Started w/ C-1 (Ft Wayne) on 9/13/10

So I'm due home 8/17, appointment with my daughter, 8/13 I get a load to tampa, fl over 1000 miles, deliver on monday 8/15. Only one problem, getting out of tampa and back to the buckeye by 8/17. No way I would get a load out of florida in a timely manner, those are the facts, the drive, no big deal, if I had the freight.

So I p/u the load, last night, send a message to dispatch explaining my situation, with an hour they had a solution, drop the load in atlanta, p/u load in augusta heading to cincinnati, deliver 8/17 0800. Perfect, USA truck never ceases to amaze me, just when I think one thing they do another.
/

 

So here's the way it went.......I went home as scheduled 8/17/11, but was a big hassle. Not from the FM, from the company.

I gave it some thought and decided to stay at the house. I drove 104K miles in 2011 in a truck that had no cruise, apu or any other ammenities. I did it without complaint and was rewarded with decent pay and a GREAT FM, which made my time at USA without incident. Which is better than I can say for most.

I took a couple of months off and decided to go back to USA. I set everything up, but then I got to talking to a couple of my friends who are still there and the changes that are being made within the company really caused me to "pause", that's to say I really thought about all I knew about USA and all the changes currently being realized by the company. Good stuff from what I can see, but the changing HOS stuff and the ever increasing DOT "spot light" on USA really got me to thinking..........

There is a small window in the trucking industry that is rapidly closing, HOS rules change and the advent of EOBR devices will change the way everyone does business SOON, but the mega-carriers will fall in line first (they are), the small guys will be the last ones and it might take a while due to everyone arguing the legality of all this. So this window.................it's the money window.

So I decided not to come back to USA. It's nothing against USA. My time there was the most rememberable thing I have done in the past 25 years. The drive was always awesome, how could it not be? The organization??? Well, opinion varies but I will say (3) things that are paramount to your success at USA.

1) Develop a relationship with your FM. DO IT QUICKLY!! If you cannot, get a new FM. The FM is a key to the kingdom!

2) "Do what you gotta do, so you can do what you wanna do"!! That means, do your driving, show up early, appointment or not, 70% of the time they will take you, then you can go to the next load ($$$$$$$). If they won't take you, fine, at least your there, take a break then. If you do this it will go a long way towards what I said in #1. (I know, I NEVER had a load failure) This is also a key to the kingdom.

3) Don't get caught up trying to keep up with the Jones (other drivers), if your doing 1 & 2 above, chances are your ahead of them anyway. It's easy to swing into a terminal for service, your truck may be older, you see all the new trucks around. You walk into the terminal and there sits 10 guys, 3 of which are complaining about no miles and THEY are a recently upgraded driver, driving one of those brand new trucks you seen in the parking lot. I seen it, it's easy to get discouraged and question your lot in USA life when you think someone else is better off because they have a new ride. Don't get caught up with drivers that will steal your joy because they have none of their own. This is also a key to the kingdom.

In closing this thread I can say nothing negative about USA. It is a starter company and there is a learning curve that you have to get good at. AND DO IT IN A HURRY! Freight needs to get there and customers don't want to hear some BS excuse about being new. It goes without saying that staying clear of accidents and other mishaps will minimize your difficulities, not only with USA, but going forward in your career. There is nothing going on at USA that does not allow folks to be successful. Your success comes from within you.

I did it, driving an 9400 with over 500k on it. Never an incident, never a load failure!
How?? I found the "keys" I just explained.

Good luck to you......

 

I got on with a 5 truck company, all reefer's. All east coast runs, home 3-4 nights per week. Nice equipment, I have full control of the throttle!! Paper logs (loose leaf), its all good!

I will never quit truckin' !!!!!!!!

 

and thanks for wishing me good luck, my hope for you is good luck as well!

 

They treated me fine too. I sooooooo agree about the petty whining. Be safe!