Complaint Review: Celadon Trucking

I have read most of the complaints aired on here and tend to agree with most of them. True, there are many grievances to Celadon's business models and operational strategies. The largest complaint is the unfair treatment of drivers, pay problems, lack of respect, just the basic every company on planet Earths' way of treating their drivers.

One of the most annoying things this company participates in is the propaganda it perpetuates at an alarming rate. Yes, the continuous lies about pay is the point of contention here, also the home time/amount of time worked ratio is completely bogus at best, and yes it has been stated numerous times, no need to "keep beating a dead horse" about it.

 One of the more amazing things is, as of recent, allowing only 10% of the fleet to be off/home at any given time or certain days. In a "perfect world", this would probably seem like a relatively good concept, but here in reality, not so much. I know any driver who is currently employed here knows as I do that first and foremost, at any given moment 50% percent of the fleet is sitting either on the east coast, Laredo, TX, or broke down. Now, all the other trucks that are allegedly running may be...but only on short runs as stated many times before. Now, I know the little nay sayers will whine and complain that this is a total untruth, let me define it for you.

 To start, the "30,000 Miles Home Vacation" that is offered, is a joke. You have to pay a cent and a half from your own paycheck to have that luxury and receive any money that payday. This is the first company I have worked for that even remotely offers that. I am not ignorant enough for that.

 Next is the time off scenario. This is also the first company that REQUIRES you put in a weeks notice to get a day off. I find it quite hilarious that office personnel don't fall into this scenario, just drivers. Another point here is the trucks, lack of maintenance, sitting for days on end WITHOUT being paid breakdown, and the complete lack of sympathy for anyone employed here(exceptions being office personnel). I have also heard from the mechanics, and owner operators that the same applies to them.  Should I be shocked? No.

Now, on to the big picture here. The buying of low rent, useless, unusable equipment and companies over the past year by, dare I say, the owner. Actually, it takes a vote from the BOARD MEMBERS in order to allow this to come to pass. Apparently, the board members are not the "brightest crayons in the box" to allow this to happen. I would assume the old adage applies:"You get what you pay for", and that applies to both board members and companies purchased. The next time I am forced, oh, lets not forget the wonderful "forced dispatch" here, to retrieve a piece of equipment that was assumed or purchased by this company that is, at best, shoddy, it will be found at the nearest D.O.T. facility with a rather large repair bill attached.

The owner did an interview with the Canadian Truckers News back in Jan/Feb. time frame, and in that interview he stated: "I agree that drivers wages need to increase". How about living up to your agreements Steve? Oh, that's right, you were referring to other companies, not yours, correct?

As far as the company as a whole is concerned, he(Steve) needs to stop, revamp, and completely overhaul the way the company does business, hires drivers and mechanics, pays everyone, and generally speaking, start from scratch. At this rate and speed, he is bound to crash and burn and take a lot of innocent souls with him as he does it. Oh, that's right, he's rich, why should he care?