Complaint Review: Consolidated Lumber Transport Jrc Transportation - Monson Massachusetts

I have just read some pretty negative sounding reports about C.L.T..I admit this is my first whack at the owner operator deal but have been in the industry for 20 years 16 of them running and driving for a company (flatbed) that my family owned for the past 30 years. I have been driving a long time and pride myself for doing things right and my record speaks for it self. It would seem to me that renting a trailer would be an expensive venture, due to the fact that drivers who use them and don't own them beat the heck out of them, liability is not cheap and You can guess the rest, but it is also a good way for a person starting out to do just that! Start out. As far as com checks go and being fronted for fuel money, if You are running Your end of the deal properly You should never have to do either, unless a catastrophic event falls upon You. If You are fronting fuel money then You mismanaged somewhere, remember I am new to the O/O deal but did help to run a trucking company,we were small 6 tractors at the end and 12 trailers, but if we had to front fuel money, then it is time to close the doors. From all the O/Os I have known over the years, all of them successful have always said to never use the "fuel deal" always do it on your own. As for school yarding Jim, well all I can say is that i sat with the guy for a few hours as he explained to me the deal, and he seemed pretty straight forward to me, Keep in mind I have dealt with people in this industry for ever, and consider my self pretty good at picking out the bad apples. This guy didn't fit the profile, on top of that he was referred to me by people who would gain nothing (believe me!!) and actually loose, by sending me to a bad or not fair business person.. Now I just left a flat bed carrier as a company driver and if You want to hear get screwed stories then I have them, but I still wouldn't come to a board and bad mouth, like that.. And by the sounds of that run, well let me tell Ya, I would run blindfolded and backwards to earn a Ded. Haul like that. Yeah I know tarps are no fun, and we all want to take those long naps every 200 mi but by the looks of things lately if Your not a runner then You may not be running at all. Trucking has always been this way and just keeps getting tougher and tougher, but there are a few out there who like it like that, I love to listen to the old timers, I'll tell ya we have it saucy compared to the old days, shoot I just found out it is illegal to put the boards between the seats, for 10, good thing too because I was going to buy a day cab to start off, still have my home made mini cot with the shifter hole.... So I guess if Your looking to run Flats as an O/O this company would be a good place to start as much as any other. Plan on this, Your going to get Your Butt kicked for a while, it's never going to be pretty, and You will just get uglier with time. There are no magic runs (unless You land a specialized account) "GOOD LUCK" No body is going to get rich!!! I promise.. But if You love to do it, not just driving but the whole package, and if You know what I am saying then You know,,,, Then here it is You will pay that truck off, have a home for Your family, and food in everyones mouth, maybe in a while upgrade to that fancy Hvy specd,, dream machine You always dreamed of. But most importantly do these things, doing what I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart, the greatest and most enjoyable line of work there is available. If it's in your blood then it is,,if not ,,then this is just a job, and there are way too many easier things to do to just have a job, then trucking.. I am sorry things didnt work out for the Gentleman with the complaint, but if You are looking to sign on with any carrier take these things with a grain of salt. There are allot of guys who do and have done well at CLT, and every other company that offers these type deals, the ones that are true scams, rip-offs, and bad deals all around, have a tendency to disappear.. \Thanks for reading to those who did, and keep in mind this is just my opinion

I was leased on to JRC/CLT on and off for 8-years. I had my own trailer (the only way to do it) those that lease onto a company the lease the trailer from them are a bit foolish, since that takes away so much of their profits.. It is cheaper to go out and buy one, the payment on the trailer is much less. As far as JRC is concerned.. It borders on illegal that JRC takes money off of the top of your Fuel-Surcharge, but as one other person said, they many times did not ask, nor get one for you, they would tell you that it is included in the rate. YOu have to be very picky with the loads they give you to get the rate you need to run.. JRC lets YOU run the business YOU own. That is why, if you want to be home, stay home for a week, or how ever you want to run YOUR bsuiness, JRC enables and empowers you to do so. If you are having a hard time making money with them, then you are not controlling your business to the best that you could. On the flip-side, they also can just give you crap for loads for a long period.. They double and triple broker loads which is illegal and hurts you by everyone taking their cut out of the money. But, when they pay you, you never have to worry about the money being good, your check will always cash. If you do not like dealing with one of their offices, you can always change to another office. No-one makes you stay at one office. Those that lease trailers, you are giving away $150 a week to them, you are a fool to do that, buy a 3-year old flatbed (they are all over the place) you will get it for under 11k and the payment on that could be less then $50 a week (depending on your interest rate and down payment) (200 a month for those with dead calcuators) .. Use common business sense, run your truck like it is a business, not like you are an employee.. And if you cannot manage your money and have to take out ComChecks, duh, yeah, you are not going to have a check at the end of your week.. MANAGE yourself and your business otherwise get out of the business, because you will make more money as a greeter at the local Wal-Mart. Breezy

This company wasnt too bad other than the loudmouth dispatchers, lack of backhaul loads, constant lies, dispatchers owning trucks and having drivers in them, Giving their own trucks preference. NEVER paying detention pay or telling you what the fuel surcharge pay is, if they even give it to you. Charging that rediculous trailer rentel fee (even if they cant get you loads and have your truck sit a day or two) More lies and then theres the comcheck trick they play, They give you a comcheck but put two out there( you only know of one of them) and come payday theres no check even thou you ran your truck a few days out across a few states. But thats only my experience along with just about every owner op i come across involved with that company now or in the past. But with all in all said, they also had their good side too. For one they let you run whenever and just about wherever you choose, pretty much. They are very good about getting you home on weekends and keeping you loaded in the summer months. They have a repair shop in which you can have minor repairs done on your rig. They sell you the equipment(tarps, chains, binders, straps, etc) at a reasonable price and on credit. They let you take comchecks for fuel and tolls. They have plenty of work( in the summer only) and rent you very decent trailers. I dont know if this helps anyone out but i dealt with them for a year and that was my experience. If i were to come across anyone asking my opinion of this company, i'd tell them to give it a try but be very meticulous about your records and keep track of any and all loads.

I'm under lease to the same company and I'm getting 87% of the gross sometimes kevin will adjust that to make it more palatable to me. If I was the one with the loads and someone did not pick it up or deliver it, I too would find someone else to haul it. Guess the company is better off without you. and who ever has the run you had, lucky them, seams like a gravy train to me.

As a response to me earlier report, My feelings about JAMES ROBBINSON from CLT is that he is a LIAR and a SNEAK. The load he is talking about I would load in Springfield MA. about 2 in the afternoon. I would have to deliver it the next day because it is about 6 hours to Buffalo and the places close around 5 P.m. Then after I delivered, I would either pick up plywood in Buffalo, or he would have me go back to Auburn Steel in Auburn NY. Both need tarps. The return load would deliver the following day. So there was a total of 3 days work. The part that bothered me the most about all of this. Is that Jim Robbinson never told me I didn't have the load anymore. Instead he went behind my back and gave it to my cousin for a few weeks, and then his father the week after that. (Both also work for Jim) I found out on my own several weeks later when I went to pick up a load in Springfield going to Long Island NY. When He found out that I knew about it. He called me up and said that he was sorry and that he should have told me. I feel that he should have said something, and that my cousin and uncle should have also said something. (I feel my uncle and cousin should have said something because, if I saw something that was affecting my family in anyway, especially financially. I would want them to know.) Obviously they don't feel the same way. I am not saying that all of CLT is bad. Because I am sure that there are some dispatchers that take good care of their drivers. I just feel that I picked the worst one. My final advice to anyone going to work for CLT is that you will not get any better advice from anyone but former employees. So if you are considering working here, my best advice is to ask someone who works for CLT and someone who used to work for CLT. There are plenty on both sides.

As a response to me earlier report, My feelings about JAMES ROBBINSON from CLT is that he is a LIAR and a SNEAK. The load he is talking about I would load in Springfield MA. about 2 in the afternoon. I would have to deliver it the next day because it is about 6 hours to Buffalo and the places close around 5 P.m. Then after I delivered, I would either pick up plywood in Buffalo, or he would have me go back to Auburn Steel in Auburn NY. Both need tarps. The return load would deliver the following day. So there was a total of 3 days work. The part that bothered me the most about all of this. Is that Jim Robbinson never told me I didn't have the load anymore. Instead he went behind my back and gave it to my cousin for a few weeks, and then his father the week after that. (Both also work for Jim) I found out on my own several weeks later when I went to pick up a load in Springfield going to Long Island NY. When He found out that I knew about it. He called me up and said that he was sorry and that he should have told me. I feel that he should have said something, and that my cousin and uncle should have also said something. (I feel my uncle and cousin should have said something because, if I saw something that was affecting my family in anyway, especially financially. I would want them to know.) Obviously they don't feel the same way. I am not saying that all of CLT is bad. Because I am sure that there are some dispatchers that take good care of their drivers. I just feel that I picked the worst one. My final advice to anyone going to work for CLT is that you will not get any better advice from anyone but former employees. So if you are considering working here, my best advice is to ask someone who works for CLT and someone who used to work for CLT. There are plenty on both sides.

As a response to me earlier report, My feelings about JAMES ROBBINSON from CLT is that he is a LIAR and a SNEAK. The load he is talking about I would load in Springfield MA. about 2 in the afternoon. I would have to deliver it the next day because it is about 6 hours to Buffalo and the places close around 5 P.m. Then after I delivered, I would either pick up plywood in Buffalo, or he would have me go back to Auburn Steel in Auburn NY. Both need tarps. The return load would deliver the following day. So there was a total of 3 days work. The part that bothered me the most about all of this. Is that Jim Robbinson never told me I didn't have the load anymore. Instead he went behind my back and gave it to my cousin for a few weeks, and then his father the week after that. (Both also work for Jim) I found out on my own several weeks later when I went to pick up a load in Springfield going to Long Island NY. When He found out that I knew about it. He called me up and said that he was sorry and that he should have told me. I feel that he should have said something, and that my cousin and uncle should have also said something. (I feel my uncle and cousin should have said something because, if I saw something that was affecting my family in anyway, especially financially. I would want them to know.) Obviously they don't feel the same way. I am not saying that all of CLT is bad. Because I am sure that there are some dispatchers that take good care of their drivers. I just feel that I picked the worst one. My final advice to anyone going to work for CLT is that you will not get any better advice from anyone but former employees. So if you are considering working here, my best advice is to ask someone who works for CLT and someone who used to work for CLT. There are plenty on both sides.

As a response to me earlier report, My feelings about JAMES ROBBINSON from CLT is that he is a LIAR and a SNEAK. The load he is talking about I would load in Springfield MA. about 2 in the afternoon. I would have to deliver it the next day because it is about 6 hours to Buffalo and the places close around 5 P.m. Then after I delivered, I would either pick up plywood in Buffalo, or he would have me go back to Auburn Steel in Auburn NY. Both need tarps. The return load would deliver the following day. So there was a total of 3 days work. The part that bothered me the most about all of this. Is that Jim Robbinson never told me I didn't have the load anymore. Instead he went behind my back and gave it to my cousin for a few weeks, and then his father the week after that. (Both also work for Jim) I found out on my own several weeks later when I went to pick up a load in Springfield going to Long Island NY. When He found out that I knew about it. He called me up and said that he was sorry and that he should have told me. I feel that he should have said something, and that my cousin and uncle should have also said something. (I feel my uncle and cousin should have said something because, if I saw something that was affecting my family in anyway, especially financially. I would want them to know.) Obviously they don't feel the same way. I am not saying that all of CLT is bad. Because I am sure that there are some dispatchers that take good care of their drivers. I just feel that I picked the worst one. My final advice to anyone going to work for CLT is that you will not get any better advice from anyone but former employees. So if you are considering working here, my best advice is to ask someone who works for CLT and someone who used to work for CLT. There are plenty on both sides.

JEFF, IS THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WANTED TO GO TEN MILES FOR FIVE HIM HUNDRED DOLLARS. AND, HAVE SOMEONE DO THE LOAD FOR HIM HE IS A VERY LAZY INDIVIDUAL THAT GOT UPSET WHEN HE TOOK A LOAD TO SYRACUSE, NY AREA.HE WENT TO PICK A LOAD UP IN SYRACUSE FOR A RELOAD BACK TO MASS. HE HAD AN ARGUMENT WITH THE GENTLEMAN AT THE SCALE AND SAID I AM NOT DOING THE LOAD AND LEFT. JEFF, DECIDED TO COME HOME EMPTY. WE HAD TO RECOVER THE LOAD. SO WE DO NOT LOOSE THE CUSTOMER. JEFF, WAS ON A DEDICATED RUN THAT PAID AN AVERAGE OF $1700.00 ON 400 MILES EVERY WEEK.NO TARP! A DAY AND A HALF'S WORTH OF WORK! THEN JEFF COULD DO SOMETHING IN THE LOCAL AREA.BUT, HE DID NOT. WE TOOK JEFF OFF THE RUN DUE TO THIS SITUATION. HE GOT UPSET AND QUIT. NOW HE DECIDES TO BAD MOUTH THE COMPANY. HIS LOSS. HE WILL NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH US AGAIN. SORRY JEFF!