Zeke Unlimited Waterford, PA

I just quit this outfit after 1 month of service. Yes, I know, 1 month shouldn't be enough time to really get a feel for a new outfit. But let me explain.

Equipment: Fairly decent older International 9400's, most running Cummins ISX motors w/Eaton Fuller 10-speed manual transmissions. Largely well-maintained, no complaints about the equipment. Most of the trucks, and my former truck in particular were old Wal-Mart fleet trucks. The sleepers were kind of small, but they felt cozy once the front curtains were pulled. Trucks were equipped with APU's and inverters, which was a nice surprise considering the size of the company (six trucks total of which four are currently being used).

The pay: Most drivers run for 22%, I ran for 18%. Yeah, I know, absolute insult. I thought I needed the job. Turns out I don't need it this badly.

The freight: Potatoes. Paid by the hundred-weight, so the more taters you haul, the better you get paid. So the only way to see a halfway decent paycheck is to run overloaded and run around the scales. And pray that the DOT man isn't sitting on the back route waiting for you to roll up.

The route: Pulling out of coastal North Carolina to southeastern PA means running the Richmond/DC/Baltimore area on a daily basis. During the day, no less. I remember a time when a driver could actually get through that area without any problems normally. Those days are apparently long gone. Traffic is a constant nightmare, and even worse if your vehicle is wieghing 84,000lbs. (only once, and just because I made the choice to not have any freight pulled off at the farm. The first and last time I made that choice!)

The fun: Boss expects the trucks to run overloaded, and around the scales. However, if a driver is caught, the driver pays the scale ticket as well as any other tickets that arise. This includes any tickets written to the company. The boss will kindly take the fine money out of the driver's paycheck $200 at a time until all the fines are paid. Sweet, huh? Also, companies can get a VA overwieght permit (the number 5 permit) for $250 per truck per year, and run up the coast, hitting one scale (while being legal if you load up to 84,000lbs., or 88,000lbs if you load in VA). Apparently, it's cheaper to run through DC and Baltimore traffic, eating fuel and brakes, than to take the easier coastal road.

Any opinions?

By the way, I cleaned out the truck's interior before I returned it, and waited until I got paid before I quit. Actually, I haven't quit yet. I'll do it tomorrow. Think the boss will be pissed?

 

Well, I did it. Officially quit. Would you believe my (now former) boss attemped to put a stop payment on my paycheck? Too bad for him I had already cashed it at his bank. Cost me ten bucks, since I don't have an account at that bank, but it was worth it!

Who wants to tell me again how small companies are the way to go? At least when I pulled for XYZ mege-carrier, I got paid without worrying about the pay getting stopped.