To start, I'm a damn fine professional driver. I've been out here for enough years to know that I've paid my dues and learned to be a pro and act like one. I feel that I'm pretty darn good at driving these rigs, as many among us are. I am serious about my skill and profession. Like most pro's, I'd take serious exception to anyone who challenged that fact. "I ain't no steering wheel holding butt-head." OK?
Celedon has inaccurate and downright incorrect information on my DAC report. They will not cooperate with my inquiries and are, at best, downright rude and impolite, when inquiries are made. Their inter-office communication is very poor and at times, non-existent. I have no negatives on my MVR and had been driving for them for a couple of years. No tickets on my MVR. They claim I have tickets!!! They also claim that they are not responsible for checking their maint records regarding a defective piece of equipment, that they put down as my fault! When repaired it was noted very clearly on the repair report that the trailer had structual problems that no driver would have noted in a pre-trip inspection. They blamed me for a defective door on a SEALED trailer I picked up in Laredo. Never mind the fact that they check these trailers out when you arrive and give them a pass/no-pass report to supposedly avoid these type of things. (How the heck are you supposed to know if the door doesn't have good hinges if you can't open the damn thing?)
Oh yeah, they send you into "goatville" to some screwed up lumber outfit, and then demand you pick up loaded trl from mud P/U lot, even tho you told the dispatcher that you didn't feel like it was sound surface to drive over. So, you are driving out and up the gravel hill and get stuck during a downpour. WEll, guess what? That's your fault too and it goes on the DAC cause you had to get towed out of the sink. That will go on your DAC too.
Point is, these sorry suckers will DAC you for just about anything, so be warned!
Also, they run you just fine for a couple of months and then all of a sudden, there isn't any frieght or miles! You sit and sit for one, two, or three days.
You can have a polite, business-like sit down with them about low miles, etc. Three or four times, and still nothing will come of it.
This "Stright-talk" motto of theirs is a bucket of BS!
Milage pay is very poor for experience. They will quote you a rate for your exp in years. After you arrive you will find that the offer is much lower and almost insulting.in my case, I concern myself with miles driven each month/quarter, as high rates mean nothing when you are sitting. So, needing the work and just arriving after a long drive, I took them up on the miles. Didn't matter here cause the miles they offered never happened. I stuck around for a couple of years with this place, hopiing to see better with time served as driver. Uh-UH! Forget it!
Some people just have to be right, no matter how many holes you point-out in thier twisted version of logic. Especially after you show them the facts and figures. Just keep in mind that these arrogant-attitude folks aren't going to be wrong about their BS at any time. They will also flat-out lie when called on false statements. I've caught them red-handed on this many times. Too bad taped conversations aren't court-admissable evidence! Oh yeah, LIES are considered "misstatements or poor communication on YOUR part" not theirs.
This used to be a great place to work, however, Steve (owner) has so much distance now between himself and what's going on out there with his drivers and fleet maint people, that he hasn't the clue he used to have. Driver support and respect has been flushed down the loo years ago!
If you're looking at employment with this outfit, I'd suggest you make damn sure that you do your reaserch and avoid trouble you don't need. The people in safety and dispatch could give a hoot about damages to your career.
Ask me, and I'll tell you to look elsewhere for quality employment.
For whatever reason, they've damaged a damn good reputation I've maintained for years. I'm thick-skinned and it isn't so much the insult to me as a pro, it's the fact that they have affected my ability to select the type and place of work I'd consider after leaving them in their putrid dust, out of disgust. I dislike the arrogant "weasels" and "gutter rat" types in this business. Especially those who would harm peoples abilty to earn a living and feed their familes. Mess with me, fine... Mess with my abilty to feed people and keep a roof overhead... Well, that's why I've posted this.
So now, Celadon, tell me I'm wrong about this. Put up a rebutt. Tell all us pros who've been "done over" (and there are many, many drivers who have been) by you, how great a company you are.
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