Covenant Transport biggest ripoff trucking company in the country Chattanooga Tennessee

In all honesty, I really don't have a clue how this corporation got to be this big. I read somewhere on another site that they have around a 97% turnover rate.

People talk all the time about Swift, Werner, England, and J.B. Hunt, but I'm convinced that Covenant Transport is the lowest outfit to work for. It's amazing that a company that goes out of its way to advertise its religious affiliations would resort to lies & deception to bleed the last nickel from a former employee.

Covenant Transport is the embodiment of all that is wrong and corrupted within the trucking industry itself. This company is a cancer that should be removed.

I have been driving for Covenant for almost 6 years now. I am about the furthest one can be away from being a christian. And I have absolutely few problems with the company. These 2 individuals are, obviously, rookie wanna-be's. And they found out that driving a truck wasn't what they were told it would be. "See the country. (through a windsheild) make big bucks (if you work, and don't goof off)." They were evidently told by the schools they went to that if they learn to drive a truck the above would be fact. it's not. Driving is a job that takes a special breed of individual to do. Not every yuppy who decides to get behind the wheel can do it.

I, myself, am not a rookie. I've been driving for 23 years and stay out here because I AM GOOD AT WHAT I DO. I drive. And yes, (to the former employees) I have a ring on my finger to PROVE I'm good at what I do for my life's work. In July i'll have a diamond in this ring that I haven't had off since I got it.

As for your "Rip Off Reports"? I think you probably both rolled your truck, or had some other major accident and got fired, so you were PO'd & decided to let off some steam here at this site.

I have worked for Covenant Transport, out of their Chattanooga TN depot now for 11 monnts starting as a rookie and I can tell you that I have had nothing but a positive experience working for them.They paid my tuition as promised and gave me my pay rises as laid out in their literature.My safety bonus was lost in my first six months also due to a minor incident but that is how it works and drivers just have to be ultra carefull, as I have learned to be.I got my second safety bonus with no problem.

I have not worked for other trucking companies so it is hard for me to compare but I just want all concerned to know that Covenant is NOT A RIP OFF FIRM as stated by some other drivers.In fact they are very good in giving rookies like me a chance to start out in the industry by giving driving tuition and on the road training.For that opportunity I will always be gratefull to Covenant Transport and I will keep working for them as I have no problem with them at all.

I know this post is almost 2 years old, so I really don't expect the OP to read this, but I hope it will help someone else.

First of all, the bad directions had absolutely nothing to do with the tire damage. This is totally irrelevant, as any PROFESSIONAL driver will pay attention to the road at all times and focus primarily on the SAFE operation of that commercial vehicle.

And, any professional driver will actually look at a map even if he/she has been given directions. You need to know where you are going and how to get there BEFORE to start the trip.

As far as the DAC report goes, you can dispute it just like you can a credit report. And it is the FCRA that governs it, just like a credit report.

You can also add your 100 word or less statement to the report.

You can also demand proof of the entry. DEMAND to see a copy of whatever incident/accident report was filed.

You can sue both DAC/USIS and Covenant if the bad info is not corrected or removed.

As far as the threat they made to you regarding the tire, file an extortion charge on them. It's a felony.

I my self as a driver for Covenant can say it has its problems but every where you go does. I never had a problem getting paid, bouns money, student loan money, ect. I got miles very rarely sit for more than 12 hours waiting on a load. The one Guy who said Mike Smith was a horrible dispatcher well only one thing to say about that if he finds him to be a bad guy that guy has his own problems. Mike Smith is one of the most caring and helpful people at Covenant and will go way and beyond to help his drivers. I would have might belived his troubles till he said something about him.( I know this hes my dispatcher)

NOW the Bad I dont agree with paying for trip pacs, prepass, pet fee,(some need to charge a dirt bag driver fee I have seen dogs cleaner than somepeople)

NIGHT AND WEEKEND DISPATCH SUCK THATS THE NUMBER ONE TROUBLES WITH COVENANT TRANSPORT! they all need to be fired I guess maybe I was one of the lucky ones not to have had the troubles most have had!!

My husband has been a truck driver for just over 10 years and I have to say that one thing we bought a few years ago, NAVIGATION SYSTEM. When you become a truck driver, its in your best interest to purchase one of these, whether or not you work for a company that gives good directions or not.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANKS FOR A SITE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO OPENLY AND PUBLICLY FILE COMPLAINTS.

AS TO THE DRIVER THATS AT ODDS WITH COVANENT I JUST WANT TO SAY MY WIFE AND I WORKED FOR COVANENT THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR (2001) AND FOUND THEM TO BE ONE OF THE BEST CO WE EVER WORKED FOR TO DATE (2007). THE DRIVER STATED, HE HIT A CURB WITH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BECAUSE OF A TIGHT LEFT TURN, AND THIS HAS CAUSED A CONFLICT.

WELL I SEE THIS AS A POOR DECISION IN TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFICULT TURN. THAT DOES NOT MAKE THIS AN ACCIDENT JUST A POOR DECISION. YOU MADE THE DECISION TO DRIVE YOUR TRUCK UP ON THAT CRUB. WHEN PEOPLE MAKE POOR DECISIONS THEY SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE THE CONSEQUENCE FOR THER ACTIONS. A FRONT STEER TIRE IS ABOUT $450.00 BUCKS AND YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT IF YOUR DRIVING YOUR OWN TRUCK YOU WILL DRIVE DIFFERENTLY AROUND A TIGHT TURN. SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET TO POINT A OR B LIKE REALINING FOR A TURN, OR WATING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, OR EVEN ASKING FOR HELP. FOR EVERYONE THAT I KNOW WAS TOLD DAY 1 FROM DRIVING SCHOOL ON, RUNNING OVER CRUBES MAY CAUSE DAMAGE AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF AT ALL POSSABLE.

Ok well I am a VP at Covenant over the dedicated department and what you are saying is very wrong.We do our best every day to make the drivers as happy as can be.If my emploee's are not they are fired.Let me tell you there are some drivers out there that are the most difficult people you would ever meet.I know everybody that works around me tries to make everything go the way you drivers want.And that comment at the end about David Parker was very uncalled for.He is the nicest man you would ever meet.The problem is you don't know what your talking about.David works so hard trying to keep you happy.So you need to keep your mouth closed untill you know what you are talking about.

In response to the VP comment to this posting I AM a Covenant driver, I don't complain about anything because I know it doesn't help, I do what's asked of me, don't ask for much. I CAN tell you first hand that MY dispatcher treats me like crap, when I do have to ask for something like local directions because the ones given are wrong it takes forever to get the directions or I get treated rude for asking like it's MY fault that the directions are wrong. I understand that we should map out our trip but then hey... if we're gonna have to do that, then why bother to send the directions to begin with, why not give the drivers a pay raise and get rid of the person doing the routing? You Mr. VP say that you fire your employee's that are not doing their best to make the drivers happy??

Well over the last month I have surveyed 20 different Covenant drivers and found only 2 of them to be happy with their situation the other 18 had various reasons why they weren't happy but most were because of DISPATCH personnel and yes I know your reading this and thinking that if I'm not happy or the others aren't happy then why don't we leave, well it's because some of us can't just up and leave because of certain situations, no that doesn't mean I'm saying I have something bad on my record because I don't, could be I'm at a age where it's not practical or not financially practical to just up and leave. I don't condone negative about Dave Parker because I'm sure he worked hard to get this company going and it was founded on the "Bible" when it was his but since he left the standards of his work are not the same "Christian" company that he founded.

The only shame that I find on Dave Parker are that the standards that he built this company on have gone down since he stepped down, so who is to blame for that? Seems that with his step down the lack of respect to the "Christian" name left also. Not only that but the lack of respect to drivers has gone also. Has anyone ever stopped to give a thought to the fact that if the drivers didn't deliver these loads there wouldn't be a company which means there wouldn't be a paycheck for ANYONE?? Does dispatch ever stop to think that alot of us drivers aren't getting enough sleep because we are getting woke up after only 4 or 5 hours of our 10 hour break? HMMM, that tends to make a driver somewhat touchy at times.

Dispatch gets to go home every night and get their sleep every night. Yes, we chose to be truck drivers but we ARE supposed to be following rules and regulations now aren't we?? Why is it that it seems to be ok that we get "woke and bothered" during our very important sleep time but we are told not to "BOTHER" our dispatcher during lunch break? Lets see... sleep time...lunch break... which is most important? I would say sleep time!!

Dispatch wants respect but doesn't feel they should have to give it?? Mr. VP if you really are a VP, maybe you should take the time to investigate and BACK UP what your talking about. And PS.... PLEASE..... learn how to spell because the way you spell and space is the same way that things come over the QUALCOMM that have to be deciphered which makes things somewhat difficult MOST of the time. You may need to learn how to spell and space for a resume someday.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this it's nice to know that SOMEONE from Covenant is reading these reports, if you really want to dig in further do some comparing of other company reports to Covenants you may find it interesting and it also may give Covenant some incentive to make some changes that you as a VP can make.

Some much needed advice for the " I agree but am stuck here" driver.

1. Unplug your qualcom when you take your 10 hour d.o.t. break. This prevents the you from waking up every time a weather or safety alert or instruction to call joey hogan comes over the qualcom. Just make sure you plug it back in when your 10 hour break is up.

2. Your age has nothing to do with it being practical to leave covenant any time you want to. There are many companies that will take a rookie with a clean record. If you are too lazy to go through another training program that is your fault. You are not stuck at covenant.

3. Any qualcom communication your dispatcher has with you that you feel is unprofessional or innappropriate you can save on your qualcom and file a complaint with management. There are great people there like cujo (john cooper), steve frasier (safety), Phil (training supervisor at chattanooga terminal) that will help drivers in any way they can. I know this because each of them has gone out of their way to help me.

4. Since Covenant has initiated it's "commit to care" program i have personally noticed that people at the terminal (mechanics, safety, permits, log books) are prompt, efficient, polite and dependable. Covenant Transport is a great company to drive for at least for this rookie driver.

I have read these comments. I am laughing as they sound like drivers from any other company out there. There are always drivers that are happy as a pig in slop, and the drivers that hate it there.

First and foremost I am a TRUCK DRIVER. I have been an instructor in a driving school and have seen all types of people that fancy themselves Truckers. It is not what you do it what you are. You must be able to judge turns and look farenough ahead to make good driving decisions. Paying for the tire that was ruined should of been weekly out of the pay. You would have to replace your tire if you tore it up and should not expect someone else to repair your damage with their money.

Being a Truck Driver is a huge responsibility. You are now a Professional Federal Motor Carrier and with that should be pride and major responsibility. You can tell the drivers that care and the ones that don't by the way they handle themselves and talk to the dispatchers. You must take responsibility for your actions and your decisions.

There's right, and there's wrong. That's simple enough isn't it?

I would agree that the attitude of the driver who started this thread doesn't have his heart exactly in the right place, but then it's not customary for an employer to expect, much less demand a driver to pay for any upkeep of their equipment, regardless of the circumstances that dictate it.

I've owned trucks, and I've driven trucks owned by others. I've hired employees, and I've paid for their mistakes. That is a risk of conducting business. If an employee is clearly negligent or abusive towards the equipment, then it's time to cut him loose at some point, but I've never considered that I had any right to demand payment for a tire ruined in the line of duty, so to speak.

Any of us out there have been placed into situations where a decision had to be made, and we have made a mistake as a result of a bad decision. That doesn't mean that a mistake made under the circumstances such as he described, should result in him having to pay for a tire. He was following directions supplied by the company to get where he was supposed to be going. They were wrong. It happens. But the risk in those situations is not the driver's burden to bear. He is hired to drive the truck, and his compensation structure does not translate into any assumed risk of profit or loss for any mistakes made. Covenant assumed those risks when they went into business.

There are some fundamental facts that cannot be overlooked, if we all want to be honest and blunt about this company;

Number one, Covenant is constantly in need of drivers. They advertise in practically every trucking publication, often numerous times in each issue. Why?

Because they don't offer working conditions that are conducive to longevity on the job. That's simple enough to understand. If they did, no newbie would have a chance to get in the door. The applications from those with years of driving under their belts would be up to the ceiling, and Covenant would be picking and choosing. That's not the case.

Companies that constantly advertise for drivers have issues, and there's no way around that simple fact. After all, when was the last time you saw an advertisement anywhere for a job with any of the big three auto makers? You don't because they offer quality jobs that pay well. and those desks are filled applications submitted by eager candidates hoping for any opening that may come along.

Covenant relies upon the inexperienced to fill those trucks, and they have a well established record of abusing those newbies. They pay them peanuts, they threaten them with their jobs if they grow a brain enough to know when something isn't kosher, and they have a history of blackballing those that leave the company.

Second, Covenant realizes that newbies are not well versed, and demanding payment for a tire is absolutely not something I would be willing to do as an employee, regardless of the circumstances leading up to it's early demise. If the driver is deemed negligent (which I happen to feel is NOT in evidence in this case), then he or she should be terminated, but the risks and operating costs of the equipment lie squarely on the shoulders of the company and their insurers. This man was charged with an accident on his permanent record, and to add insult to an already bad situation, they still want him to pay for the damaged tire? I can understand his attitude, to a degree.

And third, while David Parker might be a fine man in some people's estimation, the fact sure seems to be, that he is completely out of touch when it comes to the inner workings of his company. People are not treated according to the Christian guidelines he supposedly lives by, and he should know this as the head white man in charge. I've hired too many of his former employees, and I wouldn't trust a reference from that company if my life depended on it.

And as always, don't take my word for a thing. Google them. Read other reports on this site. Hit any of the other trucking forums. It's not hard to see a pattern when you read a little about them by those who have been through their doors.

I'm local to Chattanooga. I wouldn't apply for a job with that company to clean their toilets. I've heard and read too many testimonials of drivers being asked to pick up abandoned equipment, only to find among other things when they got to the truck, that the previous driver became so incensed at the company that they had to make a final statement to them by taking a dump on the sleeper mattress. I don't know about anyone else, but it sure doesn't make me feel very good about the company, if someone got that upset at them, and had to resort to making such a statement.

Drivers don't abandon equipment on a whim. They do it when they feel there is no other alternative. If I were hired on to a company, and were asked to pick up an abandoned piece of equipment, I already know I've made a horrible choice. It's a waving red flag, to say the least.

I contrast this experience to one of my own, working for the company that I so fortunately found 1,000 miles from my home. I've been with them for several years now. I backed into a fence a couple of years ago, causing about $500 worth of damage. I clearly erred in not knowing exactly where that fence post was in relation to the back of my trailer. It was raining cats and dogs, and I made the error of not stepping out of the truck to size things up.

While I was ultimately charged with a preventable accident, and justifiably so, the company refused my offer to pay for the damage, even when I presented cash money to pay for it, because I felt it was my mistake, clear and simple. The response?

"We don't operate like that. We appreciate the offer, but we assume those risks, even when the driver admits to being at fault."

Andrew,
Let me understand this, you were trained by Covenant and while training you state that each week you owed them money; you had a preventable accident by making a left turn and hitting a lamp-post damaging a tire in the process and it's their fault?

First, be grateful that someone took the time to train you and pay you to train on how to drive a truck.

Secondly, If you hadn't requested advances beyond your weekly pay, maybe you would have had money at the end of the week.

Lastly, Covenant wasn't driving the truck YOU were. Making a left turn and hitting a light pole is inexcusable. This tells me you were not trained properly and should maybe get further training on how to drive a tractor trailer.

I have been driving for 43 years I have some experience I believe in driving and am a little more capable of knowing what is wrong and what is right.

As an interested Covenant (England, Swift, etc.) trucking candidate, I only have this to say about these comments: Biased.

It's in our nature to place blame and point the finger at someone (or something) else when things aren't "going my way." Instead of taking responsibility for poor judgment or being lazy, we readily make someone else the culprit. Have a little dignity and self-respect and own your mistakes. Say, "Man, I should have done that different (better, faster, cheaper)" instead of "they suck 'cause they didn't pay for something I broke (bent, lost, abused)." It is possible you may be more valuable if you make a bad situation better instead of making it worse.

Employers know who are their "troubled children." Everyone in an organization usually does, even dispatchers and team members (I suspect the troublemakers do as well). All should be concerned, however, about how to do the job better and faster with mutual respect and concern for themselves and the company. It's called "pulling your own weight." And, if you're not, it's called "dragging." Which usually means, your co-workers are doing your job.

Obviously, if there are REAL problems, this great nation of ours has given us the ability for recourse and, in no small measure, discourse. Just be glad you're not in a Third World country working for 'Joe Muhammad' who's going to crack you with a stick or cut off your finger or hand when you mess up.

You are biased: toward yourself first-and-foremost (if you, indeed, like yourself), then for all else you value (your employer, job, lover, friend, car, cash, or what-have-you). Be aware that you might be mistaken and may have actually done something wrong.

A statement like "I've hired too many of his [Covenant's] former employees, and I wouldn't trust a reference from that company if my life depended on it," is inflammatory and really has no weight behind it. It only reveals the obvious bias: that the individual is "hiring" for a competitor (of Covenant's, in this case).

All of this griping leads only to more griping (by would-be gripers) and doesn't help anyone to succeed. But, I'm sure it feels good to gripe, as long as the attention is taken away from you and your poor performance or attitude. You would do better to do your job and do it well, and own up to your mistakes. That is how you create value and trustworthiness (and get promotions, by the way).

If the company is in error, by all means, take them to task and let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, do your job and do it well; or, do it for someone else. Just remember: Muhammad is now hiring!

I am a former, and possibly future, employee of Covenant. Admittedly, Covenant does have some problems, but the original poster & several other posters have really overeacted to some of this. Your statements about Covenants equipement is flat out wrong. While I have heard isolated cases of problems, and you will see that with any company, the vast majority of the time Covenants trucks are kept in excellent condition and any repairs are made promptly. I think this is actually one of the strong points, although it is taken to such an extreme that it causes drivers to avoid going to Chat, where they will get stuck for 2 or 3 days while very minor repairs are made. Even the dispatchers realize this and try to keep you away from that place.

You do have a point when it comes to "incidents/accidents". Covenant is way too happy to log an incident on a driver at the least provocation & charge that driver $500 no matter whether it costs the company $1 or $10000. They used to give you back the difference, if it was under $500, but now the policy is that it is a fee for having an accident. That is something that is going to get them sued someday I'm sure. It happened to me when someone accused me of brushing their flatbed, which didn't happen & there was no damage even if it had, and I was charged $500 for it and lost my safety bonus. Its really the only major complaint I have with this company, but there are other problems.

The training program needs to be fixed. Covenant needs to stop hiring people that have no business in a truck and allow trainers to determine if their trainee is capable, if he makes it that far. If the trainer feels the trainee is not capable, he should be able to send them back to chat for review. I also have to say that this would require more than warm bodies with 6 months experience as trainers. If the poster had a good trainer, he might not have had the accident in the first place. If there are conflicts, Covenant is pretty good at making arrangements for seating a trainee with a different trainer. That happened to me & I was satisfied with the result.

Dispatchers... Well, I can say there are problems here, especially with the night & weekend people, but I think this is something you will see anywhere. They are out of touch with what we do, but we also don't see things from their point-of-view. I do think they should try to do a better job of understanding the truckers, because we are out for weeks & supply the income that allows them to go home each night. I really wish the dispatchers/fleet managers (and all managers/execs) would be required to go out for a couple of weeks with a driver so they could see the real world. It would do a lot to solve the problem.

All in all, Covenant is a good company to start with. If you learn how their system works, its a good company to stay with. The thing is you can always find problems anywhere. The trick is to accept that sometimes the company isn't going to get it right & sometimes they will. Do something about it if you can, but if you can't don't let it ruin your job or your week. Get a good rep & their are a lot of people at Covenant that really will bend over backwards to help you when you have a problem.

Good luck & God bless no matter where you end up.

i wud never work for them again o so grt8 of a company hahahehehehe never never never they are not a good company i bet that the guy with the ring gos by (cowboy) and the other ones i bet i know who they are too.i bet the one woman driver is not even a driver she hangs down there at the little cafe well out back of the cafe.

I was also an employee of this company.

I also dealt with several of the issues that the previous employee dealt with.

In addition to the same problems I also was forced to endure harassment from several other employees such as my trainers, as there were 2 and my dispatcher. I was told that because I am a female I would not be paired with a male trainer or student team partner. I was immediately paired with a male trainer following my orientation. This first trainer (a male) only lasted 4 days. One of our first conversations on his truck consisted of him asking me if I like to read and then handing me a pornographic magazine depicting a woman giving oral sex to a horse. He forced me to sleep on the top bunk which was covered with his guitar and several boxes of VHS tapes, only giving me 1/2 of the bed space. I requested another trainer and was put on a truck with an African American who constantly referred to me as "honky sista". He then failed to set the brakes on the tractor at the Hutchins TX yard while I was in the sleeper.

When the truck rolled out of control without anyone behind the wheel and hit a parked truck he tried to blame me. I was found to be innocent of his accusations based on our logs. He yelled and belittled me on a daily basis. I finished my training and completed the required team driving and received my own truck which was a piece of unsafe junk. I was placed on Pete Campbells dispatch board and was subjected to constant humiliation and sexual inuendo. He made comments to me referring to my hawaiian heritage asking if I wore coconut bras and sea shell panties and inappropriately rubbed against me on more than one occasion.

All of my complaints fell on deaf ears. I met another driver (who I have now been married to for 2 years) and we became a team, much to the disapproval of Mr. Campbell. When he found out we were engaged he made comments about the size of my small diamond being directly related to the size of my husbands parts...Then our miles went down to 1500 average per week. While my husband and I were driving together we found out that I was not receiving longevity or safety bonuses. When my husband called to ask why, he was told by Wanda Green that I was no longer employed by Covenant, even though I was driving the truck down the road as he spoke to her. Her verification of employment could have been as simple as walking over to the payroll desk or logs department and asking them to verify my employment so that I could get paid what I was entitled to. Instead she drew out the process over 3 weeks.

I also found that the contract for tuition reimbursement that Covenant and I signed was not being honored. I was 7 months behind on my student loan because Covenant was not paying. My last conversation with her ended in her telling me she was tired of talking to me and not to call her again then hanging up on me. Because Covenant refuses to give their students copies of any of the paperwork that they sign during orientation I do not have copies of any of my tuition paperwork and I could not find a lawyer willing to represent me. However I do have all of my logs.

I fought for several months to get the $2600.00 they owe me to no avail. I had written it off and it has been 4 years. But now I found out that because my husband and I now work for another company and they are required to do a background check, that Covenant has put derogatory marks on my credit stating that I owe them money. I now work for the Department of Defense and was informed of this information. I am once again actively seeking a lawyer to recoup my losses and have this negative information removed from my credit report. This company claims to be a family oriented company and they are...it's just not your family they care about.

Well,,like many people I also started as a rookie.
Everyone needs to start somewhere,right? With that said you need to realise that when you are new you are the lowest on the totem pole so to speak.
You will have to eat some crap(to an extent) it is like that NO MATTER where you go to work,,grocery store,military,gas station,,you get the picture.
Now there are a few things that are to my knowlege the same with ALMOST every trucking company.. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

1. Night and weekend dispatch usually sux,,,these people are ,,so to speak fill-ins
Instead of having 50 people attending 500 trucks(just a round number for those who arent good at math) Thats 10 trucks per person RIGHT??
Now you have 5 people attending the same number,,,,,easy as 1,2,3
thats 10 times the work load per person.
I know this to be FACT,,at least with alot of them.
My question to you.......Wouldnt you get POed if you had 100 drivers constantly complaining???? Cut them a little slack

2. If you drive it you are responsable for it! Its the law in most states! And that CDL you have makes it even more your responsability.
Altho companies have NO right to threaten you in ANY way!!
Unless its a diciplinary action there is no right,,,and besides,,if it is for that reason then you DESERVE it!!!
Look at it this way,,if you are at home and in your own car and hit someone because of something you did,,what do the police say??? Thats how trucking companies look at

3.No company can force you to pay for something unless law enforcement says(in a certified police report) You were solely at fault.
If they threaten you there are lawyers for that,,,,DONT FORGET a lawyer helps you too!!! And NO company wants a law suit or charges filed on them as they go on a FEDERAL profile that only government officials can see(thats what was explained to me)
Mabey you were a Lease Operator and just didnt want the burden of repairing your own foul up??????

Granted there are alot of things almost every company is guilty of to some extent.
I have had down falls with 1 or 2,,I WILL NOT give names as some of it was my own doing and the companies were pretty good employers,,,see I am a big boy I take responsability for what I have done,,IF YOU CANT Then you arent a man/woman,,you are still a child and you need to go back home for more lessons on how to become one!

If i commit the act,I dont point fingers unless I can back up the facts..If its honestly not your fault ,,well get off your butt and fight for it!!

But every one needs to remember this too,,,KARMA is a ^%#@!! It will always come back on you!!!!!

For those you are doing fine and not full of (*&^,,keep up the good work
For the others,,
Dont take advances unless its necissary,,dont go home every chance you get
learn how to make good use of your time,,,just think you can average around 660 miles a day,,legally

Try not to fight the system,,it usually wins. Be a team player,this goes far in an employers eyes.

Well enough ranting about whiners,,,,Do your job,,Be safe,,and try to treat others the way you expect to be treated!!

Kris, North Jersey

Here is the first GEM of bad information/advice:
"3.No company can force you to pay for something unless law enforcement says(in a certified police report) You were solely at fault".....

**Actually no employer can LEGALLY "make" you pay for any damages regardless of what the police report says, UNLESS you have a PRE-HIRE agreement that you signed that authorizes it. The police report is totally irrelevant.

Here is the second GEM of bad information/advice:
"...If they threaten you there are lawyers for that,,,,DONT FORGET a lawyer helps you too!!! And NO company wants a law suit or charges filed on them as they go on a FEDERAL profile that only government officials can see(thats what was explained to me)"...

**Actually, every aspect of operations of any company holding a DOT#/MC# is public record as far as safety record, number of trucks, principle officers, prior offenses/fines/reprimands, etc.. ALL PUBLIC RECORD right from the FMCSA.
Whomever "explained" that to you was a moron.

Here is my favorite!
"...2. If you drive it you are responsable for it! Its the law in most states! And that CDL you have makes it even more your responsability."

**Wrong again**CDL's are governed by FEDERAL LAW. The USDOT / FMCSA regs govern CDL holders / and commercial vehicle operators that cross state lines. [ALL OTR TRUCKERS].

It is nice to actually know what you are talking about before giving "advice".

>>>
Submitted: 6/25/2008 9:01:57 AM
Modified: 6/25/2008 12:17:30 PM Kris
Franklin, New Jersey
U.S.A.

Well,,,,There are many opinions.......
Well,,like many people I also started as a rookie.
Everyone needs to start somewhere,right? With that said you need to realise that when you are new you are the lowest on the totem pole so to speak.
You will have to eat some crap(to an extent) it is like that NO MATTER where you go to work,,grocery store,military,gas station,,you get the picture.
Now there are a few things that are to my knowlege the same with ALMOST every trucking company.. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

1. Night and weekend dispatch usually sux,,,these people are ,,so to speak fill-ins
Instead of having 50 people attending 500 trucks(just a round number for those who arent good at math) Thats 10 trucks per person RIGHT??
Now you have 5 people attending the same number,,,,,easy as 1,2,3
thats 10 times the work load per person.
I know this to be FACT,,at least with alot of them.
My question to you.......Wouldnt you get POed if you had 100 drivers constantly complaining???? Cut them a little slack

2. If you drive it you are responsable for it! Its the law in most states! And that CDL you have makes it even more your responsability.
Altho companies have NO right to threaten you in ANY way!!
Unless its a diciplinary action there is no right,,,and besides,,if it is for that reason then you DESERVE it!!!
Look at it this way,,if you are at home and in your own car and hit someone because of something you did,,what do the police say??? Thats how trucking companies look at

3.No company can force you to pay for something unless law enforcement says(in a certified police report) You were solely at fault.
If they threaten you there are lawyers for that,,,,DONT FORGET a lawyer helps you too!!! And NO company wants a law suit or charges filed on them as they go on a FEDERAL profile that only government officials can see(thats what was explained to me)
Mabey you were a Lease Operator and just didnt want the burden of repairing your own foul up??????

Granted there are alot of things almost every company is guilty of to some extent.
I have had down falls with 1 or 2,,I WILL NOT give names as some of it was my own doing and the companies were pretty good employers,,,see I am a big boy I take responsability for what I have done,,IF YOU CANT Then you arent a man/woman,,you are still a child and you need to go back home for more lessons on how to become one!

If i commit the act,I dont point fingers unless I can back up the facts..If its honestly not your fault ,,well get off your butt and fight for it!!

But every one needs to remember this too,,,KARMA is a ^%#@!! It will always come back on you!!!!!

For those you are doing fine and not full of (*&^,,keep up the good work
For the others,,
Dont take advances unless its necissary,,dont go home every chance you get
learn how to make good use of your time,,,just think you can average around 660 miles a day,,legally

Try not to fight the system,,it usually wins. Be a team player,this goes far in an employers eyes.

Well enough ranting about whiners,,,,Do your job,,Be safe,,and try to treat others the way you expect to be treated!!

Kris, North Jersey

>>>

Well in some issues your right,,,
Altho ,, I have been in or around trucking since I was 10,,,I know there are some things that are "grey" areas
As far as you saying no employer can make you pay damages....why dont you take a close look at most of the agreements that go through orientation.....
The "fine print" as most but not all companies rush you through them and rarely give copies to you is says something to the affect of....you take responsability for said equiptment. You will be suprised how many put this in the paperwork
With that said, a companies lawyer CAN bring this up in court,(if it goes to that point) and seek damages OR the insurance deductable,which ever is the lessor ammount.

Mabie ia am wrong about the public record from FMCSA,,i was relaying something i was told by a VP of a fairly large trucking company,,,mabey he is a moron,,I cant speak fro his incompetance,,BUT as far as being threatened,,,,There are lawyers to help. Agreed?????If you threaten them to a degree what happens??
They hire a lawyer and you go to jail,,or at the very least terminated and stuff sent to DAC. Right,,,,after all you seem to be the expert here.

The first and last thing you went ranting about in my comments are pretty much the same,,
Is it or is it not up to law enforcement to determine fault in the event of an accident??

If it is deemed you are at fault then a company will bring up the paperwork you signed in orientation,,,That pre hire thing ,,,yes if you sign one than you better be a PERFECT driver and never get into an accident!!

No driver in my opinion is "perfect" and if you THINK you are then you need to get off the road and take a desk job!! The day you consider yourself as a perfect driver is the day your attitudes will change and you will get careless,mabey not a careless driver,but you will not pay as much attention,IVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN TO SOMEONE!

And you are right CDL is governed by federal laws,,,but keep this in mind too,,
ANY state in the US is required to enforce any and all federal DOT rules and regulations,including ALL traffic rules and regulations.
However a state is allowed to make the rules and regs stricter than federal standards,,if the state feels the rules are not strict enough.

Ultimatly if you are in controll of the vehicle then whos fault is it if you hit something??? You are the expert you tell me,,,,,,,
Most states,,notice i said MOST will automatically look at the truck driver as being at fault,there are so many regs they are bound to find ONE that he/she didnt comply with and thats what will get you in trouble....

And there is the matter of a driving record,that follows you like a plague,,for life
You have an accident,at fault or not,it will be there.

OH yeah there are confidental files that trucking companies have that unless a lawyer gets an order to show them in court,,,,,,you nor the public will ever see.

Hi. My name is Neil and I've read a lot of negative comments on a bunch of well known trucking companies. I'm about to get my CDL and I want to drive over the road for a good company. Can anyone suggest one out of Denver, CO or near Boston, MA? Please email me at (((redacted)))). Thanks.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Yo Andrew,

Thanks for your report on Covenant Transport.

I'm looking for a quality trucking company to work for as I have had issues like yours. Could you reveal the company you are working for currently as you have indicated that it is a GOOD COMPOANY?

Thanks,

OTR Ernest

After reading a lot of the complaints against Covenant and other companies I ve heard nothing but whining. First of all I ll bet 90% of these people are rookie drivers and being such your opyions are very limited. I to am a rookie driver and when I was a student driver the one thing they stressed in class is that your company options would be limited. These companies pay very large insurance premiums so beginner drivers like myself can get otr experience. Did you honestly think they were going to give a rookie driver a brand new truck and bow down to your every whim. Get real man. As far as the damaged tire is concerned it should have taught you a valuable lesson, be more careful. I read one complaint that said she was stranded in snow with no heat, no food and no money. Well first of all I was told in driving school that every company has an idle/fuel use policy so I ve prepared myself with sleeping bag, warm clothes, portable generator and heater. second, why would you take a job over the road with no food and no money. It s not the companies responsibilty to advance you money because you went out broke. If you didn t have the means to support yourself on the road then you should have chosen another line of work. Another fellow talked of miles driven to miles given. Well just about every company out there uses the rand mcnally system get used to it. If they didn t use it drivers could take the long way to every drop and they d be paying 2 grand aweek to every driver and nothing would arrive on time. The bottom line is there are a lot things to consider when becoming a truck driver. I was lucky in the fact that I chose a top acredited school to get my CDL and they told us all the crap we d have to deal with before we were able to leave the rookie status behind and be able to pick and choose who we wanted to work for. You have to wade through the sewer until you can afford the beach. Bottom line, wether it s Covenant, Swift, Werner or who ever your going to find something you don t like about all of them but until you have a year or better under your belt these are the companies you have to chose from.

Living in the real world

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "After reading a lot of the complaints against Covenant and other companies I ve heard nothing but whining. First of all I ll bet 90% of these people are rookie drivers and being such your opyions are very limited. I to am a rookie driver and when I was a student driver the one thing they stressed in class is that your company options would be limited"

My Response: Being limited in terms of options in one thing, but being subjected to indentured servitude, treated worse than an animal, and working for peanuts is quite another.

People do not complain for no reason. Perhaps you are a masochist.

"I Hate Whiners" Said:"These companies pay very large insurance premiums so beginner drivers like myself can get otr experience. Did you honestly think they were going to give a rookie driver a brand new truck and bow down to your every whim. Get real man."

My Response: Ask yourself a question. Why is it that a company like Covenant Transport has to resort to staffing their trucks with inexperienced drivers? Are you under some impression that they do this for YOUR benefit?

No. They do it because they are unable to recruit experienced drivers, who are well aware of the reputation and the fact that their policies are totally outrageous.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: As far as the damaged tire is concerned it should have taught you a valuable lesson, be more careful. I read one complaint that said she was stranded in snow with no heat, no food and no money. Well first of all I was told in driving school that every company has an idle/fuel use policy so I ve prepared myself with sleeping bag, warm clothes, portable generator and heater."

My Response: Well good for you. I have driven out there for 30+ years and at no time have I worked for ANY company that would expect me to roast in the summer or freeze in the winter. You can be jailed for leaving your pet in a car for a few moments when outside temperatures are extreme, but you think that it is a-okay to be subjected as an employee to such extremes.

I commend you on your willingness to be treated worse than an animal. You're absolutely Covenant driver material, I assure you.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "second, why would you take a job over the road with no food and no money. It s not the companies responsibilty to advance you money because you went out broke. If you didn t have the means to support yourself on the road then you should have chosen another line of work."

My Response: Work for them for a few months and see just how much you have left in YOUR bank account that can be used to "support yourself" out there on the road.

If you have a family and bills to pay, cut that time to just a month. Advancing drivers personal expense money has always been the industry norm.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "Another fellow talked of miles driven to miles given. Well just about every company out there uses the rand mcnally system get used to it."

My Response: Wrong again Bozo, but you go on believing what you want. The better companies out there pay on calculations that close the gap to less than a 5% difference.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "If they didn t use it drivers could take the long way to every drop and they d be paying 2 grand aweek to every driver and nothing would arrive on time."

My Response: What an utterly silly assumption. What company would keep on staff anyone who would abuse a more practical mileage system? None. It's amazing to read thoughts from those who have no clue, and worse...no experience from which to offer a stance on the issue.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "The bottom line is there are a lot things to consider when becoming a truck driver. I was lucky in the fact that I chose a top acredited school
to get my CDL and they told us all the crap we d have to deal with before we were able to leave the rookie status behind and be able to pick and choose who we wanted to work for."

My Response: But of course. I've encountered people like you many times over the years. You pop out of a school and you think you have a fantastic grasp on the situation. It pains me, because although you think you know it all, you're in for an eye-opening education after you have been out there for awhile.

"I Hate Whiners" Said: "You have to wade through the sewer until you can afford the beach. Bottom line, wether it s Covenant, Swift, Werner or who ever your going to find something you don t like about all of them but until you have a year or better under your belt these are the companies you have to chose from. Living in the real world"

Although you are correct in relating that you are going to have to stick it out somewhere to be able to open the doors to better opportunities, Covenant Transport is among the bottom barrel of trucking companies. In fact, they have in my opinion, surpassed Swift as the worst company, mainly due to their rampant abuses of newbies, and due to their recent instituting fees and charges for risks that they assume when one goes into business. This company has taken theft to a new level.

Mr. "I Hate Whiners"...you're not living in the real world. You are living in Fantasyland.

I wish you the best of luck, because you are definitely need it.

First, even though you have the right, nasty language at the end tarnished an otherwise exceptional report. Nothing will sink an objective report faster than a personal embellishment.

With regard to the first truck mentioned, you had the obligation of not driving it since otherwise, you and your co-driver would have been violating FMCSA rules. Reporting the company to the FMCSA via their hotline as well as the Motor Carrier Division of the Highway Patrol could have been two options used.

Regarding payment for the tire, unless you were acting as an owner-operator on their behalf, I could not see any reason for that to come out of your pay unless there was proof of negligence on your part.

The recommendation for the author of this report would be to dispute the information contained in the DAC report and provide his version of the incident.

you should have never reported it,just drop the trailer at the shipper when del. and get another trailer case closed in if you heard anything else about it say what i use to say that trailer wasnt like that when i left.COVENANT CAN GO TO HELL