Lies?

Sean McQuaid

Whiny baby
Recently as a last ditch effort to drive in the industry and pay for the CDL, I applied to P.A.M.. I was told by recruiting (Lavonna McClanahan) they could not hire me yet because they are short of trainers and the trainers are only picking up contracted students. Yet I know a trainer with P.A.M. and Decker, and I am told that they have not been given a student in a month. Below is the letter I sent to Lavonna McClanahan. Nowadays, I don't know who or what to believe. And needless to say that since sending the following e-mail a couple of weeks ago, I have not recieved a response to either confirm or deny my findings - probably because I was right.


Lavonna,

I just wanted to let you know that it has come to my attention that the
validity of the trainer issue does not seem to be valid. I know people with
PAM/Decker. I was told by a trainer I know that he has been waiting for a
student for a month now. He has been told by other trainers that what I was
told regarding trainer shortages seems to be untrue. It's more like PAM is not
hiring.

These days (because of what Werner and Swift put me through), I do not know
what to trust or believe. But because of past experience, I now look into
things where others may not. All I wanted to do was drive, and drive legally
and safely without added pressures. I was denied that. It also seems that I am
one of the chosen to be played around with - though I don't know why.

On my next communication with the school, I will pass on my most recent
findings as per what I am told. Where there is nothing you can do where my
issues with the school are concerned thanks to Werner and Swift, this finding
will simply be another thing to address when the inevitable happens and the
school try to sue me. Knowing facts as they are from the start would inform me
as to whether or not to bother applying for certain jobs. I know I would not
be lied to by the driver who has told me he has not been able to get a
student, nor would he be lied to by others.

Patients, trust and beliefs with me have run out. Anyone else who has had my
experiences would react the same way I am. I simply wish I'd be told like it
is, and not given false hopes. That's as bad as being lied to. It really seems
that this economy has made employers crazy/dishonest and open season to ruin
everyone.

I will look into ways of checking into this in more depth.
 
I know this is old but I have to put my 2 cents in

I have to agree with you Sean McQuaid on the BS lies, I had a job working for them, suppose to go to orientation on Monday Jan 4, 2010. Then they ask If I served in Iraq, I told them yes. Here is what they told me. "Sorry your a liability to our insurance because you probally have PTSD, you can seriously hurt or kill someone with a truck, there for we can't hire you". What a bunch of BS, just tell me your not hiring and I will go look elsewhere, instead of having my hopes up, to be shot down because of some bullshi@. Why did Con-way Truckload hire me?
 
I know this is old but I have to put my 2 cents in

I have to agree with you Sean McQuaid on the BS lies, I had a job working for them, suppose to go to orientation on Monday Jan 4, 2010. Then they ask If I served in Iraq, I told them yes. Here is what they told me. "Sorry your a liability to our insurance because you probally have PTSD, you can seriously hurt or kill someone with a truck, there for we can't hire you". What a bunch of BS, just tell me your not hiring and I will go look elsewhere, instead of having my hopes up, to be shot down because of some bullshi@. Why did Con-way Truckload hire me?

WOW, just when I thought I heard or seen almost everything. Now military veterans who served in Iraq are not wanted. I can't believe how messed up the industry is nowadays.

I am really not sure how much is/was lies and what was true. I have been rubbed overly raw with my experiences over the last year and a half; first being dropped by my original carrier while at school (or Driver Solutions had something to do with it), then Swift's games after my training, then Werner's nonsense. I could partially see my luck being deserved if I went in with a bad attitude, but I was very positive and looking forward to driving for the short time I wanted to put into it. So you can see how much a rewarding decision trucking was for me.

Being rubbed as raw as I have over the last year, I have been extremely (and overly) defensive on my stand where my threads are concerned with Swift and Werner. I have had some supporters, but I have also made some bitter enemies with the "in your face" way I can be when it comes to standing up for what I believe in. I guess I should have seen that coming from the start - oh well.

Lies or not, the P.A.M. recruiter should have told me from the beginning that they were only taking contracted students instead of having me do the entire application process and giving me false hopes. I was told they were short of trainers and they were only picking up contracted students. What they did not know is that I know several drivers with P.A.M. (2 of which I know are trainers), and I was told by one trainer in particular that he'd been waiting to be assigned a student for over a month. If they were short on trainers, it seems to me the guy I know would have had a student in no time at all. And this guy has a perfect record - no accidents or issues at all.

So these days, I believe more that most are playing games with drivers because of the way things are today. Well the school I went to is not getting another dime until I can put my CDL to work. They are the ones who assured me I'd be fine and the industry is solvent. I sincerely hope you have better luck than I have had in this coming year. The very best of luck to you DRIVER.
 
I know this is old but I have to put my 2 cents in

I have to agree with you Sean McQuaid on the BS lies, I had a job working for them, suppose to go to orientation on Monday Jan 4, 2010. Then they ask If I served in Iraq, I told them yes. Here is what they told me. "Sorry your a liability to our insurance because you probally have PTSD, you can seriously hurt or kill someone with a truck, there for we can't hire you". What a bunch of BS, just tell me your not hiring and I will go look elsewhere, instead of having my hopes up, to be shot down because of some bullshi@. Why did Con-way Truckload hire me?

U mean pam will not hire u because u served in iraq?u have got to be kidding ive heard it all now .trucking companies most are nothing but bad news i dont think there is one half ass decent large carrier is there?problem is too many departments too many staff no communication and too many stupid rules the small to medium size companies know how to treat their drivers
Posted via Mobile Device
 
I know this is old but I have to put my 2 cents in

I have to agree with you Sean McQuaid on the BS lies, I had a job working for them, suppose to go to orientation on Monday Jan 4, 2010. Then they ask If I served in Iraq, I told them yes. Here is what they told me. "Sorry your a liability to our insurance because you probally have PTSD, you can seriously hurt or kill someone with a truck, there for we can't hire you". What a bunch of BS, just tell me your not hiring and I will go look elsewhere, instead of having my hopes up, to be shot down because of some bullshi@. Why did Con-way Truckload hire me?

I believe I may have seriously hurt somebody for telling me something like that. Hope things work out for you at Con-Way.

That said, it isn't just this industry. I left the military, thinking it would be easy to find a job. I found myself working on a beer truck as a "helper" for Coors. Other places just seemed to be "not hiring" at the time, which I new was BS, and the Prison in my area flat out told me they wouldn't hire me due to my military training. (told me they feared I would be too set in my ways, and not compassionate enough to the prisoners.)
 
Mr. McQuaid,
You are absolutely correct in the fact that many (if not all) carriers lie, cheat, and steal from the drivers every chance they get. Detention is a joke, since you "Have to give them two hours" of time before it starts, then you may or may not get paid a sum about equal to minimum wage if your lucky. Carriers will give you a 100 mile load and make you sit and wait a day and a half to deliver it , then wont pay you layover. And now many carriers have figured out that if they force drivers to accept per diem pay they can pay them less, and get so many tax advantages from it. All this at the drivers expense. Don't even get me started on many carriers "Lease Purchase Plans." And yes, drivers do make decent money, but when you factor in the loss of time at home with family, its not enough. Seems to me drivers are making the same money they made 20 years ago, with no allowance for cost of living. Unfortunately for many drivers, myself included, Trucking has become a way of life. There is nothing else I would rather do. In fact now, two days after being home, I am ready to get back into the cab, and drive on. But I commend you Mr. McQuaid for standing up for what you and I both believe is unfair labor practices.I only wish I could afford to stand next to you.
 
Mr. McQuaid,
You are absolutely correct in the fact that many (if not all) carriers lie, cheat, and steal from the drivers every chance they get. Detention is a joke, since you "Have to give them two hours" of time before it starts, then you may or may not get paid a sum about equal to minimum wage if your lucky. Carriers will give you a 100 mile load and make you sit and wait a day and a half to deliver it , then wont pay you layover. And now many carriers have figured out that if they force drivers to accept per diem pay they can pay them less, and get so many tax advantages from it. All this at the drivers expense. Don't even get me started on many carriers "Lease Purchase Plans." And yes, drivers do make decent money, but when you factor in the loss of time at home with family, its not enough. Seems to me drivers are making the same money they made 20 years ago, with no allowance for cost of living. Unfortunately for many drivers, myself included, Trucking has become a way of life. There is nothing else I would rather do. In fact now, two days after being home, I am ready to get back into the cab, and drive on. But I commend you Mr. McQuaid for standing up for what you and I both believe is unfair labor practices.I only wish I could afford to stand next to you.

It's just a way for the industry to show they don't need anyone. It would be better if they just simply said "we're not hiring", instead drivers get starved out or set up for failure in various ways. Bullwinkle is right when he says it's not just this industry, but this industry has some particularly underhanded and dirty ways of doing things. It's sad, a shame and scary to see where it seems this country is heading. Think the depression of the 1930s can't happen again?
 
what these companys are doing is called double dipping. they get the 5k subsidy from the government as soon as you sign on the dotted line then send a collection agency after you to collect the "default". thats 10k for them and all you get is a worthless cdl if your terminated for some bogus infraction. i have also known this tatic to be called "larceny".
 
what these companys are doing is called double dipping. they get the 5k subsidy from the government as soon as you sign on the dotted line then send a collection agency after you to collect the "default". thats 10k for them and all you get is a worthless cdl if your terminated for some bogus infraction. i have also known this tatic to be called "larceny".

Yes - this is something I definately figured out a long time ago. I just wish I had been able to obtain the information and knowledge I give here in my ventings BEFORE I comitted myself to driving a truck (and had already been fired). And while I have been venting, I have also been trying to tell of details I have come to know, and experiences I have had.

I definately have a collection agency on my back for the school (C1). I have become numb to it now. After all, can't get out of me what I don't have. And since I was not allowed to work, and can't get work now...... All this is something I can testify to if it comes to that. Right now, I am suffering, so the school and others I owe have to suffer as well. I'm past caring. And I am trying to not second guess trying for a THIRD (and final) time driving. I just really believe now is not the time yet, and won't be for probably a year or two. I just feel the same crap will happen again. I do want to make good on my debts, but if I get used and fooled around with again, I will really throw up my hands and give up - default on everything. I think now I am biding my time until I am reasonably sure I can work without worrying too much about job security - and hence, not be concerned with making my monthly payments to my debts. Right now, I pretty much see the CDL as useless. On the flip side, if I go without driving semis much longer, the CDL will really be useless and I will only have to go right back to school again and start from scratch if I still want or need to drive.

Rewinding back to when you mentioned per diem: When I was with Werner, I did the per diem thing. Look where it got me in spite of any perks per diem is for the company. At any rate, I'll never do per diem again. I learned it is not in my best interest. As for lease purchase - that'll never happen with me.

Life kind of sucks because of what our Government allows companies to get away with. And there are a lot of people in the same boat as me, though they may not be as rebelious as I am. Sooner or later it will come to a head in this country. And because of the position I am in now, I can't wait to see it happen.

You mentioned previously you wish you could afford to take the stand I have taken. I wish I had never been given a reason to take a stand and have things to talk about.

I don't have the responsibilities most folks have. I could get by on a few hundred a week for a while. I could and still would do that until this economy perks back up again (another year?). I just don't see the opportunity, and my trust and confidence in the industry is just about down to zero now. Unfortunately I have way too much time to think, and way too much time to reserch things.

I hope you are able to stay out there in some capacity. At least you are out there. I hope you can hang in until the economy and freight gets better.

Be safe Driver.
 
To each, their own. However, I don't think I would have said all that to a prospective employer. No matter what happens now, even if the economy takes off like a rocket (wishful thinking), you've put yourself on the "never hire in a million years" list. They probably won't even talk to you again without a corporate lawyer being present.

You should have kept your "insider" knowledge to yourself, and, kept hammering on them for a job because you then knew that they had capacity to put you with a trainer. When you told them you had this knowledge, you lost the advantage the knowledge had given you.

Sometimes it's better to remain in stealth mode.

That's my entire :twocents:, welcome to TruckersForum, Fringe is coming on the idiot tube, so, Hi & Bye...

I couldnt say it any better myself
 
I couldnt say it any better myself

I couldn't have said it better myself either, and I agree with XR; however, the job is not prestigeous enough for me to remain in "stealth mode" where facts are concerned. Anyway, if I am in a "never hire in a million years list", that just frees up a little competition for other drivers. I think I'd want my own lawyer present before speaking to any company just now anyway.
 
Here's another way for companies to not give you a job: I applied to P.A.M. back in september, '09. In my "books" here, it is mentioned that they simply took my application without telling me they were only picking up contracted students at the time. Had I been told that, I'd have applied later (maybe). They call Werner, and Werner does not give a recommendation for me. When this happens, you can not submit another application for a year after your previous one. And to boot, you have to have a favorable response from another driving job. First of all, how can one get a favorable response when one in my position can't get another driving job? Second, I thought it was a law that former employers are only allowed to confirm employment dates because of saying as they please and raising debates on what is true, and what is not.

Anyway, if there are any other drivers thinking of applying to P.A.M. and you have a termination from your last carrier, they will NOT hire you, and you can't re-apply for another year. Don't waste your time.

I also got the word from a P.A.M. driver/trainer that I know that they have brought their starting pay down to .25 a mile (trainees make $300.00 a week). P.A.M. now matches Werner in the low pay category.
 
Sean, I believe your right on not giving a bad recommendation, but they get around that with two questions, reason why driver no longer works for your company and the other is would you hire this driver again, kind of like code for saying driver was fired for whatever reason, plus the D.A.C. does not have those restrictions
 
Sean, I believe your right on not giving a bad recommendation, but they get around that with two questions, reason why driver no longer works for your company and the other is would you hire this driver again, kind of like code for saying driver was fired for whatever reason, plus the D.A.C. does not have those restrictions

I know. But I am proving a point to all those who say I can get another driving job. P.A.M. is another company who can forget about ever calling me in the future when they actually need drivers - they don't want me now because of what another company chooses to say, they should not want me later.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Top