Tale of the 7/7 (2012)

Week two in the can. Very positive 2800 miles in 6 days. Only issue I've to deal with today is payroll. My 1st week out was given a load that had "Driver" tailgate load. I had documented 3 hours in labor, but was not paid. Need to get this straightened out.

 

Got the call from my dispatcher that my truck is late getting in. So heading out 1st thing won't be in the plan. She asked me to call about 9 am for a late morning or afternoon launch.

I'm optimistic the miles will be there once I get rolling. I have confidence in my FM. She did a great job last week...though I would of loved to have gotten 3k miles. Anything over 2600 is acceptable with no beaching from me.

Stay tuned.....we'll return after this short commercial break.

 

Week 3 down and the Honeymoon is over!

Let's cover the numbers to start. 7 days out with 2576 miles and got the fuel economy back up to 8.5. I really am impressed with the PROMAXX Power. It'll pull the heavy like a champ and still rock on fuel economy.

Now on to the negative real facts...1st week in January I was dispatched on a load that had "Driver Unload." There was even a message with the dispatch saying you must call in to verbally accept load as well as sending the macro.

Calling in, the guy I talked to said the reason for the call was to be sure I understood "Driver Unload." Said all I was required to do was tailgate the product. Well here we are a month later and I just found out I'm NOT getting paid to unload. The woman I spoke with said you have to give them the first hour free. Reading the manual I knew this, so I told her to re-check her records this was a three stop load. I had three hours total.

Didn't even get the courtesy of a call just an email message. Said I would NOT be paid, that I had to give them a FREE hour at each stop. So I replied to her that she needed to go back and look in the manual. It says an hour, not an hour every stop. I proceeded to tell her it was BS that a professional can't go out and do an honest job and earn an honest wage. That now there was hoops and contingency to consider...and I would now consider. Also there was no way to dilly dally because the time between appt. was short....again this will not be my concern in the future.

Still waiting for a response email...

After my last load was late and having to wait at the Darlington ######## drop yard without any real services or food. I decided I was shutting down at a normal hour and eating/showering like a human, opposed to jumping through my ### to sit all night in a parking lot of an Industrial Park...again with no services.

So I got up this morning and was about an 1:15 out from the con, with 40 min to get there. I sent the message in that since the load was almost 4 hours late to me, the load will be late to the con this morn.

Two minutes from the con I hear I have a message. When I arrive I check it and it asks when will I arrive. I sent in my arrival call.

This is where it gets good...The con has no record of this load arriving today! After about 30 minutes the dock supervisor said he'd squeeze me in between other loads as the next load hadn't arrived yet.

I send in a message stating just that and when I was empty I'd deadhead the 15 miles to the terminal to begin my home time. I get a message, "We'll let you know."

BS!!...after unload I sent empty call in and a message no place to park at con, coming back to yard.

Bottom line I've been doing this gig 15 years and have paid my dues. I've worked at some pretty crappy companies, driven some crappy trucks, but I've NEVER been stolen from directly out of my payroll...til Roehl!

Roehl is a #### hole company to steal from the drivers. Seeing only two terminals thus far, Ellenwood & Gary, both are dirty worn out pieces of crap. No real comfort or amenities for the driver. Only dirty dingy basics. The Darlington drop yard, pray you don't have to crap. It'd be more sanitary to have Porta-Potty's. At least the company who manages those would clean them once a week.

I can only imagine the terminals are like this company wide. Also you would think the money Roehl has to lay out to bring drivers in, they'd want to treat with respect & be honest with.

I'm on the look out for another opportunity. Roehl will NOT be a long term commitment for me. I don't appreciate liars & thieves when I just want to do an honest job for honest pay.

I don't have any faith in the so called Bonus's. Like any other company, they're going to find a loop hole to steal from the driver.

 

Here it is 6:00 pm EST and I've yet to get ANY of my paycheck!

I find it suspect now how much the gentleman on the voice mail message this morning devoted the 3 minute message about Roehl not having money problems.

I wonder how many others are without ANY of their earned wages.

 

Sounds like you at least have something...and today is Wednesday. If payday is Thursday....have they been wrong to pay me EVERY Wednesday since I started, and you on Thursday...'cept what you received today, Wednesday?

Why would they send out a voice mail early, early Wednesday morning if folks are not to be paid until Thursday?

I historically get an email on Tuesday night & my money has always been available...'cept today, on Wednesday.

Thanks though for letting me know payday is now on Thursday