There is alot of these postings here and alot of it IS true!
First off there were good people working there. Even if they knew the "school" was sub-standard they tried within the limits of the power they were given. But there IS alot of GREY area ES uses.
You never get a straight answer or correct information when you ask. This goes on alot.
We started our ES experience at the end of 2006. After talking to ES we decided it sounded like a good way to get into the industry. We searched the internet and found nothing bad about the company. After about 2 weeks of thinking of doing it we decided we would do it.
We packed up, got storage and left everything we had to go to Indiana. At first everyone was real nice and informative. I already had CDLs and didnt need trained but my partner did. Our classes were cut short, not given, or just thrown together to get it in along with the standing around waiting.
In the contract it said we were charged by the hour for training. We we had about 8 hours total of "training". There were about 3 of the 11 days we were told they had nothing for us to do. We were charged full and I was charged but recieved no training. I helped my partner pass the CDL test from the book part to the driving because there was not sufficiant training by them. Our contract was also about 4 pages upon signing but we were pushed to hurry and sign. If we didnt sign we were told they were going to charge room and board and by the hour but we didnt get a contract until 2 days before the drivers test. Then the contract some how grew when we got our copy.
When you recieve your "settelment statement course" they show a fuel surcharge and milage rate that is way more than what you really make. We didnt know any better because we were new and had no idea of the milage and FSC rates. Yes you can make 1200 a week making 1.40 to 2.00 a mile with. 40 to. 60 FSC rate but you dont get that much. 1.12 to 1.20 a mile and FSC at. 16 to. 20 a mile when we drove.
Your told to refuse NO loads, Deadhead to a "better area" (but at your own cost that they dont tell you), Never call and report a break down to your assigned company, never sit for more than 1 day, Dont go here or there.
Well we learned all this was not in our best intrest just theirs.
Im not going into great detail because we would be here all day.
We finished the "training" and had to wait 4 days for a truck. It was alright for us to sit for free and for them not to pay us for their mistake. We got it at about 11pm on a Thursday. We still had to drive 7 hours home to get the rest of our stuff but we were told to be in service the next day. As we left and started our trip home we noticed fumes in the cab but I though it might be normal. I was wrong. Our first load was to TX and within the first day of driving we both started getting sick. We unloaded call ES andI was told I knew nothing about trucks by Kyle. He argued it was normal and it was because the door seals were bad but didnt want to listen to me when I told him there was holes in the cab above the exhaust (which did not extend past the cab as the DOT Regs specified). He told me not to worry about it it was normal and I was just complaining about nothing. The mechanic at the truck stop noted the exhaust fumes were from holes in the cab and the exhaust NEEDED extended but the repair was NOT authorized. This again was our very first load.
We then showered and such waiting for a load. We met up with another team and they were told to deadhead 400 miles to better position themselves. Well that fuel you burn you pay for out of your pocket. We were told the same thing later that day. We HAD to deadhead 400 miles too. Well we did. We sat for 4 days calling every 2 or 3 hours trying to get a load. Well now into the 9th day we got a load. Our first settelment was the Guarenteed $350 but we used the whole Guarenteed settelment plan they had on the first week due to the deadhead and sitting.
This went on for about 4 or so weeks. Our checks were from $5 to $150 and we were getting the recommended 25% spending on fuel driving around 2000 miles a week.
We quickly found out that our "Bonus" is Fuel Surcharge WE earn already. The company pays it to ES weekly but ES holds it for a month. WHY???
Deadhead we were paid from the company we were assigned to make a move took about a month to get. It seemed to be "Missplaced" until we contacted our assigned company and spoke to a specific person then it "turned up at ES".
I could go on but this is how it basicly went for the 6 or so months of driving. We were praised and then scorned the same day alot. Got a newer truck because of our preformance (we were still not making much) but then freight got slow and we were getting called asking why we werent running and we needed to stay out more. We went home 4 days max a month. We were in service when nobody else was but all the sudden we were a "bad team".
I soon got tired of the mood swings and started looking else where to drive. We put in our 2 weeks notice, but we then were told we were to drive those 2 weeks and not get paid. ES was going to keep 2 weeks pay! I didnt like that so we drove to IN and dropped the truck off. I just could not handle the back and forth trying to get our pay fixed, bonus fixed, and keep them happy as well.
Well you read this and decide yourself on working for them (your not a business partner as your told) We like the truck driving work just not real fond of the company. They have a long way to go to get things right for the people making them money.
Has anyone reading this actually been taken to court?
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