My KLLM company driving experience so far...

Hey folks - just wanted to give you all an update view of what the first few months of my trucking experience has been like.

First off, I went to and completed Coastal Truck Driving School in Hammond, LA from mid September to mid October. Very good school that gets you ready for the CDL test and prepared for training. About $5,000 total to go to school there.

Orientation/Training:
Orientation is 3 days in Jackson, you stay at the motel in Jackson which is pretty basic and go to the classes in a building on the grounds of the motel. Walmart and plenty of restaurants nearby. Orientation is the usual paperwork and safety stuff. Nothing fancy, but as long as people aren't asking hundreds of questions you're in at 0700 and out at 1500ish.

Started in Mid October on the road with a trainer, who will remain nameless because I'm sure he doesn't want me putting his name out there.

First leg of training was a mixed bag. Spent the first half of training running from California to the east coast - specifically Nashville, Chicago, and PA. Usually the first week of training is spent with the trainer in the jump seat, but wasn't the case for me as dispatch had us rolling as a team pretty much from day #1. After the first weeks things slowed down for us because he got into a dispute with his dispatcher and fleet manager over things messed up over qualcomm - shipping info and routing were messed up and the bills didn't have the proper ship to. Resulted in my trainer pushing me into the road test early so that he could drop from the trainer program and surrender his lease truck and get back into a company truck. I didn't do so well with the road test due to being nervous as hell but passed written and backing, so I was sent back out on the road with a second trainer.

Second leg of training was a mixed bag as well. Trainer and I were constantly at each others throats because his style and mine did not mesh well. He's a midwest regional driver and did not want to be run as a team. His style of teaching was sitting in the sleeper all day playing facebook games and watching tv, and screaming when I did something wrong such as stopping at the wrong truck stop (he only stopped at TA/Petro), or couldn't back into a parking spot quickly enough.

Was glad to be finished with him, but he did show me a few more things and only had to deal with him for two weeks. Passed the road test easily the second time.

Solo:
First was issued one of the Volvo mid-roof's from Atlanta to drive. Whoever was in that truck before me ran it into the ground and destroyed the interior. No doors or netting on the cabinets, reeked of cigs, and needed about two hours of wiping down from spit stains on the walls and floor. Got my first runs from Atlanta to Hattiesburg when the engine gave out. Don't know what happened to it, but I got it back to Atlanta and put it in the Volvo shop.

Jackson had me run lease trucks to Jackson from Atlanta for a few days, then I went home for Christmas. When I came back they issued me a Cascadia, thank God. Only thing that I really hate is that this truck is governed at 61 and basically is just a road hazard when I get into states where the speed limits are 70+.

Since then I've basically been running about 2k miles per week, with a few hiccups such as getting stuck in Laredo with no loads coming across the border. Also had a day in Jackson where I had to get PM and other issues with the truck resolved.

Mainly I've stayed east of the MS. The IL/IN/OH/PA turnpike and I have become well acquainted over the last couple of months and I'm sure that's not going to change anytime soon. Average haul these days I'd say is ~650 miles, and I've been told that it's about to start picking up soon when produce loads start coming up again. Paychecks have been an average of $600/week.

One big problem I'm having is the process of getting the HazMat endorsement on my license in Louisiana. Apparently we have to pay the fee to get the background checks and can't take the endorsement test until that is completed. Pain in the butt because I'd like to go ahead and get that taken care of, even though I'd rather not be hauling Hazmat this early in my career.

Anyway, I'm going to try and keep this updated every so often. I plan on staying company through the summer then evaluate my options in August/September when my 1 year anniversary with the company comes up. Right now it's kind of annoying since freight has been slowing down and it seems like I'm getting the scraps leftover from the lease drivers to places like Brookhaven and the multi-stop WalMart DC runs. But hey, paycheck is a paycheck.

 

Just a guy that is calling it like he sees it. What I post isn't lies or any of the sugar coated bs, just what I've seen and experienced as it has happened to me.

 

Yes, he brought absolutely nothing to the table and was just there to ride along while the trainee drove for his paycheck. I got that in the first few days alone as he refused to drive to make an on time delivery. Instead we were late because he didn't want to drive the western half of the PA turnpike while it was snowing at night. At best he drove 400 miles through the entire time I was with him in training, and he was a complete douche through those miles.

First trainer, however, was a good guy and meant well up until the third week when he got into his spite with dispatch. It was kind of awkward being the third wheel in an argument between a driver and dispatch, especially when I found the error over the qualcomm that caused the dispute.

 

I'm heading back out tomorrow for a six week tour of duty. Need a week off from the road to be best man in a wedding. I'm going to try to keep this updated every so often while I'm with the company. Hopefully things work out and I stay happy beyond the year that KLLM is paying back tuition.

Also - another thing I've noticed about this company...

IS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT THAT WE CALL JACKSON?!?!
This has to be the most frustrating thing for me so far!!! Local/Night dispatch is excluded from this - they usually pick up within the second ring. On one of my last trips I was not given a pickup number for a shipper, and I must have called 7 or 8 different times trying to get that resolved, but taking 15-30 minutes of being sent to voicemail is just a huge pet peeve!

 

I've been really busy since coming back to work about 10 days ago. I've noticed a trend though, there's a certain triangle that I've been working the last couple of months with my routes: Southeast ---> Northeast ---> Midwest ---> Southeast (repeat). im by no means complaining because it keeps me moving, just kinda funny how I keep moving in a triangular pattern!