Good deal Paul. I'm sure you must have gotten nervous but looks like you came through it ok.

Maybe you should pull those lens off and see if you can't clean them up...or get them replaced as a hazard?

 

One would think its that easy, but in reality its not. In order to switch terminals, you have to request and be "released" by your current terminal and then accepted by the "new" terminal. Well that ain't gonna happen because there's no way my terminal will release me. Not because I am that valuable to them but more out of spite.

Let me post some "foot notes" on what has been going on below.

 

Before I post what I've been dealing with since signing on, let me say that I think Lone Star as a whole is a good company, especially if you're a company driver. I have no ill-will towards Lone Star what so ever, I just am not fitting it at my terminal and here's the jist of why (posted in no particular order)................

1st off, none of the terminals (or agents as I believe they are) communicate very well. In fact I have my suspicions that they all cut-throat one another. With that said, it's the O/O that gets caught in the middle and has to pay the price. There have been at least 4 occasions I was told by my terminal that they were in contact with a different terminal and I will be loading out of a certain area and to go ahead and DH to that terminal and check in. Upon doing so, I am greeted with a "sorry, don't have anything right now but I'll let you know as soon as something comes up". This is a little messed up, but O.K. no problem I understand these things happen right? Well as I sit at that terminal, I watch not 1, not 2, but 5 O/O's (all attached to that terminal) bobtail in and hook up to empty empty flatbeds and one RGN and roll out. I get to talking to a couple of them and they tell me they just got called to go do a live load. Hmmmmm.......interesting since I've been sitting there all day and have not been offered a single thing. I can give several examples of this kind of B.S. This was my 1st warning flag.

During those 1st couple of weeks, my terminal manager is telling me how sorry she is that it's been so rough for me and keeps reassuring me day after day that this is not the norm. Mean while she tells me how for "D" (for those that remember, he's the O/O that was in my class and then left, he came back the following week and is working out of the same terminal as me) it's been the exact opposite and everything has been running smooth as silk. Well later on I made 2 runs with "D" and as we compared notes I find out that he too has been going through the same crap as me and also is looking to make a change. So in my mind, my terminal manager has been lying to me. Another warning flag.

Trying to get the rate on a load can be like pulling teeth. It is explained to me that on big moves involving multiple trucks they do not get the exact rate until after all trucks have been confirmed. O.K. this sounds plausible to me but is every single load I go on involve multiple trucks? I don't think so. So why is it hard to get the rates???? Something seems fishy. warning flag

During one conversation with my terminal manager, she tells me to never discuss my rates with other drivers as she does not give everyone the same rate, she will "take care" of her drivers better than an O/O from another terminal. I assume she tells me this to draw me over to her side if you will, but all it does is raise more suspicions in my mind of how shady she is. Warning flag

Then there is what I will call "Forced Dispatch". They (my terminal) just book me a load without running it by me. The first time it happened I let it slide, the 2nd time I questioned it and was told by my terminal manager to "trust me" (yeah right.....I was warned during orientation by a L.S. staff member that my terminal manager would say that and it would be in my best interest NOT to trust her).It happens a few more time and I explain to them that this may be the way they run their business but it NOT the way I run mine. I have certain criteria so to speak that I must abide by in order to make my business successful and being assigned loads without my approval is not one of them. Warning flag

On several of these "forced loads" the rate comes in at way below my minimum to run the truck. I am not talking about a minimum to make a profit, I am saying it would not even cover my fuel expense!! warning flag

I call to explain that I can not run the truck for less than what it cost me and am met with anger and told that I got a good rate going into that area why am I complaining about the rate coming out. I go round and round explaining that I am running a business and although there will be times that I may have to run at a break even rate to reposition my truck to better area, there is a big difference between breaking even and losing money. In either case it should and will be MY decision not theirs. I am again met with a lot of resistance and told to stop complaining. warning flag

When I am automatically booked a load that pays the truck (before expenses but with DH factored in) 0.97 mile, I call to express my displeasure and again am met with anger and resistance. So much so that I am told that I WILL take the load and if not I will have a lot of problems on my hands as she will call L.S. and they will believe anything she tells them! She goes on (yelling) that I have been nothing but a pain in her a$$ from the begining, that I have done nothing but complain and fight her on every load and she was sick of it. That I need to just stop complaining and "trust her". That threat was the last straw and a HUGE RED FLAG. The following morning I contacted Landstar where they are reactivating my file.

These are not all the things I have had to deal with since being here but some of the ones that stick out in the fore front of my mind. Over all, the money has been just O.K., nothing to jump up and down about especially when compared to my previous company but I have been able to meet my financial obligations. I am sure some of you may be thinking I am being stupid or childish to change companies over these issues when I am making enough money to pay the bills especially during this time of the year. All I can say in response is that money is not always everything and I can only put up with so much B.S.

 

Hey glad to see that you didn't fall off the face of the earth....:clap:

Also nice to see that you are enjoying your time with Arrow and getting through the house a lot more often than when we were at the previous company. I could only imagine what went through your mind when you spotted that gator in the road......glad you remained calm, cool, and collected and kept on rolling.......

be sure to keep us all updated on whats going on with you.

 

hello,i have been reading you thread since you were at davis.how could anybody think of your decisions as stupid or childish without walking a mile in your shoes? i stand and clap for not letting people run you over..on another note i also used to be an o/op and was leased to oakley trucking out of little rock ar,and they were by far the best company i have ever worked for in the 20 years of this business.good luck in your future and happy holidays to all!!!

 

Thank you......I truly appreciate your positive comment. You hit the nail on the head about not letting people walk over me. I have never nor will I ever let people walk all over me. I may not have years and years of experience in the business nor am I the sharpest tool in the shed.....but I certainly am not the dullest either.

I have a couple of old family friends that have been O/O's for many years and one thing they always told me was to keep 2 simple priorities straight........you're a businessman first and a driver second. When I was telling them of my trials and tribulations at the beginning, they both told me to run and run fast right there and then, guess with their experience they could see the signs a lot clearer than me and already knew where this would lead. However, being one that likes to try and make the best of any situation (maybe a gluten for punishment would better describe it) I decided to try and work through it. This is only the 3rd job I have had in almost 24 years and hate to look like a "job hopper" but enough is enough.

Funny you should mention Oakley, "D" (the driver I mentioned before) is looking at going over to them, said he likes what they have to offer.

 

that would be a good choice,where do you know of a company where the dispatch pays the trlr notes on the trlr? do you think you sit alot,not going to happen,or a company that gives you 5 cents a mile for every ld mile you run on your anniversary,i didn't even have to kill myself and still got a 5,000 dollar check on my anniversary,something to look into..oh well i wish you luck and hope things work out where ever you end up and with your business smarts you should be just fine..

 

Devil. Thanks for posting what you did. It seems that LoneStar is not any better with their word, than the majority of Gulf Coast trucking companies. I came to the conclusion early on, that in TX and several other states, lying is the norm when it comes to trucking companies and Owner Operators.

Will Landstar be any better? Only time will tell. Would Oakley up in Little Rock be better? I gotta say I wasn't impressed when I talked with Bruce JR at DATS back in September. That maybe because I am jaded when it comes to "Owners" or managers.

You had already started the Landstar proccess...maybe they will be faster the second time around.

Good Luck...whatever you do.

 

Thanks Stan.

I guess all I can do is repeat what I feel.......that not every company is a good fit for every driver and vise versa. I gave them a shot and it just isn't working out. I am hoping that landstar will be a better fit for me and yes only time will tell. At least I will have more control over my business.

 

I hope you give Landstar the time it will take to get situated. You're coming in at a weird time right now, with overall load counts as well as rates being down. Let me know if you've got any questions. I'd be happy to answer them.

Thanks for posting the problems you were having. I was beginning to wonder if Lone Star was that damn good...