Thinking Of Jumping Ship From Current Carrier.

I understand that it's recommended I meet my year commitment with a company. However, I am currently owed over $500 in reimbursements and layover/detention pay, my DM is impossible to get a hold of, there is currently a 'hold' on my account preventing me from getting cash advances due to my previous partner losing the BOL, and my truck has not had a working prepass in it since it was assigned to me back in March. If their goal is to get me to go to a better company, they're succeeding. I've been pretty patient up to this point, but I'm seriously considering going to CFI. Any suggestions or advice?

Are you under a contractual agreement with this mystery company?

What leads you to believe CFI will hire you?

Are you under a contractual agreement with this mystery company?

More than likely, I have a tuition loan through a third party financier, I'm assuming if I pay that off it's settled, but who knows.

What leads you to believe CFI will hire you?

Why wouldn't they? My record is spotless and I've been driving for only 6 months, they take people with no experience right off the street.

10-4!

Good luck.

You make me think of more questions than answers. You say they owe you 500 or so and lump a couple of things together. Reimbursements for money you fronted is an issue, however paying out detention/ layover can be another. How long have they owed you???

A working prepass is nice but certainly not mandatory to operate.

You haven’t named the company, but most of us can guess based on your statements.

When it comes to the paperwork I would sure be making sure it was straight. It is up to each of us to make sure the instruments we get paid by are done on time and correctly. If another is involved I would be looking over their shoulder.

You may think 6 months experience with a spotless record makes you valuable. I can tell you it gives you maybe a little more clout, but not much. A company hiring new drivers usually has a contract with them for around a year. You coming in with 6 months, no contract will be in place most likely. You could walk out the door as fast as you walked in and the money they spent hiring you is wasted. A new driver under a contract at least will be around long enough to justify the cost of hiring them.

You sound disgruntled. You may have good reason or you may just be looking for greener pastures. If your DM is a problem take your issues up the chain of command and work to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Jumping companies is not a solution in and of itself.

Is this company perhaps CRST? Your statement about teaming is what has me wondering. If it is indeed CRST nobody will hire you until you finish your contract or pay off the tuition. How long has your DM been not been easy to get ahold of? How have your interactions with them been? Switching companies isn't always the best solution. What happens IF CFI takes you on and you run into issues immediately with them?

As far as reimbursements did you submit them in the manner they require? How much are we talking in detention pay? One thing you'll find among the top tier drivers here is none of them worry about detention or layover pay. Their DMs are frequently throwing them extra money on their check just for being someone they can rely on. They're also running so hard that a delay is a nice way they can get extra rest. Does your company require that you log that time as "ON DUTY" to be eligible for detention pay?

The company is CR England, I didn't mention before because I wasn't sure about the rules here. They've owed it to me for almost a month now. I've read horror stories from others online about this company's shady way of not paying some of their drivers what they're owed, so I'm a bit worried.

Apollyon, let's talk straight. I know you think you've been wronged, but it's probably more likely that you just don't understand how the company processes things like detention pay. That's part of the reason we teach people to stay for one year. There are a lot of things you still need to learn about your company and how you interact with them.

I am all the time seeing new drivers quit my company over little issues that are simple to resolve. They have usually blown them out of proportion in their own mind due to their limited understanding. Part of the learning curve is how you get simple resolution of driver issues. I promise you that C. R. England doesn't want to lose a good driver over something like money he's owed. We don't even know if it's owed you or not. You feel it is, but do you know that some customers aren't required to pay detention? You have to know how it works on each account, and you have to set up your request properly for each situation.

C. R. England has plenty of "Million Miler" drivers. They are one of the most successful trucking operations out here. Don't fall for all the haters online. I know what it's like to be very successful at a company that is slandered all the time. I've been there, done that, and have the T-shirt. It's very important for you to stay and focus on developing yourself into a Top Tier Driver. You're so new at this. I hate to see you mess yourself up. Hang in there and prove yourself. You will be so glad that you did.

Look, you've made it this far. Try your best to focus on yourself and your development as a top producing member on the team. You are falling for every rookie's nemesis. It's that poison that convinces you that you're with the wrong company.

Do you realize there are new drivers quitting CFI today for the same reasons you are wanting to quit C. R. England? I encourage you to stay on and get serious about improving yourself. There's nothing about the company that you can change, but there's a whole lot about your end of things that you can work on improving.

Here's a great Podcast I recommend. I hope you'll listen and heed the advice...

Why Stick With Your First Company For One Full Year?