Railcrew Xpress

Railcrew Xpress

15 February 2014

Copyright 2013/2014 – 470Media

This is the story of Railcrew Xpress, and in particular one location, that being Fremont, Nebraska.

A company and location that is wrought with problems. 

Late in December of 2012, despite all of the negative comments on the internet about the company, I filled out an application for employment, and waited.

I already knew the basics of the railroad crew transportation business from my time in Sioux City as a dispatcher and driver for a taxi company in the mid-1990’s.  During that time, I negotiated an agreement to be a back up for one of the railroad crew car companies of the era, and transported a few crews myself when we were short of drivers.

It was not until February that I was initially contacted by their Location Manager, an interview was set up in mid-March.

It was probably the oddest interview ever in my work life, and I will preface this by noting I currently interview candidates and recommend those I believe would be a good fit for the company work for as well as my prior part time employer.

I reported that morning to the railroad’s yard office in the city which I would hopefully work for, this was not the railroad company that offered me this project.

This interview went down just as follows:

Local Manager stated as long as you pass the drug test, the test drive in one of the company’s vans, and background check, your hired.

Test drive was with a Lead Driver, to deliver the drug test to FedEx for shipping and processing, then down the road to one of the crew change off points, and back to the railroad’s local yard office.

It is here where I got my first negative encounter, being told its long hours and minimum pay, and not really anything positive.   Hmmmm?  Do I really want to work here?  Well, lets play along, maybe the person was just having a bad day.

All passed with flying colors, and day one of training occurred, basically filling out papers and watching training videos.  Later a trip to get a physical which is a DOT requirement.

Day Two of training into April, due to some events in my family and my full time career.

Day two of training (there is three days total) consisted of trips around the yard, shuttling one of the vans back from a body shop, being exposed to things that would have landed the people doing them in the HR office at my full time employer, and probably an escort out the door after the meeting, and a long trip to West Des Moines and back, carrying one crew to a train in Omaha, and the crew coming off that train to their rest period.

All of the crews I was honored to ride or drive were awesome, and they related some of the tales from their journeys in the Railcrew Xpress vans.

Now for the highlights on Day Two:

• Illegal backing of the van -  The railroad companies contracting with Railcrew Xpress has rules in place that prohibits the backing of a van with crew aboard.  Multiple violations of this occurred, one being the lead driver who just didn’t want to follow the road leading out of the railroad’s right of way to a public road.  Sad fact of that one besides not being safe, was, stopping, backing up, and going back the way he came in from was longer than just continuing on.

• Talk in the Starter’s Office from the “Location Manager” of me being someone’s B#(@* basically for the fact I was assisting with getting vans out for service or body repair picked up and returned.  Talk like that and the fact it was tolerated by the leadership of that business what the reason I gave up my part time job, and income.

• Smoking on railroad company property – this occurred on the first leg of the journey to West Des Moines.  While waiting for the train to arrive at a yard location in Omaha, the driver along with me observing got out of the van, and asked if it was ok that she smoked, I nodded my head and said no as being around anyone smoking usually lands me in urgent care or an ER, apparently she did not hear or care, or for that matter know that is was a railroad company rule, and smoked, with the doors on the van open.

• The crew on the next leg of the journey, from Omaha to West Des Moines, stated that
  the dangerous part of their day was beginning, the trip on the van”.  Of course, I did not query any further, after all, I have a talent of being able to find out information without asking.

• The observing driver said time and time again, “they (Railcrew Xpress) does not pay anyone correctly, they try to screw you out of money”…..”to get paid right, you have to join the union, we have one in the city we work, but in Council Bluffs they don’t.

• Our crew onboard related the story of one of the drivers being so tired on a trip, she asked if she could take a break and a quick nap.  Crew said fine, she fell asleep in the back seat, and the crew ended up driving the van to where they were suppose to be.

• “Going Off The Reservation” – this is my term for not following an assigned route.  The Railroad stipulates which route you (the contract company/driver) take from for say Omaha to West Des Moines, and back to where you began.  On the route back you can either go south though Omaha or north through Missouri Valley.  This railroad requires you make the return journey from West Des Moines to Fremont via Council Bluffs/Omaha.  Route going west and north via Missouri Valley is longer, and considerably much more dangerous due to deer.  Two drivers had done that in the week(s) prior and both had accidents involving deer.

• Long Hours, Little Rest (Safety) – the observing driver stated that many times she had done 10 to 12 hours only to get home and be called back in a few hours later.  Being well rested and ready is vital, this company harbors an environment that does not promote such.  They allow drivers to work up to 70 hours in a seven day period.  This is excessive by any means, and something the Iowa Legislature attempted to address in the 2013 session, sadly the bill died.

• Of course, more borderline talk, none of which was appreciated, that would have landed you in the HR office meeting with Managers and probably the Director at my full time employer.

In that one trip, I got so much data, I thought should I make anymore trips, or report this to the company’s office in Lenexa, Kansas?

Well, Railcrew Xpress would pretty much cement that decision.  Day two was 11 ½ hours, and when the payday came and passed, no payment was received for that day’s work.

This required sending a certified letter to the company’s headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas along with the details about the issues about Day Two of training.

Pay due me was somewhat received, for the hours, but not the mileage part. 

Despite the initial letter mailed on April 30th, and follow ups on May 18th and June 1st, absolutely no follow up on the other issues was ever received.

In between the April 30th and May 18th letters mailed to Railcrew Xpress headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas, an form e-mail popped in, stating that it was decided not to proceed forward in the process.  Apparently, they did not like me reporting serious issues that they did not want to deal with.  This is how the hostile workplace environment begins, thrives, and gets out of control.  I am along the lines of thinking it is out of control here.

Now for the rest of the story.

During the summer months, I had to step aside from my projects due to illnesses with members of my extended family, not to mention do something I’ve not been able to do for a long time, work as a pit crew member and photographer for IMCA Hobby Stock team.

This past week another reply to that seemly automated May 14th Railcrew Xpress email, just to see if a response would be made.  My initial response, like the three letters, were ignored.

Here is the reply received within hours from Jack Lowe, Field Recruiting Manager for Railcrew Xpress:

“Mark,

I am sorry that you feel this way after only an interview with us.  I can only apologize for not having a better interviewing experience thought.

I appreciate the concerns and comments, but I must confide that I am taken aback that you would send this information about 4 months after receiving the notification.

Best of luck in your job search.

Thanks,

Jack

--

Jack Lowe

Field Recruiting Manager

Office-913-928-5012

Fax-913-928-5016

jack.lowe@railcrewxpress.com

I was there for a wee bit more than an initial interview….Jack!

Would it not be interesting to know what the so called “Location Manager” who should not even have that position, or a job with this company, noted about me.

Railcrew Xpress has not a very good reputation, you do not have to go far to find negative comments and reviews on line.  Sadly, this is another one.

If you should be considering applying for a job here, do yourself a favor, do not do it!

“Unsafe At Any Speed – Railcrew Xpress” is copyrighted 2013/2014 by 470Media

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