HOGAN!!!

Holy ####, MTC? I graduated from there too. Did you take classes on 1st or 2nd shift? I was just wondering of some of the same instructors are there.
I think only one person from my class got into Hogan. Most of us went to CR England, or Star. I was suppose to go to CR England, but my dumb ### ended up going with Swift..... MTC had just got a contract with Swift.
Where did you go for you CDL test? They sent me to Macon, MO..... I had to stop for a horse and buggy. That's definately a hick town.

 

Hey RABITHUT.................
If you're going to MTC...... here's what to expect......
Bring extra cash. They tell you they will feed you everday, but in reality it's they only feed you 6 days a week, and two meals a day. The meals are small.
My recruiter told me that I would be in a motel the entire time.... Guess what? Recruiters lie. lol They have dorms. You will be in the motel for a few days, then they will rush you over to the dorms ASAP. The dorms consist of a homemade bunkbead, with a mattress. There is a desk there. My room the light didn't work very well in.
Bring a flash light and extra batteries for your Pretrips, because if you take the class in the day time, it may be before sunrise, and if you take it for 2nd shift, then your post trips going to be in the dark.
Bring bed linen for the dorms, and covers etc.... You will also need this stuff for your truck eventually.
The yard..... you will learn to back, but this part of the school really sucks ###, as you will find out soon enough. You have to break up into groups and follow the student who's making the backs...... you wait your turn. Try to get into that truck and make as many backs as you possible can. You might not get that many opportunities.
Also about the dorms, there is an entertainment room, with some rough couchs, and a tv.
There is an area with tables and chairs when you first walk into the buiding.
Bring shower shoes for the showers.... trust me. Bring your own towel, and personal hygene products.
Also try to bring washing powders. there are two washing machines and two dryers at the dorm. It is free to use them, you just got to have your own laudry detergent.
hmmmmmm what else? They have a coffee pot in the front of the dorm.... I'd take advantage of that and save as much money as I could. When you get on the road, truck stops are expensive.
also in the first room of the dorm, is a place where you can practice shifting gears on a 9 speed trans.
The first couple days, you watch alot of videos and fill out alot of paper work. You have to get your permit before they can even put you in a truck.
Then after you get your licenses, you you're going to be shipped off to your trainer. If you are a prehire with Swift...... You're headed to Memphis..... I know all about that trip/experience as well, so if you want to know what to expect there let me know as well. lol Good luck man. Trucking is a good career.

 

Welcome to the forum Rabbit. ... Hope you find and make good friends here... Good luck!

CA

 

If they have a high turnover rate... you might be a lil leary to work there.. something isn't good.. You will either get no hometime. low pay, crappy equipment.., poor miles, poor dispatching... poor management.. any number of things why drivers leave... Remember there's always two sides to a story...

Good luck!!

CA ...

 

I just graduated from MTC on the 30th of Sept. I already had my cdl so it was just a refresher course for me. One thing I can say is that the school itself is easy, but the living conditions are a bit rough. But with that said, I have been in worse situations. I realized that I wasn't going to be there forever, so I just sucked it up and got through it.

I am now at Hogan waiting on a trainer. Orientation was boring, but it was good. As a former OTR driver, I am really impressed with their emphasis on safety. Calling in if you are going to be driving between 11 pm and 5 am is not really a big deal. If that is what the company wants, then so be it. Sometimes it takes someone else to keep us from doing something stupid. There is enough stupid mistakes out there behind the wheel of semis. Just one more safeguard is okay with me.

As for the turnover rate, the operations director told me that Hogan's was about 80 percent. That means that for every driver that they hire this year, they will have to hire .8 drivers next year. For the national average, which is 150 percent, for every driver those companies hire, they will have to hire 1.5 drivers the next year. This means that most companies have trouble keeping drivers even one year. So for the same freight, they have to hire 2 or three drivers.

So all in all, MTC wasn't really great, but it did accomplish what it sets out to do, and so far Hogan seems to be a very solid company not trying to get drivers with a huge promise of great pay and great miles. They are just giving solid pay with solid miles.

As for getting stuck with Swift from MTC, just go up an tell Casey that you don't want Swift and want Hogan, or some other company. They will get you away from Swift if you complain enough.

 

I follow a simple rule. If tired, pull over and nap. I have been out here for about 2 years and have yet not been fagtiued. Lucky to get 4-5 hours sleep. I do not care if the load is hot or not. If anyone questions why I pull over i simply send a msg on the qualcomm, stating driver pulled over for safety reasons. Do not take garbage from the DM's. all messages go over the qualcomm. simply put.. my phone, my bill. It may upset them but, I am the one behind the wheel not them. I could not see calling a "professional" to ask me if I am tired. I would answer yes all the time. That "professional" probably has never seen the inside of a truck, much less operated one. Would like be having my DM tell me how to run my log books. Had one DM tell me I had not worked 14 hours yet.. I started 0130 and it was 1530. Told me he spoke to safety and i had plenty of time left. Left him a few well spoked safety messages about logs on the qualcomm.. I can understand starting out and being not used to the lifestyle. But, after 20 years in the military, and 11 with another company and now this. I think I know when I am tired.

 

I drive for Knight and their company policy is not to drive between 1am to 5am. That would be nice, except when my appt is at 2am. I split driving about 50/50 with night driving. It is simply part of the job to get the freight there on time for that appt.

 

Thats my favourite time on the road, less traffic, and just feels nice to be out then...

 

I guess I could live with that rule, if I HAD to, but,.................
I'd much prefer that a company let ME decide when is the best time for me to drive.

I doubt ANY Big truck trucking company is MORE concerned with my safety and spotless driving record than I am.