Raider Express - Ft. Worth, Tx (New Solo Driver Blog)

Glad to hear you made it through "double secret probation" ok. Do you do mainly reefer? You guys must be doing good job if you are staying busy. Lots of em' dropping like flies. Your owners must know how to run business and not haul freight for fun.

 

Yes, they are a good company. I have only driven for very small outfits and Raider is the largest company I have driven for. The freight is consistent but sometimes you may wait 24-30hrs getting a load from either Fort Morgan or Greeley. Their equipment is really good as I have driven with them for 2 months and none of the trucks I driven gave me a problem. The dispatchers are pretty good and definitely like the ladies in safety. They are very understanding and willing to help you. What I find is that if you go in with a positive attitude everything seems to work alright. Only peeve that I have is they ride you on MPG. They report MPG on your truck every week from the Qualcomm and the truck's computer. Mercedes engines must do 7.0 or better and Detroit 6.5 or better MPG. They have fuel bonuses the better you do but you must those minimums. Example, They did a report starting at the beginning of the month until the 6th on my truck. Had a 6.05 MPG and 47%+ idle time. Grounds for termination with these numbers. I had to explain that on the 1st I arrived in Laredo # 9pm with a 6am appointment. It was 90+ # 9pm at night, too hot to not idle. Did not get into a door until 3:30pm and it was 110 outside. I wasn't going to turn the truck off. After unloading they sent me to McAllen but the load wasn't ready until 4pm the next afternoon. I idled all night and into the afternoon since I arrived in McAllen # 5:30pm. These two plus days are what killed my MPG. Driver manager called and said if I didn't improve I would be let go.

 

wait till you tell them you wont run illeagle anymore also the trucks are goverened at 59MPH even O/Os a Raider driver

 

Even with times as they are,I imagine that MANY a hand will start looking to ease on elsewhere when that 59 mph begins to stress the driver out.59 is too #### slow and will make drivers leave.Talk about road rage-

 

Ive been with them for many years. So I KNOW. They where great the first few years but have gone down hill BIG time! The biggest problem is there are NO pre plans, What so ever! They send you where ever the load is taking you and AFTER you are unloaded they will look for a load for you. They use to have customers all over the place but have lost half of them. I am sitting today, waiting. I was unloaded yesterday early morning. This is my 3rd time resetting my hours in under two weeks!! I spent 2 days waiting in Denver,CO last week along with around 12 other Raiders in the same place. They Expect you to Freeze in the winter and burn up in the summer, No joke! I handle the summer fine because I got two fans going at night. After sitting a few days you will get a load and most likely have to run Illegal(they expect you to) to get it there on time. But you gotta do what you gotta do, Right? Don'T know if this company is worse then any other company, There all pretty much the same as a company driver perspective. I'm looking for a new job but it sure is a bad time to be looking. I'll be here until the right thing come along.....Just ah resetting my hours.

 

Just hard times. All carriers are struggling to make it. They have cut about all the corners they can, so now some are expecting their drivers to run illegal all the time. It's up to every driver to make up their own mind how much fudging they are willing to tolerate. If it gets too bad I would record all conversations with anyone connected to a company to CMA.