Interstate Distributor reviews

I cleared about $1500 running the east this week, I couldn't even do that with the last company. There's a lot of opportunity over here at interstate. I have already found a good productive lane to run that pays.

I worked there for about 5 years, but left for a local job a few months ago but it isnt working out. Overall they are a good company. You gotta take the good with the bad. I am schedule to come back through orientation the end of August.

Q: How Did the orientation go?

A: Not bad...standard stuff like drug test, road test & paperwork one normally goes thru with most orientations, everyone was friendly & helpful.
Tacoma terminal nice & clean plus has full kitchen cafe.

Q: What percentage do you get on the loads?

Are you allowed to pick your own loads off of a load board of some sort?

A: 65% load board after 30 days

A: According to the O/O recruiter, if you have load board experience, they will let you on it. They want the new guys to get comfortable before taking that on. 65% is also the base, it can be higher than that. I've been looking at moving from the company side to O/O for a while, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I just leased my truck on at IDC, pulled my first load 2/22/16, and came from a well known OO only company.

Orientation is 2 days. Be prepared for 3-4 days (including orientation) to get a DOT inspection, Qualcomm and stickers installed. The shop only schedules 2 OO trucks a day for this. I almost left due to a problem with the shop after orientation. Long story, but it was resolved and I will say I am glad I didn't leave. There is also a new company policy regarding OO due to the problem I had.

I had load board experience so I was given access immediately. The load board is a lot different from what I'm used to, but simple to learn. IDC doesn't book a lot of freight more than about 3 days out and that's all you'll see on the board. I will be given additional access within a couple more weeks. Seemed strange at first, but it works.

As far as company versus OO, it doesn't seem to matter who's who with them. I have access to the same loads as the company guys. The only freight that doesn't make it to the board is dedicated.

I have a "business partner" (dispatcher) here. If I have questions, he's the guy I talk to and actually, I have access to 2 more guys when mine is not available. No agents. He will not even call me to tell me he needs a load covered. He won't ask me to cover a load when I call him. He will assign a load to me if I ask him to do so or I can directly assign the load to myself off the board. If he assigned it, it was because I had questions about it and decided to do it.

I am on the west coast. Very decent rates out of Southern Cal. Crappy rates back. I'm in it for the average and, so far, have done better than decent. If you expect $2.00 a mile loads for everything you do, this isn't the place for you, but I suspect nowhere would be a good place for you.

Fuel discounts could be better. Only 10 cents off the cash price. You can bring your own fuel card, but with summer approaching, that 10 cents will more than likely overtake your own card if you use FleetOne through NASTC. It will be the opposite in winter.

Plates and permits, including 2290, are paid. You will need to supply your own PrePass, Norpass or BestPass.

I brought a 2016 Cascadia. insurance is reasonable. Comp/Collision runs me about $88 a week (varies based on value of truck). Bobtail $8 a week. Their Choice Plus is $4 a week (worth the money). Occupational accident is $27 a week. Qualcomm runs $10 a week and includes a GPS. Other deductions are for fuel, fuel and mileage tax and a maintenance account. A maintenance account is not required and I opted out. There are no card fees for fueling. You aren't nickel and dimed to death here.

If your truck breaks, be prepared to pay for it yourself. They do not offer loans.

If you're a cash advance guy, they offer $0 dollars a week.

This is what I got from the recruiter: 
"The job would be running containers in the Southeast as far west as I-35 and North of I-80. The thing I like about this job is that it is round trip so you will never have to wait for your next load, you are paid empty or loaded. You would need a HazMat and TWIC card within 30 days of being hired but keep your recipts, the company will remburise you for it! Pay depends on experience. " the job would be out of jacksonville fl

They have a regional set up, so depends on what terminal you hire on from determines your region, company drivers won't run all 48, central don't go to west coast, and the miles are terrible, they don't give a #### about the driver and you just won't make money, the rate per mile looks good until you find out the miles that make it look good don't exist. I would not look to work here, you will be disappointed. I left and it was over the money plain and simple.

Just checking in to see how the miles are going for all? I been running hard hitting 2800 to 3100 and getting home weekly. I really love working with the team out of Dallas. Go IDC!

I always got plenty of miles when I was at IDC. They treated me well and I got home pretty much every week and a half. I got upwards of 2800 miles a week and some weeks, if the loads fell right, I would run 3100 miles and end up getting home with 20 minutes on my 70. cutting it close, but always drove like crazy. You just need to communicate with your manager concerning your hours, any issues, ect, and they will keep you moving. Just like any company, if you don't look out for your self, no one else will. It really is a good company. I worked there twice before I bought my own used truck and went to Schneider's Choice program. I would have stayed at IDC if they had a program where O/O's could pick their loads off a load board like SNI has. IDC does have a TON of drop/hook freight. I almost never had a live anything. Nothing wrong with IDC.

I run on the reefer division, which is a lot of I-5. Right now I get 2600 a week, but its been slow. Last year I usually got 2900-3100 a week. I make .39 and they have that goofy bonus I cant figure out but I normally get it each month. Sometimes ill haul a dry load, but its not that often.

You can use the navigation on the qualcomm but when I was there the dispatch option wasn't fully functional so you had to input the address of the shipper/receiver manually on the qualcomm gps which was annoying. A nice option is the off duty driving which they allow you to use. My only complain was the lack of stacked loads on the dry van side. I came from swift and before I got to a receiver I all ready had a preplan coming in to get me out of the area. With interstate sometimes you might have to wait a few minutes after delivering to get a preplan I had to bug mydispatcher lol they do stack some loads on you once in a while. Could be totally different with reefer or a different dispatcher. If you like the i5 and i15 then they are a decent company. I hope to get on with them again on the 4x4 fleet before leasing my own truck onto them.

Q: Are you allowed to drop trailer n bobtail for those 45 mins?...guess driver can use the 45 for personal time to restock on food? Or wash clothes? Etc..or?
Is preloaded trailers the norm for reefer side?...or. just hit n miss?

A: Yeah I have to drop the trailer. I cant have a trailer empty or loaded during my off duty driving. I can do pretty much anything during that time as long as its not a restricted truck stop. I normally head to Walmart and restock my fridge and other necessities. I do laundry at the terminals or when I'm home every couple weeks. 

Preloaded is majority of Interstates freight from what i see on both dry and reefer, but i do get stuck at the Safeway DC waiting to get loaded. I hate that place.