Profile For John T.

I read this and didn’t post originally purposely. OS your spot on. John has alot to learn and was looking for validation. That said there are some companies out there that are very misleading. My employee was at just such a company. Low miles or when the miles came all of a sudden strange deductions that always were listed as “due to company”. When she tried tracking down the exact reason through payroll the transfer from person to person game started, because noone wanted to be on the hook for the answer. Despite everything I coached and trained her by phone and she completed her 1 yr contract. Her DM said she was his top driver and wanted her to train. He told her the only way to make any money there was to be a trainer. She made 28k her first year.

On her aniversary date she turned in her 2 week notice in person and asked what they wanted her to do during the 2 week period. It took them 3 days to tell her to clean out her truck. None of the folks involved knew what to do, because noone ever gave a proper notice.

I guess I stole a good driver from them, oops.

Morale to the story. Not all companies are as reputable as others.

I spent four days in PA for a broken driver side mirror which they said it wasn't dot violation but I wasn't going to drive under those circumstances without being able to see out of my left side so it took them 4 days for them to put that mirror that only took 25 minutes to mount what was I supposed to drive like that have an accident and lose my license and they just put another driver on that truck common lets be honest here they dont protect drivers how can you tell me to drive like that and say it doesn't matter common man

What kind of contract did you sign if company?

The contract states that they are covering for my cdl and I got my cdl with my money not through any company they said they have to cover my training which I didn't get any it was just team driving now they tell me if I want miles to train which I'm not ready to do.

A good case of the grass looking greener at the other company, however regardless of where you are if you dont put in the hard work fertilizing and watering the grass it wont grow green wherever you are. Put the work into it and you make your grass green wherever you may find yourself, refuse to put the work into it and dead grass will follow you.

Sometimes you try but I don't stop moving and on Fridays after my dm goes home is dead after that and the driver turnover rate here is bad but still have hours of driving delivered a load today that was due tomorrow and no preplan so what do I do this week check is 488 and trust me when I tell that I put in the work is that at 26 cpm you wont go far

John, here's what you asked us...

I would like to know if there is a way to get out of western express contract and move on?

I pretty much gave you the kind of straight shooting advice I'm well known for. I thought it was pretty straightforward and uncomplicated. That's how you get out of a contract - you do what you agreed to do. It's so simple a child can understand it.

It seems obvious you're wanting more though. So, let's dig a little deeper and see if we can help you finish what you started.

We don't have a lot to go on, but you added this little bit of information into the conversation...

I've been here 6 months and cant go over 2000 miles... I'm trying but no matter how much I run I always fall short

Okay, that doesn't sound good. We can all agree on that. Then you also stated this issue...

I also have to spend 4 to 6 weeks out and beg for home time

Ouch! That's not good either. I think there's some correlation between the issues you are having. Can you see it?

Maybe you don't. Mostly right now you are only seeing this...

I think western express is just an overall bad bad company

And a lot of this...

just false promises

Life sounds pretty grim over there at Western Express. That's too bad.

What if you went to another company and found it to be just as bad? Do you think you can just keep hopping from one company to another like a little tree frog trying to find just the right tree to call home?

I've got some suggestions and a few questions. It's really easy to cast aspersions when things don't go your way. Truck drivers are famous for that behavior, but it doesn't ever help them improve their situation. It only allows them to vent their frustrations while ignoring the solution.

Here's some questions for you to think about. I'd love to hear your answers to them, and we could offer a lot more advice if we knew some of this.

How much of your 70 hour clock are you using each week? Are you running out of time so that you need a 34 hour reset, or are you running on re-cap hours?

Are you maintaining a 100% on time record?

Are you providing your DM with accurate PTAs? (Projected Time of Availability) When do you get that information to them?

What is your typical form of communicating with your DM? Do you prefer talking to them on the phone, or are you using the macros set up in your tablet?

Do you contact your customers and set delivery expectations with them? Do you make attempts at getting them to take you early?

Have you had to turn down loads because you are out of hours?

Have you had to deliver late because of not having enough hours?

That's probably enough questions for now. Let's look at your concerns. I've got to say this - It's not meant to be unkind, but educational. If you haven't been able to turn over 2,000 miles a week in six months, Western Express hasn't made a single dime from you. Trust me on this - they want to see you doing much better.

All trucking companies have a full spectrum of drivers running at different levels of productivity. They have a core group who are crushing it every week. They have some others who are not as consistent, but are generally doing well enough to keep on the team with hopes of seeing improvement. And there's always a group that are there but nobody would be Well thank you for that you seem to have the same answer for anyone talking bad about a mega carrier and you are right is me not the company but I wonder why is there turnover rate is higher than others I wonder if you can actually tell me how to support my family on a 357 dollar check I wonder why are there 4 of us drivers here at Shaw in GA waiting since this morning like you said that enough questions for now but I've been here since 7:45 last night and cant get a load

In those 6 months how many loads have you declined? How often have you complained to them about everything? I ask because my first 6 months at Swift were all trials and tribulations. Companies aren’t dumb. They tend to start you in the kiddie pool before they toss you in the olympic pool with Michael Phelps. At Swift(insert big bad wolf emoji) I get 2000 miles pretty easily

Cant refuse loads as company driver and I don't complain spent first 2 months without going home and when I did go it was for a day and a half, supposed trainer only had 4 months driving and was already training and when he was driving was on his phone and falling asleep but that is probably my fault to but I didn't complain about that of course is my fault I feel you guys give to much credit to mega carriers but wait this site is just about that no really telling the truth

Poor you. Victim of another abusive mega.

But the guy you are sarcastically ripping on is arguably the most productive driver on this website. Guess what company he drove for when he started in the game...

You guys are something special no wonder this industry is like it is but is ok poor me like you said I've clearly now seen the truth here but poor me

There is a really obvious way to get out of that contract. Write them a check! Pay up! That's what a contract is - it's an agreement. You agreed to it. If you have now decided there's a better way for you to proceed, then the contract allows you to do so.

Now, there's a much smarter way to go about this. You can fulfill your employment obligation and focus on learning how to be successful at this. Right now you are focusing on "how bad Western Express is." That's your first big blunder. You have fallen for the bait and feel the pain of the trap now. You have taken the common delusional approach to trucking of at least a million other wannabes. You think you are good, but your company is bad. That's so messed up and arrogant that I can't believe rookies fall for it so easily, but they do.

Get in there and make something happen. Be a man of your word. Be careful and prudent. Be productive. Be determined. Be a truck driver - God knows we need a few good ones about now.

Well you have some good words of advice for a fellow trucker, WOW

Are you doing a lease purchase?

Negative never would I do a lease purchase

There is a really obvious way to get out of that contract. Write them a check! Pay up! That's what a contract is - it's an agreement. You agreed to it. If you have now decided there's a better way for you to proceed, then the contract allows you to do so.

Now, there's a much smarter way to go about this. You can fulfill your employment obligation and focus on learning how to be successful at this. Right now you are focusing on "how bad Western Express is." That's your first big blunder. You have fallen for the bait and feel the pain of the trap now. You have taken the common delusional approach to trucking of at least a million other wannabes. You think you are good, but your company is bad. That's so messed up and arrogant that I can't believe rookies fall for it so easily, but they do.

Get in there and make something happen. Be a man of your word. Be careful and prudent. Be productive. Be determined. Be a truck driver - God knows we need a few good ones about now.

I'm trying but no matter how much I run I always fall short I've talked to my dm and is just false promises I also have to spend 4 to 6 weeks out and beg for home time I think western express is just an overall bad bad company

I am not sure how their contract is worded. My only advice would be to read it thoroughly as you should have before signing and see what it says about leaving without completely fulfilling it. Just out of curiosity why do you want to leave so soon?

Well I've been here 6 months and cant go over 2000 miles and my dm wants me to train so I can get more miles and I don't feel ready to train anyone and besides I like having my own space.