Navajo Express - good or bad company?

Navajo Express, I personally would taken Swift over them now, but I have worked for Navajo before (in 2000). What I experience may not been the next guy, but what was mine. alone.

Low miles, low per mile rate = Little PAY.

After I gave them notice, I went home to empty my truck, and was going to take it back. But when I got home I was very sick, and went to the Doctor and was put on some medication that knocked me out all but 5 hours a day. When I started to get sick, it was all I could do to drive for 2 hours before I had to lay down for a nap. Took a load from Denver to north of Boston, MA doing that. Drive 2 sleep 2. When my home time was over I was still no shape to drive, I was still on the medication for 3 more days. I stated to them all the facts, how the meds treated me, yet I was told to drive anyway. When I refused to drive while Under these meds, I was terminated. By doing that, they Violated of the REGS, it clearly states No Company shall Force a Driver to Drive Sick 392.3, and No Company shall force a Driver to drive while under the Influnce of Medications 392.4.

The insurance I had with them only good if you lived in Colorado. $800.00 Medical cost when I got sick, it paid less than 100.00. This has broken me from taking Insurance from these larger Companies. Why pay for what you can not use?

To be honest are they a Bad Company? To most they maybe a good company, I just had a bad experience. I did stay with them the longest of the Larger Compaines I drove for, but back then, I had a bad history, jumping around, so I made up my mind to make it work, but it did not.

Reefers Like all has it's Pros and Cons.

Cons,
1. Noisy to sleep with them running, But I always love hearing it run, Help me to sleep when I was sleeping.
2. Will do a lot of Grocery Warehouses.

Pros,
1. People will have to eat no matter what the economy does.
2. If no perishables loads, You can haul most Dry Van freight.
3. If you have problems with your Truck Batteries, you can jump your truck off with the reefer.

I do though wish you luck with them. I feel deep inside they are a fair Company.

 

Great post, Coastie. It is good to hear someone give a negative report about their experience but still mention the potential good someone else may find there.

 

PawPaw, I have always said that if any company was a true BAD Company, they would not have Drivers who drove for them years and years. Everyone post on their own experiences, which means they had a problem, or dislike something about the company. But the next guy may like them and really works for them. So CRE, Swift even JB Hunt can be a great Company to some, cause some other does not like them, doesn't make them a Bad Company, just someone had a bad experience with them. The Companies that everyone calls a GOOD COMPANY even had people to quit cause of something they disliked, or a disagreement between them and Managment.

 

Very true, Coastie. Not every company is a good match. Too bad thre wasn't some good way to know. It would save a lot of drivers the headache of having to find out the hard way.

 

you're already at orientation so i doubt this'll help any. navajo appears, from a distance anyway, to have nice equipment. t-600s. and it should be easy to find an orange and white tractor at the ts. good luck and welcome to denver.

p.s. i hope the snow wasn't too much of a drag. it'll be in the 50s tomorrow. that's how it works here.

 

I've been to that facility serveral times. Everyone seemed very nice and all there equipment look well maintained. I never saw so many brand new vehicles outside a Freightliner Dealership. Good Luck to you I hope it works out.

 

The blue eyed indian on the door will keep you safe. Lol !

 

Thanks for this info.... I've talked to Navajo and have been approved to come on board.... However, it's pretty obvious they don't pay very well and their benefits suck (health ins doesn't kick in for SIX months, for example).

But the big question I have is how do they dispatch? By this I mean, do the dispatchers try to "bully" you into taking load assignments for which you are just plain UNSAFE. For example, another carrier I worked for would dispatch me out at 6:00 AM (after 10 hour break) with a load that dropped at noon. I was then TOLD I was on 10 hr break (by dispatch) and would be assigned out that night at 10:00PM.

I did not last long with that company, 'cause as a driver **I** am the only one who knows when I'm properly rested or not; not some dispatch ***hole. Plus, if I wound up killing someone, guess who would deny forcing me to go? (the bullying was never done over qualcomm..... no trail)

Anyhow, that's my question..... I can put up with almost ANYTHING else (long layovers, missed home time, etc) I never turn down loads because I don't want to go to a certain location; if i'm PROPERLY rested I'm movin'. But I won't put up with "dispatcher bullying" to cover a load for one SECOND if I'm unsafe. (Remember Crete in Florida)????

Thanks

Boo