Question:
Hi all, I would like to tell everyone just how badly i screwed myself. Us xpress has a ca regional run from ca, az, and nv. Ive been running it for the last 2 weeks and it is the most horrible thing you can drive. You get all the bs of otr trucking with less miles. I told the big boss at the Colton terminal that it wasnt right for me trying to be nice about it. He told told me " I'll switch u to 48 states but I will not put you back on it". Then he said " just don't call me when your stuck at a truckstop in New Jersey and cant get home". After all the little crappy 200 mile runs I cant believe he was taling to me like this. After all he was one of the big wigs. Obviously other drivers dont like it either.
After working for Swift for 9 months I must stay here for a least 3 months to get my 1 full yr. So im really screwed. Im switching to 48 states on Monday and hopefully that will be better. Also their recruiters lie he told me I would go up to 27 per mile in 3 months .I talked to payroll and they sd it was a half cent raise. I heard of recruiters lying like that but didnt think it would actually happen. Their benefits suck. I've managed to **** off every dispatcher in Colton because I refused a couple of loads 350 mile runs from LA to Sanfrancisco. Plus you have to scale and wait to load and unload . At 25 per mile thats like what $60.00?
Anyways what i've seen so far is that their just a big bag doggy doo wrapped in a pretty package and bow.
Im gonna run 48 states and maybe my opinion will change after all I hae no choice now.
One more thing YOU ever notice that driver who claims to make 49,000 a yr in the magazine trucker connection does'nt look happy? I wonder why? I'll keep you all informed if ya want. This post is mainly for the potential drivers that might get scammed by the ca regional.

Answer:
Ok mistake the average run is 150-250 miles. Thats 60 bucks 350 miles one one of the bigger runs.

Answer:
That is part of being new. The crappy runs.
You don't expect them to give them to the older hands do you? And the more experience you are with one company the more you know how not to get stuck with loser runs. Also you learn the players in that co. and how to play them.
Good Luck,
Hang tough,
And look around. TC

Answer:
My driver runs the route you mentioned and hasn't had any problems -- he came off the 48 states, and is enjoying the regional. I guess it is just another aspect of the trucking industry; what works for one driver might not work for another. Just like when you go to look for a company to drive for, lots of drivers are loyal to their compaines and think they are the best, but you have to find what works for you. Good luck if you decide to run 48 for USXpress -- more than likely you'll get to the east coast and be stuck there with short runs.

Answer:
At large companies,it's a waist of time over the long run.You will be paying forever with the turnover in office help and as they pickup new accounts and loose old ones.
It actually works just the opposite,johnny can handle the worst of the worst,give it to him,not the unproven newbie,thats an important customer.Mr Screwup gets the preloaded trailer with 24 hour access with an open delivery window.
1 year whats that about?if you think that the tales about you have to have one year to move on are true,don't try or you can blow off those tales and go find yourself a normal driving job.someone from down south posted within the last week or two,that they got on with a local tanker company with zero current experiance.
Wyle E. Coyote
Supergenius!

Answer:
That is part of being new. The crappy runs. That's also part of new driver turnover.
I've looked at lots of adds for regional runs from Ca,Az. and Nv.. Being from Phx. those didn't look bad to me. But 200 mile runs just wouldn't work.
That one year deal is a little confusing. Companies like Crete, Shaeffer and Millis will train you. Why go to companies with poor references and high turnover. After a year only companies who's insurance doesn't allow newbies but will take one years experience will hire you others won't. The same for 2-3 year experience companies.
Go for the best you can get from the start.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
sounds like you have worked for this company for less than a month, and have already turned down a couple loads. Is that right?
If so, and I was your dispatcher, I wouldnt be too concnerned with you either.

Answer:
I ran that tristate regional for another company for several months. The runs were shorter, but I was home every weekend. I still averaged over 9000 miles a month. I switched to 48 and the average went to 11,000 per month but only home one weekend a month. If you want the home time, the miles and money will suffer. Take you pick.
Take the time to build your reputation with your dispatcher. If you can afford the pay situation, run the crappy runs and don't complain for a few months. I think you will be amazed at the difference in attitudes.
Why did you leave Swift after just 9 months? Why didn't you complete the year with them?

Answer:
When you go work for these marginal non driver oriented companies what do you expect. I Started at .295 as a student driver got decent runs from the start, have always had my needs met for hometime. Whats the company you say Transport America. They have a terminal in Fontana CA. Looking at the companies out there if I did it all over again I think it would have came down to Transport America or CRETE and since crete does not pay too run turnpikes forget them or there affiliates.

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[This message was edited by Bluebyrd on July 27, 2003 at 7:27.]

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Darn it hit, I the wrong button!

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bluebyrd,whats the base before the extra??
500 - 599 miles
+ 3 cents per mile
$15.00 to $18.00
so do 2 of those over say one 1100 mile trip and they give you say $35.00 extra,you made 2 more stops over the single 1100 mile run and being paid by computer miles,you will drive more miles on the 2 short runs compared to the one longer run.
The percentage of unpaid miles increases on shorter trips.You could very easy run 10% unpaid miles on a 300 mile trip,but it is pretty hard to do 10% unpaid miles on a 3000 mile trip.
It also doesn't make the most productive use of your 61.25 hours available every 7 day period.
New England to southern CA is 3000 miles and easy to log in a week.
Try logging ten 250 mile trips with 50 mile deadheads on each one,thats 20 pickups and deliveries,costing you at 15 minutes each stop according to truckdweller logging 101,works out to 5 hours lost from your log book.Thats around 300 miles you can't log that week over doing 1 straight 3000 mile load.Plus you will run hundreds of more unpaid miles.
Now add in the fact that there is now way to do ten of the short trips in a week because you can't get them on and off at will,you pickup and deliver when the customers want,so in almost all cases it would work out to one short load a day.
running long at .30 cents a mile and doing 500 miles a day is $150.00
running short and doing 300 miles a day at .40 cents per mile is $120.00 per day.
I'm willing to bet that no matter what,you could not beat long haul drivers weekly pay running them short ones even with the bonus$$
Doing 3 1000 mile loads a week is easy trucking
Doing 2 1500 mile loads a week is easy trucking
Doing 1 3000 mile load a weekis like a vacation
Doing a load everyday will work your butt into the ground.Destroy your log book and you won't be able to log as many miles.
Wyle E. Coyote
Supergenius!

Answer:
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[This message was edited by Bluebyrd on July 27, 2003 at 7:25.]

Answer:
Well my driver just left the expedited fleet -- CA, AZ, NV, and I5 corridor, and is returning to 48. So guess he is back to running to the east coast and getting stuck with those little runs. Long story, short version. His dm lied and they believed her story, and wouldn't even hear his side. And wouldn't even give him a second chance with a new dm. Thank goodness he had an AWESOME dm in Salt Lake who is taking him back.

Answer:
A bit off the topic, but I have a few questions about the USxpress school. Is all the training in the school done with Auto-shift trannys? including when doing the driving part of the CDL?
What does it cost, how are the meals and lodging?
How many students in the truck?
Graduation rate?
Hours and days per week for school?
How far out in the boonies is the school from town?
Thanks
Do it in the Snow, packed Snow, Glazed over Snow, Deep
Snow, Crusty Snow, Ice, Black Ice and frosty roads for the same pay as Drivers in warm Climates..