Questions before Orientation

Speaking about orientation, here's a Knight orientation video. At least their recruiters are honest.....

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ-pzjBJyrA&desktop_uri=/watch?v=mZ-pzjBJyrA

 

I leave for Orientation tomorrow. Going to Orientation in Atlanta. I looked and talked to many companies and read many posts on here. I hope I made the right decision.

 

OzzyOKC,
Tough luck on the job app, but I decided to reply to your post to help future drivers out that are wondering the same.

1. We are a NO FORCE DISPATCH to NYC, but remember that rejecting a load might give the fleet manager an impression that you are picky and lazy. As far as chains a lot of north west states require you carry them during winter. If you are running through a state that was the sign on saying to throw on chains just pull over and shut down until the roads clear out. Our loads are averaged at 45 mph so you have a little bit of time to spare, even running at 62 mph.

2. The last time I spoke to maintenance Elogs are on the way. Last I heard it will be mandated in 2015 for all carriers. If I am wrong someone please correct me, but in all honesty Elogs are not that bad.

3. We have a mixed fleet of KW's, Pete's, Internationals, and Freightliners. Some automatic, and some manual. The good portion of the fleet right now that I see are Freightliner Cascadia's, but I know we just started purchasing International Prostars again. All tractors, except trainer and team trucks, are mid roof. All of our trucks have either an apu, epu, or an optimized idle on the truck. USA does not allow more than a 5% idle time each month. Most trucks come with a power inverter. Some have 1500W, some with 3000W, mine has a 5000W. I think the previous one broke and thats what replaced it.

Jyust to give you an idea my tractor is a 62 mph 2012 Cascadia with a Detroit DD15, and an Eaton Fuller 10 speed manual transmission. I have an APU with A/C, an S-bar heater, and 5,000W power inverter with two standard edison outlets.

 

No forced dispatch to NYC but what they'll do is tell you that the zip code doesn't qualify and force you there anyway and cheat you out of the extra $100. I've been to the Bronks, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island but I was somehow not in NYC according to dispatch.

 

I had 4 pu's in Brooklyn last Monday (never again) I best see my money on Friday or we'll sparse for sure.

 

I've never been to NYC or the 5 boros and never will. The couple of times they asked me, then begged me, then tried to tell me I just politely refused and told them maybe for $1000 extra I would but they wouldn't bite. Soo.. they just don't ask anymore.

 

NYC is not that bad as long as you do your homework before going in. You also need to make sure you have a plan to get back out. The streets are one ways just like downtown Chicago ot LA so you'll never get back out the same way you came in.

 

They are all yours, you can have them. Enjoy!

 

I have no desire to run in NYC. Not worth $100 to me.