????? I admit-- I'm in a Motel tonight- so maybe if I hadn't already had 3 Coronas from the local mexican restraunt/ bar I might have understood better..

Hmmm, are you referring to the interesting little-- Direct deposit setup that Heartland has? The "special" form you fill out- giving Heartland the ability to REVERSE a direct deposit FROM your account??? Yeah, that gave me moment of pause during the Orientation session. So I took it back to the Hotel room that first evening , claiming I didn't have the account number available at the time. Had the wife call our bank to see if this was "on the up and Up' our bank had never heard of such-- as only the Government can REVERSE a direct deposit. Chalked it up as just another "scare tactic" used by Heartland.... but I opened a new seperate account- just in case- that way I could use it as a temporary "holding/lobby" account and then transfer the funds quick to my main account-- that way there would never be any money left for them to REVERSE.

could be worse! this little company I'm working at now-- required Me to open up an account at a local Granite City, Il bank-- and they physically deposit my check each week- it was that, or-- mail the check to my house!
but so they don't even have Direct Deposit! But yes... WARNING WILL ROBINSON...DANGER....DANGER... when you go signing all those forms when you start at company X. READ before You Sign and ask for copies of everything you sign. Most of them are B.S. and if you had legal counsel they'd be laughing their butts off-- just because you sign it-- don't make it legal. Truth is-- you signed most of that stuff under duress-- if you didn't sign you get a bus ride back home. There should be a law-- before you get on the bus to go to work for a company-- they should send you copies of all the B.S. they WILL require you to sign before you travel out of state for the "opertunity" to "interview" for the position... after all, you're not actually an employee until they hand you the keys or you start to roll or pay you $1.00 U.S.

 

Well, I'm home again. I got here Thursday night (but had to deliver Friday morning about 40 miles from here). Gotta go this afternoon and pick up my loaded, then head out tomorrow morning early to go to PA before midnite.

This week I got close to 1850 paid miles, but this includes all my milage from Iowa City to Atlanta. I left Iowa Friday afternoon, got home Saturday afternoon, left Sunday afternoon for ATL.

Took 10 hrs in ATL. Deadheaded Monday night from ATL to Red Boiling Springs, TN to pick up. Delivered that Tuesday midnight (Wednesday morning) in Alpharetta (Atlanta), GA.

Took 10 hours in ATL AGAIN... Then sat all day Wednesday in the yard. Was supposed to get an oil change done, but they couldn't get to it, so I had to wait till Thursday morning. No big deal... They didn't have a load for me anyway.

Picked up in McDonough, GA Thursday for Friday morning delivery in New Tazewell, TN. Came home empty after I delivered.

This sitting is about to kill me. Sat pretty well all day Monday in Atlanta, then sat some Tuesday morning in TN before picking up, then sat waiting to get unloaded in Alpharetta, then sat all day Wednesday and 1/2 the day Thursday in Atlanta AGAIN!

I'm looking for something different. I can't sit all the time and make money. They have been giving me some "Heartland Cares" money for sitting, but its nothing compared to what I could make running.

I'll let you all know what happens. I'm looking around here for a smaller company or a tank or hopper bottom or something.

 

You have the right to review any contract you are signing, as well as the right to have it reviewed by legal council. Most people don't bother to ask, though.

That's not true. You can be hired at a company, never do any compensated work for them, and be terminated. You were still an employee.

 

As soon as you show up for orientation/drug test you're considered an employee.

 

I know this is a Heartland thread, but we weren't "drivers" for Swifty until we were assigned a driver code. Employee yes, driver, not until we had a code/number. Perhaps this is the case with Heartland.

 

Well that didn't take long. Your candor is appreciated.

Now that you have cleaned your spurs off, start pounding the pavement for something local. Get back to the wife and life. BOL.

BTW, if you don't already have them, now is the time to be sure that you have all endorsements HAZMAT, Double-Triples and tankers........

 

Ask other drivers here at the forum....then compare what they say with what the recruiter has said.

The only trouble i ever had was when i left the smaller carriers (750 units or so) to go to a LARGER carrier.

Smaller carriers are usually liquid and mentally stable....they are'nt riding sinking ships

 

notice the msg i put here telling of the hold money policy that you responded to headborg has disappeared? i guess batman got his cape ruffled,thought this was an open site.sounds like a conflict of interest to me...

 

Twilight Flyer is no longer active on the site, and hasn't been in 2 months. The last time he even logged in was over a month ago.

I know I didn't delete any posts in this thread.

 

ELGAUL, I haven't been back through the posts to see its gone. Wish they hadn't taken it away. Funny thing is, they barely mentioned it in orientation. Kinda like "Yeah it happens if you go home Wednesday, so don't go home through the week" kinda deal. Kinda crappy deal, but I was too far gone to stop then.

Belpre, I said at the beginning of this that I was going to be totally honest with what was going on, period. I've not had any fights with anyone in the company, I've not been lied to by my fleet manager, I've never been reprimanded for anything, its just not working with the miles they've been giving me.

Some good things about Heartland, though: Everyone I talk to on the phone is super nice, I mean really good about stuff. My dispatcher is a great guy, night dispatch in Kingsport is good, too. Everyone from breakdown to fuel is nice, even to the FedEx/Automotive lines. Even the people at the terminals are pretty nice and good about stuff. The only problem I've had as far as from people is with some of the personal at some shops, mainly O'Fallon, MO and Iowa City. Those guys are grade A #1 *****s. But the guys at Kingsport and Columbus are nice as they can be.

They aren't too afraid to pay you. So far, I've not been shorted on my pay, but I'm sure this happens sometimes, but it happens everywhere. They also pay the Heartland Cares money pretty good, but that might be my dispatcher. I've heard other guys say it was like pulling teeth to get any from their guys. The money isn't enough, but at least they pay it.

Equipment is kept up good. My 05 (or early 06) International (with 409,000) runs, drives and rides great. They just put on 8 brand-new drives and new brakes. Most of the trailers are good and pull good, but you do get your outlaws once in a while. When I drop a loaded I always look for the newest trailer I can possibly find. Its usually a 16 thousand series, maybe a 15 if it comes down to that. Of course my HEAVY loads will be loaded on a 4-digit trailer... Good upkeep is the good part of inspection lines, bad part is sitting in line 3 or 4 hours waiting for it... That sucks...

Thats what I've got now. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for PA. Maybe I'll get a good week in here. I applied for Bulkmatic today, so maybe I'll get that. I've heard some good things from some of their drivers and they have a rail to truck site in Knoxville. Maybe that'll work out.

Well, I think I'll go to bed. I figure as soon as I get in PA my wife will go into labor. She is due February 20, so if she goes into labor now they will let her have it... It'll be fun trying to fly home at 64 1/2 mph!