The Shaffer Experience

It was so disheartening to look on this entire board and learn about some of the companies I was going to apply to. But at the same time I am glad to learn the info that I have learned.

I just graduated a 280hr class and i have all endorsments. Shaffer is one of the companies that I want to apply to. I am getting the impression that they are a good outfit. Am I right to assume so? Anyone with good intel, please tell me.

 

What school did you go to in GA?
Who was your recruiter?
... Crete and Shaffer both offered me a job but would not guarantee me a regional position so I have not accepted employment with them yet. They told me I would do training and then be assigned to National Region first. Then I could apply for Regional positions when available.
... I just spoke with a USF Glen Moore recruiter who told me I could have a Regional position as soon as training was over so I am going to begin my paperwork process with them to see if I can get employment. Thier training is 3 days in Knoxville for me, then 6-10 weeks with trainer. Good things are, lodging & meals provided at orientation along with $500 pay. $500 per week pay during training. Free Idle Aire, SE Regional position avg 2800 miles weekly, BlueCrossBS insurance, 401k w/50cents/dollar match, 1 wk vacation 1st yr, 2 wks 2nd yr, International Eagle 05 up w/ 10sp conventional, 5-6 days out w/ 1-2 days hometime.
... ??? start at .29cpm after training w/ Rand Mcnally mileage pay ??? not so great but only drawback for me so far, will see and advise

 

I went to a tech college in Valdosta. My recruiter has since moved to safety. Before attending one, make sure its on their list of approved schools. Mine was not...up until my 2nd to last day of graduation. I got lucky there!
Well, Crete offers the same 500 a week, 8 weeks training, .34/mile then .41 after a year. They currently have Freightliner Century 10 Meritor/Detroit drivetrain. I hear they are ordering some Cascadias, but dont count on seeing one being a newbie. My truck is an 04 with 540K on the clock.
Good luck!

 

I wanted to go to Crete but they said I would first have to go OTR and then apply for regional when openings were available. I just do not want to be OTR period, been to California once and don't care to go back. My requirement is more home time over more pay. Not for everybody I know, but we all have our individual priorities to satisfy our life stage.

 

I worked for Shaffer for almost a year. The pay is good but the rest leaves things to be desired. Let's start from the beginning. I went to the Wilmer terminal for the initial hiring process. The company got me a rental car to get there and put me up in a nice hotel (no roomates, everyone gets their own room). Did the hiring thing and got my truck assigned. Then I get a message from dispatch that I need to go out with a trainer. Company could not verify two months of experience, no big deal to me.

The trainer was good and had no problems there. While waiting for the trainer the company got me additional cash to cover expenses and started my pay as well as covering my extended hotel stay. After training I was dropped off at the Indianapolis terminal and got another rental to get to orientation in New Kingstown. Got a nice hotel room to myself, again.

Now the trouble starts. Got my truck assigned and spent two days with it in the shop. Lots of problems with the truck. Brakes, leaks, body repairs. I had problems with the truck for about 3 months. The vast majority of my loads were late on pick up or delivery because of mechanical trouble. The engine finally blew in the truck. It was discovered that a tooth on the flywheel had broken off. Not once did anyone actually diagnose the engine only the components.

I argued with breakdown about the truck and getting a hotel. I was then sent to a Georgia Freightliner shop to get a recovery truck that had been banged up. The company did get me a rental car for the trip and paid for a hotel. The truck, as expected, was in terrible shape. The prior driver lived like a pig.

I was instructed to take the "new" truck to Marietta to have decals and final adjustments made. It took 3 hours for the decals to be put on. After sitting for 2 weeks I had to make some money and pulled the truck from maintenance.

Then the consolidation came. Shaffer now no longer has dedicated dispatch. They changed over to regional dispatch much like what Crete has. They failed to notify drivers that we no longer got 1.5 days off per week out. I found this out when I put in for home time.

With the change of dispatch I no longer got good miles and went from waiting about 15 minutes for a load assignment to waiting for several hours or even days. Only to get a fluff load between 300 to 500 miles. Down from 900 to 1500. Also getting stuck in the North East for weeks on end.


Had little issues from the truck but major issues with miles, home time, and maintenance. I normally stayed out for 3 or 4 months and only requested home time when needed. I would request time off a month in advance and send in reminders via QComm. The company failed to get me in. The web site cites 70% getting people home on time. I got home 0% on time. Most requests were for medical appointments through the Veterans Administration and I ended up threatening a law suite against the company. Amazingly enough I got a load home. However, it should have never had to come to that.

On maintenance. All services are done at terminals. Every terminal I went to in order to have an A service done (brakes, lights, etc.) I would be told it could not be done until the following day. The B service (A service plus oil and fluids) could be started in 3 days. Forget any diagnostics or other repairs, you could be there for a long time.

Repairs on the road, hahaha. I had to fight and argue to get brakes replaced in Barstow. The company authorized inspection and only if the mechanic says the brakes need replacing will they breakdown and authorize the replacement. They don't trust the driver to actually know anything about maintenance (well, what company does).
I lost my heat exchanger to a rock that was kicked up. Punched a hole in it. Sent this into breakdown and got a reply back "Are you sure it's leaking? Can you still drive?" I was thinking to myself "No, I'm imagining all the green fluid flowing out from under my truck."
Had a sensor problem on my final run. Truck would just not pull and would blow out thick black smoke on occasion. Sent this into break down and got the message "Hows the truck running?" Again I thought to myself "Like crap, otherwise I would not be contacting you. Would I?"

As for miles. Since the consolidation Shaffer can't seem to get things straight. Dispatch will not T-call a load unless it's a proven no win situation. You accept a load you are married to it, divorce is not an option. If you go from one region to another the receiving region does not know you exist until you send in an empty call. Hence, no preplanned load offers. Hence, you sit and wait or get fluff loads.

It was a decent company. It may once again become a decent company, someday. In order for that to happen they need to get their maintenance and dispatch into decent shape. They also need to get their drivers home on time on the day they request. I understand it can't always happen, but every time is not acceptable.

 

so thats all you are getting i am a shaffer driver to and i run about 2600 to 3400 ever week i run the northeast and i dont like going up there but i put up with it its my job to del the loads where ever they go so you should just get over it and just do it then maybe your mile will go up but i take home $950 to 1200 a week with shaffer

 

shaffer is a good place to work you just have to wont to work miles are really good for me even it is 100mile load or a 500 mile load they all add up the same you people that wont the long mile let me ask you why in a 62mph truck lets just say you get a 2500mile run how long would that take you you drive 450 to 500 miles a day so thats what about 5 to 6 days in a shaffer or crete truck so like i said why not just take the 500 or 600 mile loads they still pay the same RIGTH thats what i do and i run 2600 to 3400 ever week

 

the pay is good .40 to .43 to start all the mile you wont