Specialized Transportation Services (STS) Out of Smyrna TN

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by NomadMack, Sep 25, 2016.

  1. NomadMack

    NomadMack Bobtail Member

    3
    5
    Sep 25, 2016
    0
    I have been Driving for about 4 years now,working on trucks for about 7 years on and off. I Was OTR for a long time and decided to spend more time at home. I left the Local trucking Company I worked for and decided to do some Tree work to get that "Time at home" feel while making money. The Tree company turned out to be #### there slave labor and Just because I had a CDL with Experience didn't mean I wouldn't be running a chipper 8 hours a day . Anyway put myself Back on the Market for a new Driving Job. Never Having worked for a Super Mega Carrier I decided to apply at all of them and See what I got back. I had many call me back and I was hearing numbers of .33cpm, 35cpm 38cmp ect ect. Why would you work for 33cpm? A friend of mine worked for Celadon so i decided to ask him how they treated their drivers. He told me he left Celadon for a company called STS and if I enjoyed Sitting waiting for a load to go ahead and go to Celadon. Again another Big company with a Big tune that was just a big fiddle if you know what I mean. He told me to apply with STS and They were good, nice trucks blah blah blah. I didn't listen to him. I kept applying to other carriers, some I liked but didnt like the pay some I liked the pay but not the home time. I finally threw in the towel and Applied at STS. I didnt hear anything from them for a few days and forgot all about it. When they did call I expected them to be like everyone else asking the same questions every other companies asked but they didn't. They were real people answering every real question I had to ask. I remember the Recruiter from Celadon Saying "we will find out during Orientation" When I asked a real tough question like . How much will i get paid if my truck breaks down? why is the driver turn out rate so high for your company? how long do drivers usually sit for a load? Suff like that. I would ask a question and STS would have an answer and if they didn't they had someone from that department call me and answer. I wasn't even an employee at the company yet. I continued on with the process and never considered I would be considering them for employment. Sent in my medical card, long form ect. everything they asked for. It took about a month to get everything squared away. They did everything before I went to Orientation. Unlike some companies that the 3rd sentence in the conversation was about a date to get me to orientation. They did EVERYTHING before I left. Even the Drug screens. The recruiter said they didn't want to waste my time by sending me to orientation to find out I didn't qualify or That It wasn't what they said it was. After everything they put my pay, home time, and benefits package all in writing. They were going to send me on a bus From SC to TN for orientation but they got a truck to meet me so I didn't have to take that 10 hr ride. They expressed they didnt want me to have an uncomfortable trip on the bus but we all know it saved money to not bus me there. When I got there I expected a Huge building with trucks racing around and plenty of people in the offices. Well there were about 15 people working there including the mechanics in the shop. I waited in the drivers lounge expecting a load of new fresh meat to show up for the orientation but that didn't happen. Only 3 people came. Lounge was shared by the dispatchers, Operations supervisors, and everyone in the building. I saw a few people come in and out, They all wanted to carry on a conversation with me. I wasn't wearing a name tag that said "New Hire" or anything. One guy came in and we had a great conversation about guns and other things men like. Figured he must have been someone that worked in the back. Another guy asked me how my day was and if I needed anything. Turns out he was the owner of the company ( found that out during orientation. He didn't look any different from anyone else that was in the building. I did my road test the same day, They gave us 3 in orientation the company car to drive to the hotel and asked us to be back by 730 the next morning. The next day they drilled tons of info into our heads and sent us back to the hotel. that was basically orientation. the 3rd day they issued us our trucks and gave us loads, I met with my dispatcher and he asked me how I wanted to run, what I liked to do on my days off ect. He said he would try his best to get me home when I needed to be. Then I went on my way to make money. Ive been here almost a month and so far everything is what they said. I asked for a Mack and they gave me a Mack. I asked to be home every weekend and I'm home every weekend. I did have some Issues with a trailer, it was my fault because in orientation they warned us about Checking the inspection stickers because some trailers sit at shippers for a very very long time. I hooked up to one of the older trailers and didn't realized it was out of inspection for over a year, again my fault I waited at the T/A for Almost 8 hours. Never once has anyone been rude with me so far. I go where they send me no matter the mileage short runs + long runs at the end of the week it always adds up to 2500-3000 a week. OTR Drivers get 48cpm and go to 50cpm after a year I believe so Imagine they do pretty well on that side. Im regional at 41cpm and that will increase with time. Im not out here trying to make a million a year but I am out here trying to make a living and remember what my home looks like. Overall my Experience so far is great. I will post updates as I go. For everyone its not the same. I read on here that finding a good trucking company is like finding a wife. Find one that you are willing to put up with their BS and one that is willing to put up with yours.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Puppage

    Puppage Road Train Member

    4,235
    7,302
    Aug 2, 2012
    Connecticut
    0
    I am glad you had a great experience. May it continue.
     
  4. Jasonsweet2602

    Jasonsweet2602 Bobtail Member

    4
    0
    Jan 16, 2017
    0
    So do they take owner operators if so let me know.
     
  5. sgt50

    sgt50 Light Load Member

    149
    30
    Jun 24, 2007
    Down South
    0
    Worked for them for a short period, and yes they are a great company.
     
    NomadMack Thanks this.
  6. NomadMack

    NomadMack Bobtail Member

    3
    5
    Sep 25, 2016
    0
    They don't take O/OS . As a side note I'm still here and I still love it. Decent money and Excellent hometime. I'm home every weekend for a good period of time. What you make per week is up to you. If you ask for work you will get it. If you cry about home you will get home but don't expect to make thousands. We all know in this business nobody is going to hand you money if you don't work for it....Unless your a broker haha. Equipment is great as well. I broke down in a loaner truck a few months ago and they had me in a shop the same day and put me in a hotel. They told me if the truck wasn't ready that they would come get me and bring me to another truck. These people do care and won't leave you sitting somewhere like a piece of meat. Never really had a problem with equipment other than that. I will say that these #### Mack 12v outlets aren't worth ####.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.