Complaint Review: Palmentere Brothers Cartage

My wife had contacted a recruiter at Palmentere on by behalf. She had sent in the application and spoke wih the recruiter more than myself. Everything seemed to be going smooth. The recruiter was aware that my wife would be riding with me and had advised that they would pay for my bus ticket, he hotel and orientation pay. The recruiter was almost apologetic that we would have to pay her way. Once in orientation, there were company drivers telling the new recruits that they would not be there beyond three months. And ironically, Palmentere had the drivers sign a form stating that they would charge the driver for he bus, drug test and hotel in they did not stay wih he company beyond a certain number of months...I believe it was 6 mos. I thought it was just a bumpy start but things just go worse. I was told that I would get plenty of miles but was only getting short trips 200 to 300 mi. I was in Missouri and Kansas so much you would have thought that one of those were my home state. Palmentere states 14 days out then 2 day home, we rarely got home time which was Atlanta, GA and if we were sent that way there was no time to go home. And on top of that we were just making it pay check to pay check because of the miles plus the deductions were questionable. Palmentere would (finally!!) give me a good load (ie. Florida) and then take it back and say that they were giving it to another driver. There were often layovers or ridiculous demands such as we were in Lantana, FL (near West Palm Beach) waiting after a delivery and received a load (about 3 pm)that required us to be in Memphis, TN by the next morning which is approx. 960 mi. All of this caused undo stress and when I mentioned quiting, they suggested that I take some time off after about 2 months and may be being home once or twice at best. The people at Palmentere were condescending and rude. There were even a couple of times when my wife had spoken with a broker and was told that they were told by Palmentere that we were driving teams to get the load. My wife rode and helped me but is not a driver. So I was expected to make ridiculous time. We tried to hang in there but we knew I needed another job. I was sent to NY and did not receive NY pay. I was told I had to call it in or something. Palmentere always had a reason for not paying what they said. Once I was held at a drop location for two days before getting off loaded and Palmentere did not compensate. Palmentere kept us overweight so I always had to scale and slide tandems to just get by. I would always worry because Palmentere said that if you are overweight that the driver had to pay and would get reimbursed but I didn't want to take any chances. On our last run Balm, FL I got turned around getting to a receiver and was rushing because the previous receiver took longer and I had to pick up that night. I went to turn around in an open lot and got stuck in the sand. I notified Palmentere right away and a tow truck was sent. The tow truck blew an airbag getting the truck out. Palmentere put this down as an accident and unauhorized use of funds. Had to have the airbag repaired but contacted the owner prior to any service done on the truck. Since I was quitting I was in no rush since I had been breaking my neck trying to meet these peoples demands. I stopped in GA for the night and Palmentere called local authorities and stated that we had abandoned the truck. We were startled at the knock of the police at the hotel door. I told them I was bring the truck and that I would not abandon a truck. After off loading in Kansas City, MO. Mary at Palmentere accused me of being short three cases of corn and acted as if I had stolen it. I had not been short on any other delivery in the 4 months I was there and on the last trip suddenly i'm short and they took it out of my pay as well as my bus ticket, drug test, hotel stay, tow charge and air bag repair....in other words Palmentere kept my pay for my last TWO checks. We dropped the trailer in the yard as normal and parked the tracker right outside the office. We took our personal belongings even leaving behind a TV and microwave because we could not take that with us on the bus. We got a hotel room at the hotel we knew which is where Palmentere puts up their new hires. The next morning, Natalie called our room accusing us of stealing the PeopleNet out of the truck. Anyone who knows that area knows it's a bad area. Shocked and very concerned we went to the N. Kansas city police to see what to do. Since they had only accused us there was nothing to be done but was told such a false accusation was be a great lawsuit. Of course Palmentere put loss of company property on my DAC. Equipment loss, company policy violation, unauthorized equipment use, unauthorized passenger, unauthorized use of company funds, accident, and something listed as other was placed on my DAC. I have lost several job opportunties due to this. I am in the process of disputing these claims through DAC. I will go as far as necessary to get this straightened out. I don't understand how that in the court of law you are innocent until proven guilty but with DAC for driver you are guilty until proven innocent.

Marcelle
Lexington, Kentucky
U.S.A.