Werner, You can't afford it!

Discussion in 'Werner' started by gmrday, Nov 16, 2006.

  1. gmrday

    gmrday Bobtail Member

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    Nov 16, 2006
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    After leaving a job to pay for Truck driving school I decided to go with werner as they have local runs in my area. I called werner and they said they would put my name on the waiting list for this position when i arrived in orentation. I arrived and the recruiter acted like i was bothering her when i asked about this. I then went to the terminal staff and they had no idea on how to add me to the list. I called driver recruitment and they said i would have to wait until my training was complete which is 275 hours. Ok I decided to begin my training. The trainer was an owner operator and could care less if he ever drove his truck anywhere beyound the local ta truck stop. This is where we spent the majority of the time. I thought truck drivers meant you actually drove the truck, how stupid could i be? Being that he was always late getting started we lost our load to another driver and they gave us a closer one to california. This 10 year vetran truck driver rocket scientist got into town with only 2o mins to deliver the load and had no idea where he was going beacause he refused to follow the dispatcher's instruction on the computer which said, "call your dispatcher". I called on my phone to get directions and got us there. Werner had no load for us to pick up for about 9 hours. Then, suddenly we were sent to on the treasure hunt in la to find the golden empty trailer. Trainer got us lost for 3 hours. Immediately we were sent to pick up a tremendus load of 4 thousand pounds. This took 6 hours to load. The dispatcher then rushed us to pick up another heavy load of 3 thousand pounds. I hope you can see my scarcsim. The trainer was lost on the way for about two hours. I was so mad, I loaded the truck myself. Wohoo I finnaly began to drive. Werner has a curview for new student drivers, which is no driving from midnight to 6am. I drove as far as 1130pm which put us at the ta truckstop outside barstow, ca with a whopping load of 7 thousand pounds. This ultimate truck driver had in his truck a climate control system so you don't have to idil the truck when parked. Only problem, he kept it 95 degrees and i could not sleep. After 3 days of asking, then telling him to turn it down, I began to spend my time in the driver's lounge's at the ta truck stop. I called the mommy number to get off the truck and they said they would put me with another trainer, i only had to get to the bus station and they would reimburse me. The trainer and i should have left by 615 am. He awoke after a short 15 hour nap at 10 am and then i broke the news to him that he sucked and i was leaving. I got permission to leave and had to take a 20 dollar cab ride to the bus station. The number werner gave me to get a bus was invalid as the guy took and hour to try to generate the ticket. All the buses had come and gone. I called and they said the number was fine, it was not. I finnally used my visa card number and decided to get the hell away from werner before they drove me into debt hell. I waited anothe 9 hours outside with no sleep for two days. My visa card worked just fine and i made the 19 hour ride home. If you decide to go with Werner , bring lots of your own money, have a plan to depart because you will when they leave you stranded. They will not pay you as promised when you arrive at orentation. You will be paid on a 7 day cycle and will not be paid for 9 days after you attend orentation. You will never finish your training if your are put with an owner operator so if they do, get out and away then. My advice is to start with a company that does not offer bonuses and does not make alot of promises. If you do, have them put it in writing. I am currently working in my home town at a lessor rate of pay but i am home and they have real incentives and bonuses for good hard work. More importantley, They actually drive trucks to fit the title of truck driver. Do not listen to what the school promises, I say again you are on your own to find a good job, the school gets money for putting you in these worthless companies. Best of all good luck and remember you can only depend on yourself to get a good job.
     
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  3. jeb1964

    jeb1964 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 13, 2006
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    word to the wise.never Quit until you get home.sound like you were with the trainer of the year.My experience with werner is zero.They called me up,said they had an account,regional and it paid on a "sliding pay scale."I was totally speechless.I then ask what the #### that meant.Her (the recruiter) name was amber who explained that the less miles you drive the higher your pay will be (up to 52 cpm)or the more miles you make the less they will pay you (down to 32 cpm).Well I hung up on her.If i go out and bust my but I want the money.Not to be punished.Don't know if that was your trainers problem or not.I talked to a former werner driver who told me that werner trainers were only in it to hook up with women.either way good luck.
     
  4. MrBill

    MrBill Bobtail Member

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    Nov 15, 2006
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    I am the eternal skeptic so I sit here an wonder why a company with only twenty years in business only has two gripes out of about twenty thousand drivers. Can the rest of you who got less than expected sound off?:happy6:
     
  5. Truckin Juggalo

    Truckin Juggalo Medium Load Member

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    Aug 5, 2006
    Madisonville, TN
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    They may have had 20,000 drivers that doesn't mean there all here, i personally never worked for the company all i know is they have blue trucks a dry van and reefer devision and they use electronic log books... it will take some time to get an answer to your question if any at all not everyone has worked at every company
     
  6. luvmyhubby

    luvmyhubby Road Train Member

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    Sep 12, 2005
    Sidney MI
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    I know a guy who went with werner right out of school, in 6 months he was a trainer!! ANY company that would let basically a newbie be a trainer causes me to wonder about them. NO driver with just 6 months experience has any business taking a newbie out and showing them how to run a rig down the road.....they dont have enough experience yet themselves.

    Teenagers who get their drivers licenses have more restrictions put on them than the newbie out of CDL schools/mills. You wouldnt let a kid with 6 months driving experience start to teach others how to drive so why should the adult world be any different???? :smt023
     
    marcb78 Thanks this.
  7. Sad_Panda

    Sad_Panda Road Train Member

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    Dec 2, 2006
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    Hey I just talked to Amber myself. Western reg they pay down to 21 cents a mile, up to 48 cents. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was like "Work more, earn less, and it's a good thing??" She said it was so your paychecks remained the same, or some other thing like that.
     
  8. IAMGREAT

    IAMGREAT Light Load Member

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    Dec 24, 2006
    BUTTE AMERICA !!!
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    werner just needs to fill seats and train new wannabees to drive
    thet blow a lotta smoke about safety and professionalism :smt023
     
  9. flathead

    flathead Light Load Member

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    Jan 4, 2007
    North of Syracuse, NY
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    Actually, letting a kid with 6 months' driving experience start to teach others how to drive is LEGISLATED in many states. Not in that exact wording, but that is often the unintended consequence. The way it works is, you might have to wait until age 17 or 18 (per state law) to get a learner's permit. You get your learner's permit, then almost immediately leave for college in another state. Now who teaches you how to drive? You guessed it...some fellow college kid who has held an unrestricted operator's permit for 6 months or less. -Dave
     
  10. IdahoGhost

    IdahoGhost Light Load Member

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    Jul 20, 2006
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    That's nonsense. Werner goes to great lengths to promote safety and encourage their drivers to be professionals. Whether someone ACTS in a professional manner or not is up to the individual.

    I've seen drivers, both Company and O/O whom I thought could stand a bit more professionalism... Just go to the Pilot on x126 on I-85 NE of Atlanta sometime and I think you'll agree.

    Werner makes quite a bit of info available to their drivers through a computer-based system installed at their terminals. Drivers are REQUIRED to review new material and information on a quarterly basis to stay up to date. Werner also uses the Qualcomm system to send safety updates to their fleet almost on a daily basis.

    FYI, I'm no longer on Werners payroll so don't chalk this up as a "fan boy" attitude in their defense...
     
    Belton Bandit and BriFar Thank this.
  11. DeepC

    DeepC Bobtail Member

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    Feb 7, 2007
    Largo, Fl
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    I don't know. Werner stuck me in a very unsafe truck with major malfuntions and refused to repair/replace it. I came close to wrecking 4 times do to the mechanical issues...not my driving, and they would do nothing no matter how much I complained.
     
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