Combined Transport Tony Keller / DAD / Creeper, Terminated under a sexual harassment REFUSED a "legal or formal investigation to prove the allegations. Medford Oregon Nationwide
I was a Driver for the Blackwell division of Combined Transport, during my time there I witenessed several alarming idications this company is being run as a full blown cult in the very messure as you would expect as nothing less than classic "mental, emotional, abuse". I knew in the first week of my employment the GM Tony Keller is clearly the mastermind behind his "unholy endeavor to "save people" was not in any way the workings of a "properly and professionally" operating trucking company. I have heard him speak in his "roundtable/brainwashing" meetings for which he has every Wenesday night and Saturday morings to drill into by "preaching" he is there for you as the "customer" he will help you with any problem or dispute you may have, he was clear when he said "you can call me dad". ( FB- Combined TransportLogistics Group, Inc) Tony Keller also has his office help attend to these meetings to provide the "false facade" everyone who works there is completly at the "customers" service.
Here is how it really is.. Tony Keller believes he is "saving people" he is very open and clear on the facts he knows "NOTHING" of trucks, or trucking companies, he has never worked for any before, however, this is his "MINISTRY". He welcomes you to "The Family". However he will go out of his way to "EXCOMMUNICATE/TERMINATE" you without ever conducting any investigation or holding any meeting for which he makes the promise to do if you the "customer" have formally requested. If you have somehow shown this man you are a threat or not willing to be a full member of "the family" you are ignored and removed immediatly with no futher due. In my case I was terminated on a Saturday afternoon, and informed on the following Monday I was deemed "not" Combined Transport "material". I asked what I had done and from there Melissa Dockery told me I had "excessive complaints from a mechanic in their shop "Chris" who had made the claim I was calling him and engaging in "sexual advances in the converstations. I sent an email to Tony Keller expressing my great need to have this investigated. I requsted the proof and the reason behind this mans claims. I was ignored and this was reported on my work record, Heide VanDyke went onto add "theft and deception" without showing or proving what and where she obtained this information to support her claimes of steeling and lying, Kandie Spencer who runs the shop for Combined Transport created a story of a conversation that NEVER took place between she and I, this was followed by Rhonda Krasznavolgyi "lead dispatch who added "spreading rumors". I never seen anything like this before in my 30 years of working in the industry. It is my legal right under any "sexual harrasment charge to be properly investigated and allow me the right to clear my name. Instead this company will make it virtually impossible to be hired any where after you have been "REMOVED" from "the family."
This is apperantly routine for this company, 3 weeks later another female driver was terminated and the "sexual advances" claim was used as well with one little twist, she could return after 90 days once she learned her lesson. She never did anything either. Tony Keller is under the impression he is above everyone including the laws of this country for which are in place to protect us from people like him, and his "true followers". He has also decided to "invent a new PTSD called "driver abuse syndrom". Who is he kidding? this is clearly a tactic to recruit new "customers". What I seen was profound given the fact most of the "customers" are people who are not hireable or high risk with most trucking companies. I personally have evidence to support this and to make matters more interesting, this particular "driver/customer" has a DUI on his record from driving a truck after leaving a bar. I have a voice mail from him and he is clearly intoxicated, and sitting behind the wheel of a Blackwell truck, he has sent me text messages admitting to being "hammerd". Tony Keller is aware of this "customer" instead of helping him and getting this man in detox, Tony Keller keeps him behind the wheel.
Tony Keller is specific on the "type of people he wants in his family. People he can control, people he "saved". For a mere 35 cents a mile you can almost rest asure you will either be greatful for the "invitation" to be a part of the family or for 35 cents a mile you are treated farless than what you are truly worth. To sit back and see how Tony Keller truly is, is simple, Call him "Dad", Jim Jones said the same thing. "the Family", Charles Manson had one as well. This not a trucking company!!!!!!
What makes it jarring is it owned by Mike Card.. This owner has either allowed his GM to run his family name in the ground and clearly has no RESPECT for his drivers past and present. OR, he is completly unaware of the truth on just how excatly his company is being run. Trucking companies are not abusive. There is no such thing as Driver abuse syndrom. If at all possible avoid employment with Combined Transport until Tony Keller is removed along with his loyal followers. Trucking compainies across this country follow Mike Card, so how could they ever think to trust Mike Card when he has this going on as well allowing Tony Keller to call his fellow trucking companies abusers. Tony Keller is a full blown narcissitic psychopath. Tony Keller's "close personal friend" Ward Eister, has called him the "Anitchrist". I never conducted myself in any misconduct for which I was accused of, I live my life in my daughter eyes, it matters to me what she sees. I personally believe Tony Keller has Mike Card distracted with projects of building a gated community/compound, that Mike Card is not entirly aware of how excatly Tony Keller is running his company. I also believe Mike Card is unware of who excatly Tony Keller is, let alone what he is...
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Joe
Oregon,USA
What a smooth talker you are
#4UPDATE Employee
Fri, December 04, 2015
Tony Keller you are a smooth talker, in the complaints I read here have basis in truth, now as far as being a cult no , most females must be gotton rid of, as far as drivers,, because they really can not do the phyisical labor required , unpaid labor i might add, but this i understand as far as not paying unemployment it takes many "set ups",. I read you like a book when you gave your speech in orientation saying " when you do not wish to do this part of your job", meaning working for free ie..slavery, "we accept your resignation". To me this says, you drivers will never collect unemployment from this company, I accepted that because what trucking company will you ever collect unemployment from,really but the big difference is all the free labor with this company its a real scam,, the worst I,ve ever been ripped off by a company I mean, , DRIVERS until combined transport decides to pay drivers to load their own trucks this is a good company to stay away from, and as stated pryer about load times in another complaint 6 hours is minimum and thats your labor loading the truck, and waiting 2 or 3 days to get loaded happens , you can make as little as 150 a week up to 1000 when you are lucky but you will average 600 tops a week, without log violations
What took so long?
#4Author of original report
Tue, October 13, 2015
Tony Keller, thank you for your rebuttal, you backed up my report with your own words.. You make it very clear you knew nothing of the trucking industry when took the job at Combined Transport. You still don't. Tick-tock tick-tock...
Tony Keller
Central Point,Oregon,
USA
The Combined Transport Culture
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, October 12, 2015
Response to Darby Letter:
My name is Tony Keller and I am the General Manager of Combined Transport. It is always interesting to read the rantings of former employees who have been terminated for repeated egregious behavior. This web site supports the unproven expressions of anyone who wants to share their version of what transpired. If any of these people could prove their stories wouldn’t they have taken action other than just to post their crazy comments? It is far easier to just use an open form website that fosters rants like this one with no point of accountability. I actually appreciate the expressions of Darby (and others) for two specific reasons: First, I am thankful they are gone from Combined and we don’t have to endure their outrageous and harassing behavior. Second, I am glad that they chose to spew their nastiness for everyone to read so that any reader can actually now see that, “Combined regularly wrings the rag of crazies out of the organization”.
We are not a usual trucking company. We care about each of our team members more than we do the freight. These expressions of care, concern and supportiveness are an extension of our belief that we all need to follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want to be treated. The accusations of brainwashing are phrases used to mask the inadequacies of the person making the rant. Do we spend time working together to improve our work culture and communication – yes. Do we encourage open communication when problems arise – yes. Do we force anyone to accept our way of treating one another – no. It is a free country and you can clearly say and behave in whatever manner you wish. However, there are consequences for behavior that is so over the top and is repeated after being warned.
Many of the former employees who chose to express themselves on this site have been terminated for repeated egregious behavior that forces us to act because it violates the rights of fellow co-workers if we didn’t act. The level of perversion that most of these people have exhibited on repeated occasions to co-workers would shock any reasonable person into reacting in a similar manner (terminate their employment). As an organization, we investigate and evaluate all allegations of this type and we take definitive action to address our findings.
Our organization is a family owned business and we believe in treating each other professionally and with kindness. We function like a “work-family” in our heart for one another and support for our drivers is well recognized in the industry – ask any current driver – not one of the crazies that we had to remove from the organization. We are very selective about who we hire at Combined. We want quality drivers with a good heart that love this industry, but want to be treated fairly and kindly. At the same time, sometimes we miss the mark and hire a person who not only has a dark heart, but is bent on creating a hostile environment in our organization. This type of hostile or harassing behavior will not be tolerated and yes, we will warn someone first (just like this former employee was warned), but if the egregious behavior continues, we will part company – without hesitation.
Some take our desire for a work-family, supportive culture and spin it around and make false allegations. There are six wonderful people in my life that call me “Dad” and that is the only group that I ask to use the title or view me in that manner. That name is reserved for my kids use and the rantings of troubled souls stating anything otherwise is simply false.
Combined Transport is a successful and profitable company that believes that the “Driver is the Customer”. We do foster and support a culture that treats one another with respect and addresses issues immediately.
We wish Darby and other former employees our best wishes in the future, but we are certainly happy that they are not part of our organization and that we don’t need to suffer their outrageous behavior.