Complaint Review: Marten Transportation

I was employed by marten as a over the road driver,and when i started with them , I had about 20 years experience of driving a semi.

I was in my second truck with them,(the first one had a front end problem and the manufacturers dealer had put a piece on wrong and damaged the truck and was unable to drive safely.

was in second truck for about 6 weeks when i started having problems with it and stopped in at the company terminal in indianapolis In. to swap loads and have checked out. it was on a thursday and that load would take me to st,louis mo. to make delivery and start my 3day home time. was told by mechanic at terminal that i did not have an appointment and will have to bring truck back to terminal that following monday to be checked out.

On my way to st.louis, istarted getting a another problem with truck to where it felt like my brakes would grab slightly and release continuously. Stopped at rest area in illinois on I 70 to see if I had a break grabbing, everything ok, called rad breakdown dept to inform them, was told to keep on going if everything looked ok.

Delivered load that night and was told to bobtail (tractor only, no trailer) home and be ready tuesday morning.

Was having a severe snowstorm approaching my home town on monday night, called fleet manager monday morning to see if I could go back up to st.louis that day and wait up there for a load so I would not get snowed in at home, I lived about 70 miles south of st.louis. Was told to stay put until tuesday/

when I woke up tuesday morning, had 3 inches of ice under 8 inches of snow. caleed fleet manager to inform him of the weather and road conditions. was told to head up to st.louis to pick up a load.

 Tried to move truck out of driveway and was stuck. Called road breakdown to let them know, was told to put snow chains on the tires and to get it out myself, and if couldnt, I would be charged for a tow truck (up to $600) to come and pull me out

Me, my wife and niece worked about an hour to clear a path long enough to put the tire chains on, moved truck about 20-25 feet and chains came off, went to put tranny into reverse, nothing happened. Called R/B immediately to inform them, was asked if needed to back up out of driveway. told them no, and they said to keep trying to get it out.

Dug out snow once again, put chains back on, moved the truck about 50 feet, heard a loud pop, stopped truck and got out to look to see if a chains came off again, 1 was off 1 was still on, and had oil leaking out from under the truck.

Called R/B once again and told them of the leak, was told not to move the truck and they will send a tow truck to take the truck to a shop.

On wednesday morning, received a cll from martens human resource and was told that we would have to part ways of emploment due to damaging the truck and the tranny manufacturer would not allow warranty to cover damage due to driver abuse.

Was asked by mechanic at shop when I went there on friday to retrieve my belongings out of truck, " How heavy of a load did I have to cause a tranny to crack like that", I told him that I was not with a loaded trailer when I was trying to get my truck out of my driveway.

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