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Report: #416249

Complaint Review: Stevens Transport - Dallas Texas

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  • Reported By: Somewhere Colorado
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  • Stevens Transport becomeadriver.com Dallas, Texas United States of America

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Where to begin with the fun and adventures I had with Steven's???? It's hard to put into words, but here goes....

I answered a classified ad in our local newspaper for CDL drivers. The ad offered free, paid training and guaranteed placement with Steven's Transport provided you were able to complete the training program. I called the 1-800 number, and spoke VERY briefly with a Steven's Transport recruiter, who referred me to a local 'training center'.

I called the training center, and was told that yes, Steven's would sponsor students for training and would hire them after the completion of training. The training center representative told me that the training would be free, provided the employee did not quit Steven's before one year of service. They touted the fact that the company had not had a layoff in 28 years.

I was told that the training center would provide housing, at a cost of $75.00 for the duration of the training, and that we would also have to pay for our DOT physicals and drug screen, and our CDL permits and licenses. Finally, we were told that we would not recieve any pay for the three and a half weeks we were in training, but that we would begin to be paid immediately after our arrival in Dallas, Texas for orientation. We were also told that Steven's would provide THREE (3) meals per day on our arrival.

We were told that we would be paid $350.00 a week while in training, shitty, but at least we'd be getting something. At the end of the paid orientation and the over-the-road training, we'd be getting 27 cents per mile-below industry average, but hey, you have to start somewhere, right? Well, read this all the way through, and you'll see that your 27 cents per mile gets eaten up pretty f**king quickly with all the hidden fees, fines, and other Stevens bulls**t.

Since I had always wanted to try my hand at truck driving, and was in desperate need of a job, I signed up, and began the classroom portion of the training with several other students. The first two days were 'free', that is, we were not asked to make any commitment to the company. We had several pep talks from the owner of the school, who told us how fan-f**king-tastic our new 'career' was going to be, complete with promises of around $40,000 yearly income for 'hard workers'.

Other than the company sponsored pep talk, the classroom portion of the training involved taking practice tests for our CDL exams and filling out background questionaires for Steven's. Additionally, we took a DOT physical-at our own expense. After completing the questionaires and DOT physical, we were told that we were hired, and ready to begin training.

On day 3, the scam began. We were asked to sign Steven's Transport tuition agreements. We were instructed to cross out all of the repayment details, and told that this would not be necessary because, if we did not quit before our one year mark, we would owe nothing. Note, nothing was said AT ALL about being fired or laid off.

The total cost of the three and one half week training course was to be $5,999.00, at a 'reasonable' interest rate of 19%. Yes, that's right, campers-19%. We were also told that if we wanted to pay up front, the cost was $3000. Why the 50% increase? In short, to make certain that, no matter how illegal or unethical the employer's demands, that we would be scared to death to quit.

We asked for copies of the signed loan agreements, only to be told that we would get them after arriving in Dallas. The owner of the training center himself refused to provide these contracts, and implied that we would be seen as 'rocking the boat' as brand-new employees if we continued to complain.

In retrospect, I should have bailed at this point, but Steven's KNOWS they're recruiting desperate people who need a job, and believe me, they prey on that. It should be noted that refusing to provide copies of a signed loan contract is ILLEGAL under Federal law, but it would soon become obvious that breaking the law means little, if anything, to this outfit.

Now on to the fantastic "training center". In the interest of fairness, about half of the staff REALLY seemed to take their jobs seriously. They showed up for work on time, provided instruction that was geared toward the individual student, and took extra time with the folks who struggled. They were a little rough around the edges and didn't really have time for folks who didn't want to listen, but who can blame them? Note, I said that this describes half of the staff.

The other half of the staff were, well, worthless. They spent about one hour of their day instructing, and the other ten hours fixing their cars, packing for hunting trips, and generally sitting on a*s. Also, they were regularly late or absent, which made the other staff members divide their time between twice as many students, which was unfair to the students and to the instructors. For $5,999, I expected more. A LOT more. Thanks to the two fellas that actually came to work and (gasp) worked, we all passed our CDL practical and written exams.

We went on to complete our training course, but as we did so, several of the students were eliminated for issues they had disclosed initially on their background questionaires. This was a bit puzzling, since we were told that we were hired already, but we just kept plugging along. We recieved bus tickets to the Steven's Transport headquarters, in Dallas, Texas, for orientation. Our last bit of instruction from the director of the training center was, 'you've all already been hired, don't go down there and 'unhire' yourselves'.

On arrival in Dallas, phase two of the scam began. We all got rooms at the Howard Johnson's in Mesquite, a crack-riddled ghetto suburb of Dallas. Remember the meals that Steven's promised? Well, we found out that the weekend before orientation didn't count, so many of the new employees went hungry since they didn't have any money left after paying for DOT physicals, housing at the school, CDL permits and licenses, and all the other costs of employment with Steven's.

We all met up for the trip to scam central, AKA Steven's Training Center, the next morning-at 5 AM. Remember the breakfast that we were promised? Yeah, that begins at 6:00 AM. No meals, again, and some of the fellas were looking a little hungry and frustrated.

After arriving at Steven's, we started orientation. We were told that there would be no pay for the orientation. That's right, on top of the three and a half weeks of no pay and the hundreds of dollars shelled out to the training center, we would not be paid for the NEXT 4 days. Ouch.

For the next 4 fifteen hour days. That's right, campers, 15 hour days. For free. In their defense, Steven's DID start feeding us-slop. Absolutely indigestable trash. Normally, I wouldn't complain about a free meal, but these weren't free-they were our compensation for 15 hours of work, and not worth it.

While at the orientation program, we took ANOTHER physical-and this one washed about half of the class for various PREDISCLOSED problems. These folks were told that they were still on the hook for the six thousand dollar tuition, even though Steven's had disqualified them for issues they were aware of prior to their arrival.

The orientation consisted of 50-60% classroom training, and 40-50% track time. We used the Steven's Transport facility 'on the hill', directly behind the training center. We did mostly the same things with the trucks that we had been doing at the CDL school on the hill, and recieved grades for each of the skills.

We also took a road test. A complete waste of f***ing time. I was in the same truck with a fella from Guatemala who did not speak or understand English (hmmmm....isn't that against the law?), and who could not find any of the gears with a road map, a complete schematic directly from Kenworth, and the aid of the sweet baby Jesus. I s**t you not, we coasted for most of the road test with this guy driving, and at the end, he passed. But then, we all passed.

During the classroom portion of the orientation, we were asked to sign mandatory, binding arbitration agreements-almost like Steven's is afraid they'll be sued or something. We were also introduced to the Steven's Transport workman's compensation program. It was a short class-they have opted out of workman's comp, so if you're injured, no matter where in the country you're from, you get to do your rehab at the Howard Johnson's, or you don't get any workman's comp.

I'm not kidding, and I couldn't make this up-that's the deal. You will see their doctors, in Dallas, or you will be cordially invited to go f*** yourself. Are you from Vermont? Tough s**t. You're rehabbing in Dallas. From Boston? Hope your rehab doesn't take too long, and I hope you like Dallas. By the way, they're not going to make ANY arrangements to board or transport your family, either-so don't get hurt.

If you're curious about this part of the scam, Google 'Steven's Transport Workman's Compensation', and you'll find that they've been sued over this-repeatedly. Once, during arbitration, they lost, and tried to blame their loss on the administrative judge's MIGRAINE F***ING HEADACHE. All in order to f**k a hard-working employee who bought into their scam.

Another protion of the orientation involves filling our paperwork to allow Steven's to deduct just about anything they feel like from your check. You'll be paying for an $80.00 meat lock, and two $30.00 load locks before you're allowed off the yard in your own truck, by the way. Yep, another $140.00 out of pocket, and all you've gotten so far is some shitty Mexican food and a room at the h*o Jo's.

Also, if your truck is damaged-even by SOMEONE ELSE, you'll be paying the insurance deductible out of pocket, too. Don't forget to check your load temperature-yep, you guessed it, they can 'fine' you for that, too. Over-rev the truck? Yep, that's right-you're paying for it, even though Steven's is a TRAINING COMPANY. Go out of route? Cha-ching. Over on your fuel? Cha-ching. Miss a fuel stop? Cha-ching. Are you starting to see a pattern here?

One of the portions of the class I thought was especially enlightening was the axle and vehicle weight portion. If you drive for Stevens, you WILL drive over weight-or the dispatchers will black ball you and you'll be waiting-unpaid-for days at a time between loads. Remember, this is a training company, and your replacement is probably already being trained. And, if you quit, it's no skin off their nose-you'll still be on the hook for the six grand, at 19% interest.

One of the employees there at the training center, a big African American fella named Eugene, will come in and reassure you that if you get a ticket for being overweight, and you've been told by your dispatcher that you should pull the load despite being overweight, that Stevens will pay the fine. What Eugene won't tell you-even if he's asked directly-is that each commercial driver has a DAC report, on which EVERY VIOLATION he or she commits is logged. That overweight ticket goes on YOUR DAC report-and it WILL prevent you from advancing in the industry.

Also, what Eugene won't tell you is that in some states, you might be ARRESTED for being over gross-which the dispatchers will STILL try to get you to pull-and you're not getting out unless you or Steven's comes up with the fine amount. Nice, eh? And you better make sure that they send you the message in writing on your Qualcomm, or else they're gonna claim that you volunteered to pull an overweight load, and then you're gonna be a*s out!

Another detail Stevens leaves out is the fact that profitable trucking jobs require a SPOTLESS DAC. All those overweight tickets that Stevens pays for mean that you're not going to get hired by Wal-Mart, Fed-Ex, or any of the other big-money trucking companies. You're stuck as a bottom feeder forever-for 27 cents per mile.

Oh, and about the 27 cents per mile-did I mention that you're going to pay for every truck-related expense with advances from your pay? Need toll money? Take an advance. Need to pay lumpers to unload the freight? Take an advance. Money for a fine? Take an advance. Windshield wiper fluid, oil, coolant, or any other minor repair? Take an advance. Stevens claims that they'll reimburse you, but remember, they get to decide whether to do that or not after the fact. Your money has already been spent, and now you have to beg them to give it back.

I know some of you are thinking, "well, I'll just offload my own freight, and take the lumpers out of the equation". My a*s you will. Most of the shippers and recievers I dealt with while in the trainer/trainee OTR phase would not let you on their docks AT ALL, NO MATTER WHAT. Period. No exceptions. And they can be REAL expensive-on trainee pay, the lumpers might cost more that your weekly check for some freight-like Tyson chicken, which is one of the biggest Stevens contracts.

So, provided you're stupid or desperate enough to sign off on all of this (I was...), you'll be assigned to a trainer for the first of two over-the-road training phases, trainer/trainee. I've personally decided to report Stevens to OSHA for the numerous violations I observed, so I can't go into specific detail, but suffice it to say that it is possible for the trainer to use your log book to drive illegaly-and in my experience, he WILL. You'll also need to drive illegally, too, or you'll find yourself out of a job. And don't bother calling Stevens to report it-that's the fast-track to unemployment.

Suffice it to say, if you go ahead and decide to work for Stevens after reading this, you have only yourself to blame. They somehow manage to get these reports edited off of this site and others, but hopefully, you've read this one and can save yourself the scamming I got.

Ripped_off_drvr Somewhere, Colorado
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 01/26/2009 10:18 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/stevens-transport/dallas-texas/stevens-transport-avoid-this-scam-like-the-plague-dallas-texas-416249. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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#10 UPDATE EX-employee responds

I Would Go Back To Stevens In A Heartbeat

AUTHOR: Mountain Maverick - (United States of America)

POSTED: Sunday, February 10, 2013

I love to hear people complain, complain, complain. 

I worked for Stevens also.  I did not go through their training program, I went through an independent truck driving school in Mississippi.  I did, however, go through phase 1 of the Stevens OTR training program trainee/trainer.  I did not stay for phase 2 - the "dumb and dumber" version of OTR training.

In reading your story, I believe everything you say is true.  However, instead of looking at everything from a positive business point of view and how it could positively affect your career as a driver and company employee, you looked at all events as a ripoff - a way to get at you and bring you down. 

The company can not provide training for free without some commitment.  The meat lock and cargo restraints cost them money and they want to know that they will not have their money walk out the door regularly, hence a "deposit" for them.

As far as driving school, the cost is well within line of other schools.  Bottom line is that the schools are there to get you your CDLA.  A license that you can then use to gain employment with other companies.  A license to get you started in a good career.  A one year commitment of providing Stevens a good employee with a good attitude and the willingness to learn the ropes of OTR is a minor payment for the knowledge and skills that you will gain and be able to take with you somewhere else.

Don't blame Stevens for your own ignorance and negativity.  I am sure they did everything they said they would and you just didn't pay attention.  Either that, or you had a bad attitude going in.

The only reason I didn't stay with Stevens and return for phase 2 was that my children were young and my wife highly objected to it.  If given a choice to go back to Stevens, I would in a heartbeat.  I would go back as a lease operator and have fun.  They give good long haul runs and cover all 48 states and then some.  It is all in the attitude.

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#9 Consumer Comment

Stevens

AUTHOR: Anonymous - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, May 16, 2009

If the author kept the profanity out of report, it could have easily been submitted to the driver education department in his respective state for review.

Subject school fits the category of CDL A Mill. If the observations are correct, some of the behavior of the school would warrant criminal investigation.

Public Citizen attempted to get the FMCSA to 'clean up' the requirements for instruction of truck drivers in 2005 and the report is available online. The only rumor of interest that is circulating currently is that in the next year or so it will be more difficult to obtain a CDL A license. Whether that will have any effect on the so-called CDL A Mill operation remains unknown.

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#8 UPDATE EX-employee responds

Use You then Loose You

AUTHOR: Malsumis - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, May 02, 2009

I really don't know if recruiters are writing BS responses to these reports or not and frankly I don't care. The important thing for you young guys is that you understand what you're getting in to.

First, if you live anywhere in the Northeast, Florida, Northwest or southern California, it's going to be really hard for you to get home. I lived in Maine while working for Stevens. In the 6 months that I was there I got home twice for a total of 13 days.

Second, communication can be a problem. Like any company, they will insist that you provide your Driver Manager with up to the minute status reports via Qualcomm, but then they will leave you sitting in Missouri for three days without responding to YOUR questions ... after three days I was called on the cell phone and told to stop bothering them. Fact is: I am a type 2 diabetic, and I hadn't eaten for 2 days and my "advance" was never sent to my card. If this ever happens to you, immediately contact their Safety Department ... they'll at least go to bat for you.

Third, and the reason I left. I left Stevens in July of last year after my wife and I went over my pay with a fine toothed comb. I kept exact logs, at least they were as exact as they could be. Using just the hours that I logged, and comparing them to my weekly average pay (averaged only after I got out of the $350 per week "training pay") I was making $4.12 / per hour. You may think that this is BS, but it was confirmed by the State of Maine and as a result they reinstated by Unemployment Benefits after I quit Stevens. It would have been a lot worse if I kept track of all of the time that I spent doing something for the company (eg. waiting for repairs instead of sleeping).

Fourth and final. When I quit I called Stevens and told them that I was quitting. I told them where the truck was parked (I didn't think anything of it since I had to retrieve the truck I was assigned from dirt lot in Detroit). A few moments later I was contacted by someone in the company, claiming to be a VP (I don't remember the name anymore), and he said that I would be charged up to $2,000 in recovery fees if I didn't take the truck back to Dallas. He then assured me that he would make arrangements to get me home.I thought, one final load, and then I'll find something local. No problem,right? Wrong!

I took the truck to Vermont and got loaded. The load ... funny enough ... wasn't going to Dallas, but Laredo, TX. I didn't really care about that, I figured that I'd get the load to Laredo and then bobtail to Dallas if need be ... permission or not ... I was quitting after all. Part way through this trip they sent me a message to bring the truck directly to Dallas and I obliged.

When I got back to the Dallas yard, I ran the truck through all of the requirements for a truck entering the yard. I took it through the "safety lane", I fueled it, I parked the trailer, unhooked and then parked with the other bobtails. Then I took all of my paperwork in to the office. I turned in the keys, the paperwork and my outstanding log pages. Then I asked about the arrangements that had been made to get me home. Thing is there weren't any. I was told, "You quit. Get your d**n self home".

"But, VP [what'shisname] said that there would be arrangements made if I brought the truck back.", I complained.

"The arrangement is ... you don't get charged for the recovery or get your DAC f**ked with. As far as getting home you're on your own. Now get your s**t and get off the property.", he said.

I was stranded in Dallas. With the help of family, and some luck in using flight benefits I had from working with an Airline previous to Stevens, I got home and my nightmare was over.

Just be aware of the situation you're getting yourself into. Know that, if you have a family, long haul might not be the job for you. I know of several drivers, who after paying their dues with Stevens, are making good money. I just couldn't afford to cripple my families finances that way ... even if it was just a short time in the long run. Also, they DON'T CARE about you! They care about the load, and getting paid by the customer.

There are other issues with Stevens, as there are issues with any trucking company, or any company for that matter. I still have yet to hear back from Werner about my training date ... and that was over 15 months ago.

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#7 UPDATE Employee

Get your facts straight and own up to your faults

AUTHOR: Safeside - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, April 26, 2009

Get your facts straight. You obviously failed to learn the procedures that Stevens teaches their drivers. I am a female have been employed with Stevens for 2 yrs. as a driver and find that the drivers that complain are the ones that are not doing their jobs properly. You were fortunate to be trained by Stevens and I believe every penny spent on their training is not a penny wasted. I only wished I had choosen their school instead of the company I went with 4 yrs ago.
There is no out of pocket expenses get your facts straight. Stevens pays for everything that is considered an expense. Cash advances are for not for you to play video games or sit in the truck stops. Cash advances are to be used for truck expenses (eg. coolant, oil,ect.) and for tolls. If you are capable of minor paper work and can comprehend simple procedures you turn in your receipts with the proper information you are reimbursed. As far as lumper fees they are paid 100% on the spot by T-Checks and again all you do is fill out the proper information on the Q-Com and your trip sheet.
So many times our failures and our faults we tend to blame on others because we fail to see that they belong to us and not anyone else. When I sit and listen to the complainers it is because they are to lazy or to busy running their mouths instead of listening and learning. Every company has policy and procedures that all employees must follow and if you don't like them or don't want to follow them then leave but don't make excuses. Your failure to ask questions and your failure to admit that you actually don't know everything is the reason why you are so disgruntled not the fault of Stevens. Get your facts straight you failed not Stevens.
Stevens offers you all the training you need to become a safe and professional driver. They give you equipment that you know is safe to drive and looks good on top of that. I feel very fortunate that I have been given the oppurtunity to work for this company and continue to feel this way given todays economy.

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#6 Author of original report

Just FYI-these are some of the ads Steves uses...along with a more accurate version I made :-D

AUTHOR: Ripped_off_drvr - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, February 02, 2009

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY:

This is NO SCAM - we have a large fleet of new trucks to prove everything. Major trucking company will train qualified applicants to drive our trucks and earn an incredible income. We are offering a solid career not just a job. Benefits include NO touch Freight, NO I-70 mountain driving west of Denver ( a major plus ) new equipment, excellent health care and retirement, emergency fly home program to get you home quickly if something happens at home, excellent pay ( over $40000 your first year and well over $65000 your second ) and we pay after each trip, too. Our Colorado Class A Commercial Drivers CDL Training school starts each Monday and we have room in this coming Mondays class.

We are an employer and we have been training men and women SUCCESSFULLY for years. Call for an appointment to visit our training campus today.

We provide a NO credit check, no money down, quality and extremely professional 170 hour training cource with just 20 hours ( 2 days ) of classroom. We ask you to remember that we are an employer and we will offer you a job and we will train you on our newer model company trucks. We believe on hands on training being the best way to learn how to drive. Once you have obtained your commercial license we will send you out with an experienced driver for one on one on the job paid training. In our opinion and the opinion of many, this is Colorado's best commercial driver training cource. Our program is approved by the Colorado Workforce too, ask for details on this.

You can't learn to drive a truck in a classroom or behind a confusing simulator that teaches you bad habits you will have to correct when you finally get behind the wheel. You have to be behind the wheel to learn correctly.

Email first - XXXXXX for an application package, or come to one of the hiring events listed below. You are also welcome to call the training center for more information today. Please call between 8 00 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday, XXXXXXX or XXXXXXXX ( if you are outside the Denver area ). We conduct hiring events throughout Colorado weekly. Please call for the time and location of the next event. You can live ANYWHERE and drive for us so make the call or email us today.
Employer based CDL training - the SMART way to a secure trucking future.

HIRING EVENTS: ( Plan to attend - bring the last three year of your work history information - drivers license number and social security number ) Wednesday February 4th Aurora / La Quinta Inn @ 10 - noon and 6 located at XXXXXX. Wednesday February 4th Broomfield Workforce Office @ 10 am and noon located at XXXXXX Broomfield Colorado. Friday 2-6 / Training Center @ 10 am - XXXXXX Keenesburg, Coolorado - call XXXXXXXX for directions to the center. Saturday 2-7 / La Quinta Inn Aurora at 9 am only ( see 2-4 listing for location information). All seminars start at the times listed and will run about an hour. If you can't make one of the seminars call our training center @ 303-536-9845 and set up an appointment.

COME DISCUSS A BRIGHT FUTURE IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY and get your career started the correct way.

****And this is my...updated...version************************

If the Steven's recruiter was honest, here's the way their ad would look:


PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY AND WOULD LIKE TO DONATE SOME TO STEVENS TRANSPORT:

This is A HUGE SCAM - we have this scam down to a science, which has allowed us to buy a large fleet of new trucks. Major scam artists who also operate a hole-in-the-wall trucking company will train applicants who are stupid enough to fall for the scam to drive our trucks over hours of service and in areas where 53' trucks are illegal and earn chicken scratch in lieu of actual income. We are offering neither a solid career nor just a job-we have to train 5200 students a year, and we only own around 2000 trucks-we must be a great place to work!

Benefits include NO touch Freight, NO I-70 mountain driving west of Denver ( but you WILL drive the truck through NYC-even in boroughs where it's ILLEGAL to do so) new equipment paid for via the misery of our lease drivers, who hate themselves and want to die, a really shitty health care self-insurance scam that you'll likely find completely useless here in Colorado-but at least it's expensive, emergency fly home program to get you home quickly if something happens at home which is paid for COMPLETELY tbrough driver contributions-you didn't think WE were going to treat employees well, did you?

Did I mention that we have excellent pay? Well, of course I did-I'm a liar! I'll claim that you can make over $40000 your first year and well over $65000 your second-but I'll absolutely refuse to guarantee you any income AT ALL after you complete our..."training program". In reality, you'll make $1400 a month your first two months, after not being paid while your in our rinky-dink CDL "school" located on a luxurious dirt farm in Buttf**k, Colorado. You also won't be paid for our "orientation", which consists of four 15 hour days in beautiful Mesquite, Texas. We REALLY don't like to pay anyone-except ourselves, and long for the good old days, when human beings could be purchased and used how the employer saw fit-but we're doing our VERY BEST to recreate that experience in the modern age!!!

We pay after each trip, too. Our Colorado Class A Commercial Drivers CDL dirt-farm goatf**k starts each Monday and we have room in this coming Mondays class. But then, as word of our scam has spread far and wide, we seem to ALWAYS have room for new sucker...ahem...employees. We wish people would stop posting on the trucker's forum, ripoffreport.com, and other websites-because it's making it a LOT harder to scam people. My Mercedes isn't gonna pay for itself, people...sheesh!

We are a bunch of theives and scammers and we have been screwing men and women SUCCESSFULLY for years. We usually leave them penniless and completely without hope, while simultaneously ruining their credit-beat that, ENRON! Call for an appointment to hear our used-car snake-oil salesman hawk this scam at our dirt farm today.

We provide a NO credit check, no money down, absurd and extremely expensive 170 hour training cource (yes, that's right-I said "cource"-'cause I are clever) with just 20 hours ( 2 days ) of classroom. The two days of classroom consists mostly of being told how great your new career will be and filling out background questionaires. We will TELL YOU you've been hired right there, but you haven't...no sirreee. We will ask you to sign a contract obligating you to pay us $6000 at 19% interest for your 3 week goatf**k pseudo-education at the dirt farm-but don't ask for a copy of that contract-'cause you aren't getting it!!!! Also note-even if we don't hire you once you get to Texas-YOU OWE US SIX GRAND! Are you impressed yet? Wait-there's more!

We ask you to forget that we are a bunch of scam artists masquerading as an employer and we will offer you a job and we will scam you with our newer model company trucks. We believe on hands on scamming being the best way to learn how to abandon all hope. Once you have obtained your commercial license we will send you out with a lease driver-and oh boy, will you have fun! See, the lease drivers are folks we ACTUALLY SCAM INTO BUYING US A TRUCK-CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???

Your trainer will teach you the fine art of dodging scales, driving overweight, overlength, beyond your hours of service, beyond his hours of service, all whjile making the princely sum of $350 a week. Your TRAINER gets paid for your miles-so you see, his job is to KEEP YOU DRIVING THE TRUCK. That's it. You probably won't back the truck up, but you'll be completely trained in how to drive in a straight line! In our opinion and the opinion of many, this is Colorado's best commercial driver training cource. Oh, I can't believe I managed to say that with a straight face-we don't even believe this s**t, we sure don't think anyone else does!! Our program has been reported to the Colorado Workforce as fraudulent, too, ask for details on this. You won't get them, but be sure to ask.

You can't learn to drive a truck from us. We don't really do that. You have to be bent over the wheel to be scammed correctly.

Email first - imascammer@ripmeoffnowplease.com for an application package, or come to one of the snake-oil pitches listed below. You are also welcome to call the training center and here the pitch today-are you feeling that high-pressure sales tactic yet? Please call between 8 00 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday, (REMOVED)( if you are outside the Denver area ). We conduct snake-oil pitches throughout Colorado weekly-remember, that Benz isn't gonna pay for itself, and my mistress needs a wax in the worst way! Please call for the time and location of the next event. You can live ANYWHERE and be ripped off by us so make the call or email us today.


***OH, and they made sure to leave threatening posts, as well as send defamatory, slanderous emails about me to potential scamees-I have proof of this. ******************************************

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#5 Consumer Comment

Talk About Transparent....

AUTHOR: Anthony - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, February 01, 2009

Driverslic Stated: "Many people come to Stevens Transport and succeed. There are many who make a lot of money on the lease program, over 100k a year, or over 75,000 a year as company drivers, and there are others who fail."

My Response: Typewritten like a true recruiter. You throw out numbers like that, and expect them to be take SERIOUSLY? Why not tell the truth? No one in ANY leasing program through a motor carrier, much less Stevens Transport, has EVER put in the bank close to a hundred grand in one year's span of time, and no company driver has deposited 75kin their bank account per year either. Those are gross revenue and gross pay amounts, and by the time they are whittled down after expenses and taxes are accounted for, the actual spendable income is a third or less of those amounts.

In fact, a company driver will absolutely make more than any contractor who leases a truck through a motor carrier. Those programs are filled with fees and charges that are out of line with industry norms, and they are ALWAYS skewed in the motor carrier's favor, each and every time. They are dead end propositions.

Driverslic Stated: "I read these posts and find most of them contain half truths and exaggerations."

My Response: If you had not offered the above misleading zingers above, I might be inclined to laugh. As it is, I can only shake my head and sigh. People like you simply disgust me.

Driverslic Stated: "One thing that i know about Stevens Transport, is that it is hard to get fired from here."

My Response: Now THAT is probably a truth. Companies like Stevens Transport are so desperate for warm bodies to throw behind the wheels of trucks that were just cleaned out by those going out the back door, that firing people just isn't in their best interests.

Driverslic Stated: "Think about it, why would they spend all this money training drivers just to fire them? Keep in mind that they hardly ever collect the money from those broken contracts. So when I read these post from drivers that got fired, they are not telling (like Paul Harvey says) the rest of the story."

My Response: And neither are you. But I'll be happy to fill in the blanks for you and for anyone else that may be wondering the same thing.

You see, trucking companies like Stevens Transport have found that it is far more profitable in running their operations like halfway houses. They prey upon the ignorant and uninformed, use and abuse people as makeshift slaves, and rack up lots of cash in the process.

How do they do it?

First of all, Stevens Transport is located in Texas, which by the way offers lots of cash to businesses that "retrain displaced workers." In addition to what the state gives them for each signature on a contract, the Federal Government also offers funding for the same purpose. There are several trucking companies that are making MILLIONS off of this rouse.

A system has been created where desperate people, who are only looking to feed and house their families, are exploited for profit potential. Company executives only see dollar signs. They care nothing about the people they use to get them. So every signature on a contract means another paycheck to them from one or more slush funds that were actually meant to assist people in recovering from a job loss. If they happen to actually collect anything from the students on those contracts, so much the better. Call it a "bonus" if you will.

Those that make it through the classroom portion of training are doubled with a trainer, where they are then paid barely above what it costs them to live on the road, and are used for weeks to generate 30% - 50% more revenue.

Any and all uncollected amounts of the agreed upon tuitions for training are additionally used at tax time for write-offs against profit. These people have perfected the art of cooking books. And because it is all documented so well, companies like Stevens Transport have turned it all into a work of art.

The bottom line is that just about every player out there offering company sponsored training is guilty of exploiting humans to operate their crappy companies that cannot recruit experienced staff to work for them, due to their horrible working conditions. They have no incentive to do so either. It's more lucrative to them to walk on the backs of the desperate, the ignorant, and those who can least afford to be jerked around.

Money is indeed the root of all evil.

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#4 Author of original report

To the last "customer comment"

AUTHOR: Ripped_off_drvr - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, January 30, 2009

Yep-you're right, I SHOULD have known better. I feel pretty freaking stupid for falling for this scheme-but you don't seem to get the point of these posts. I can't travel back in time and NOT fall for the scam now-but I can do my best to try to help others who might be jobless, broke, and desperate to avoid it. I researched this site before I signed up, and all of the complaints seemed to leave out important details-which is why I've tried to include as many as possible. I'm just trying to make sure others aren't suckered by the used-car sales pitch-like I was.

As to the discrepancy-we were told we wouldn't be paid for the initial CDL course period, but we WERE told that we would begin to get paid as soon as we arrived in Texas-which was a blatant lie.

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#3 Consumer Suggestion

sorry but

AUTHOR: D K - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, January 30, 2009

You stated you knew you should have bailed, you didn't...YOUR fault...

Also you contradicted yourself. At 1st you said you were not supposed to get paid for training then said you would get $350 a week.

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#2 Author of original report

And here come the Steven's shills...sad.

AUTHOR: Ripped_off_drvr - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, January 30, 2009

In a few weeks you will be posting a report on an other company. Many people come to Stevens Transport and succeed.

**Right. I'm sure that many do. Especially those who become trainers-I'm not claiming that Stevens scam doesn't work for anyone. They're probably not evil, just VERY greedy, and if their scam didn't work for them, they'd probably stop. But if it's so easy to be a success here, then they wouldn't have to replace their entire work force twice a year (100 students per week x 52 weeks=5200 students...for 2000 trucks). You do the math on that one!******

There are many who make a lot of money on the lease program, over 100k a year, or over 75,000 a year as company drivers, and there are others who fail. I read these posts and find most of them contain half truths and exaggerations. Why did your trainer have to use your log book to run illegal? Why not just have you drive like you are supposed to?

***This is REAL easy to answer-MONEY. Running illegal is PROFITABLE. The trainees get paid $350 a week before taxes, and the trainer pockets the mileage pay. Why have a student run illegal? In my case, so the trainer could pocket an extra $2100 in less than a month. If you have to ask WHY RUN ILLEGAL, you're either ignorant or you're a paid company employee directed to rebut this report.****

They used to not do the loan contract for the driving school, and many came for the free training and then went home to try to find local jobs. Most of the people never even pay those loans anyways.

****Can you blame them? If the choice is running illegal or being fired, and they choose to actually obey the law, why would they pay? But Stevens will still ruin their credit as punishment, and Stevens DOES collect some money, since they sell the account to a collection agency.****

And as of the people they send home during orientation are because of failed drug test. Many assume that because they drug tested them before driving school that they wont be tested again when they get to Dallas. Others have DWI's that they assumed wouldn't come up on their records because of completion of probation. And others with high blood pressure or high sugar are sent home to treat their condition before allowing them to come back, and thats a DOT thing.

***Uh huh-I'm sure that's the case-NOT. Stevens completes the background check on these folks before they arrive in Texas-I know that because as I noted in my original posting, many of the students are told in the first week of their training that Stevens won't take them. If Stevens overhires, they just make their physical screening more "strict".***

One thing that i know about Stevens Transport, is that it is hard to get fired from here. Think about it, why would they spend all this money training drivers just to fire them?

***Let me help here. The company gets a tax credit for hiring disadvantaged workers-and they keep it even if the employee doesn't make it through the training process. Also, a LOT of these folks are state sponsored-that is, the government has paid for their training in full. Stevens keeps the money regardless of their completion of the training program. Finally, even the private students do sign their bogus, top-secret loan agreements, and they do sell those to collection agencies-so they make money there, too.

In short, "Why would Stevens spend all this koney to hire drivers then fire them"? Easy. They don't actually spend ANY money-it's a profitable scam. They mark the const of the training up 200 percent, sell it to the government, and get the "trainee" to drive their trucks for them at a RIDICULOUSLY low rate. They make money both ways.

Finally, you say that it's difficult to get fired. Of course it is, this isn't an hourly job-it's trucking. You don't have to fire anyone-just send them to the meat patch and let them sit, FOR NO PAY, for five days or so. If they're living paycheck to paycheck, they're going to quit-even though they aren't getting paid, the comppany gets to claim that they left of their own free choice. Drivers who refuse to pull overweight freight for this outfit, for example, DO get blacklisted within the company, and their miles are reduced until they "quit". If you work for them, you KNOW that's true.***

Keep in mind that they hardly ever collect the money from those broken contracts. So when I read these post from drivers that got fired, they are not telling (like Paul Harvey says) the rest of the story. Im not going to tell you that this is a perfect company, its not, neither is any of them out there wether its truck driving or not. I wish you luck in the future.

****Riiiight...ALL companies make an effort to skirt or evade employment law, hours of service regulations, and whatever other laws they just don't feel like obeying while fleecing the government for thousands of dollars per student for "training". Just do me a favor-answer the questions below for me if you would-I gave a Stevens recruiter the opportunity to do just that, and he didn't seem interested in doing so. Maybe you'll prove that I'm full of s**t by rebutting all of the claims I'm making below-but I doubt it.

1: Isn't it true that the "cash price" for CDL training at your "training center" is $3000, and that people Steven's Transport sponsors are asked to finance $6000 for the same training at a 19% interest rate?

2: Isn't it true that students can get the SAME training at a community college or another training center for around $700-1500, using actual student loans at a reasonable interest rate?

3: Isn't it true that Steven's Transport OPTS OUT of workman's compensation? Isn't it true that you require your employees to see your doctors, in TEXAS, for workman's comp issues, no matter where in the U.S. they're from? Isn't it true that you require them to stay in Texas for the entire duration of their rehabilitation? Hasn't Steven's been sued for this, many times, and lost?

4: How can Steven's train over 100 students a week if their whole fleet is only 2000 trucks? 100 students a week x 52 weeks=5200 students-for 2000 trucks...suspicious, isn't it? It almost seems like they make the majority of their money collecting tuition from students and from the government for sponsoring the training.

5: Isn't it true that Steven's does forced dispatch, and will require students to pull overweight loads, and overlength trailers in violation of state and federal law? Isn't it true that good trucking jobs, such as those offered by Wal-Mart, Fed-Ex, etc. require a perfect driving record?

6: Isn't it true that there are two orientation classes that students are required to attend, FOR FREE, the first of which consists of 4 fifteen hour days? Doesn't Steven's think that they should pay their employees?

7: Isn't it true that Steven's requires students to sign unenforceable mandatory arbitration agreements, even though transportation workers are specifically exempt from mandatory, binding arbitration according to the Federal courts?

I'm waiting...

And I'll bet it will be a long wait before ANY Stevens rep admits what a scam this is. Have a great day.

For all of you reading this, remember-I'm not getting paid to post this info-I just don't want to see anyone fall into the same trap I did. On the other hand, all of the company shills that will no doubt try to dance around all of these questions while painting this rosy picture of Stevens ARE getting paid.

The drivers that show up at your schools to give you the real story of Stevens? The company PAYS them to do so. And they're VERY careful about who gets sent to the school to give the recruiting pitch-trust me.***

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#1 UPDATE Employee

Your in for a surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AUTHOR: Driverslic - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, January 29, 2009

In a few weeks you will be posting a report on an other company. Many people come to Stevens Transport and succeed. There are many who make a lot of money on the lease program, over 100k a year, or over 75,000 a year as company drivers, and there are others who fail. I read these posts and find most of them contain half truths and exaggerations. Why did your trainer have to use your log book to run illegal? Why not just have you drive like you are supposed to? They used to not do the loan contract for the driving school, and many came for the free training and then went home to try to find local jobs. Most of the people never even pay those loans anyways. And as of the people they send home during orientation are because of failed drug test. Many assume that because they drug tested them before driving school that they wont be tested again when they get to Dallas. Others have DWI's that they assumed wouldn't come up on their records because of completion of probation. And others with high blood pressure or high sugar are sent home to treat their condition before allowing them to come back, and thats a DOT thing. One thing that i know about Stevens Transport, is that it is hard to get fired from here. Think about it, why would they spend all this money training drivers just to fire them? Keep in mind that they hardly ever collect the money from those broken contracts. So when I read these post from drivers that got fired, they are not telling (like Paul Harvey says) the rest of the story. Im not going to tell you that this is a perfect company, its not, neither is any of them out there wether its truck driving or not. I wish you luck in the future.

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