Shaffer trucking......Specifically

OK, this one is about Shaffer in particular.

I will be smart here and acknowledge that Shaffer is part of Crete, but I would prefer that this thread stays on Shaffer and not Crete. I've seen a LOT of threads here about Crete, but not any in this particular forum about Shaffer. (Yes, I know there is a forum just about Shaffer elsewhere, but this is about my "favorite" company)

I will say that this is my favorite company so far. I drove for them a couple years back, and I am now going to drive for them again. I am scheduled to go to orientation on July 23, 2007.

I have driven for a few companies so far. I started with Star Transport out of Morton, IL. (These guys were the ones who grabbed me out of my "so-called" school. Any other "victims" I mean graduates of C-1 in Indianapolis? I was a three week wonder! No excuses, just facts.)

I then went to PDS (Pennsylvania Delivery Systems, now bankrupt) out of Middletown, PA. No comments about them as they no longer have the ability to ruin lives.

After them, I drove for Barr-Nunn out of Granger, IA. (I loved driving for them and would have no problem going back to them, but I have to have a full year driving before I can. Gotta love them insurance companies!)

After them I drove for Bolus Freight out of Scranton, PA. If you ever want to drive for a crappy company, go for it. These guys really don't get it.

I then went to drive for KLLM. They treated me pretty good also, and their trucks had a much better set up than most companies do.

After KLLM is when I drove for Shaffer.

I left them for a brief stint as a local jockey for Exel logistics. Another one to run from. (These are all my personal opinions of course. If your experiences are different, then so be it)

Anyway, there were a lot of reasons I have driven for so many companies. The bottom line comes down to not being able to make a stand for myself and saying no when it really counted to the "other" person in my life, when she would pull the "I want you home" complaints. (She is no longer in my life except to be the quintessential "pain in the arse".)

So, now that you have my history, I want to know what your experiences are with Shaffer.

How do they treat you if you drive for them.

What are your opinions of them and their drivers if you don't?

I will be posting more over the next couple of months, as I begin my new journey with them.

I will check back here regularly to see if y'all post about 'em!

(edited to add) This is my favorite company because they listen. I am talking about when I communicate with them. I don't expect any company, let alone one this size to be a mind reader.

That said, I always kept in contact, either through the qualcomm, or by phone.

I understand that many will come across those in the company who don't listen. In that case here, ask to talk to someone else. You can normally get a straight answer from someone.

It's a game out here, and like a certain reality show, those who can outwit, outplay and outlast are the ones who will win.

At Shaffer, it is easy to win. I like them. I hope this makes it relevant enough to keep in this forum!

Til then, take care of what's important out there, and stay away from the things that drain your life.

Stick

 

What part of this sounds like BS to you?

If you are referring to the trucker Tom Podcasts, they are real. I know, because having thought about going back to Shaffer for quite awhile, I have been following Tom and his podcasts.

He even has a regular column in the "Trucker's Connection" Magazine that you can find in almost every truck stop in the country. He writes about electronics and computers. His article is called "Tech Stop".(page 132 in Volume 21, Issue 7).

So, which part of this is BS?

Once again (and I am finding this to be a trend on these forums) just curious.

I will not pick any fights here, and I am not in any way being combative. I simply would like some clarification. (again)

Now, if it happens to be the "downward trend" you are referring to, I also would like some light shed on this, as I am going to orientation on the 23rd of July, 2007.

I would be much happier knowing what this means with information to back it.

So, please clarify, so that I know where you are coming from. Vague posts such as this tend to confuse some and irritate others.

Thanks, Stick.

 

I will do what I can to keep you updated here. I am looking forward to orientation tomorrow!

I understand about the com breakdowns that Trucker Tom is talking about, but hey, what company out there isn't going to have the occasional problem?

I have been with two different outfits where that kind of thing happened daily!
And yes, I will admit in the nine months that I drove for them before, I had some problems.

It was the overall experience I had, and not the individual occurrences, that brought me back.

I did not even look anywhere else. Shaffer was the only company I applied to! I figured that if they couldn't or wouldn't hire me back, then I would look at others, but they did want me, and so I am off!

Once again, I will get on here as soon as I can, and let ya'll know how it's going!

Peace, Stick.

 

Tomorrow, I will be getting my rig. I will be on these nations highways as soon as tomorrow evening!

Also, just to let anyone know, and this is straight out of orientation, there is a big change coming at the Acklie companies. Told to me by the head safety man at New Kingstown.

The DOT has asked Crete, and Shaffer (Hunt (not JB) was not mentioned) to start utilizing the Qualcomm's ability to track/ping the trucks Every 15 Minutes!!

Now, this will only hamper the super truckers out there. It is just about as close to having the "black box" on your truck without having it! Make you nervous? Not me. I log legal, and I make money.

Shaffer has been for a while now, and will be from here on out (for me) a "log it as you drive it" company. So, if you sit in traffic for 3 hours, you log 3 hours. Simple. (that's just one example, there are millions)

We were also told (although it has yet to be made into a LAW) that there are some more big changes coming to the HOS. I'll wait to see this though.

So, if you like to fudge your logs, or do anything that is "gray" area concerning logs, then don't even bother applying. It won't work for you. Just trying to save you time.

I know I will be making good pay though, and I won't have to run myself into the ground to do it! I looked over some of my old logs, and I made great pay back then without doggin' it, and I will make great pay now, regardless!

Wish me good times, and maybe I'll see ya out there!

I'll check back in once in a while.

Peace, Stick