Started with Knight

Just think of Knight as 28 different companies. All cheating and backstabbing each other to increase numbers for their own terminal. The terminals are also zoned together. Running out of Katy, Olive Branch, Gulfport, El Paso, and Kansas City were usually okay to me. Carlisle, Richmond, Columbus....wouldn't whiz on a Katy driver if his hair was on fire and vice versa. Way to much BS and politics for most people. That's why nobody stays with them longer than a month or two. I lost $112 dollars to them by way of unreimbursed tolls and scale tickets. I can't see how there could possibly be a worse company than Knight.

 

Knight runs their individual terminals as 'profit centers,' where they 'maximize' their individual profit/center at the overall expense of the company's integrity & future, those who work under it (aka, willing to take a high turn-over rate), and it becomes an 'every man for themselves' mode of operation!

It's used in other industries, as the concept looks good 'on paper for short-term gains, and pressures & rewards those who are at the top and operate such a 'cut throat' style of business....and is by no means employee friendly!!

 

I started with Knight (Gulfport) in Aug. 2012.
First, I couldn't believe they use those old etch a sketch shaped green and black 1990's qualcomm's still and refuse to upgrade to like what swift and other companies have, the MCP2000.

Then Wayne Byars wide body ### comes in there. he admits he never drove a tractor trailer in his whole life. all he ever was was a glorified media publicist for the MS sea wolves hockey team that folded. ECHL league. He walks around pre-loaded, jacked up on Mountain Dew, he really tries to bully people. I was never afraid of him. But unfortunately he did trick me a bunch of times. very deceiving.

THe shop, was even more of a Joke. they had this weenie named Cory that was the shop manager. what a dweeb. Then I was so happy when when he was gone, I thought he got fired, but some dumb ### actually promoted him to something else. But the good news is the Guy who took his job, Mr. David, actually gets #### done and makes the hands do there jobs.

I always tried to get my "A" and "B" services done at the Katy, TX terminal.

But about Gulfport, I was not happy with that joint, I had found the listing on ''craigslist'' last year, for gulfport terminal. Had I known there was a Katy, TX terminal probably would have went there instead. I live in Lafayette, LA. But my advice to any KNIGHT drivers, if Wayne Byars comes to you asking you to do odd loads for him, I would not. He will send you on container loads, loads to ports where you get harassed for not having a twic card and gotta hire lump-### like twic escorts, and all kind of ####. and you have to remind him to pay you. well any how. that's it for me.

 

Careful at the Ontario yard. Two friends I had stuff stolen from their volvos. Someone there has keys that match the volvos. The person(s) involved even stole clothes! One happened while the driver was in the shower and the other was a younger driver who got a ride with her dad to get lunch. I was warned by a third driver, who I didn't know, to watch my stuff due to the antics.

I never had trouble, but I never stayed out of my truck longer than it took to use a restroom.

Theres always entertainment on channel 19, too. Some guy with a base station.

 

That goes for any Knight manager asking for anything. I was once asked if I could go to the Port of Houston and get 4 containers and run them to the Houston drop yard. So in I went, into the 4th busiest port in the world. I somehow figured out the lay of the land, searched high and low for the containers, went and found the chassis lot. Took a better part of the day. I had to ask three times for my pay and finally got $20 bucks. That's Knight for you.

 

The trick with Knight and favors is to get the money ahead of time for the favor. Negotiate your price and then have them send the P.O. for it.

 

You'll find that companies like Knight who have 'profit centers' to push their employees and take away job satisfaction ALWAYS promote their 'henchmen' who have no humanity about lying, cheating, and abusing their drivers.....the key is to stop being a naive 'company driver' and' 'bending over and taking it in the end,' (which just leads to more abuse as 'battered wives' open themselves up for by staying with their 'abuser') to figuring out 'the system,' who the good & bad guys are (the good guys never last long in the office!) and with experience & a clean driving record, stand up to their false promises et al...I did it for 5 yrs with them and managed to 'work' their system!

EDIT: Making 'deals' with the local area dispatchers (do this local and we'll get you a load back home) doesnt always work---once I got stuck doing 3 locals in the Portland area b4 I dug in my heels and 'waited' for a load headed in my home direction (which I found were available and given to their local drivers while I was doing the locals!!!

 

I remember being out for 9 weeks. After week six, I asked to go home. Instead, they kept me near chicago and said they didn't have anything going toward Phoenix. Once I got home, they actually called me after only one day off to send me on local runs!!! I learned to shut my phone off every time I went home.

 

Who you with now?

 

Nobody. Looking for something local. I stopped doing OTR (not making enough money, and faulty equipment) at the end of November 2012.