Star Transportation A "we dont care about our drvrs"company Nashville, Tennessee

 I wish I had read most of these reports before I transfered there.  I worked for Covenant for 1.5 years and transfered to Star after I told Covenant that I did not wish to train for them anymore due to the quality of trainees they where pushing out.  (Some don't even speak english).  Let me say this.  At Coventant, I started as a solo lease driver.  I almost starved.  With my first fleet manager, his idea of moving me was deliver one day, sit till the next, and get a load that loaded the next day.   Granted, their runs where about 1200-1300 mi runs so at least I got in 2000 mi weeks, but, that turned out to be 500 checks.  sad for a lease truck.  After I agreed to train for them, I got GREAT miles, and pay.  I averaged 2800 to one check of 4000, after fuel and truck.  But, when I told them after 6 months that I didnt want to train for them unless I chose who, the miles went to under 2000 again.  After telling them I was going to look elsewhere, that I had a family to feed, The Manager of the leasing company asked if I wanted to go to SRT or Star.   I agreed to try them as I wanted to pay off my truck.  SRT, liked my experence, and everything till I told them I was transfering from Covenant.  After a 10 min hold on the phone, the lady came back and said they where not hiring in my area for lease or O/O trucks.  (their web site says otherwise, and what does it matter, we are nomadic drivers)  I then called STAR.  They was very happy to have me.  The lady in recruiting is very helpful.  Safty people are great too.   Orientation was a breeze as there where only 2 of us and the other guy left when his drug test took a extra day to get back and he got nervous (wonder why) and left.    Now, the rest will tell them who I am but its all truth so not worried. 

 While DOTing my truck, I asked the shop to fix my hood shock.  while doing that they dropped the hood on my transmission intercooler line and broke it.  They did fix it with no cost.   After hooking up my QC the truck would not start.  For 2 weeks they kept testing fuses, and such, trying to find out why it wouldnt start.   I was told by the mechanic that there was "water" damage on the fittings and such.  Everything was directed to "it was my trucks fault"   It ran when it went in and didnt when they was done.  Yeah, my truck faults.   After 2 weeks (they where not charging me for thier mechanics to fix it) It was towed to International.   Was fixed in less than half a day.  Have the paperwork from Internation, and a copy of the 1200 bill, for fixing the short out from a bent harness pin when they was putting in my QC.   After I got truck back to Star, still had to have them put in the QC.   that took another whole day due to having to replace everything in it where the one they was going to wouldnt work.    Long story short, didnt have my truck for the 1st 3 weeks, used a company truck for a week at company rate, and finially got my truck back 1 month from the date I started.  IMPORTANT, if you drive a International, take it to a dealer if you work here.  The Mechanics admited they dont know much about them.

 Now, with the company truck, I got 500+ mi runs, from their dedicated routes.  After I go my truck, I have had 1 check over 1000.  with 3 under 600.  This is sick for a lease truck.  This past week I got 1513 mi.  My wife is ready to leave me over no money for bills.  There is a chance that My son in WA will not come up this summer because I cant afford to fly him here, I had to tell my wife to sign up on food stamps.  And my stress level is beyound describing.    Also, this week they left out 1 run, due to no bol to scan with the cover sheet from a DROPPED load.  That ment a 33.00 check.  The payroll lady at covenant (they do the lease/ O/O paryoll) did get me a advance.  However, It costs me 7.50 every transaction on a comdata card and 9.00 for the 3% from pilot to get the 500.00 they owed me, total cost 24.00.   Oh yeah, did i mention, for any lease driver or O/O, they charge you 7.50 each time you fuel using their card.  

 I like the people at Star, My Fleet manager is great and does what he can.  but, there is no miles here.  They seem to like the short runs, Which for a company is better due to higher rates, but starve the drivers.  I am giving it 2 more weeks and seeing if it changes, but at the same time I am looking for a different company too.    

 In their defense, they try, but, they are really hendered by Covenant.  And by the type of freight they shoot for hauling.  They have so much potental. 

This report is true except for 1 thing. the individual who stated in our safety meeting that "if you dont like it here, you can leave" was not don, but the idiot who came over from covenant to take over star a few months ago. His name i cannot remember, but jim bell who used to run this company and was the president has been "pushed aside" by this a-hole. I call him umpa lumpa because he looks like one. pants are pulled up to his stomach and extremely overweight. He has come into star and it has fallen to pieces. We have gone from 500 trucks in april to 340 as of this writing. 2 weeks ago they closed the olive branch repair shop and put all 3 mechanics and the shop supv. out of work.(it was the best shop star had and had been in operation for over 20 yrs.). The drop yard where this shop was is is still operational, but the shop has closed permanently. Soooo, that leaves star with 1 shop..the dreaded, "we take 5hrs to replace a wiper blade" shop in nashville. It is the worst operating shop i have ever seen as the report above stated.

Things seem to be getting worse here. it seems that this company is on the financial ropes and even with covenant owning this company, it feels as if this company will either fold, or covenant will close all star facilities and put all of us under covenant control. I give it a year. Star still loses 5-7 drvrs a week. no miles(as low as 1200 a week-2000 if you have a good dispatcher), no home time(orlando florida drvrs are getting home every 25-35 days)(knoxville/nashville drivers every 1-2 weeks), sorry pay,(35cpm for a 20 yr plus drvr) are the top 3 reasons. All i can say is, look elsewhere before deciding to come here. In the last month, the main payroll lady and 2 of our long term night dipatchers have quit as per the usaul 5-7 drvrs a week.This company has hired mostly young 25 yr old college students as dispatchers. and if your a veteren of trucking, putting up with a cocky, young college student will get you fired up quick. Alot of these kids have never stepped in a truck. so they are clueless(and did i mention cocky and smart-mouthed)about what a drvr has to deal with on a daily basis.

Just look at all your other options before coming here. I have decided to leave like the author of the above report did. It is not a driver friendly company. i would say in the bottom 10% of trucking companies.