For those thinking of driving for Werner, DON'T.

hey im on midwestern regional and not really. first of all i trained with a trainer on southeast regional...we got all the way to new mexico and oregon. I stayed out and went solo and started out in omaha and went to kansas, oklahoma, texas, louisiana, florida, and when i went home, missouri, illinois, and im currently at home under a load to canada (but im not crossing the border because i dont have a passport yet). but ive been flat out told i need to get a passport and go to canada later because i live in michigan. they have a lot of ontario freight. whatever.

but they seem to put you out of your region if it means getting you a load or not, and then it snowballs. thats what i think.

 

I was askin because I start orientation nov 18 in lithia springs ga. Also did u wait along time for your own truck after you finished your 300?

 

Falls,
I am waiting for my trainer to pick me up and I sincerely hope that I don't get you for a trainer. If you are still working for Werner, that it... I certainly do not want to be on a truck for how many ever weeks with someone who it appears does not like the company that they are with and probably doesn't like his job. My first trainer was a true professional and had no negative things to way about the company. His attitude and way of teaching was great and he is a credit to Werner.
All of you who are considering Werner need to do your homework, then make your decision on whether you want to go with them or not. My experience so far has been pretty good.

 

Also what kind of truck did they give you?

 

So thats where you have been, have not seen you on here in a while. So looks like everything is going good. goodluck.

 

i have orientation on the 21 can somebody tell me what thats gonna be like my dad friend said their gonna try to finger me o.0

 

I have a 2008 Freightliner Cascadia with an Eaton-Fuller 9 Speed Top 2, and a Detroit Diesel series 60 515HP.It was located at OKC and I processed out in Omaha, so I was given a daycab to drive to OKC (its about 400 miles) to pick the truck up and I was screwed around by weekend dispatch about the keys (i processed out on friday).....so...

 

They absolutely do hire 1000 people a month. Also, I went to orientation at covenant, they do 1 orientation a week at 2 terminals, there were 90ish people in my class and i was told that was a small class. 200 a week times 5 weeks...a thousand a month.......

However, I know that werner is a better company than CRST (worked there, anywheres better), US Xpress and Covenant (have friends that work for the last two). The reason they hire so many people is that people come into trucking thinking it's going to be something it's not. It's hard work, working in excess of 14 hours a day at times, and you make a lot of money but you deserve a LOT more than you make. It sucks and so people quit. People are often poorly trained, have an accident, and are fired. Also, werner has a habit of letting people process out of training and then making them wait for weeks for trucks. I'm sure a good deal of trainees quit because of that...

 

Yup, been with a trainer running 48 states. Took a couple weeks off for family issues. Just about done now and should be offered a truck to run solo pretty soon now. I did meet a woman driver at Werner who would like to run as a team with me. We shall see.
I don't know if anyone who is considering driving is reading any of these posts but here is what I have to say about going into training...
If you, as a prospective driver, do not have a strong work ethic this is NOT the job for you. You have to be able to assume responsibility, work hard, and be able to think for yourselves. If you can't do all of those things this is not the job for you. This is a hard, stressful, thankless job sometimes. But there are many great benefits to the job too. You'll work hard during training and I can assure you that you'll be tired more often than not. But I wouldn't trade it for any other job I've ever done in this industry. Do your homework for any company you might be considering and when you do start driving give it your all. Good luck and be safe!
PS: I could go on and on but I'm too tired LOL

 

I had one of "those" days today. I just wanted to quit. But I can't because I'm an adult, you know!

What did werner think about taking a couple weeks off? I'd like to take a non paid vacation sometime. But I'd lose my tractor. But I'm really starting to wish I did not have an APU anyway!

Anyway, i woke up in La Porte, IN at 430 AM this morning. (about 30 mins from where i live by the way), with an 8AM drop in Bridgeport, IL (80 miles away), figuring i'd either beat rush hour and get there early or hit rush hour and get there on time. Got there at 7 (got lost for 45 minutes, to be perfectly honest. Wouldnt have happened if i had a GPS. Local maptuit directions were confusing and roads too small to be on my atlas.). Had to wait til 8 for recieving to come in, ok, dont care since im early. Recieving immediately got their 13 pallets off the truck and I was out of there fast. I headed to Chicago for the final consignee. Well, my directions said to go to this one road right off Sayre, but my bills said it went to a place on South Sayre. I assumed it was just a big building and the docks were on a different street. Nope. Same company, different building. Well, so i knew where South Sayre was, didn't ask for directions..but the recieving chick did mention that it was by old harlem ave. Well, road was closed at the CSX yard, and the other direction the addresses were going the wrong way. I went past the road closed signs and realized there was nothing open past CSX. I asked the guard at CSX how to get there. Well, so i go down harlem to 68th st, and make a right on Sayre. Well, turns out it doesnt connect to South Sayre...but i saw old harlem a block before this.. So i turned around and went down old harlem. it goes around a corner and all of a sudden i see a sign with the right name on it. I parralel park. I notice a street sign, "Sayre". note that it says SAYRE, not SOUTH SAYRE. oh, and it actually *is* the one that I turned on off 68th....but some moron built a railroad track across it and didnt build a crossing, so it is impassable!! NOTE: At no point was I making random turns in Chicago. I'm not stupid. All of the turns were onto roads that i could see were filled with warehouses and trucks and things.

I had to wait 3 hours to get unloaded. I eat lunch and get on the internet for a bit (yay for cellular!)

I get a load as soon as im unloaded, picking up at Midwest Fiber at Ogden Ave. Well, so i get there, and i see a big sign saying "(address) ALL TRUCKS SIGN IN BEFORE ENTERING NO EXCEPTIONS)". This place was in downtown, in the ghetto. I parralel park past the place and go into the yard and ok ok so im told to come in. To get into this place....well, Ogden is a 5 lane city street, with a lot of traffic, and its a right turn, with a building on one side and a pole on the other side thats already been whacked with a truck......i had to use ALL FIVE LANES to make that turn. And honestly, even if i had come the other way (which would involve a lot of out of route driving), and made a left, it wouldve still been a difficult turn. Every maneuver i made in that yard was like brain surgery. Ugh.

Then i left to indianapolis to drop the load. in rush hour. I drove for 6 hours and only got 170 miles. come on.

But im an adult and i know next week will be better.

Oh and werner is reimbursing us for $10 for a dinner tomorrow if we are on the road, which i will be, voluntarily. But i have to actually send in a receipt with my trip pack. LOL. Cheapasses.