Arrow Trucking Closes Doors....

[Jmurman]

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Arrow Trucking sends employees home Tuesday

by: D.R. STEWART and MATT BARNARD World Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
12/22/2009 4:18:36 PM

Employees and drivers of Arrow Trucking Co. are in a quandary Tuesday, some going home and wondering if they have jobs at the west Tulsa company.

Arrow, which operates about 1,400 trucks throughout the United States, is in financial difficulty, drivers say.

Drivers from Tennessee to Wyoming said they have had the company stop payment on their gas cards, stranding them at truck stops around the country.

Arrow President and CEO Doug Pielsticker could not be reached for comment, nor could Executive Vice President Joe Mawry.

An administrative aide at the company, who did not want to be identified, said the company executives told about 200 people in the offices at 4230 S. Elwood Ave. to pack their belongings and go home Tuesday morning. And workers could be seen carrying boxes out from the company's offices as wrecker trucks hauled semitrailers away.

Most of the telephones at the company were not working, she said.

"The building is clearing out," she said, "We'll know within 24 hours if it's permanent."

Teresa Williams stood on the side of the road snapping photographs of the trucks her son Mike Williams grew familiar with as an Arrow mechanic. He told her about the company's troubles after a Tuesday morning staff meeting, she said.

"He sent me a text message and said 'Mom, it's over,'" she said. "Everything is frozen right now."

Williams said workers weren't given their last paychecks and benefits have been cut off. Some drivers are stranded along their routes and are struggling to find a way home because of orders to sideline the rigs, she said.

Arrow truck driver Ruben Bradley, who had stopped at a truck stop in Wichita Falls, Texas, said he was told Monday night by a dispatcher to take his load for delivery in New Mexico. Bradley said Tuesday that he has decided he's not going to move until he is assured he can refuel after he delivers his load.

"A driver was told they're shutting the doors and to bring his truck to the nearest Freightliner dealer or Arrow terminal," Bradley said.

"He was told if you took it to the Freightliner dealer, they would see about getting us back home."

Even among employees, information about the company's future was scarce.



Associate Images:

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A man wipes his brow while walking past an Arrow Trucking Co. semitrailer Tuesday morning. The company told workers to pack their belongings and go home, employees said. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World


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Wrecker trucks tow a line of Arrow Trucking Co. semitrailers to a storage lot Tuesday morning. The company told employees to pack their belongings and go home, workers said. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World


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Roy, an employee from Arrow Trucking Co. who declined to give his last name, retrieves equipment from a semitrailer Tuesday morning. The company told workers to pack their belongings and go home, employees said. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World




Copyright © 2009, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved

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[Sean McQuaid]

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Truckers Helping Truckers

Amarillo, TX - It's been a rough week for Arrow truck drivers all over the nation. Last Monday, just five days before Christmas. All drivers working for the Arrow trucking company received the same message in their big rigs. "Arrow is currently suspending all operations. Our fuel accounts have been shut off and we're asking drivers to turn in their trucks to the nearest freightliner dealership," which was the message all drivers received. And that was it. 14 hundred drivers nationwide were without a job.
Californian Frank Davilla was in Myrtle Beach dropping off his cargo. More than 3-thousand miles from home. "Our Christmas present was like. Merry Christmas. Unemployed. No check. Sorry. They just left us high and dry."
And on Christmas Eve just when things seemed the bleakest for Frank. A modern day miracle occurred. And it came in the form of another truck driver. "On the 24th he knocked on my door and told me here. Come to the fuel pump. That gentleman put 200 gallons of fuel in my truck at no cost to me," says Davilla.
That gentleman's name is Rusty Wade, a fellow truck driver who lives by a code his grandfather taught him: a little something called pay it forward.
"The next guy he meets that needs help. He owes them. He doesn't owe me anything. He owes them because they need the help," says Wade.
And now that Davilla has enough money to make it back to California. He says he won't hesitate to help any other trucker in need. "It's called pay it forward. I don't care if it's a cup of coffee. A shower or a ride home."

A good story, and one I wanted to live by (and will live by if I get back out again). In the end, all drivers are out doing the same thing: Trying to earn a living, get products moved, and try to look out for one another.
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[Sinister]

I really wonder if it's "something his granddad taught him" or if people have forgotten that movie already, and just want to make the world a better place by making everyone feel like they should do something nice, or be a shitheel if they dont.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

Well getting a bus ticket home is better then nothing.but what about the drivers that hav too much in their trks to take a bus.the least they could hav done is routed them home a week be4 this im glad drivers r sueing them.i fugured this would happen and glad
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Ship the stuff home.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

Supposedly, Arrow plans on coming out of this and opening the doors back up. Who will be first in line to get into one of their trucks?

I am sure that it wasn't their intentions to just leave the driver high and dry like they did, but the bottom line, they did it, and left the drivers out there on the road with no explanation whatsoever.



If the cash flow was simply cut off without notice, and if they had been paying, then that information should have been sent to the drivers immediately. Quallcomm message to the drivers, or a phone call to the drivers. I can understand if you have no choice but to shut down the trucks, but to basically do it and say nothing? No excuse for that.

I'd rather go back to Werner (well maybe) than go to Arrow. And that says an infinite amount. No warnings to drivers whatsoever - how lame can things get?!?! Maybe I really don't wanna know.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

As tight as the economy is, jobs will be the focus of employees.

Very true. Especially for those who have not been previously in the industry and not know of the Arrow drama.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

I really wonder if it's "something his granddad taught him" or if people have forgotten that movie already, and just want to make the world a better place by making everyone feel like they should do something nice, or be a shitheel if they dont.

Who knows? I just know I'd want to do something to try to help one who got raked over the coals like that at Christmas if I could. I can't speak for anyone else.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

The loads going up there were mostly pipe for the refineries and for drilling. I seen alot of the Arrow trucks being loaded with lumber and bales of hay going back south. I do remember that I had a drop deck trailer. Why my dm couldn't find me a load beats me. I was still learning Arrow's rules and policies. I didn't quite understand the out of route policy and how it pertained to me since I was doing a lease purchase. But I was trying to work with them. After that 5th day of sitting, being nice, compliant and following procedures went out the door. I'm glad I got out when I did. I often wondered after that if I done something wrong or made a wrong decision. But now I know for sure. I didn't like the T-600 anyways lol

Agree with you on the out of route thing. IF I am lease purchase, and paying for my own fuel, I am going where I want to go as long as I can deliver the load on time.

I drove a T-600 for a few months with Werner. I was "satisfied" with the truck. But I am a smaller guy. I can't see a 6+ footer or larger guy being comfortable in that tight cab.

 

[Sean McQuaid]

OK Sean I know I dont know u but you really need to get a grip your complaining is getting to the point its annoying So what that a company or two companies treated you bad Big Deal we all have been there I was making 1600 a week fuel prices dropped I lost my job spent a few MONTHS not weeks without have three kids to support got one U need to just suck it up say dayum oh well and drive on the lord is punishing you you need to get right with him and all the rest will fall into place

See, here we go again. There always has to be someone here to get me volitile, **** me off, and misread or assume the meaning of what I am saying.

Screw you and all those who agree with this BS reply of yours. I am annoyed with those who only read and remember the "complaining", and nothing else. I'm gonna keep on with my "complaining" to keep the word out of what has been done. They should not have given me something to "complain" about. They made a wrong enemy of me, and if I see things I can further do in the future, I will do so.

One of the things this forum is for is to INFORM (complain as some choose to see me doing). I will inform for those looking to drive as much as I can. And I will let thread after thread be closed by the moderators when things get personal. I will open new threads, and if necessary, do it under a different name and e-mail. Too many of you working veterans get a burr up your butt when I choose to tell it like it is.

Are some of you company execs, shareholders or supporters of the companies I have a grief with?!?! it sure seems so.

I have been doing without for over 6 months now, what are you talking about with "weeks"?

The Lord is punishing me?!?! Whatever for?!?! Be for real. There are far worse people out there than I am who are doing far better. Don't bring this punishment bunk, and I have to get right with the Lord on me.

As with others who were "annoyed" here, I don't care about your annoyance. Just as you and others don't care when you annoy me. My "complaining" is not for the benefit of working drivers.

I retract one thing: If I ran across an Arrow driver as opinionated as some have been here with me, you'd get no help from me.

There are things I am not FIDO (Forget It Drive On) with.

 

[Sinister]

In less than five million words, who does your complaining benefit exactly?

 

[patriciajnsn]

Jay,how could u? Now u got sean all upset.Poor sean.You're nothing but a bully Jay.

 

[Jmurman]

Sinister, I about spit water through my nose LOL

In less than five million words, who does your complaining benefit exactly?

 

[patriciajnsn]

Is'nt this spose to be an Arrow thread?

 

[rebel]

Is'nt this spose to be an Arrow thread?

They say it's hard to keep an arrow going straight.................

 

[Racer X 69]

So, I wonder how the displaced Arrow drivers are doing? Anybody heard or does anyone know any of them and how things have turned out for them?

 

[patriciajnsn]

I have'nt heard anything but hopefully they all got jobs that is much better and pays more.

So, I wonder how the displaced Arrow drivers are doing? Anybody heard or does anyone know any of them and how things have turned out for them?

 

[Sinister]

Thought this was kinda cool...

Guys get their trucks back.

What they do then is anyones guess...

One guy only had 1,000 to pay off his truck. Not the lease...but the entire truck.

 

[jazzy2966]

wow good luck to the many drivers stranded thats a sign of no union in america.

 

[Sinister]

You think this wouldn't happen if Arrow was union? That what you mean?

 

[boone315]

like consolidated freight, red ball, ABF, Yellow and was overnite union or non? I know a lot of teamsters were driving for them.

 

[delta5]

I just read where Arrow Trucking defaulted on like 12 or 20 million dollars of debt with that bank that Flying J owns (TAB), according to The Trucker magazine. I will have to look up the amount of debt again to be sure.