K & B Transportation, Inc, whose primary customer and affliate is Tyson/IBP, is in my opinion, the worst of the worst trucking companies to work for. I've been driving over the road for 4 and a half years, and fell into their "guarantee" trap that they put out to entice qualified drivers to move to them with "2500" miles a week guaranteed, run them or not. In this economy, and with the reduction in freight and miles in the industry, this sounded too good to be true. After my experience with them, I wish I had checked their reports out here first.
After hiring on with them after a rigorous orientation schedule, I worked for them for about 3 weeks before being "let go" for not playing ball. Playing ball in this term means I wouldn't falsify my driver logs to meet their absurd delivery requirements for Tyson or any other client of theirs that demanded impossibilities from a solo driver.
On one of many situations, I was asked (strongly urged) to falsify my driver log so that their load could deliver on time. This particular load was a load of fresh apples, in a reefer unit set on continuous run cycle that had been relayed to me by another driver in the middle of my mandatory 10 hour break (common for this.) The reefer was left with me with less than a quarter tank of fuel, at a location that didn't take Comdata for fuel. I was argued with by K & B, to get up in the middle of my ten hour break (the law) and go and fill the reefer down the city about 2 miles away. I told them no, I was on my 10 hour break. At that point, they told me to redo my log and show that I started the day later than I had. I told them no, it was illegal and I wasn't allowed to drive until my 10 hour break was done. They got mad and sent another driver to take the reefer down the street to fuel, then bring it back. this is when they decided to route me up the office and tell me I was done with K & B because of this and late loads. The late loads were due to my following DOT law and only driving what I legally could.
They run you ragged and use sleep deprivation on a constant basis, which is un-safe and puts the driver and the general motoring public at great risk. In fact, last week one K & B driver missed their exit on U.S. 287 in Colorado and did an illegal u-turn, which resulted in another big rig hitting the driver door of the truck, sending both drivers to the hospital. I have a strong feeling that the K & B driver was driving fatigued and was the victim of the company's absurd driving requirements.
First of all, to drive for K & B, you have to agree to drive primarily at night. Second, they run you ragged and tell you when your ten hour break starts and ends. It doesn't matter to them that it took 4 or 5 hours at the receiver to unload when you stopped the truck...to them, it's the start of your ten hour break! Oh, and they usually require the driver to be present for unloading. Gee, how can you be sleeping during that time? No matter, when the break is over, regardless of your sleep, you're off and running another 650-700 miles, mostly at night. These are un-safe practices and dangrous for the driver and the motoring public.
Even with drop and hook freight, same rules apply. When you get there, you're there! Start of 10 hour break most times. Never mind it takes waiting your turn in line at the security stations, it takes time to drop your trailer, slide your tandems (req. on all loads for Tyson) and find and hook to yiour next load. Now, check out with security, do your qualcomm messages and depart. If you need to break, you only have the remaining time from the time you got there, otherwise, its on the road to the next location. Again, very dangerous.
As to the drivers being left stranded when they are sent home from K & B, who usually took them there from wherever in the country. When I went home, they got me a bus ticket, however, there was a driver there who they let go after orientation, who passed all his test, including drug screen. They sent him home because he he didn't agree with company policy of us paying for scales and tolls up front, out of our pocket, then submitting them for re-imbusement in a trip pack envelope. This caused you to be re-imbused about a week later. Absurd! The company should just open the Comdata cards for scales, and tolls should be advanced, but not taken out of a driver's pay, unless the receipt isn't turned in within a week or so. The drivers shouldn't pay for that at all.
Also, K & B will charge you for damaged equipment on the truck, it's their policy. If a side mirror shakes off, you pay for it, whether in full, or through a payment plan. Again, absurd! well, that driver was taken to the bus station along with us, but when he got to the ticket window there wasn't a ticket for him. He called K & B and they told him he was on his own. He told them he had no money and they told him to go to a homeless shelter, he wasn't their problem! Note...for any driver who gets stranded by K & B in Sioux City Iowa bus station. Across the street, on the corner is the office of Congressman Steve King. Although he's not usually there (in D.C) the District Representative, Sandy Hanlon is usually there. We spoke with her and filled out Affidavits regarding K & B. She calle them and eventually they issued a bus ticket to that driver.
I've formally requested Congressional intervention regarding K & B Transportation and the way they treat their drivers and subject the constituents of every Congress person with dangerous policies that affect the motoring public. I believe, in the name of public safety, that Congressional intervention is needed, along with a a FULL audit by the U.S. Department of Transportation of the copmany and its policies. logs should be checked against any and all means including scales, fuel stops, ports of entry, sensors, receipts, electronic monitoring via Qualcomm as to vehicle location and if moving or still. Something needs to be done to this company as every man, woman and child is at risk in all 48 states where there is a K & B Transportation truck and driver on the road. I hope people are listening before its too late.
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