Complaint Review: Shelton Trucking - Altha Florida

I 100% agree with the statements of the former driver and dispatcher. I worked in the Birmingham terminal and almost made it 3 months. I was interviewed by the operations manager from Altha, Steve Johnson, and hired the same day. He warned me that the drivers may be rude and crude, but the worst problem was him and his group of buttkissers.
I literally laughed out loud reading the statements about Harriet. I was told by my drivers from day one that she was...well...mean, we'll say. I made it my mission to always respond to her with kindness and never let her get to me. Allison was also hard to deal with. She is the customer service manager with a snarky "greater than thou" attitude.
I started my training on Thursday morning with Steve. He showed me a few things on the computer, how to look up drivers numbers and a few basic things. He spent the majority of Thurs and Friday on the phone trying to keep things in order in the other terminals. I was asked to clean the office and answer phones and take messages. He left for Altha Friday after lunch and told me i'd be on my own for the next week, but not to worry because the phones were still forwarded to altha. He said that he was hiring a guy with a degree in transportation who would start the week after, and he would be back to train us both together. Basically, i spent the first week by myself in an empty office in the middle of Birmingham, doing nothing.
When the new terminal manager started the following week, we began training a little. It was mostly us talking, while Steve stayed on the office phone and his cell. After figuring a few things out, he left that friday and told us it was ours. Prior to us being hired, the Birmingham terminal was completely deserted. We really weren't fully trained, we were expected to learn as we go and figure things out. Which was fine, except when we had a question and had to call them in Altha to ask how to do something, we were treated like children. Harriet and Allison were always snappy and acting as if we were dumb. We tried calling the Iuka terminal for help, but were quickly reprimanded because they said those dispatchers were the worst ones and didn't know ****. They happened to be the nicest and most helpful people in the whole company!
My manager and I started getting the hang of things, and needed help less and less as time went by. I was really feeling confident in myself and happy that I could handle this job. My drivers were mostly nice and respectful, and although the two evil ones in Altha continued, it wasn't enough to get to me. I tried my best to treat my drivers right, to do as they asked and get them loads. Sometimes it involved asking Harriet. As another has said, she does not like when someone has something to say to her. I had a very good, dependable L/P driver needing a load out of Oklahoma, and a company driver headed that way as well, both needing loads back towards Alabama. I asked Harriet if she could get two loads for them and let me know. She put them in the computer and I dispatched and informed my drivers of this. They were to pick up in Duke, Ok the next day. That afternoon, the power and phones went out in the terminal and i was on my cell trying to make sure the loads were covered. I had to talk to the manager in Duke, and since one of the drivers was hitting a delay from (SURPRISE) a truck breakdown, he decided to pull one of the loads from us. The next day, I  had a driver mad at me, Harriet mad at me, and Steve mad. Harriet had told my driver and Steve that I  had cancelled one of the Duke loads. I didn't have the authority to cancel loads! She deliberately tried to get me into trouble with my boss, and make me look bad in front of my drivers. It got worked out, but the fact that she lies to cover her butt is a well known instance here.
We were constantly pushed around, as the new people at the company, which is not only unprofessional, but it is immature as well. We had our trucks dispatched and preplanned before noon every day. Many times, if we got a good load that another dispatcher wanted, they would just take it out from under us. If the other dispatchers needed a load moved, they would take our trucks and put them on the loads. We had loads of lumber from Birmingham sitting idle on our yard for weeks, without a truck to pull them because the other terminals needed copper out of Panama city or New Orleans. Their loads were always considered more important than ours, but we always got in trouble for late deliveries on this wood. We were told that If revenue didn't come up across the board (In all terminals) that he would fire one person, leaving one person to run each terminal.
The week that i was fired, i had a driver who emptied in Maine heading south after getting tired of waiting on a close load. I found him a double drop load in SC, going to Ohio first, then to Arkansas. He picked up the load and was headed to ohio when Steve went on a rampage about the lumber on our yard. He told me to send that driver back to Birmingham, drop the double drop load on our yard, then deliver a few of the late lumber loads, then he could do the Ohio/Arkansas load later in the week. I did EXACTLY as i was told. The next day, he had another rampage, full on cussing and hollering over the phone at me. "Why is that ohio load on the yard? It needed to be there yesterday!" Apparently he had forgotten what he had told me. He said that I did the wrong thing, why did he deadhead from South Carolina... I was sure he didn't need to deliver the first stop then deadhead back from Ohio! That would just defeat the purpose! He dispatched another driver to do the double, and i told the driver that he must leave Birmingham that night to make it to Ohio first thing. The next morning, I checked on that driver to see where he was, and he had hit a delay, but was about 3 hours from delivery. Yet again, another truck malfunction. I get a call from Steve, again, cussing and hollering, plus my driver on the other phone hollering. I told him where the driver was, and Steve said that he was going out of route, going the wrong way.
I have NEVER in my entire life been talked to as badly as Steve did that day. He had already threatened to fire one person, and knowing that I desperately needed this job, i tried my absolute best to make everything right. By the time he was done chewing me out, plus my driver being straight up pissed off because I had to put him on this load, i pretty much lost it. I  had an emotional moment, and needed to go outside. I ended up in a panic attack, stressed thinking i was going to be fired for doing something exactly as i was told. Sure enough, when I got back from lunch, Steve instructed the terminal manager to let me go, saying he just doesn't think i can handle the job.
I'm a strong woman, I had never worked in trucking before, but considering the lack of training, the already pissed off drivers, the rude fellow employees who think they have authority, and the disrespect given by a manager, I think i was doing well while i was there. I was completely blindsided by my termination.
The other comments saying "You won't make it unless you're a part of their clique" are completely true. Harriet scares people off and lies to get rid of the ones who will stand up to her. Allison is just a snob who thinks she's better than everyone else. Steve has a rotten mouth and talks crap not only to his employees, but to drivers as well as CUSTOMERS! He's very unprofessional, and frankly, I'm astonished that companies still choose Shelton Trucking as a carrier.

I don't even know were to start.. I was hired to be a dispatch / clerical in the Jacksonville office. First, I went to the job interview. While I was there I met Allison from the Home Office in Alta, Fl. She warned me about Harriot as well and how alot of people can't handle working for her and how she was mean. (She was doing interviews on Monday and going to have 2 people to the doctors by Tuesday morning and start training Tuesday afternoon). Well needless to say Alison called me Wensday morning to see if I was still interested in the job. Of course I was, it's a salary job making $500.00 a week. Well Allison showed me a few things on the computer wensday afternoon. Meanwhile she was trying to make other phone calls to hire someone else. Thursday another man showed up and she spent the morning trying to show him a few thing. Lunch time came and he went to lunch and didn't come back. So that afternoon Allison was on the phone trying to recruit someone else to come in for the job. Friday she had someone else come in to start. Now mind you I'm not getting much training here, between the phones ringing and Harriot's mouth (and mean in not even the word, more like monster I have never been so disrespected and treated like a piece of crap..). Friday around lunch time Allison had to head back to the main office and she must of asked me 3 times if I'm sure I'm going to be able to handle it. I told her I was fine and she didn't scare me. Dam, I have worked in the shipyard industry for the past 5-7 years or more and have met all different types of people from all over the place. She definitely top it though! So, I told Allison point blank I'm not going to quit and I'm going to stick with it and that they would have to fire me to get rid of me. Next week, I worked Monday, and 3/4 of a day on Tuesday. Harriot tells me the phone is for me and it's Allison telling me that It's not going to work out. And I asked her, "Why" and all she could say that it's not going to work out. Apparently Harriot could handle some one having a response back to her. I mean I'm mad at myself for taking the abuse from her, but I needed a job. Here's an example: I think one of the last things she said to me was that"Apparently my computer wasn't as stupid as I was" and all I said was "Apparently". But as far as the previous reports. while i was there I seen several people (truckers) that were not making any money. There was one man I looked up in there system that has not received a pay check since September 07'. Don't ask me why he's still there. But they were taking money out of his check for this and that every week and he was doing constant run. Now, the last day I was there the other new girl that apparently fitted in there click make a big mistake and she still has her job... A trucker called to empty his load in Char. S.C., he loaded up in Bald, FL. She turned around and sent him on a dead head run back to Bald, FL. With an empty truck. Now he's paying for all the fuel which we all know how high that is... She didn't even look to see if there was something he could of grabbed head back that way (which there was). But I'm Stupid... I'm actually glad I'm not there but i feel sorry for anyone that works for them. No one should have to put up with that type of abuse.... Kind regards, I'm a better person then that. p.s. I didn't even mention what my husband thought about the whole thing. He wanted to go up there and give her a piece of his mind as well.

I don't even know were to start.. I was hired to be a dispatch / clerical in the Jacksonville office. First, I went to the job interview. While I was there I met Allison from the Home Office in Alta, Fl. She warned me about Harriot as well and how alot of people can't handle working for her and how she was mean. (She was doing interviews on Monday and going to have 2 people to the doctors by Tuesday morning and start training Tuesday afternoon). Well needless to say Alison called me Wensday morning to see if I was still interested in the job. Of course I was, it's a salary job making $500.00 a week. Well Allison showed me a few things on the computer wensday afternoon. Meanwhile she was trying to make other phone calls to hire someone else. Thursday another man showed up and she spent the morning trying to show him a few thing. Lunch time came and he went to lunch and didn't come back. So that afternoon Allison was on the phone trying to recruit someone else to come in for the job. Friday she had someone else come in to start. Now mind you I'm not getting much training here, between the phones ringing and Harriot's mouth (and mean in not even the word, more like monster I have never been so disrespected and treated like a piece of crap..). Friday around lunch time Allison had to head back to the main office and she must of asked me 3 times if I'm sure I'm going to be able to handle it. I told her I was fine and she didn't scare me. Dam, I have worked in the shipyard industry for the past 5-7 years or more and have met all different types of people from all over the place. She definitely top it though! So, I told Allison point blank I'm not going to quit and I'm going to stick with it and that they would have to fire me to get rid of me. Next week, I worked Monday, and 3/4 of a day on Tuesday. Harriot tells me the phone is for me and it's Allison telling me that It's not going to work out. And I asked her, "Why" and all she could say that it's not going to work out. Apparently Harriot could handle some one having a response back to her. I mean I'm mad at myself for taking the abuse from her, but I needed a job. Here's an example: I think one of the last things she said to me was that"Apparently my computer wasn't as stupid as I was" and all I said was "Apparently". But as far as the previous reports. while i was there I seen several people (truckers) that were not making any money. There was one man I looked up in there system that has not received a pay check since September 07'. Don't ask me why he's still there. But they were taking money out of his check for this and that every week and he was doing constant run. Now, the last day I was there the other new girl that apparently fitted in there click make a big mistake and she still has her job... A trucker called to empty his load in Char. S.C., he loaded up in Bald, FL. She turned around and sent him on a dead head run back to Bald, FL. With an empty truck. Now he's paying for all the fuel which we all know how high that is... She didn't even look to see if there was something he could of grabbed head back that way (which there was). But I'm Stupid... I'm actually glad I'm not there but i feel sorry for anyone that works for them. No one should have to put up with that type of abuse.... Kind regards, I'm a better person then that. p.s. I didn't even mention what my husband thought about the whole thing. He wanted to go up there and give her a piece of his mind as well.

I don't even know were to start.. I was hired to be a dispatch / clerical in the Jacksonville office. First, I went to the job interview. While I was there I met Allison from the Home Office in Alta, Fl. She warned me about Harriot as well and how alot of people can't handle working for her and how she was mean. (She was doing interviews on Monday and going to have 2 people to the doctors by Tuesday morning and start training Tuesday afternoon). Well needless to say Alison called me Wensday morning to see if I was still interested in the job. Of course I was, it's a salary job making $500.00 a week. Well Allison showed me a few things on the computer wensday afternoon. Meanwhile she was trying to make other phone calls to hire someone else. Thursday another man showed up and she spent the morning trying to show him a few thing. Lunch time came and he went to lunch and didn't come back. So that afternoon Allison was on the phone trying to recruit someone else to come in for the job. Friday she had someone else come in to start. Now mind you I'm not getting much training here, between the phones ringing and Harriot's mouth (and mean in not even the word, more like monster I have never been so disrespected and treated like a piece of crap..). Friday around lunch time Allison had to head back to the main office and she must of asked me 3 times if I'm sure I'm going to be able to handle it. I told her I was fine and she didn't scare me. Dam, I have worked in the shipyard industry for the past 5-7 years or more and have met all different types of people from all over the place. She definitely top it though! So, I told Allison point blank I'm not going to quit and I'm going to stick with it and that they would have to fire me to get rid of me. Next week, I worked Monday, and 3/4 of a day on Tuesday. Harriot tells me the phone is for me and it's Allison telling me that It's not going to work out. And I asked her, "Why" and all she could say that it's not going to work out. Apparently Harriot could handle some one having a response back to her. I mean I'm mad at myself for taking the abuse from her, but I needed a job. Here's an example: I think one of the last things she said to me was that"Apparently my computer wasn't as stupid as I was" and all I said was "Apparently". But as far as the previous reports. while i was there I seen several people (truckers) that were not making any money. There was one man I looked up in there system that has not received a pay check since September 07'. Don't ask me why he's still there. But they were taking money out of his check for this and that every week and he was doing constant run. Now, the last day I was there the other new girl that apparently fitted in there click make a big mistake and she still has her job... A trucker called to empty his load in Char. S.C., he loaded up in Bald, FL. She turned around and sent him on a dead head run back to Bald, FL. With an empty truck. Now he's paying for all the fuel which we all know how high that is... She didn't even look to see if there was something he could of grabbed head back that way (which there was). But I'm Stupid... I'm actually glad I'm not there but i feel sorry for anyone that works for them. No one should have to put up with that type of abuse.... Kind regards, I'm a better person then that. p.s. I didn't even mention what my husband thought about the whole thing. He wanted to go up there and give her a piece of his mind as well.

I don't even know were to start.. I was hired to be a dispatch / clerical in the Jacksonville office. First, I went to the job interview. While I was there I met Allison from the Home Office in Alta, Fl. She warned me about Harriot as well and how alot of people can't handle working for her and how she was mean. (She was doing interviews on Monday and going to have 2 people to the doctors by Tuesday morning and start training Tuesday afternoon). Well needless to say Alison called me Wensday morning to see if I was still interested in the job. Of course I was, it's a salary job making $500.00 a week. Well Allison showed me a few things on the computer wensday afternoon. Meanwhile she was trying to make other phone calls to hire someone else. Thursday another man showed up and she spent the morning trying to show him a few thing. Lunch time came and he went to lunch and didn't come back. So that afternoon Allison was on the phone trying to recruit someone else to come in for the job. Friday she had someone else come in to start. Now mind you I'm not getting much training here, between the phones ringing and Harriot's mouth (and mean in not even the word, more like monster I have never been so disrespected and treated like a piece of crap..). Friday around lunch time Allison had to head back to the main office and she must of asked me 3 times if I'm sure I'm going to be able to handle it. I told her I was fine and she didn't scare me. Dam, I have worked in the shipyard industry for the past 5-7 years or more and have met all different types of people from all over the place. She definitely top it though! So, I told Allison point blank I'm not going to quit and I'm going to stick with it and that they would have to fire me to get rid of me. Next week, I worked Monday, and 3/4 of a day on Tuesday. Harriot tells me the phone is for me and it's Allison telling me that It's not going to work out. And I asked her, "Why" and all she could say that it's not going to work out. Apparently Harriot could handle some one having a response back to her. I mean I'm mad at myself for taking the abuse from her, but I needed a job. Here's an example: I think one of the last things she said to me was that"Apparently my computer wasn't as stupid as I was" and all I said was "Apparently". But as far as the previous reports. while i was there I seen several people (truckers) that were not making any money. There was one man I looked up in there system that has not received a pay check since September 07'. Don't ask me why he's still there. But they were taking money out of his check for this and that every week and he was doing constant run. Now, the last day I was there the other new girl that apparently fitted in there click make a big mistake and she still has her job... A trucker called to empty his load in Char. S.C., he loaded up in Bald, FL. She turned around and sent him on a dead head run back to Bald, FL. With an empty truck. Now he's paying for all the fuel which we all know how high that is... She didn't even look to see if there was something he could of grabbed head back that way (which there was). But I'm Stupid... I'm actually glad I'm not there but i feel sorry for anyone that works for them. No one should have to put up with that type of abuse.... Kind regards, I'm a better person then that. p.s. I didn't even mention what my husband thought about the whole thing. He wanted to go up there and give her a piece of his mind as well.