Ozark Motor Lines reviews

After six months, I’m very happy here, I average about 3000 miles a week and currently pull $.59 a mile. Equipment is great, shop is outstanding, driver manager listens to me and works with me. It’s a big family here!

I have worked at 3 companies prior to Ozark. I have dealt with every possible negative thing about the industry in every other company I have worked, with the exception of being a part of the mafia…never experienced that, though I have heard stories. I have been in the industry now since 2016. I am VERY picky when it comes to who I work for. My time away from home is precious now more than ever & it matters who I’m giving it to. Ozark is, by far, the greatest company I have ever worked for IN MY LIFE…not just the trucking industry. I’m very confused by the reviews on this page. Anyway, I’ll tell you why I feel the way I do… My first couple months were rocky, as neither of us knew the other. I had to be clear on what my expectations were & what I would and would not tolerate in my running…what I needed, so on and so forth. By month 3 they have run me as hard as they could. I told them I want to run 3000 miles plus if possible & run my clock out every week. They do that as much as they can. They give us shorter runs than most, which allows for very little time to sit and be idle. THEY DO NOT LIKE TO WASTE RESOURCES. I have only been here now going on 4 months. I have had to go home now 6x because of bs going on at home. They have never questioned me or asked to provide proof. They have accommodated me for all my needs, with the utmost respect. They didn’t penalize me with crappy runs or treat me like a red-headed step child or threaten to fire me. In fact, it has been the opposite. I get the benefits of being a company driver but treated like an owner operator. I can’t say enough good things about this company. Let’s see…I don’t have to ask for loads, they are given to me. I don’t have to deliver crazy times, they time my loads just right. Yes, I have lost miles on some loads, but some I have gained miles…it all averages out. MY PAY IS CORRECT EVERY SINGLE WEEK. I have yet to have a mistake. Like WHAT?! When I need repairs to my truck, they don’t question me or argue with me, they schedule me for maintenance and minimal down time is received. It is amazing how great the shop is & how well maintained their equipment is!!! Everything is paid for…this company has zero debt & it shows. No, they don’t have extra pay like detention, but it is rarely needed. I have sat to get loaded or unloaded maybe 3x where it was more than 2 hours. We do get layover pay, extra stop pay, breakdown pay (never needed - shop is great), a sign on bonus, short haul pay. I have zero problems getting these things from them. Yes, I do have to remind them about it, but that is all. Once I do, it gets done. They have even paid me things I didn’t even know I got paid for until I got it…then I was like whoa. In the past, if you didn’t know about it, they didn’t pay you. Home time is great. The most generous home time I have ever seen. I have yet to get home late. They have never given me issues if I needed extra days. I mean, it is a true family atmosphere. The thing a lot of drivers do is quit before they give the company a chance to rectify an issue. I would be willing to bet that 90% or more of disgruntled employees left without even saying a word about why before leaving then want to leave a nasty review. I want to let you in on a little secret, YOU CAN FIRE YOUR DM!!! If you have done everything you can to make it work with them, you can ask for a different one. I mean, there are so many ways to fix things. They tell you to please give them a chance to fix things before leaving. Everything I have ever mentioned to them was fixed immediately. The staff is amazing. They treat you like a person, not a robot. Never have I ever been asked to run outside of my time or illegally. In fact, just the opposite. They care VERY much about their safety record. I never had to sign anything stating that I had to pay orientation back or anything like that. But if we trash their equipment before leaving, you will be penalized for it. Night dispatch is amazing. I have met them all in person. I love all of them. I never have to deal with 4 or 5 different people asking me about 1 job. It is one person my entire shift, whether it is day or night & they never ask me redundant questions because they actually communicate. I am just thoroughly impressed with this company. They will have to get security and force me out before I ever leave. Ozark is my home for life & I would recommend working here to ANYONE. If you give them gold, they will give you gold & diamonds in return. If you give them coal, then they will give you coal in return. You can’t give your minimal effort & expect to receive the benefits of drivers like myself who bust our tails for this company. You get what you give! That’s all I will say. I have never been mislead or lied to. You do your job & don’t mess around & keep the lines of communication open & are honest with them, then you become an asset or so-called “favorite” as mentioned on this page. But if you become a liability then no, you will never reach that status. THAT IS WITH ANY COMPANY OUT HERE!!!

Great company when you call 99% of the time your talking to someone who drove truck driver managers know you by name all the office staff are great people and very helpful

The orientation was okay ,ms Teri and Amy are very nice ladies answer all my questions I wasn’t sure about . I requested home time and then the staff start acting funny . I ran for 8 weeks straight and was promise a 7 day home time . A day before my home time I got terminated . If you don’t live in Tennessee don’t bring a lot of valuable stuff like tv, Refrigerator and etc cause you have to leave that in the truck when they let you go because they give you a bus ticket back and not car rental.They also put a safety violation on my report to make it hard for me to get hired somewhere else .Not to mention I have no accidents, spending tickets or dot issues with my Cdl license .They also never gave me A 34 hour reset being otr and every time I ask about it they play it off or say we just add more time on your clock so you can keep running . Watch out for mark the fleet manger sneaky person and was making joking comments the day of my termination. Also the facing inward cameras is used to spy on drivers and hear your Conversations . The camera stays on even when the truck is turned off, so don’t talk about future goals going to other companies while in truck cause they find a way to terminate you just to be petty.

**Ozark Motor Lines – A Company in Decline: 1 out of 5 Review** I’ve been a commercial truck driver for over 15 years, spending 14 of those with Ozark Motor Lines. For many years, I would have rated this company a solid 5 out of 5. It was a family-owned business that genuinely put its drivers first. The company’s former owner, Steve Higgenbottom, was a hands-on leader who could often be found on the lot, in the driver lounge, talking with drivers, addressing concerns, and solving issues. It felt like a family. However, in the past 4 to 5 years, since Steve retired and his brother, Slick, took over, the company has taken a significant turn for the worse. While I remain in a good position with almost 2 million safe miles, I can’t ignore the troubling direction the company is heading. Below are the key reasons I can no longer recommend Ozark Motor Lines: ### Decline in Leadership: - **Steve’s Absence**: Steve Higgenbottom’s daily presence and genuine concern for drivers are sorely missed. Slick Higgenbottom, his brother, has taken full control but is largely absent, along with the next generation who seem more interested in staying in their offices than interacting with drivers. - **New VP of HR & Safety**: T. Patrick Landreth, the new VP of Human Resources & Safety, is a significant problem. He has no CDL, no real understanding of the trucking industry, and is known for his unprofessional behavior. His focus seems to be on intimidation rather than building up drivers, which has led to a serious morale issue. ### Poor Management Decisions: - **Lowering Hiring Standards**: Ozark has lowered their hiring requirements from one year of experience to none, and this has directly resulted in an increase in accidents, damaged equipment, and a rising CSA score. - **Wasteful Spending**: The new maintenance operations manager, who came from FedEx, spends money recklessly on unnecessary upgrades, treating the company like it has unlimited resources. - **Lack of Raises**: There have been no pay raises for drivers in the last four years, despite the company’s wasteful spending on technology and bumper rails for trailers—decisions that could have been delayed given the current economic situation. ### Technology Failures: - **Inadequate Tablets**: The company insists on drivers using tablets for communication and logging, but these devices are not user-friendly. - They are unreadable unless the truck is stopped. - There are no voice commands, and they frequently lose internet connection when driving over 15 mph. - Logs are often a mess, and if there’s an issue, drivers are expected to call customer support in Mexico, where hold times are over an hour. - **Poor Log Management**: Drivers are not paid for waiting or downtime, only for driving. We’re advised to keep paper logs because of the frequent issues with the electronic system. ### Morale at an All-Time Low: - **Driver Turnover**: Senior drivers are leaving in droves, and the yard is filled with wrecked trucks and empty equipment. - **Lack of Support**: Management seems out of touch with the real issues facing drivers. Despite the company providing new equipment, the operational yard looks like a junkyard due to poor decision-making and the ongoing turnover of experienced staff. ### Conclusion: I remain with Ozark Motor Lines because of my current position, but I no longer feel the sense of pride I once had. I will continue to do my job, but no more extra runs or favors. If the company continues to treat its drivers like disposable drones, that’s what they’ll get in return. Ozark needs to seriously reconsider its management strategy, invest in its drivers, and return to the values that made it great. Until then, I cannot recommend this company to anyone looking for a stable and supportive trucking job.