Davis Express reviews

Do not work for Davis Express out of Starke, FL. Unless you do not need sleep. Your 10 hours starts when you show your 30 minutes for unload and Post trip inspection. They will expect you to be ready for a load at exactly 10 hours, even if you have not been able to sleep at a customer and they make you line 5 to a parking place so you do not interrupt your break. Even if you are at the customer for several hours and have hours left to drive. They hold that break as beyond precious. They usually do not care about your need to shower, string you very tight, or tell you to get as close as you can to their Dacula yard and wait for a Publix load for multistop store delivery, and may have you sit for just under 24 hours. Then give you a 300 mile run that pays 250 miles or less. No or very little planning notification, poor communication, and Speed Guage. Pays short miles.

I know who they are ,

90% of their runs are at NIGHT 

You'll see their trucks all over down here in Fla sleeping in the middle of the day

The recruiter made it clear when i called them a while back that you must be able to sleep in the day and drive at night

Like you are part hoot owl 

I sez NO THANKS

I worked for them for 4 months and got in a non preventable accident. When i went to clean out my truck because of injuries, i recieved a speeding ticket in Waldo,Fl in my car. The officer cited me for 16 over so i turned ticket into safety and advised then i was gonna go to court as i feel i wasnt going that fast. I hired a lawyer and won in court and advised Davis that the ticket was dismissed and was given a date to come back to work. When i arrived that day, i was told to see Chad in safety at which time he told me i was being terminated for the ticket. I informed him the ticket was dismissed and he stated it didnt matter, they had a copy of the ticket and knew i had recieved it so they were terminating my employment. Me and my lawyer feel it was fallout from the accident which was an impared driver that caused the accident but there was no proof that they were firing me for that. I have heard from several drivers that little incidents will get you fired and they do anything they can to make sure you cant find another job. I have had alot of problems finding jobs but usually i find a company that was willing to give me a chance and it always worked out good.Recently I had a heart attack and have been off work for two months and looking to go back to work but having more issues with my refernces from davis that i violated company police by getting a major speeding ticket. Its not a good company and I have worked for some companies that I have has issues with but have been great companies. Best bet is to look else where if you want a company that will treat you good. Must say that mr. Davis, the owner was very nice and I have alot of respect for him but as long as Chad is in safety, Im glad im not there.

Davis, like all carriers, have had their "big one". As for the shift driving, that's only an opinion. Statistically, there are much fewer vehicles on the road between 10 pm and 6 am. Accidents caused by fatigue can happen at ANY time of the day. Sleeping during the day is easy enough, windshield solar screens, close the curtains and set the apu.

I drove for Davis express for 2.5 years and enjoyed most of it. averaging $850/wk take home and running super southeast. I too, feel that they terminate drivers far too quickly. It may be a product of the children taking over operations as both the father and grandfather drove rigs. I don't think the kids know or appreciate what drivers go through. I always treated the staff and owners with respect but 1 argument with an obnoxious driver (and a FALSE witness statement from another employee) and my job was terminated the next day. No consideration for the situation, No appeal, No cooling off period. As with any company, there are quirks and abrasive personalities. I would recommend Davis Express.

My best friend was hurt when he was working for them when he was almost crushed to death between 2 trailers while he was checking his lights,the driver was backing in behind him, They fired him and then put he had a backing accident on his DAC report, really the guy wasn't even in his truck driving, anyway after letters from lawyers to Davis, threats of huge lawsuits, they removed it. What a shadetree outfit.

i been working for davis express for two months now i been driving for 17 years this has been best job i had i make 42 cpm get good miles every week if you want to be home every 7 days and just run southeast this is the one 

I worked for Davis for about a year, I had a much different experience.

I was lied to by the recruiter about where I would be parking. I live 165 mile from the main yard and was told I could park in Lakeland when hired. Day 2 of orientation I found out that was a lie.I stuck it out a year commuting 335 miles a week to/from Starke all the while being told that they didnt have room for me in Lakeland but as soon as they did I would get a spot there.They never got that spot ...however they did get the spot for about 7 guys that hired in after me.

Now all you guys are going to pile on and say im the problem....I know how it goes, let me stop you by saying that in my time there I got 4 $50 dollar awards for clean safety checks. 

I was in the newsletter once for an "atta boy",I had 0 late deliveries,0 violations and no confrontation at all with Management,I was told I can come back anytime.

Now with that said you cant say it was me,

I felt that they wasted WAY to much time sitting in Dacula, sometimes there would be as many as 80 Davis trucks there at a time waiting for a load,at least 1-2 days of my 7/2 schedule would be spent sitting there waiting for a load....then your home days would get pushed back, 7/2 became 9/1, and that became 12/1 etc,etc.

The trucks are well maintained but the recent expansion there was it for me....NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT 40% GROWTH. They threw together a fleet of lease/rentals and some bought trucks that was a sad mix of freightliner/volvo rejects from penske.

They put 100 new faces (see above posts) and no new dispatch so loads were getting lost,they would call you looking for a load they thought you delivered a week ago, that was lost.

Not all bad though about 2800-3000 miles avg # .42/mile

But... A TON OF B.S. TO DEAL WITH if you want to get in and stay there.

I wont be going back but it wasnt the worst experience I ever had either. 

Oh, by the way when you first hire on you will get an older truck which is to be expected, they have 700-800,000 miles on them and they are a little rough, but are safe and reliable. The turnover was pretty high so you wont have to drive an oldie long....unless they lie to you and tell you there are no "non-smoker" newer trucks available now............oh wait that was me they told that to, sorry.

i have to say know davis done me wrong to i been driving 17 years no problems i actually slipped on diesel fuel and hurt my shoulder they sent me to doctor he told me to come back in week they made me park my truck in starke even though they have little yard in lakeland were i live made me get someone to come get me went back home to lakeland went back up to doctor week later arm was doing real good i just wanted to go back on road doctor released me went to terminal couldnt find truck to put my clothes in saud truck was in shop hour later called me back told me i was fired because of mishap on 90 day probabtion deal said had nothing to do with my driving had to call my buddy who left hour ago to come back and get me i was fired they lied to me i made good money but there policy are so crazy if you violate one you have to park in starke and get someone to get you they said i could sleep in truck for week i said what do i look like hobo only three hours from house and they wont let another driver take you home i will never go back