Hello all. I started training at my local community college last week. My question to all of you is, What company would you pick to finish training and to drive for out of all others? I live in Nashville and I'm really looking forward to becoming a Professional Truck Driver. I value your opinions and any advice that you could offer. Thank you.

You are off to a great start by getting some of your training before you go to a company that fronts for you. You will be able to switch companies if you need to and that's a freedom some don't have because the cost increases if you don't stay with the company.
I only worked for Swift and JB Hunt, but Swift is a lot better company than they used to be and you can make good money early on and they are leanient with you as you make log mistakes, running late (as long as you communicate). A decent trainer will show you the ropes and the qualcomm. BUT I saw a lot of guys that were released for solo and had to help them learn the qualcomm and give them advice they should've gotten before.
Now think carefully though because like Swift, a lot of companies are going team. That means after the first day, maybe even the first day you will be driving and doing things on your own and it's up to them to decide when you can go and they will start teaming. My first trainer wanted to jump to team after two days of me driving. He quit right after that because from what I gather, he really didn't want to be a trainer and made excuses about racism and crap (I thought he was talking about someone else as I shook my head and he said "not you some other guy" but then the manager said he was saying I was the one not comfortable with black people, etcl and we were getting along great talking about god and family lol I was shocked).
My second trainer was really good and didn't ask me to run a full 14 hrs if it wasn't needed. He explained the importance of resting when you could because you will have some long nights and have to take short breaks. I did have to sort of block him out and do what I needed to do a lot because it is distracting having someone try to tell you where to put a trailer when you already have a spot picked out and are getting ready to put it there.
If you can get into Schneider, I hear that they are really good at training and have talked to people that worked there and they said the training was top notch. You wont get that at places like Swift. And sorry that's the only place I can truthfully tell you about but I'm sure a lot of the training companies are doing this crash course team thing now so try to find one that either doesn't or that is known to do well at it.

I'm not into the team driving. I've heard to many horror stories about team driving from my instructors. I'm looking into flatbed, I've always wanted to learn the trade of flatbed hauling. I have been following the comments on this site and the truckers have held Roehl,McElroy,TMC, and ATS very highly on their list of good flatbed companies. I don't know to much about Schnieder, but I'll check them out. I want to make my first choice my best so I will look into the one that will train me and bring me home more often than the one that promises more miles and pay. I'm willing to pay my dues and start right. I know it's a hard profession, but being with the right company from day one should help with the suffering. Thank you for the reply and good luck.

You want flatbed? Maverick, best one to start out.

New to the trking world. Have been reading, and reading and>>> I am a student grad from Swift Academy> sorry for my luck but didn't know any different. But really can't say if bad, good, or indifferent. Defenetly had a good road trainer, military guy, 19yrs with another trk company, was fair, tough, and critical. No BS told it like it was, and thats the way i think it should be. We drove around in a burned out Colombia, haha what a ride, somthing grandpa keep around for your inheritance!! anyways, got thru all that, no biggy. on to the road test with old grumpy himself, some guy just wanting to try to intimidate ya for a good time. But that ok, I knew how to tank the wind out of his sail, Yes;sir and No;sir, don't think he ever been called sir before, so he became my bestest of friends, think he was more used to four letter words. So got thru all that. P.S. even got the little yard jockey to smile, told him he was tough, but fair..
Well i been reading on here of all the horror stories of different trking comp. the good, the bad, and the swift!! No, ive been avoiding swift's phone calls to go out with a mentor, they just don't realize it yet.. I have although sent out my application to ROEHLtrking. So i can hopfully finish my training with them and get out on the road.
One thing i suppose i can agree on, no one trking company is perfect, but if you look at this way, you could go back to working in a factory at $10/$12 bucks and hr, have a wanna be boss hanging over your shoulder telling you he's a professional and u ain't doggy doo-doo.. ects,ects..
I'm looking forward to the road, yupp going to be a whole different world, yupp going to take alot of hard work being new, yupp proboly going to get used and abused for awhile, nope proboly won't make alot of money to start out with, yupp going to make mistakes and yupp going to collect myself, brush off, remember that mistake, get back in the saddle and truck on. Things i will remember from my road trainer; safety!! look, listen, observe. Going around that corner, watch that trler. Backing, don't assume, get out and look, and look some more. my log book being accurate, and real, is my ticket to a good DOT relationship. I hope to get hired with ROEHL, i hope to talk and listen to alot of senior trking people here and on the road. And maybe even one day be standing at the diesel pump, eating a chillydogg and be able to help a New Driver out myself.... Thanks to all!!!! peace&safety.....

I went to Maverick's web site and what I read seems to be what I'm looking for. Thanks for the tip. As for as being in the factory world, been there done that and not going back. I've been a printer for 25yrs. and the workplace has gotten worse since I've been in it. No security and no respect in factory workplaces. Tired of being in closed window shops. I will contact Maverick, Roehl and McElroy. Out of these three, one should help me get what I want. Safety is the most important part of trucking, I believe that is what companies are looking for and demand from every new driver. Good Luck to all.