A new Bolt head

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
No, this doesn't belong in the Truck Talk forum - it's about Bolt Express. Yesterday I finished orientation, and am very favorably impressed by the policies, procedures, and particularly the people. Instead of wasting our time (not to mention insulting our intelligence) with stuff like "eat a balanced diet, exercise, get proper rest" we heard just what we needed to know in order to get busy - it was great!
And one thing I didn't expect: "5 things you never knew your cellphone could do"

1: The number 112 is a worldwide emergency number for mobile phones.
2: If your keys are locked in the car & you have keyless remote, call someone who can beep your remote to their phone while you hold yours near the lock - the unlock signal will work, even hundreds of miles away. :eek:
3: A dead or very low battery on the phone can be recharged temporarily by activating the reserve. Press keys *3370# and battery will show a 50% increase charge, and the reserve will replenish next time you charge the phone.
4: Press keys *#06# to display the serial number of your phone - if it's ever lost or stolen, you can have it disabled by reporting the number to the provider.
5: 800 373 3411 is the number for free directory assistance - no need to pay for it!

This is the kind of info that made me happy to have spent the time at orientation - good job, Bolt! :)
 

flattop40

Expert Expediter
Item #2 was tried on "mythbusters" and they could not get it to work. Will have to try the others.
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
2 doesn't work a lot of the time, but it does work with some phones and in some areas, from the AT&T guys, it has to do with the 3G stuff.

3 I just tried it with two phones and it didn't work. I don't think there is a reserve on these batteries per se, the battery management system in the battery pack is usually pretty good.

5 I just dial 411 and I get that for free.

Changing companies?
 

piper1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Did you get to show off some of that amazing dexterity you claim to have with your feet?:D
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Hmm, going to try the a few cell phone things.

You are in good hands over there.

IMHO.
If they distributed a well-known, 3 or 4 year old, Urban Legend e-mail in Orientation as fact, then I question the hands.
 

2czykats

Seasoned Expediter
When my wife and I were with Express 1 for a yr plus we were pretty much happy but seemed to us something was missing and like dummies we believed the hype from some that Bolt was the place to be since it was a small co. and treated everybody well and knew your name.

So we went and enjoyed the orientation and staff was pleasent and did not talk down to you. We lasted less than a month, what BULL..

Yes we had a $5000.00 fall back on account that began with Express 1 and everyone knows that money does not last long when not making enough money on loads so we were not able to save another 5000.00 to last longer with Bolt. It seems this is the magic number you need if you want to survive.

If everybody had to have a large nest egg in every job there would be a lot of failures.
 

BillChaffey

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Navy
It seems you are saying, you went with Bolt Express, and lost $5000.00 in a month. Is this correct?
 

LSLdriver

Seasoned Expediter
Cheri- Welcome, I just got out of Bolt training 2 weeks ago as well and so far so good. I too went throught the same 5 day orientation in NC listening to a safety guy tell us how much weight he lost and to eat lots of raw almonds. What a joke!! Hope things go well for you.

Jeff
 

60MPH

Expert Expediter
Opinion here!!!! The wages at that carrier are sub standard, I was with them for a short time in a van and could not believe how cheap the freight was going for. I was insulted with the load offer amounts I was getting. Cheri I hope you can keep your head above water there, good luck!;)

THIS IS JUST A OPINION THAT I AND FEW OTHERS SHARE ON THIS SITE.

P.S. Do not get your own authority while leased to them, you will not like the outcome:(
 

wellarmed

Not a Member
Boy,I'm glad I see some people here that had the same experiance with bolt as we did,"BAD".I seen alot of dribble in there orientation that would lead you away from the facts as the cell phone info would.If you are out on the road and get locked out of your car I would return home to get the truck,you can't haul much freight in the car. Did they tell you how you could earn as much as $80,000 gross to the truck "IF" you stay in service. When I told them we usually seen 140 to 180,000 gross with at the least 14wks off,they thought that was a joke. They also said if you have a truck payment you would probably not do so well with them. they also said they were being targeted by the DOT because of there fleet not keeping logs and trucks up to par. All of this info only came out as I asked questions trying to get back on subject as they tryed to dribble away from real facts and info. I do hope you do well with them but think you should keep an ace in the hole,you will need it.I could go on forever but it wouldn't matter, I'm thinking you made this change under advice of a single driving friend and don't know if you are a team or single but think a single may do ok but no more than ok. We realy do wish you luck. Is a bolt any good if you haven't a nut to go with it.
 
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cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Ok, first: the cellphone handout was just one of many lying on a table - it wasn't presented as fact in orientation. [And I know the free 411 works, I already had it] I don't happen to have keyless remote, so couldn't test that one, and my cell battery was ok too. I just passed the info on, for y'all to check out.
The rate situation is pretty bad right now, with carriers underbidding each other, so they were honest about that - it's not where it was a few years ago. I have no intention of getting my own authority [how would I find loads and pick up & deliver them, too?] so I'll just do the best I can with a carrier, long as it works for me.
I've heard the complaints too, and feel that a lot depends on one's relationship with dispatch in particular. I feel confident that it's a good move for me - and orientation just reinforced the good feeling.
Every carrier doesn't work for every person - we already know that. I hope those who didn't find what they wanted with Bolt succeeded in finding it elsewhere, though. :)

 

ISLNANA

Seasoned Expediter
welcome to the company. maybe we'll meet up out here sometime. just look for straight truck with two extremly bored women in it!!lol,-the rates are'nt what we wished they would be-but trying to hang in there!
 

DougTravels

Not a Member
Cheri-Good Luck!!
Bolt seems hard to figure, people seem to love em or hate em with no one saying they are just ok. If it don't work out there PM me, I believe (even though it is rough right now) my carrier is very upfront with no game playing and there are some things that are a real bonus.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
A new Bolt head

Metric or standard?Good luck and have fun!Did you score any cheesecake?
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Everyone's on a diet - we had salad. And just cos it was my idea doesn't mean I'd have passed on the cheesecake - if there was any, which there wasn't.
Metric? We didn't do any poetry, either.....
 
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