Complaint Review: Sierra Mountain Express

I am not going to bad mouth everyone in the company, as in others' previous cases. I am not a disgruntled employee, or anything of the sort. I am professional, who expects to be treated as such. I just want to put my view out there, based fully and completely on fact and rational thought.

This company, however good they may be to their clients, Their treatment towards Subhaulers, and/or companies(another Story), and of their Owner Operator drivers with leased trucks leaves alot to be desired. They will not live up to their end of the bargain. Drivers get so indebted to the company that they have no choice, but to hang on like indentured servants. Owing their souls to the company store, so to speak.

At first glance the proposal Sierra gives you looks pretty good.

0% down lease on equipment.
Paid bi-monthly: 5th and 20th.
6 weeks before payments(turns out it comes out of pay from the 2nd pay period. all in how you read it)
Base Plates, IFTA, Reporting agent, Insurances, Fuel Card etc...
Avg 3000 miles a week and gross $9,000/15 days

Not a bad deal........maybe........

After a week or so of training, you will get into you're truck. Pick wisely on the equipment they had to provide. It could seriously nip the ol' pocketbook. At first glance the equipment looks alright, check the tractor...(engine, trans, clutch, etc.) check the trailer (brakes, tires, mechanical goodies, etc.)
CHECK THE AUTO TRANSPORT STRUCTURE VERY WELL... This is what is going to run and bite you when you least expect it.

These Transports have been run through the paces, and possibly a World War looking at some of them.

Now, you have picked out the truck of your dreams/nightmares. Now they give you the NEXT GREAT DEAL....

30 DAYS to get the truck up to snuff on their dime....If you can get someone to sign off on the repairs. And then actually get someone to do the said repairs, and be honest about what has really been done.

Now you get out there on the road...
You get to the Terminal, try to get some good loads, and you're off and hauling.

Damaged vehicles are you're responsibility...
Save some rainy day money for damages could become regular, whether you cause them or not, they are yours.

You run the truck for a while, the lease payments start, the insurance is quite high...and so is the deductible, will never cover a damage, unless you total the whole truck and load at once. And you are paying premiums based on all the other hacks who have every damaged things there. You are also going to have a comp plan which, you will never live to use.

Now after a couple months, you are trucking steady, paychecks are coming in... Watch every settlement close, you may have 5 all year that will be right. Incorrect pay rates on units, loads missing, units missing, or whole check missing...And on some occasions, It may even bounce.

Now the truck is going to have issues.

In my case, one upper deck snapped, and the lower frame rails buckled and the trailer suspension weld came loose. There were numerous others, but I can't possibly list them all here.

This is when you really learn something of auto transports. They rot from the inside out. They have a short life span in salt, and snow, and lack of maintenance environments.
Many times, going unnoticed until wham...

This is also when you find out how the company stands behind their equipment.

In my case, in the beginning, they stood behind the equipment. It went to the shop, and I found a trailer I could pull for a while. The trailer got fixed. Now this is where things changed. The Frame was not fixed it was patched up. like putting a band aid on a bullet wound. It got worse from there. I won't get into all the details.

Long story short, they will not Stand behind the equipment they lease, even though you pay almost $4,000. per month for the thing, for 22 months, with only a $44,000 buy out at the end. add up the Thousands you will spend on maintenance on a truck that has been paid on/or paid off in the past, that is 6+ years old...Bargain??? OK.....

Here is a real deal. In late june to july, the freight gets slow. Then into August, and then October, or so.... If you were able to put the money away, Take a Vacation, You earned it. For most who had rob from Peter to pay Paul, can't afford this time.

But if you get behind the company will be happy to help out. at a low 16% interest you can keep down the negative settlements, Pay for truck maintenance, and so on and so forth. For about $1,100 dollars per month payback. Another Bargain.

Do not expect the Sierra Mountain Dispatchers to find loads to help through this tough time. They have multiple terminals to run out of, but when the freight is slow...It is slow. And you will find yourself sometimes losing money to go to other terminals.

I have had Good experiences at some terminals, but there plenty bad ones too. This is nothing to do with the terminal managers, they are all pretty good.
Denver, Council Bluffs, Butte, and Cottage Grove, I will say for sure.

Although It is not written in stone, or in the contract, You are not allowed to run freight outside the Sierra Mountain Network.
Although you pay all bills associated with the truck, you lack authority. Which is $300. It is what separates the big dogs (them) from the pups (the drivers).

You will be a BOOTLEGGER. Unless you give them 20% cut of all hauls... Not bad for all the work they WILL NOT do to keep you on the road, or in your home, or pay your bills.
What do you do when times get Rough?

When it is all said and done, and you screwed up You will be let go. They will come up with old damages, you never knew about. The 2% escrow you pay will be gone, and 45 to 60 days later you will get your last settlement showing how much you owe them, although the top will tell Say, "Contractor Deposit Refund." There will be no refund. Somehow, and some way it will always be gone.

You will not have a 10 day notice as the contract states, you will be done. You will have no truck, that you paid to upkeep. They will have it (to lease to others of course). You will have no money left, because they will not pay you for 45 days after dismissal. There won't be any money anyway.

And no one of importance in Concord will take your call. They will rarely even call back.

I will guarantee I am one of many.

Anthony
Nashwauk, Minnesota
U.S.A.