After the driver application process and orientation is completed, they have you sign a bundle of papers. One of these documents allows the company to deduct $85.00 a week from payroll. This is to pay for the straps, binders, bungee cords, chains, tarps, and other flatbed equipment used to actually do the job.The documents states that after paying for the equipment, it's the drivers personal equipment to do with as he/she chooses, or the company may elect at their option, to buy it back at a reduced rate.
Every piece of equipment is used, rusted, and practically worn out. Load flags are old and tattered, chain binders are missing teeth or worn out, chains are rusted and missing hooks, straps are frayed and torn.
Drivers are forced to buy their own flatbed equipment while on the road. This results in a huge expense, considering the low pay structure of Custom Diesel Express.
Expect to shell out almost $3,200 for used worn out equipment, as well as replacing any equipment damaged during normal usage while on the road.
Equipment:
Trucks look really nice on the outside with fancy paint schemes and murals. Some of the older trucks are decked out with custom graphics and logos, huge 8 inch stacks, LED Lights, and custom themes like their "Spider Truck"; but the reality is that the inside of these trucks are trashed out. Torn carpets, nasty bunk areas, leaking exhaust fumes, water seeping into the sleeper, lights that don't work, gauges that are never replaced, and engine problems that never go away.
The Jake Brakes are loud enough to get police attention, and the rumble of the huge stacks is like trying to sleep under a train engine at night. Exhaust fumes entering the sleeper area also makes sleeping a chore, at best.
Expect to drive 7-19 year old equipment with a host of mechanical issues. Trucks that are at the end of their usable life are given a new paint job, decorated with some shiny chrome, and sent out to earn the company money.
Maintenance:
Custom Diesel Express rents a large drive-through facility which serves as their terminal and shop. Inside the shop area, the company builds and sells custom after-market diesel parts, and off road rebuilds. Much of the shop area is dedicated towards this enterprise.
There are no write-up sheets, and little attention is paid to standard in-bound maintenance procedures. Mechanics never check fluid levels, adjust brakes, lights, or other critical maintenance criteria common to real trucking companies.
There is no inventory for lights, tires, and other critical parts. Each item has to be ordered, and then delivered to the shop. This results in longer-than-normal down time waiting for repairs and maintenance.
Most of the mechanical work is of the "Patch and Glue" variety. Patching things together to make them work, and glueing things to the truck in order to get it back on the road making money to pay all those non-driving salaries.
While on the road break downs are common place, and the "Patch & Glue" mentality really kicks into overdrive. There's always something breaking down with the truck, always some kind of mechanical issues that are never resolved, and Custom Diesel Express's maintenance director attempts to repair things by telephone. That means the driver is expected to correctly diagnose and repair the issues. There's a lot of duct tape on electrical wires, and zip ties holding components onto the truck itself.
Failing that, the truck is moved to a repair facility, and even though the "real mechanic" tries to correct the problem, Custom Diesel Express over-rides it, and has the shop complete minimal work, just to get the truck moving again. It's a never ending vicious circle of breakdowns on side of the road, and sitting in the parking lot waiting to get into the shop.
No driver facilities at their terminal:
At 4:30PM the building is vacated, and the cars roar out of the parking lot. Not one person remains overnight, nor is there a drivers area, toilets, showers, or other amenities. An overnight stay at the terminal results in actually sitting in gravel parking lot out in the middle of nowhere land.
During working hours, there is likewise no place to hang out while trucks are being serviced. Bathroom is a total train wreck with standing water on the floor, mold and mildew covering the walls and ceiling. A candy and soda machine are positioned near the foul bathroom, but half of the time they don't work.
Closest place to get a burger is a gas station about 1-1/2 mile walk from the shop. They close around 9pm, and that's it until morning.
Dispatch:
One over-worked dispatcher handling all of the loads. Dispatch is by Qualcomm, and sometimes by text message. Expect long delays in Qualcomm messages, as it sometimes takes several hours to get a response from dispatch.
Most of the loads are brokered loads, as Custom Diesel Express doesn't have their own customer base, and no sales force to actively pursue this area of the market.
Loads vary in deference to what is being hauled. But the unifying aspect is that drivers will deal directly with the broker in most cases. If the truck isn't loaded by 2:PM on any given day, then expect to wait until the next day for another load, as all of the loads are predominantly internet brokered loads. Friday at 3PM all load activities come to a standstill.
Payroll:
Most of the flatbed and step-deck loads aren't worth the time. They are very labor intensive, and not worth the effort. Average load pay is between $85.00 - $150 per load. It takes usually 24-hours to get a load picked up and delivered. Again, not worth the time or miles.
The company policy is .42 cents per mile for new-hire drivers, or the percentage pay structure.
Most choose the percentage pay, but in the end, after Custom Diesel Express deducts all of the charge for fuel, permits, tolls, escort services, and other charges, the actual line-haul is less than half of the actual customer charge.
In essence, the percentage pay is a scam to have drivers subsidize the fuel costs, tolls, and other associated costs. This results in a substandard pay structure that allows Custom Diesel Express to maintain a greater portion of the line haul, at the driver's expense.
Custom Diesel Express claims to pay detention of a whopping $12.50 an hour after a two hour minimum. The reality is that this is simply a recruiting scam. Very few drivers are paid any detention pay, due largely to Custom Diesel Express depending on the broker to to pay these charges. Industry average detention pay is between $65.00-$120 per hour, depending on the type of specialized equipment used. $12.50 is half of what most real trucking companies pay to their drivers for long detention times.
Expense Reimbursement:
Custom Diesel Express only pays reimbursable expenses once a receipt is turned in. This means that during the 21-days out on the road, the driver will accumulate plenty of receipts that will not be paid until the receipts are turned into the office. Even though Trans-Flo is utilized by the company, it doesn't matter. Fax, weight tickets, headlights, fluids, and any out of pocket expenses could take 5-weeks to get reimbursed, and that's only if the receipts aren't conveniently lost by somebody in the payroll department.
Custom Diesel Express has a police that all Bill Of Lading paperwork must be mailed into the office before tuesday of any given week. The problem with this policy is that they have not taken the time to setup accounts with FedEx or other mail services common in truckstops. They expect the driver to buy envelopes and stamps to mail in the BOL, or get hammered with a $50.00 fine for each load. Of course, they also understand that most truckstops do not sell stamps, nor is it possible to simply cruise into the local post office with a semi-truck.
REALITY CHECK: WORKING AT CUSTOM DIESEL EXPRESS
Going to work at Custom Diesel Express is a total waste of time for a real truck driver that has more than 10-years experience. Some of the drivers working for this company have hammered their driving record with multiple violations, so they are fortunate that any company will hire them. Some are brand new "newbies" that could care less what happens, as long as they are allowed to drive one of the "polished up" train wrecks that pass for road trucks at Custom Diesel Express.
Heavy Haul is a joke from the onset. The load originators have no clue about what it takes to move heavy equipment from pickup to delivery. It's rare to see a load picked up and delivered without problems and issues such as Permits, Escort Vehicles, and a wide variety of other problematic issues. They have no clue about routing, weights, drive time, regulations, or the abundant headaches a driver will face during delivery of a CAT D-9 Bulldozer. Any mistakes will be on the drivers shoulders, and reach deep into the wallet.
The office personnel are so far removed from the reality of trucking, they barley understand what is required to move loads around the country, much less how to actually get the job accomplished.
The owner of the company talks a good talk, but fails miserably in delivering. No open door policy, doesn't want to deal directly with the driver force, and oftentimes won't answer his telephone during a road emergency. He leaves all of the decisions to people that have next to nothing experience, and are incapable of making the correct decision, much less taking the lead during a breakdown (which happens often), relying on the driver to find repair facilities in order to resolve the problems.
Though it's not a hostile attitude that is encountered at the office, its a feeling of being in the wrong place, where people don't actually care, or appreciate the driver that is encountered. No humor, no laughing, no welcome back--nothing, zip, nadda. Get in, and get out kind of attitude.
There are much better places to work other than Custom Diesel Express. This company may have (at some point) tried to polish up their corporate image, but in reality, Custom Diesel Express falls short in almost every aspect: They have no business plan, and neither the know-how, or ambition to execute said plan. Non-Driving employees are inept and clueless about the trucking industry, and this results in a small town corporation pretending to be a trucking company.
Bottom Line: Seek employment elsewhere unless you are seriously desperate with a terrible driving record, and don't care how much money is flowing out of your load pay into the company's bank account. This is one company that shouldn't be in the business of hiring real truck drivers.
Custom Diesel Express Reviews
What They Don't Tell You:
After the driver application process and orientation is completed, they have you sign a bundle of papers. One of these documents allows the company to deduct $85.00 a week from payroll. This is to pay for the straps, binders, bungee cords, chains, tarps, and other flatbed equipment used to actually do the job.The documents states that after paying for the equipment, it's the drivers personal equipment to do with as he/she chooses, or the company may elect at their option, to buy it back at a reduced rate.
Every piece of equipment is used, rusted, and practically worn out. Load flags are old and tattered, chain binders are missing teeth or worn out, chains are rusted and missing hooks, straps are frayed and torn.
Drivers are forced to buy their own flatbed equipment while on the road. This results in a huge expense, considering the low pay structure of Custom Diesel Express.
Expect to shell out almost $3,200 for used worn out equipment, as well as replacing any equipment damaged during normal usage while on the road.
Equipment:
Trucks look really nice on the outside with fancy paint schemes and murals. Some of the older trucks are decked out with custom graphics and logos, huge 8 inch stacks, LED Lights, and custom themes like their "Spider Truck"; but the reality is that the inside of these trucks are trashed out. Torn carpets, nasty bunk areas, leaking exhaust fumes, water seeping into the sleeper, lights that don't work, gauges that are never replaced, and engine problems that never go away.
The Jake Brakes are loud enough to get police attention, and the rumble of the huge stacks is like trying to sleep under a train engine at night. Exhaust fumes entering the sleeper area also makes sleeping a chore, at best.
Expect to drive 7-19 year old equipment with a host of mechanical issues. Trucks that are at the end of their usable life are given a new paint job, decorated with some shiny chrome, and sent out to earn the company money.
Maintenance:
Custom Diesel Express rents a large drive-through facility which serves as their terminal and shop. Inside the shop area, the company builds and sells custom after-market diesel parts, and off road rebuilds. Much of the shop area is dedicated towards this enterprise.
There are no write-up sheets, and little attention is paid to standard in-bound maintenance procedures. Mechanics never check fluid levels, adjust brakes, lights, or other critical maintenance criteria common to real trucking companies.
There is no inventory for lights, tires, and other critical parts. Each item has to be ordered, and then delivered to the shop. This results in longer-than-normal down time waiting for repairs and maintenance.
Most of the mechanical work is of the "Patch and Glue" variety. Patching things together to make them work, and glueing things to the truck in order to get it back on the road making money to pay all those non-driving salaries.
While on the road break downs are common place, and the "Patch & Glue" mentality really kicks into overdrive. There's always something breaking down with the truck, always some kind of mechanical issues that are never resolved, and Custom Diesel Express's maintenance director attempts to repair things by telephone. That means the driver is expected to correctly diagnose and repair the issues. There's a lot of duct tape on electrical wires, and zip ties holding components onto the truck itself.
Failing that, the truck is moved to a repair facility, and even though the "real mechanic" tries to correct the problem, Custom Diesel Express over-rides it, and has the shop complete minimal work, just to get the truck moving again. It's a never ending vicious circle of breakdowns on side of the road, and sitting in the parking lot waiting to get into the shop.
No driver facilities at their terminal:
At 4:30PM the building is vacated, and the cars roar out of the parking lot. Not one person remains overnight, nor is there a drivers area, toilets, showers, or other amenities. An overnight stay at the terminal results in actually sitting in gravel parking lot out in the middle of nowhere land.
During working hours, there is likewise no place to hang out while trucks are being serviced. Bathroom is a total train wreck with standing water on the floor, mold and mildew covering the walls and ceiling. A candy and soda machine are positioned near the foul bathroom, but half of the time they don't work.
Closest place to get a burger is a gas station about 1-1/2 mile walk from the shop. They close around 9pm, and that's it until morning.
Dispatch:
One over-worked dispatcher handling all of the loads. Dispatch is by Qualcomm, and sometimes by text message. Expect long delays in Qualcomm messages, as it sometimes takes several hours to get a response from dispatch.
Most of the loads are brokered loads, as Custom Diesel Express doesn't have their own customer base, and no sales force to actively pursue this area of the market.
Loads vary in deference to what is being hauled. But the unifying aspect is that drivers will deal directly with the broker in most cases. If the truck isn't loaded by 2:PM on any given day, then expect to wait until the next day for another load, as all of the loads are predominantly internet brokered loads. Friday at 3PM all load activities come to a standstill.
Payroll:
Most of the flatbed and step-deck loads aren't worth the time. They are very labor intensive, and not worth the effort. Average load pay is between $85.00 - $150 per load. It takes usually 24-hours to get a load picked up and delivered. Again, not worth the time or miles.
The company policy is .42 cents per mile for new-hire drivers, or the percentage pay structure.
Most choose the percentage pay, but in the end, after Custom Diesel Express deducts all of the charge for fuel, permits, tolls, escort services, and other charges, the actual line-haul is less than half of the actual customer charge.
In essence, the percentage pay is a scam to have drivers subsidize the fuel costs, tolls, and other associated costs. This results in a substandard pay structure that allows Custom Diesel Express to maintain a greater portion of the line haul, at the driver's expense.
Custom Diesel Express claims to pay detention of a whopping $12.50 an hour after a two hour minimum. The reality is that this is simply a recruiting scam. Very few drivers are paid any detention pay, due largely to Custom Diesel Express depending on the broker to to pay these charges. Industry average detention pay is between $65.00-$120 per hour, depending on the type of specialized equipment used. $12.50 is half of what most real trucking companies pay to their drivers for long detention times.
Expense Reimbursement:
Custom Diesel Express only pays reimbursable expenses once a receipt is turned in. This means that during the 21-days out on the road, the driver will accumulate plenty of receipts that will not be paid until the receipts are turned into the office. Even though Trans-Flo is utilized by the company, it doesn't matter. Fax, weight tickets, headlights, fluids, and any out of pocket expenses could take 5-weeks to get reimbursed, and that's only if the receipts aren't conveniently lost by somebody in the payroll department.
Custom Diesel Express has a police that all Bill Of Lading paperwork must be mailed into the office before tuesday of any given week. The problem with this policy is that they have not taken the time to setup accounts with FedEx or other mail services common in truckstops. They expect the driver to buy envelopes and stamps to mail in the BOL, or get hammered with a $50.00 fine for each load. Of course, they also understand that most truckstops do not sell stamps, nor is it possible to simply cruise into the local post office with a semi-truck.
REALITY CHECK: WORKING AT CUSTOM DIESEL EXPRESS
Going to work at Custom Diesel Express is a total waste of time for a real truck driver that has more than 10-years experience. Some of the drivers working for this company have hammered their driving record with multiple violations, so they are fortunate that any company will hire them. Some are brand new "newbies" that could care less what happens, as long as they are allowed to drive one of the "polished up" train wrecks that pass for road trucks at Custom Diesel Express.
Heavy Haul is a joke from the onset. The load originators have no clue about what it takes to move heavy equipment from pickup to delivery. It's rare to see a load picked up and delivered without problems and issues such as Permits, Escort Vehicles, and a wide variety of other problematic issues. They have no clue about routing, weights, drive time, regulations, or the abundant headaches a driver will face during delivery of a CAT D-9 Bulldozer. Any mistakes will be on the drivers shoulders, and reach deep into the wallet.
The office personnel are so far removed from the reality of trucking, they barley understand what is required to move loads around the country, much less how to actually get the job accomplished.
The owner of the company talks a good talk, but fails miserably in delivering. No open door policy, doesn't want to deal directly with the driver force, and oftentimes won't answer his telephone during a road emergency. He leaves all of the decisions to people that have next to nothing experience, and are incapable of making the correct decision, much less taking the lead during a breakdown (which happens often), relying on the driver to find repair facilities in order to resolve the problems.
Though it's not a hostile attitude that is encountered at the office, its a feeling of being in the wrong place, where people don't actually care, or appreciate the driver that is encountered. No humor, no laughing, no welcome back--nothing, zip, nadda. Get in, and get out kind of attitude.
There are much better places to work other than Custom Diesel Express. This company may have (at some point) tried to polish up their corporate image, but in reality, Custom Diesel Express falls short in almost every aspect: They have no business plan, and neither the know-how, or ambition to execute said plan. Non-Driving employees are inept and clueless about the trucking industry, and this results in a small town corporation pretending to be a trucking company.
Bottom Line: Seek employment elsewhere unless you are seriously desperate with a terrible driving record, and don't care how much money is flowing out of your load pay into the company's bank account. This is one company that shouldn't be in the business of hiring real truck drivers.