Wil-Trans was polite and glad to tell me what I wanted to hear to mislead me into leaving another good trucking company to get me to come to work for them. First off...a $.02 cent per mile raise. A promise od a bigger, nicer truck. And a lot of accomidations my previous company wasing giving me. The are also "partnered" with PRIME.
I was told they only towed PRIME trailers. And they didn't report to PRIME in any other way. But the 1st day of Orientation showed much more. You will be staying at a motel owned and opperated by PRIME. Your local pick ups and delikveries are at the PRIME yard. You will be following PRIMES rules as well. Your qualCom sends messages to Wiltrans and PRIME. When you have a load problem, you have to report it to... you guessed it...PRIME. Wiltrans is like PRIMES little red headed stepchild. So its like working for two companies. Even you Wiltrns ID gets you into all of PRIMES driver services. And... if you miss any damage to a PRIME trailer on your PMI, you are financially responsible for it.
I made arrangements with the recruiter Chris, to come to Wiltrans, and bring my wife as well to attend their CDL training. Wiltrans will only pay for a bus ticket. Now I know it is pretty mich the industry standard to travel by bus. But I don't. I was pormised however, the bus faire equivilant in funds to get my own means of travel. Didn't happen. When I got to the Prime motel with my wife, only I had a room. No provisions were made for my wife...at all. Even tho she was supposed to go thru orientation with me and attend Wiltran's CDL school.
Also, Mr. Chris told both my wife and myself that they did "ALL" the preliminary employment and background checks BEFORE inviting you to orientation. And that you were "HIRED" at that point. Your not. However, the log class does tell you that you are on line 4 attending that class. And monday 's orientation goes to 9pm.lso, orientation is NOT PAID.
You are required to give fingerprints on day one with no explaination as to why, ore what database they will be kept in. And you are required to get a TWIC card. Just two more things Chris forgot to tell us. I don't have a problem with my background, I have a former clearance with DOD that remains spotless. However, I have no desire to go to the ports. And they pull some supposible "hi security" loads where PRIME won't allow you to stop for 200 miles after leaving the customer. I stop when my bladder says to. I don't care what's in the back. And, company trucks are goverened at 62. Chris lied again and told me 65.
If these little lies and ommisions don't bother you, before you commit to them, just think about what lies they can tell once you are on the payroll.
So when I brought us some of my concerns to Chris, and told him I didn't feel comfortable continuing with being a Wiltrans driver, he went to "daddy Wilson". I was politely asked to go talk to him, at which time he just went off on me in a rage. I stood, said thank you, and left.
My misadventure with Wiltrans has cost me 2 weeks earings at my former employer. I was a trainer there and av eraged 5000 miles a week. With bonuses, between $5000.00 and $6000.00. And approx $1500.00 out of pocket expenses traveling to and from Wiltrans, and motel expenses. A decietfull promise made is definately not worth the trouble, frustration, expense, headaches, and discomfort.