Stevens Transport - Dallas, Tx.

So after you dad had been with Stevens for so long he didn't figure out they don't do 'traditional' team routes? It seems to me you both went into this with a lack of research and understanding of how this company does business.

* I know it's too late now but doing a little research (alien to you I know) would have told you Western Express is always on the list of trucking companies to avoid.

 

But they keep sending me postcards

 

Of course they keep sending you postcards. They are in the business of training.
I keep getting postcards and emails from the university where I got my masters, asking me to come back.
It's their business.
If it doesn't fit your needs, just ignore it.

 

I worked for Stevens for 4 months right after CDL school. They are an OK company to start with when it comes to learning the job. And they are extremely safety conscious, which I liked. Their equipment is decent. Like anything in life, you will get out of it what you put into it.

Having said that, I left for several reasons. Mainly, most of their trainers are, well, for lack of a better term, crazy. It doesn't take a lot to be a trainer at Stevens, just one year of experience with no accidents or tickets, a 2 day class and that's it - you're a trainer. When they start running low on trainers, they pressure drivers to become trainers. So most (not all, but the vast majority) of trainers fall into 2 categories: 1) They are leasing a Stevens truck and they become a trainer so the student can help them make their overpriced lease payment. (Trainers get paid for students' miles, while the student gets a flat $400 a week salary - before deductions. Most weeks I brought home around $230. They deduct for everything.) 2) They didn't want to be a trainer in the first place but got pressured into it, so now they are somewhat resentful about having to share their truck for 6 weeks.

My first trainer was an OK guy and I learned a lot from him. I lasted less than a day with the second trainer because he was so weird I couldn't imagine traveling across the country with him. He absolutely would not speak unless you asked him a question, and then all you got was a one word answer. And when he was in the passenger seat, he would just stare out of the windshield for hours at a time, not speaking or moving. I'm pretty sure he was on some type of drug. And he smelled bad. I mean, absolutely awful, like milk that had been curdled for a month. So I got off his truck and they paired me with a trainer who was ok for a few days, but as time went by this guy revealed himself to be some kind of psychopath. He was an ex-con with obvious emotional and mental problems. He would yell and scream at the slightest mistake I made, no matter how minor. He was a white supremacist and everything to him was N***** this and N***** that, there are too many foreigners in this country, Stevens' owner is jewish and that's why the company is so cheap, etc. Now this is America and a person can believe whatever he wants, but I don't particularly enjoy listening to that type of rhetoric 14 hours a day. And he would order me around like he was a drill sergeant and I was a Private E-1 on my first day of basic training. I'm a grown man in my early 50's and I just don't allow people to talk to me like that. I tried several times to talk to him about it and see how we could meet halfway and get along better, but he basically told me if I didn't like it, to get the hell off his truck. So that's what I did.

There are other issues with Stevens - they are very cheap, most of the office staff doesn't give a s*** about you, the company doctor will put you on medical hold if you have so much as a hangnail, etc. And they call the Stevens Yard in Dallas the 'Hotel California' - you can check in any time you like, but you can never leave. You are required to report to the yard at least every 90 days, which is fine, but once you're there it can take upwards of a week to get back on the road. (All unpaid, of course.) Also, this is hilarious and I swear I am not making this up, one of their training videos has to do with healthy eating and bowel movements while on the road. And they actually describe the proper way to poop, complete with a guy sitting on a toilet demonstrating the right way and wrong way to crap. Again, I am not making this up.

I'm sure Stevens is not the worst company out there. And they will give you a chance right out of school. But I would take a long, hard look around at other companies before I signed on with Stevens. If you do sign on with them, just get your year of experience in and move on to a company that treats their drivers better, pays them better and doesn't use ex-cons and psychopaths as trainers.

My current company gave me a second chance after my awful experience at Stevens. They treat me great, keep most of their promises, I'm home more often and they pay better, so I'm happy. Just keep in mind, Stevens should be treated as a means to an end - learn the job, get in your one year of experience, then go on to a better company.

 

Yea I just called Prime. And with 18 months experience they will pay 44cpm, but all company drivers only get the lightweight eco. trucks. I like my space.

 

Well to be honest I posted so much about my experience at Stevens that I forgot to mention that during the three week school the basically have someone come in and talk to you about what you hope to achieve while working at Stevens.I explained over and over to various different Stevens staff as to my plan of running teams with my father.And of the estimated 50+ plus times that I told and re-told my plans for team driving,not one person told me that it was a bad idea or that stevens isnt set up for long full team runs.As a matter of fact they spoke to us like we would be getting crazy miles and running the truck almost 24/7 With wallets that would be too stuffed to fit in our back pockets.All Im really saying is that by not putting us in the best sitution possible it goes to show how little feelings these Otr companies have for their biggest money makers and biggest assets to their company "THE DRIVER"!!!They get by on the fact that their are plenty of fish in the sea!!!

 

a fool is born every minute. Never believe what you are told, do your own research. And why should Stevens change their operations, when they have 100 people a week to fill the seat you vacated?

What does a recruiter, a politician, and a lawyer all have in common?


they all tell you what you want to hear.

 

Hello all where should I start? I attended the school last year and was not explained the whole contract when signing and now since leaving Stevens being fired when on time off and on emergency family issues I got a call. This call was from Stevens assigned collection agency threatening my cdl if I did not pay a minimum of 400.00 to set up a payment plan. So now I am hit with a 10000+ debt. I worked for Stevens around 7 months did company driver first and made no money. Signed with alliance and made one good check in 3 months. I basically got no check for 3 months and when I had home time I took it questioning if I wanted to stay with Stevens or not. I ran 3000+ miles a week and somehow my check was always small. What I am wondering is collection agent said they would file a report on my dac and also make my license invalid. How can they do this with a government issued cdl from the state? This company does not care about its drivers for the most part. ITs drive and drive some more and crappy support system. Your counselor will never answer the phone and rarely call back. When I was let go I was not given any notice or warning or anything to be able to set up a payment plan on this school loan that I paid on for 4 months that amazingly hasn't decreased at all. This company is a good starter company and good training but after that its the heck with you.

 

In all seriousness, contact your Congress Rep. I'm pretty sure Stevens gets Federal money for training people and therefore is subject to heat from Congress.

 

The state issues your license, and is the ONLY person that can revoke your license. don't believe what a collection agency says.

now with that said, you signed the contract, and did not complete the said contract. so yes you owe. Also, don't let any collection agency bully you. Set up an honest payment plan.