National Freight, Inc. - Vineland, N.J.

I too worked for NFI. Worst decision I could have made. I filled out an app & was told I was ok'd for employment. But 1st I'd need to stop at their terminal 80 miles away I foolishly went. While I was there I was told expect to be here all day...Might I add-FOR FREE!!! Drug-test, physical, Filling out a new paper app., etc. Then I was asked to return tomorrow to pick-up a truck. I agreed. Before I left I asked them about orientation..."Well discuss it tomorrow" is what they told me.

THE TRUCK!!! This thing was filthy, dirt & stains everywhere. And the mattress! UNBELIEVABLE!!! This thing reaked of [urine](I wouldn't even stand in it with dirty socks)......Can you believe I looked even further & found 2 USED COMDOMS Well I said your crazy if you think I'm taking that truck, and left.

I received a call from them saying they had the truck cleaned & detailed, please give us another chance. Foolishly I did. I picked up the truck & started on my way to Texas for orientation, I later found out I thought I was just delivering a load. 100 miles from the del. they shoot me a message to head to the terminal for 3 days of orientataion What the %$##!!!

After orientation it took 3 loads 1900 miles & 12 days for them to get me home. I turned it the truck & never looked back. It Only took them 4 weeks & my lawyer to pay me the correct amount.

Drivers they bammbooselled me I was a fool for not checking everything out 1st. But please learn from my mistake. Don't waste your time with NFI.

Their turn-over rate is 150% they were excited to let me know that out of 62 drivers in 6 months they still had 1 still working for them Learn from my mistake.

 

You know, it always amazes me when the first thing a company does is give you a filthy truck. I'm on my second tractor with my employer, and when I picked up both of them I was told that if had any problems with the mattresses, they would provide me with a brand new one. Yes, within the first few days both trucks came home and I scrubbed them until I was happy with their condition, but neither one was filthy when I got them. They just had the cleaned out hurriedly look to them. Getting ready to leave now, got 4 loads of popcorn to haul to Iowa this coming week. 24 hour delivery window, and a 7 am to 11 pm pickup schedule. As long as I get them there, everyone's happy. And I know from past popcorn loads, they pay pretty well.

 

Been there myself, but hadn't taken it as far as you did... When I have a "short" paycheck I take it up with who I am working for. If it continues I walk out.

The basic attitide of a company like that is drivers are a dime a dozen. I would put a $100 on the table to say that there turn over rate is close to a houndred percent.

 

I can remember responding in person to an advertisement that NFI had in the local paper, back in the eighties. They had (and may still have) a terminal in Cleveland, Tennesse at the time. I got bad vibes just walking onto the property. I left immediately and have never given them a second thought. Over the years, I've read and heard stories much like your own, and have always been thankful that my senses were on target that day.

Skippy, I'm very interested in knowing more about the content of the pay items that you were not paid for. You seem to convey that you had proof of being shorted on pay, yet the DOL did not seem to accept your figures. Why do you think that was? I know the obvious answer is that money may have changed hands. New Jersey is not known for it's fairness in these matters.

You may have a Federal complaint, and one in which NFI may not have influence to get shoved aside.

 

NFI also hauls HEAVY Bottled water loads from Framingham,Mass (POLAND SPRINGS) to Central Long Island,N.Y. With daycabs.

 

I know someone who was a dispatcher at NFI here in Jacksonville Florida and was always worried about having to lie to drivers. Management would come in from corporate and rattle her cage on a regular basis for not "increasing production".

She eventually quit after having to testify in court over a couple drivers suing for lost unpaid wages and was threatened by management after not lying under oath.

Just doesnt sound like a place to be.

 

I worked for this company for two months. In that time I got home for about twelve hours, while there (home) after three weeks on the road I had seven calls to get moving even though it was my scheduled home time. I got to moving after the threat of being fired or having the police called on me. I needed the job.

I was hired in to do a midwest region and all but one of the 50 loads I did there was on the East Coast. The extreme east coast ie north of DC and east of Philly. I was out of hours and severly fatigued not to mention angry as the Hulk for not getting a load going home after I was promised by dispatch a week ago I would be home for the weekend of November 11th. I also went to NYC 5 times even though during recruiting I was promised that only east coast drivers and locals go there.

I was sent on a load from NJ to Mass with the promise my next load would be going home. I informed my driver manager I was out of hours yet he convinced me to do it because I was so burned out and in need of home time I was willing to cheat to get home.

When I delivered I recieved a load and a pre-plan neither went anywhere near my house and if I went by I couldn't make appointment times. I called my driver manager Bob ****** and turned down both loads, if I couldn't go home I was going to need the restart to get legal again. Words were exchanged he refered me to his boss Joe, Ops manager for the Cherry Hill IL terminal. More words were exchanged and it got pretty filthy on both sides. I was hung up on and my next call was to the Mass DOT and I recieved an out of service over the phone to get my restart.

Joe called the local police and had me removed from the truck 1000+ miles away from home in Lee Mass a small resort town on the NY border. Anything that I couldn't fit in the trunk of the cruiser had to be left behind. I lost a cooler, tv and my radio. The radio was wired in so the police would not let me remove it. It cost me over 400 dollars to get home. there was no bus station close by and the hotels were over 100 per night I paid 125 for a room. I paid 90 for a taxi ride to a bus station and then had to buy a weekend tickect for 195 including tax. Firing me was and allways is the companies option but that was real dirty to do to someone. I was charged with nothing after the local police contacted the Mass DOT and reviewed my logs...I would be breaking fed law to go get any loads at the time so they let me go when the company wanted to have me charged with theft. I had just delivered an hour ago to so the cops laughed it off when NFI reps wanted me charged with stealing the truck.

I drove over 3000 paid miles per week for this company, never was late on anything that wasn't already late when I picked it up, and until the last 2 hours I worked there never had cross words for anyone at the terminal I was out of.

I have a bond there and was owed 3200 miles at 35cpm when let go. I will post again if I recieve this money. I did not leave the truck and the local cops were more than willing to put it on the police incident report so my DAC is protected but I warn everyone to not drive for this company. If you don't live on the east coast u never get home. If you refuse to cheat U will be fired. U will not be a human being there just a truck number. I have copies of my logs, police reports, and reciepts to back everything I say. I will be more than happy to share these with any driver thinking about working there. You can do better and I am driver that got along at JB Hunt for years so I know about eating crap this company is not worth the look or spew they give during recruiting. My personal losses of equipment and cash spent to go home was near a 1000 dollars lost. If i don't get the bond or pay miles back it will be over 2000 lost in 8 weeks. think twice before you go here.

Moderators note, the last name of the driver manager had been deleted for privacy. Although there are concerns in this thread and the author is entitled to an opinion, this moderator will not tolerate bashing on a personal basis without just cause.

 

Although it is an option of any company to terminate an employee what I don't quite understand is why was the police involved...

From what I understand is the only way law enforcment would be involved is if there had been infractions of the law and then why was there no mention of being arrested....