Tom
Arlington,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, April 08, 2006
Well I know a few years ago when I drove for them, they werent too bad. I had quite a few quick pickups (Espically in the Northeast) Would pull in drop my empty & find my already loaded trailer ready to go. Now unloading is where they took their time. Many times would pull into a distributor, wait for 4 hours for a slot & then have to pay their EXTORITION MONEY (Lumpers) to get unloaded. A few times I tried to do it myself, was amazed at all the BS REASONS they would come up with. Wrong Shoes (No Steel Toe), Have to sit & watch SAFETY VIDEO, have to break down palletts and sort items, have to wait for checker to count cases (Always seems to be busy doing the LUMPERS first) etc. Also tehy will definetly keep you out for as long as possible. I didnt really care as I always ran LEGAL. The DISPATCHERS & DRIVER MANAGERS and me were always butting heads over it. But I told them I dot LIE, CHEAT or STEAL & want going to start for them. Also I told them if they wanted, I would clear the truck out where I was & fly home (Nice when your wife works for a MAJOR AIRLINE). And since I always reminded them about flying FREE, they knew I was serious. Kind of nice when you have a club over them. Fianlly got tired of the BS & found a local outfit that runs teams between DALLAS & CALIF and could make a $1000 per week. Just had to sleep when the other driver was driving, but hey what is there to do in a truckstop anyway. GOOD LUCK & remember you are the one who will be on the line if you LIE on your logs or such.
Dave
Kansas City,#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 08, 2006
Try getting a local job with an L.T.L outfit doing Linehaul, or city delivery, pays by the hour with benefits, or, maybe, try driving a ready mix concrete truck, I have a friend who drives a ready mix truck making $18.00 an hour with over time and benefits and home everynite ! Give up that Long-haul-road driving, these companies aren't in business anymore to make money hauling freight, they now make money off of unsuspecting Naive drivers and the general public who don't know the Industry or how fraudulent and Corrupt it is !!! Also Join this trucking group called "OOIDA" well worth your time to become a member and be knowledgable !!! Good Luck to You !!! Driver of 24 yrs in the business !! Dave/Kansas City
Jim
BOSSIER CITY,#4UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 03, 2005
DRIVER,YOU'RE IN THE SAME BOAT I WAS,I WENT TO THEIR SO CALLED COMPANY DRIVING SCHOOL AND WAS STUCK THERE FOR 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT TO THEIR SCHOOL,BUT $4750 OWED IF YOU LEAVE SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID,JUST BE HAPPY THAT THEY CHANGED IT TO ONLY A 1 YEAR OBLIGATION, IT USED TO BE 2 YEARS AND THAT WAS FROM YOUR SOLO DATE. FORTUNATELY MY OBLIGATION WAS UP IN APRIL SO I NO LONGER HAVE THAT HANGING OVER MY HEAD.I'M STILL WITH THEM,BUT THAT IS FOR OTHER REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE I AM HAPPY WITH THEM,BUT DON'T WORRY,I WILL BE LEAVING THEM IN JULY(ALREADY HAVE A LOCAL JOB LINED UP)EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THEM NOT GIVING YOU THE MILES PROMISED IS TRUE I AVERAGE ABOUT 2400 MILES/WEEK. THEY RIP YOU OUT OF MILES ALL THE TIME,IN 2 1/2 YEARS I'VE ONLY COME OUT RIGHT ON ONCE,ALTHOUGH I THINK I DID COME OUT UNDER ONCE.ALTHOUGH STEVENS IS A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY,THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY,THAT IS WHY THEY ONLY LET YOU GO HOME EVERY 5 WEEKS. I USED TO TRAIN UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT THE MIRROR MY STUDENT TOOK OUT ON ANOTHER TRUCK GOT TAKEN OUT OF MY PAY,WHEN I ASKED WHY, THEY SAID EVERYTHING THAT TRUCK DOES IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY,WHICH I AGREE WITH,BUT THEY SHOULD TELL YOU THAT FROM THE GET GO,SO I QUIT TRAINING.WHEN YOU GO TO PICK UP AT SHIPPERS YOU ARE THERE AN AVERAGE OF 24 HRS,THAT IS BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS AT STEVENS ARE SO AFRAID OF SERVICE FAILURES THAT THEY WANT YOU THERE THAT EARLY. I TELL PEOPLE THAT ASK ME ABOUT STEVENS TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID,GO TO A DRY BOX TRAILER COMPANY,IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU GOT PAID EXTRA FOR HAULING A REEFER,BUT I LOOKED AT SWIFT AND SCHNEIDER'S PAY SCALES AND THEY BOTH MAKE MORE THAN WE AT STEVENS DO. I CAN GO TO CANADA,BUT I DON'T NO MORE,THEY DON'T PAY ME NO EXTRA FOR ALL THAT TROUBLE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT THE BORDER.WHY SHOULD I BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING BEEN A GOOD CITIZEN AND NEVER BEEN ARRESTED SO EVERYTIME(TWICE) THEY TRIED TO SEND ME AFTER THAT,I TOLD THEM THEY NEED TO GET ME SOMETHING ELSE AND IT BETTER BE IN AMERICA,AND I'M NOT MOVING 'TIL THEY DO,YEAH THEY THREATEN YOU,BUT DON'T LET THAT WORRY YOU,THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING,THEY LOSE ENOUGH DRIVERS THROUGH QUITTING,IMAGINE IF THEY FIRED EVERY DRIVER THAT DID SOMETHING WRONG,THEY'D HAVE NO DRIVERS. MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF STEVENS TRANSPORT IS THAT THEY SUCK,ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY,BUT IT DON'T MATTER,THEY ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 70 NEW PEOPLE COME IN EVERY WEEK,BUT IT'S AMAZING HOW ONLY ABOUT 10 OF THEM COME BACK AFTER 5 WEEKS WITH A TRAINER BECAUSE THE OTHER 60 WERE SMART AND GOT OUT WHILE THEY WERE AHEAD.I GUESS I WAS 1 OF THE STUPID ONES
Jim
BOSSIER CITY,#5UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 03, 2005
DRIVER,YOU'RE IN THE SAME BOAT I WAS,I WENT TO THEIR SO CALLED COMPANY DRIVING SCHOOL AND WAS STUCK THERE FOR 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT TO THEIR SCHOOL,BUT $4750 OWED IF YOU LEAVE SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID,JUST BE HAPPY THAT THEY CHANGED IT TO ONLY A 1 YEAR OBLIGATION, IT USED TO BE 2 YEARS AND THAT WAS FROM YOUR SOLO DATE. FORTUNATELY MY OBLIGATION WAS UP IN APRIL SO I NO LONGER HAVE THAT HANGING OVER MY HEAD.I'M STILL WITH THEM,BUT THAT IS FOR OTHER REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE I AM HAPPY WITH THEM,BUT DON'T WORRY,I WILL BE LEAVING THEM IN JULY(ALREADY HAVE A LOCAL JOB LINED UP)EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THEM NOT GIVING YOU THE MILES PROMISED IS TRUE I AVERAGE ABOUT 2400 MILES/WEEK. THEY RIP YOU OUT OF MILES ALL THE TIME,IN 2 1/2 YEARS I'VE ONLY COME OUT RIGHT ON ONCE,ALTHOUGH I THINK I DID COME OUT UNDER ONCE.ALTHOUGH STEVENS IS A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY,THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY,THAT IS WHY THEY ONLY LET YOU GO HOME EVERY 5 WEEKS. I USED TO TRAIN UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT THE MIRROR MY STUDENT TOOK OUT ON ANOTHER TRUCK GOT TAKEN OUT OF MY PAY,WHEN I ASKED WHY, THEY SAID EVERYTHING THAT TRUCK DOES IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY,WHICH I AGREE WITH,BUT THEY SHOULD TELL YOU THAT FROM THE GET GO,SO I QUIT TRAINING.WHEN YOU GO TO PICK UP AT SHIPPERS YOU ARE THERE AN AVERAGE OF 24 HRS,THAT IS BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS AT STEVENS ARE SO AFRAID OF SERVICE FAILURES THAT THEY WANT YOU THERE THAT EARLY. I TELL PEOPLE THAT ASK ME ABOUT STEVENS TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID,GO TO A DRY BOX TRAILER COMPANY,IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU GOT PAID EXTRA FOR HAULING A REEFER,BUT I LOOKED AT SWIFT AND SCHNEIDER'S PAY SCALES AND THEY BOTH MAKE MORE THAN WE AT STEVENS DO. I CAN GO TO CANADA,BUT I DON'T NO MORE,THEY DON'T PAY ME NO EXTRA FOR ALL THAT TROUBLE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT THE BORDER.WHY SHOULD I BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING BEEN A GOOD CITIZEN AND NEVER BEEN ARRESTED SO EVERYTIME(TWICE) THEY TRIED TO SEND ME AFTER THAT,I TOLD THEM THEY NEED TO GET ME SOMETHING ELSE AND IT BETTER BE IN AMERICA,AND I'M NOT MOVING 'TIL THEY DO,YEAH THEY THREATEN YOU,BUT DON'T LET THAT WORRY YOU,THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING,THEY LOSE ENOUGH DRIVERS THROUGH QUITTING,IMAGINE IF THEY FIRED EVERY DRIVER THAT DID SOMETHING WRONG,THEY'D HAVE NO DRIVERS. MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF STEVENS TRANSPORT IS THAT THEY SUCK,ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY,BUT IT DON'T MATTER,THEY ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 70 NEW PEOPLE COME IN EVERY WEEK,BUT IT'S AMAZING HOW ONLY ABOUT 10 OF THEM COME BACK AFTER 5 WEEKS WITH A TRAINER BECAUSE THE OTHER 60 WERE SMART AND GOT OUT WHILE THEY WERE AHEAD.I GUESS I WAS 1 OF THE STUPID ONES
Jim
BOSSIER CITY,#6UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 03, 2005
DRIVER,YOU'RE IN THE SAME BOAT I WAS,I WENT TO THEIR SO CALLED COMPANY DRIVING SCHOOL AND WAS STUCK THERE FOR 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT TO THEIR SCHOOL,BUT $4750 OWED IF YOU LEAVE SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID,JUST BE HAPPY THAT THEY CHANGED IT TO ONLY A 1 YEAR OBLIGATION, IT USED TO BE 2 YEARS AND THAT WAS FROM YOUR SOLO DATE. FORTUNATELY MY OBLIGATION WAS UP IN APRIL SO I NO LONGER HAVE THAT HANGING OVER MY HEAD.I'M STILL WITH THEM,BUT THAT IS FOR OTHER REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE I AM HAPPY WITH THEM,BUT DON'T WORRY,I WILL BE LEAVING THEM IN JULY(ALREADY HAVE A LOCAL JOB LINED UP)EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THEM NOT GIVING YOU THE MILES PROMISED IS TRUE I AVERAGE ABOUT 2400 MILES/WEEK. THEY RIP YOU OUT OF MILES ALL THE TIME,IN 2 1/2 YEARS I'VE ONLY COME OUT RIGHT ON ONCE,ALTHOUGH I THINK I DID COME OUT UNDER ONCE.ALTHOUGH STEVENS IS A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY,THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY,THAT IS WHY THEY ONLY LET YOU GO HOME EVERY 5 WEEKS. I USED TO TRAIN UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT THE MIRROR MY STUDENT TOOK OUT ON ANOTHER TRUCK GOT TAKEN OUT OF MY PAY,WHEN I ASKED WHY, THEY SAID EVERYTHING THAT TRUCK DOES IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY,WHICH I AGREE WITH,BUT THEY SHOULD TELL YOU THAT FROM THE GET GO,SO I QUIT TRAINING.WHEN YOU GO TO PICK UP AT SHIPPERS YOU ARE THERE AN AVERAGE OF 24 HRS,THAT IS BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS AT STEVENS ARE SO AFRAID OF SERVICE FAILURES THAT THEY WANT YOU THERE THAT EARLY. I TELL PEOPLE THAT ASK ME ABOUT STEVENS TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID,GO TO A DRY BOX TRAILER COMPANY,IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU GOT PAID EXTRA FOR HAULING A REEFER,BUT I LOOKED AT SWIFT AND SCHNEIDER'S PAY SCALES AND THEY BOTH MAKE MORE THAN WE AT STEVENS DO. I CAN GO TO CANADA,BUT I DON'T NO MORE,THEY DON'T PAY ME NO EXTRA FOR ALL THAT TROUBLE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT THE BORDER.WHY SHOULD I BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING BEEN A GOOD CITIZEN AND NEVER BEEN ARRESTED SO EVERYTIME(TWICE) THEY TRIED TO SEND ME AFTER THAT,I TOLD THEM THEY NEED TO GET ME SOMETHING ELSE AND IT BETTER BE IN AMERICA,AND I'M NOT MOVING 'TIL THEY DO,YEAH THEY THREATEN YOU,BUT DON'T LET THAT WORRY YOU,THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING,THEY LOSE ENOUGH DRIVERS THROUGH QUITTING,IMAGINE IF THEY FIRED EVERY DRIVER THAT DID SOMETHING WRONG,THEY'D HAVE NO DRIVERS. MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF STEVENS TRANSPORT IS THAT THEY SUCK,ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY,BUT IT DON'T MATTER,THEY ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 70 NEW PEOPLE COME IN EVERY WEEK,BUT IT'S AMAZING HOW ONLY ABOUT 10 OF THEM COME BACK AFTER 5 WEEKS WITH A TRAINER BECAUSE THE OTHER 60 WERE SMART AND GOT OUT WHILE THEY WERE AHEAD.I GUESS I WAS 1 OF THE STUPID ONES
Jim
BOSSIER CITY,#7UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 03, 2005
DRIVER,YOU'RE IN THE SAME BOAT I WAS,I WENT TO THEIR SO CALLED COMPANY DRIVING SCHOOL AND WAS STUCK THERE FOR 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT TO THEIR SCHOOL,BUT $4750 OWED IF YOU LEAVE SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID,JUST BE HAPPY THAT THEY CHANGED IT TO ONLY A 1 YEAR OBLIGATION, IT USED TO BE 2 YEARS AND THAT WAS FROM YOUR SOLO DATE. FORTUNATELY MY OBLIGATION WAS UP IN APRIL SO I NO LONGER HAVE THAT HANGING OVER MY HEAD.I'M STILL WITH THEM,BUT THAT IS FOR OTHER REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE I AM HAPPY WITH THEM,BUT DON'T WORRY,I WILL BE LEAVING THEM IN JULY(ALREADY HAVE A LOCAL JOB LINED UP)EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THEM NOT GIVING YOU THE MILES PROMISED IS TRUE I AVERAGE ABOUT 2400 MILES/WEEK. THEY RIP YOU OUT OF MILES ALL THE TIME,IN 2 1/2 YEARS I'VE ONLY COME OUT RIGHT ON ONCE,ALTHOUGH I THINK I DID COME OUT UNDER ONCE.ALTHOUGH STEVENS IS A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY,THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY,THAT IS WHY THEY ONLY LET YOU GO HOME EVERY 5 WEEKS. I USED TO TRAIN UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT THE MIRROR MY STUDENT TOOK OUT ON ANOTHER TRUCK GOT TAKEN OUT OF MY PAY,WHEN I ASKED WHY, THEY SAID EVERYTHING THAT TRUCK DOES IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY,WHICH I AGREE WITH,BUT THEY SHOULD TELL YOU THAT FROM THE GET GO,SO I QUIT TRAINING.WHEN YOU GO TO PICK UP AT SHIPPERS YOU ARE THERE AN AVERAGE OF 24 HRS,THAT IS BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS AT STEVENS ARE SO AFRAID OF SERVICE FAILURES THAT THEY WANT YOU THERE THAT EARLY. I TELL PEOPLE THAT ASK ME ABOUT STEVENS TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID,GO TO A DRY BOX TRAILER COMPANY,IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU GOT PAID EXTRA FOR HAULING A REEFER,BUT I LOOKED AT SWIFT AND SCHNEIDER'S PAY SCALES AND THEY BOTH MAKE MORE THAN WE AT STEVENS DO. I CAN GO TO CANADA,BUT I DON'T NO MORE,THEY DON'T PAY ME NO EXTRA FOR ALL THAT TROUBLE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT THE BORDER.WHY SHOULD I BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING BEEN A GOOD CITIZEN AND NEVER BEEN ARRESTED SO EVERYTIME(TWICE) THEY TRIED TO SEND ME AFTER THAT,I TOLD THEM THEY NEED TO GET ME SOMETHING ELSE AND IT BETTER BE IN AMERICA,AND I'M NOT MOVING 'TIL THEY DO,YEAH THEY THREATEN YOU,BUT DON'T LET THAT WORRY YOU,THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING,THEY LOSE ENOUGH DRIVERS THROUGH QUITTING,IMAGINE IF THEY FIRED EVERY DRIVER THAT DID SOMETHING WRONG,THEY'D HAVE NO DRIVERS. MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF STEVENS TRANSPORT IS THAT THEY SUCK,ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY,BUT IT DON'T MATTER,THEY ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 70 NEW PEOPLE COME IN EVERY WEEK,BUT IT'S AMAZING HOW ONLY ABOUT 10 OF THEM COME BACK AFTER 5 WEEKS WITH A TRAINER BECAUSE THE OTHER 60 WERE SMART AND GOT OUT WHILE THEY WERE AHEAD.I GUESS I WAS 1 OF THE STUPID ONES
Paul
Anaheim,#8Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 16, 2005
I don't drive anymore. I got so sick of the s**t. Screw those fleets. If they want the freight moved, let them drive the d**n trucks themselves. Next time out, get the trucker's digest magazine. Free at many truck stops. Plus, all the little recruiting books. Next down time, start calling. As soon as you find another company, return the truck and quit. They'll keep your last check, so you'll have to sell a bunch of fuel to get your money. At $400 a week, you should be doing that anyway. Can you say Landstar owner-operator? How about fuel deal? That's what you say on the radio. A buck a gallon, or half price. Move on to another company. Kllm runs pretty hard if you like reefers. That's the only company that never really cheated me. The rest all tried to screw me on my money, and I had to sell fuel to break even. I'd recommend Kllm. You get more drop and hooks with dry vans. Something to keep in mind. Here's the thing. In order to clear $1000, you need to gross $1300 to $1400. At .32 a mile, you need 4400 paid miles. That means you need to drive 750 every day. That's d**n hard to do in a 68 mile truck. Especially with grocery warehouse nonsense every morning. You never get out until 9:00 or 10:00. But, it can be done if you run hard. You always get the Petro buffet to go. You never sit in the restaurant. You always get the styrofoam boxes to go. You get more food that way. One buffet will last all day. Even without a cooler, it stays good until the following morning. Plus, your food costs stay low. It's like $7.99 to $11.99 for the buffet. Or, at least it was the last time I was out. You need to learn how to hold the truck at top speed all day. You stay out until you do your 750. Then, you park on the on-ramps. Or, the receiver. Naturally, you have no TV. It's sleep or drive. That's what it takes to make $1000 a week. You always log 10:45 of drive time. Plus, remember split sleeper berth rules. I used to do 1000 miles a day and it looked legal on the log. The problem is that you work like 110 to 120 hours a week to make this money. Divide it out. You make $8 or $9 an hour. For that, you get no time for yourself. You're always filthy dirty. Dead tired. There are so many other ways to make a better living. I love to drive. That's how I got into the job in the first place. But, it's not worth the little bit of money you make. Change companies if you want to stick with it. In the end, like most people, you'll see that it ain't worth all the time and effort the job requires. But, it was fun playing with the little trucks while it lasted.
Tom
Arlington,#9UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, April 15, 2005
Hey I would not worry about Stevens that much. I believe they have over a 100% Turn-Over rate on drivers. Also their $0.275 mileage rate is way too low. I drove for them for like 6-weeks and saw thru the BS & left. Only thing they have going for them is their NEW TRUCKS !!!! Check out another company in Dallas called SUNBELT EXPRESS. They are a TEAM ONLY operation that runs dedicated between Dallas & Calif. You will run like 2 loads a week and they start off usually around $0.17 per mile. But that is for EVERY MILE ran by both you & the Co-Driver. I drove for them for several months last year & made up to $1300.00 per week sometimes before taxes, and that was on 2-trips in a week. And I calculated their HOUSEHOLD MOVERS BS and it came out between 4% and 9% weekly. Overall a pretty fair company, but they will RUN YOU TO DEATH. They dont want you stopping except to FUEL, LOAD & UNLOAD. That is why they are a TEAM ONLY operation. And they do quite a bit of DROP & HOOK also. You may E-Mail me direct at [email protected] and I will give you or anyone more info if wanted.