While working for Prime, Inc. My licenses was suspended with out my knowledge. When saftey did the yearly check on licenses they told me that I could not move my truck for the truckstop in New England.
As per my dispatcher, they were flying another driver to get me and my truck and that I had 5 days to get this cleared up before I lost my truck. When the other driver finally got to where I was, 3 days had past. I called my dispatcher back and ask again about getting everything cleared up on this and again he told me, that I had five days from the time I got to the yard.
In the mean time, the other driver was picking up loads to be delivered on our way back to Springfield, MO. When we finally got there 7 days has past. It was early in the A.M., when we got on the yard, so I got the other driver to go over to the motel with my truck. The next morning the phone in my room rang and it was my dispatcher telling me, that my truck had to be on the yard NOW! So I left and went back to the yard to talk with Prime's Atty about help getting this straightened out, but instead of help, all I got was a notice from my dispatcher that I no longer had a truck. I ask about the 5 days and was told he never said that.
They charged me for; repairs that were never made, replacement parts not put on, new tires - steers and drives (that I had just replaced 3 weeks before), alignment, new seats, new cabinets, new batteries (not 2 months old), a side box (that I had already paid for), a PM service (that was done 1 week before), new mattress, new upper bunk platform (that was never used), new mirrors and arms (hood and doors they'd never replaced), new bugsheild, new headlights, new park lights, new lights on headache rack, new door for headrack (that was not damaged), time and labor for all these repairs as well as having to pay the airfare and cab ride for the other driver and also mileage for him driving my truck.
They told me, that if I turned in all my tarps (1 smoke, 2 lumber, 1 coil, 2 steel), 12 (5/16" x 20') chains, 12 (5/16") binders, 4 (2") racket strapes, 16 (4") load straps, 150 bungees, 8 coil racks, 8-4"x4"x8', 4-4"x4"x4', 2 cheata pipes (1 - 3' and 1 - 6'), 22 edge protectors, 2 strap winders; That I would get all of this refunded to my account.
I turned them in and ask for a receipt, on how much all of it was and I was told that the new tarps had to be repaired and 1 tarp, that they could not put a value on (that we bought from Prime), chains were not usable, strapes were no good, bungees were said to be throw in trash, binders would not work properly, edge protectors were broken, 4x4's were to old.
When I came back out of the building, another driver was picking up the things, that I had just put into a pile outside the fuel bay door, with the attendant writing up the items as he put them on his truck. When I ask the attendant about it, I was told that he was told to sell them when the next truck came thru for supplies.
I went to finance and other upper management about this and was told they would look into it. A week later, I went back and ask for a end of lease statement of all charges and credits, and have not to this day to get one. I ask for several weeks about the statement and was finally told that the repairs, equipment, travel expenses of other driver, and all their other charges I ended up - ($33,598.00) in the hole, but could never get anything in writting to verify this information.
When all was said and done, I was left standing in Springfield, MO. With my wife and dog, where we had no money, no food, and no where to live. I went to Robert Lowe (President of Prime, Inc. (under his Mother, whom she was C.O.B.) and ask about working in the shop, so I could feed my family and find a place to live. He finally agreed, after 3 - 4 hours of listening to him fussing and cussing.
I worked there for 8 1/2 months, as a mechanic, and every week he took $75.00 a week out of my payroll to go towards by back balance. Then I was suppose to get bonuses, they took over half of this for the same. When I went and talked with Mr. Hopkins about this, he informed me that I had agreed to this (which no one ever said anything about, or much less anything in writting), that he would not change anything. The next week they started taking $150.00 a week out, which really started to effect my wife and I, on getting food and keeping a roof over our heads.
When we finally could not go another week, we finally had to beg our families for help, to go back home with them. After we gotten ready to leave Springfield, MO., they sent the Security Guards of Prime, to our apartment, and theaten to arrest me, if I didn't turn my tool boxes and tools in; that I had paid for by the weeks (one peices at a time); that was the final straw that broken the camels back, me.
I don't want anyone to lose, what I have lost because of them. My home, car, business, and most of all, my self respect. I never want anyone to have to worry about feeding their family or having a place to live. So, Please do not make the same mistake that I did. Stay away from Prime for your own Good and Peace of mind! May God bless you!
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