's to give climate control and comfort for the driver.
While this may seem trivial to some you must understand that an otr driver spends 80% of their life in this truck.The fact that Heartland has refused to install these units because they have not proven to be cost effective speaks volumes about heartlands attitude toward drivers.
a. While you are just now getting around to putting bunk heaters and inverters in your trucks may look like a step forward to some to me it looks like you are dragging your feet.
b. We are told that your new trucks have opti idle installed in them. Personally these things are a joke. I would be ashamed to suggest to my drivers that they were going to have to try to rest with this thing shaking the crap out of the truck all night long.

I will pause here to give you an opportunity to correct my misinformation.

 

Gordon had been on my short list of companies to work for, thanks to the forum. I wanted a good training ground, good equipment and a company that didn't seem to put up with slackers. But for now, I've scratched them.

My advice to current Gordon drivers for now - chill out, it will be fine for the time being. Heartland will want to keep the money coming in the door to pay off that debt by the end of 2015 as they're planning. They need you running to bring in that money. Gordon drivers probably have 2-3 years before you see many huge changes other than dispatch. Once that debt is paid off, they can invest a bit more in their standard Heartland equipment set up to take care of drivers and still maintain profits to keep the shareholders happy.

I worked for a large company that got bought out. It took the buyer 2-4 years before the production people saw many changes. Up until then it was business as usual for them. Here's just my two cents on who will see changes first:

1) First targets, office people including management and planning/dispatch. According to the information out there, Gordon has about 570 non-driver employees for 2000 tractors, and Heartland has about 475 non-driver employees for 2855 tractors. There might be 150-200 people eliminated in this area in the next 6 months. They're the ones who should be sweating right now, not you Gordon drivers.

2) Second targets: Consolidate the terminals in a) the Phoenix area, b) the Pontoon Beach area, and c) the two terminals in Indianapolis and Ohio. This might take 6-12 months to do.

 

Could be wrong, don't think Indy's going away any time soon. Things will happen sooner than later because Gerdin has promised to pay off $250 million credit line to assume Gordon $150 million in debt and for the transition and operating capital by 2015.

Gerdin's promised the financial community to complete the dismantling, transition and realignment of Gordon by 2015 and return to debt-free. A lot of Gordon accounts will no longer 'fit' the HTLD model. HTLD/GTI will shrink before it grows again.

If there is a case to be made that HTLD is not the Wal-Mart-ization of Gordon, or worse, here's a forum to make that case. So far, it hasn't been made. Drivers are confused, consternated.

tow and joseph have been Gordon's greeters here at TTR. Not a good idea to characterize them or others as ranting against HTLD. Make your case.

Why should a Gordon driver welcome HTLD?