usa spartinburg

Yes they do need to crack down on it. Its ridiculous that its our biggest problem. Last DOT check I got they didn't even check the truck other than to GLANCE over it. But he sure scrutinized my logbook. So obviously the LE agencies know to watch out for us. Fortunately for me I run legal every day and I maintain a very neat logbook. I got no warnings or violations. Andrea over in Safety almost didn't believe me when I told her that after calling in to report the inspection. That's pretty sad that they are already conditioned to expect paperwork violations.

 

Oh and some of you may remember awhile back when I posted the story about the kid I helped back to the dock in Georgia who had all kinds of supertrucker radio equipment all over his Prostar. The same kid who told me he was getting 3500 miles a week by running multiple logbooks. Well at the time I posted that story, another USA driver who used to post here called BS on me and scoffed at my story. Well, this kid's truck was also vacant at Forest Park and being reconditioned for reassignment. I guess they caught up to him too.

 

Its called a Level III Inspection . But either way, I agree with you that they know what to look for with each company. Although back when I was in USA, they looked over my logbook but with everything nice and neat they didn't question me on anything and even complimented me on my logs .

 

USA TRUCK is in the process of going out of business in the near future
bad managment has run this company in to the ground.They lost about
10 million dollars last year alone.They are losing a lot of their customers
due to lousy service and with the poor economy they cant compete with
companies that do provide good service.I also think they have had to pay
out quite a few millions of dollars in lawsuits to all of the victims of their
poorly trained drivers over the last few years.I think CELADON tried to
buy them out last year but they wouldnt sell out.

 

Last week I noted something I noticed in the trucker newspaper. In it I was reading the financial reports of some of the larger carriers. USA Truck was the only one I saw that did not report a profit, that idiot president only said they were disappointed. I went on to say I hoped the board would see the light one day and fire that guy. Celadon did buy 6% of the company. USA Truck is not the only carrier paying out large sums of money to satisfy claims. It's just with them losing money these payouts hurt badly. I never got information about the payout from the Colorado Accident in late 2010 but my guess is it will be/was in the millions. This is money USA Truck does not have.

 

I got my logbook checked on I 84 up in New York a few months ago. The officer only found one issue. I keep my recap on a notebook I use to keep my mileages and fuel information with. I find it's easier our log books don't have that place the USA Truck logs has on the right side to do this. The officer highly advised I keep my hours recapped in my log. I am almost anal about keeping my logs neat and using a ruler to draw lines, I make sure that my remarks are neat and legible. I think the main reason officers want to see these recaps is it's easier to look there then to add the hours from past days logs. The officer only went after my logs, he acted like he did not care about my permits or the rig itself.

 

Or he just quit. I'm finding that most new drivers start full of vinegar and get real defensive when the company gets bashed. Then most somewhere around the 4th to 8th month in start to get disillusioned. Some quit or get fired at this point but most put up with it till that 1st year is over and jump ship. I seek out USA drivers in truck stops and fuel islands. I have had hundreds of short conversations with them, and almost to a driver if they are angry with the company they are within this 4 to 8 month range and waiting out that year. Last conversation I had with a USA driver was monday in Hagerstown and this guy was a trainer. He told me he was planning to turn in his notice effective when he finished with his current student. The problem? You guessed it, his truck was a piece of garbage. The AC won't stay fixed and he had another issue with it. He spoke privately with me away from his student because he still respected the company and did not want to poison this students mind. I admired this drivers character and thought about all the other trainers I have met. Most are like him, but a few have no business training. It's a dang shame USA Truck is about to lose another driver trainer because the shops can't repair a truck. I still think most of these problems start with Clif Beckham and flow downward. I don't know if Jim shafer is still over the USA Truck maintenance dept if he is he is another person in management that needs to be fired.

 

X-ray, I know what you mean about the trainers. This company has some very good ones and also some absolute garbage trainers. I posted before about one I encountered at Van Buren back in December. His truck was in for maintenance. He had Dominoes deliver him a big pizza, box of wings, and a Pepsi then told his student if he was hungry to get something out of the vending machines.

Had another at South Holland that looked and sounded just like Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum from Alice in Wonderland. I had to leave the lounge before he got punched in the face. He had ticked me off so bad. I was trying to help a new driver (not a student) who had just been dropped off and didnt have a fuel book or know how to work the QC. The trainer kept arguing with everything I said and he was ending up confusing the new driver to the point that guy was getting nervous. He was already under a dispatch and had no idea how to get directions or anything.

I finally told the trainer to ####! And he responded with "I'm a TRAINER! I know what I'm talking about! You don't need to be talking to me like that!". I just shook my head and walked out. Told the new guy good luck and went back to my truck.

 

Yes, I also have encountered this ####y arrogant I know everything because I am a super trucker attitude some trainers have. I got into it with one in Roanoke in early 2011. He played that I am a trainer so I am automatically right card. I long ago forgot the minutia of the argument, but I do remember showing that idiot the FMCSA rule book and pointing out his error. I respect the trainers from all the carriers, but just because you are a trainer does not in any way or manner make you a trucking expert. All it means is you have a minimum of 9 months experience and have been trusted by your carrier to be a mentor.

 

First of all it's hear not here. If you want to be taken serious learn to spell properly please! Secondly I deliberately left out the post in question not because I am trying to be cagey, but because out of respect to the person I spoke with whom is aware of this forum and expressed a desire for our conversations to stay private I left it out.

I don't know if you can handle the truth because I don't know if you even know what the truth is! Because when you get called out on any topic you start attacking the person that's called you out. Again if you want to be taken serious on any topic stop attacking the person and attack the topic at hand.

As I told another person on these forums attack the topic not the person, but it seems that people that can't dispute the ideas or message that's being espoused want to go negative and attack the person. As to your comment about me and the others not having a clue, all I can say is you are in my case 100% wrong. I have spoken to my old FM off and on now ever since I left. Also as I said in a previous post I speak to current USA drivers all the time. We talk and they tell me about stuff both pro and con about the company. I still speak to and exchange emails with someone in safety to. I do this because I may one day return, I have been cleared to do so. I am waiting on the board to clean house there. If the situation there improves I might very well go back.

Three more things before I stop. First you said this (Because I dont post stuff on here about whats goin on in the unless I have a reliable resource.) Why do you need a (re)source if you are a current driver! And if you are calling the company to get information do you think you are the only one that posts here (notice the proper use of the word here) that owns and knows how to use a telephone? Second I toggled the view post because I saw the quote, because you are still on my ignore list where you will stay! Third I am very aware this post is a direct personal attack. I made it so because you make me angry and I get sick and tired of people such as yourself that come in here and make comments like yours then contradict yourself then go negative and start making personal attacks like you do. Your terminal rats thread is a case in point. Drivers at the terminals are not there because they want to be, they are there because their being forced to for various reasons to be there. I know because I have been there done that more then once. Many of these drivers are suffering from chronic tractor problems and losing money makes them irritable and this makes them lash out at the company. While I think they should be careful with their words around both the young drivers and students I understand their anger and frustration, and because I have been there I resent the hell out of being called a terminal rat! If it were not for the fact USA will let just about anybody be a trainer I would also have a serious doubt you were even a trainer there.


Oh I just noticed this crack "I respect what chemsoldier says, b/c he still works here " Let me tell you this. I respect what all USA drivers both current and past have to add because most of the reasons the past drivers are not with the company is in a lot of situations still valid reasons. Just because someone is not a current driver does not in anyway make their opinions any less valid. It really takes an arrogant person to make such an ignorant statement.