thanks for your input. glad you were rehired...like I said I,m new to all this and finding my way around ...can you recomend a good training school or company on the west coast or or ca...Thanks

Your welcome and thanks! You might try watkins shepperd.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Just out of curiousity, is it really good to have that many drivers in training? On the surface, it makes it seem that they are a driver mill doesn't it? What is their turnover rate?

I hope that they are hiring drivers because they have too much freight to move. I'd hate to see them wasting someones time.

There are a couple schools in Portland, once you have your CDL you have plenty to choose from. Interstate, Gordon, Swift will run you on the western regional or I-5 corridor. Good Luck

Thanks good to hear...so far I have been hearing a lot of positive talk about May Trucking

At first I thought that it was an impending economy/short freight cut....but this sounds like a very logical theory also. To anyone considering, I have my own feelings about the company, (which actually for the most part are really good), BUT I still say...They are a good company, and a good place for a rookie to start and learn securement. (I can't count the times I watched drivers from other companies make securement mistakes or tarp like ####, that Maverick taught me to do right- and I don't mean I just think Mav. taught me to do right, the dangers in these mistakes other drivers would make were also taught....I actually had been trained to KNOW why they were mistakes).----Tho I do have to admit to some of the theories of it becoming a rotating door driver mill....and still have to say I can see the higher standards (which it isn't hard to have higher standards then some of these companies).
-If your a rookie considerinig;
1.) get on with them if you can, learn all you can
2.)watch all your safety points (for small things or big)
3.)always remain professional
4.)ALWAYS SECURE TO THEIR STANDARD (and if your like me- go past their standard)
5.)call and ask for securement advice when you need it- they are GREAT about that
6.) don't run yourself stupid, but take care of your company
7.) be ready to move on in a professional manner if that is the route you/they take.

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"Knock the ####### bottom out!"
"Life after DAC."

I found out why the 16 year mav driver was fired. Improper load securement. Had 2 straps over a shot gun coil. No chains, no trip chains. Would you keep a driver that cares nothing for others safety?

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Companies may operate differently these days, and what I am about to say may not be the case here, but.....

I went through the bad economy and trucking company shutdowns of the late 70s early 80s. In fact, not a single company I have driven full time for since 1975 is still in business. There is one still in business I worked part time for, and another has changed hands, and is ran different, but still under the same name.

I saw two trends that companies getting ready to go under would do.

If a company thought thought they may be bought out, they would run the trucks to the ground, skip service, wash jobs, and use recaps instead of new tires. Another thing was cutting out extras that drivers were paid, firing drivers for anything, hiring new drivers for less, and running them to death.

Number two was if a company was trying desperately to hang on.

These companies also weeded out drivers who made a lot, and hired more casual drivers. The biggest thing I saw, and I saw this on several ocasions, was to buy almost all new trucks. These companies had trucks that were high mile, no warranty, and used their own shops to repair.

The thinking was they could get new trucks that had a warranty, so they could cut shop employees, parts inventories, and also have trucks with new tires, so the tire bill would be greatly reduced for a year or two.

The newer trucks were supposed to get better fuel mileage, which saved money. New trucks also left the impression with drivers that the company could not be in bad financial shape, or they would not buy new trucks.

The new trucks also were used in a campaign to get freight from competitors, as proof that this company was commited to getting the freight to its destination fast and reliable.

If you put pen to paper, calculate the savings of shop employees, parts inventories, tires, fuel, repairs made under warranty, customer and driver perception, then the cost of the new truck per mile compared to the old trucks looks like a win/win situation.

The real world does not always work out that way. All of the companies who tried this went under, including the one I drove for.

Now that's just ####### dangerous and lazy....No way would I keep him....he knew better than that crap.

__________________

"Knock the ####### bottom out!"
"Life after DAC."

I have worked for a co that went under. They shut down the terminal I was out of back in the 80's. Here is how I look at it. I have never been fired or laid off. I don't worry about it. If I worried about everything I would have died years ago. These are tough times for all trucking companies. If I lose my job. I have a plan. I will go get another one.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!