us exspress

Hmm welcome to the real world of trucking !!! From now on when you read these posts you won't be so quick to dismiss them. Good luck .

 

I'm not presently trucking - although I've gotten the itch again.

Last job I did was hauling rocks with a silver bullet - two runs a day (425 miles - no logging needed) thru the mountains to a factory making sheet rock.

Peaceful and decently paid and no interference from the management. We agreed on my job and I did it - that was it..=*^)

HM

 

If you're talking to me, I don't dismiss the posts. No point in getting into this conversation if it doesn't pertain to me. Let me know.

 

Billy BigRigger...

I am sorry for this comment. You're obviously not a recuriter and seem to have a good head on your shoulders. Good luck with US express.

 

Thanks for your comment, cj8. My last statement was not directed to you, but to hounddawg454. I do, however, appreciate your input.

I enjoy not so much reading the posts, but more so studying the person behind the comments. I have always been white collar and have never been so literally exposed to members of this type of profession. In that light, I find these posts very interesting for a variety of reasons.

I am not a recruiter for this or any other company. I am a former military recruiter (from the 70s) and so I do know what recruiters mean when they say something. For me, it's very easy to discern between truth and fiction, especially with the recruiters in the trucking industry. I have discovered that the trucking recruiters are terrible liars and they easily get caught up in their own tales.

I don't have to be a veteran trucker to see whether a business plan works or not. That is part of what I have been doing for the past 15 or so years myself - formulating and executing business plans. If you have knowledge of a business plan and how it works, then you can apply that theory to virtually any plan. In this case, one of my first comments was that U.S.X. has a good business plan in place; it's just poorly executed. In other words, all of the parts are there, but there seems to be no one to date that I've spoken with or personally met that knows how to properly operate the plan. I would venture to guess that many of the companies share the same problem.

I am open to anything anyone has to say. I do think, however, that before a post is made, each one should re-read their post to see if it is truly what they want to say and if it makes sense from a mature level rather than a "who do you think you are" attitude. Do keep them coming. I plan to start looking at more posts under the Good and Bad Trucking Company headings to see what else is being discussed. We'll talk again.

 

Billy,

I find your comments here both naive and slightly offensive. If you were a military recruiter you were surely dealing with basically the same cross section of individuals - except perhaps truckers are less "redneck" in general..

I myself have a white collar education - engineer - and I can discern a "good business plan" probably as well as you...

Yes, in some ways USX have a great business plan - for the owners - certainly not for the men and women who actually perform the work that makes USX function.

If USX spent more time, effort and money in fixing their management and paid and treated their drivers, FM's and low and middle management decently they would absolutely be more successful as a company.

Less turnover of drivers would immediately result in huge savings - less instructors, recruiters, cost of driver training and much more - resulting also in happier, more productive drivers and better client service...

The problems is that USX like other trucking companies think there is more money in using beginner drivers and pay them a lousy wage instead of paying better - and retaining - drivers with more experience...

This is however a common trend with companies in the US - they tend to treat their employees as "disposable" - and are allowed to do so under the labor laws in the US - and in the long run this creates an atmosphere of distrust and hostility between "management" and "workers".

Any time you have this gap of understanding and lack of respect you have a business model that in reality is not working except for the owners and sometimes the shareholders..

And the increased driving hours the trucking companies managed to push into law further discriminates against drivers. Compare the working conditions to drivers in Europe:

"New EU rules tell truck drivers to work less, take more breaks
11 April 2007, 20:51 CET
(BRUSSELS) - New EU-wide regulations came into force on Wednesday restricting the working week for lorry and coach drivers and requiring longer rest stops.

Among the new measures is an obligatory rest of at least 45 consecutive hours every two weeks and a working week of no more than 60 hours, including loading and unloading.

"The application of the new social rules is an important milestone for Europe's road transport sector," said EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

"This is clearly a win-win situation: the drivers will enjoy important social advances, the transport companies will compete on equal grounds and all road users will benefit from better safety."

The new rules, adopted by EU member states and the European Parliament in 2005, amends 1985 legislation which allowed a 74-hour driving week for professional drivers.

Now, over a four-month period drivers mustn't work more than 48 hours a week on average.

Minimum rest times are fixed at 11 hours per day, including nine hours consecutively.

Drivers must also take a total of 45 minutes rest for every four and a half hours of driving.

The rules are a minimum requirement and member states are free to impose further restrictions.

They are aimed at "increasing road safety and ensuring adequate social standards in a profession characterised by fierce competition," the European Commission said in a statement.

The binding rules apply, irrespective of the country where the vehicles are registered."

from:

http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/eu-working-hours.42/

Further information on EU road transport policy:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road/policy/social_provision/social_driving_time_en.htm

"The daily driving period shall not exceed 9 hours, with an exemption of twice a week when it may be 10 hours. There can be six driving periods per week. The total weekly driving time may not exceed 56 hours and the total fortnightly driving time may not exceed 90 hours. The daily rest period shall be at least 11 hours, with an exception of going down to 9 hours three times a week. There is provision for a split rest of 3 hours followed by 9 hour rests to make a total of 12 hours rest per day. Weekly rest is 45 continuous hours, which can be reduced to 24 hours. Compensation arrangements apply for reduced weekly rest periods. Breaks of at least 45 minutes (separable into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes) should be taken after 4 ½ hours at the latest."


The deterioration of working conditions for drivers with the subsequent loss of respect for drivers can clearly be traced to the de-regulation of the trucking industry by president Reagan.

And the faltering economy and further erosion of American power and the sinking dollar means it will surely get worse - not better..

I am looking forward to reading your posts in a year - or probably less - after you have actually had some *real* experience...

HM

 

Well, USX is now off my list. I talked with my recruiter today and she said they are hiring teams only west of I-83 and New Mexico is one of the states that they are no longer hiring from until freight begins to grow once again.

 

I'll address some of the latest comments:

I spoke with my training coordinator today and he said nothing about U.S.X. hiring teams only. As a matter of fact, after certain circumstances were explained to him, he generously agreed to move me up on the list for moving forward. I'll give him a call tomorrow and ask him about the team thing. That will give me some insight as to any motives from his angle.

With regard to the statement of my having my head in the sand, that comment does not at all coincide with any of my discussions (which frankly doesn't surprise me) and as such, doesn't deserve a response.

Next, HighMiler: You are the first post that has actually discussed in depth the basics of what I have been posting all along with some stated facts and figures that one can sink their teeth into. After reading your response, it occurs to me that we are not exactly on the same page - close, but not the same.

I apologize as to what may have offended you; however, I don't see what that might be. While I recruited in the 70s which related to a particular sector, and I am now dealing with the trucking industry in 2008, I highly doubt that the makeup of either group has changed much. For the past 1 1/2 months, I have been put on a bus twice (twice was enough, I fly at my own expense now), went through three weeks of school, and stayed a total of two weeks in hotel rooms with potential drivers. I'm not exactly sure how to describe the social shock of it all. In other words, I don't know if there are only rednecks or not. I have an opinion, but that may not necessarily be an accurate reflection. I do know what I see in bus depots, classrooms, cheap hotels, and terminals.

I mentioned that a business plan can cross all borders. I insinuated in an earlier post that the business plan of U.S.X. (and we would have to get very technical to discuss their specific plan at length) can easily be applied to ANY business.

The general point that I was trying to make when I started this discussion was more from an administrative standpoint rather than the overall plan of the business itself. I'll see if I can break that down a little further: I have been dealing with the Georgia terminal throughout my association with U.S.X. I see a lot of administrative functions being inefficiently handled which, in turn, affects all of the new drivers. What I would suggest from that standpoint is to find a good Office Administrator that knew what was supposed to happen in order to keep the flow going. Right now it's very haphazard.

You are on target when you suggest that ALL of American business is out for money at whatever cost. Unfortunately, as you say, it comes at the expense of the employee. I just stepped out in retirement from two professions, both of which are at that point right now. Even though they are white collar, their philosophies are the same as anywhere else. Employees are to make money for the company no matter what the cost to the employee. And as you point out, that can legally be done as every state is a "right to work" state.

I would differ from your opinion that if the trucking industry were to pay higher salaries to low and middle management, as well as other support staff, that things would improve. The only way that things could improve would be to gut the Company (at least U.S.X) and start fresh. As far as client service goes, I would not want the majority of what I saw traipse through the schools, bus depots, and that orientation anywhere near my customers. No amount of increased wages could solve that. There were a select few that did fall outside of the mold.

I have a sneaky suspicion that at the higher levels of U.S.X. many may share some of the same opinions that I do about this particular business. If they didn't, then they would certainly attempt to resolve the distance between themselves and their employees. I'll leave it at that because I don't want to start a riot; however, this business would be very much easier to kick around that some other profesisons to which I have been involved and I think that is precisely why management does it. It's just too easy.

The information regarding EU rules is very interesting. You didn't relate that to our industry here. Are you suggesting that it is only a matter of time before the U.S. adopts these types of rules?

Lastly, I believe that the only "experience" that I need is driving a truck down the road and staying between the lines. I have children older than most of the students at the schools and orientation classes. You know the rest of my background so it doesn't bear repeating. I will say again that simply because I have not spent more than a few weeks physically sitting in some of these "situations" shall we say, that I can't see past the crap, lies, dim lightbulbs, former felons, DUI abusers, and anything else that I saw from the other side of the desk for so many years.

I am sure that this will create a flurry of negative responses so I think I will bow out for now. It is absolutely not my intention to ruffle feathers albeit that's bound to happen. I do, however, return to my very first original post in saying that U.S.X. has treated me with respect from the onset and they continue to do so. I have a background as should you which is squeaky clean. I don't sit around waiting for the respect that so many claim they don't get and maybe that's why I have such a different opinion of this Company; I don't accept disrespect - I move forward.

 

Look Goober, your head is in the sand because you have people here giving you facts and you are talking to us like we don't have a clue.

This is trucking. You are posting as if you are teaching a college class. Talking like you are dangling a white hanky with you limp wrist. Trying to appear as if you are the smartest guy in the room. Your not. You don't know trucking so therefore, you don't know what you are talking about.

From what you are saying is that hanging around the Tunnel Hill teminal for a few hours, you are able to figure out not only USX's business plan, but the flaws in their business plan. That right there is why I'm hoisting the B.S. flag.

What you need to be concerned about is getting physically qualified, then surviving on the road with your trainer. If you come across to your trainer like you are coming across here, he will throw you out of the truck. Keep your mouth shut and your ears open and you might actually learn something about truck driving. It is not your job to analyze business plans. This is probably the reason you didn't make it in your previous profession.