Is ATS still a good company?

I will preface 5his by saying I started my career at western express. In 4 months I have made 600 dollars a week once. Every other paycheck is between 300-500 working 3 weeks otr at a time. 40cpm with no raise and lousy miles.

I've been approached by marten who wants 6 months with one company and ats. If I leave now for ats it won't be 6 months with western.

Is ats still a good outfit or should I try to hold out for marten? It's getting very difficult to survive with a 6 year old and an angry wife on the awful western pay

 

A little of both but mostly waiting. Yeah my runs are normally only 3 to 400 miles sometimes to about 7. I try to drop early but not always allowed. It's mostly that I'll wait anywhere from 6 to 12 hours for a load and yeah it ####s up my week

 

ATS is a dry van & flatbed carrier.

Those are generally not good freight types to be considering during a sagging/tightening freight market.

If you do jump ship from WE -- you need to go to a carrier that likely has/will later have plenty of freight, will thus keep you busy -- & of course....will pay you fairly.

These guys have a location over in Wilmington, Deleware....& hire new drivers:

Careers - Leonard’s Express

This carrier is one to get on, & stay with -- but be warned....they can be fairly picky (also over in Delaware):

Make the Switch - Dot Transportation Inc.


These guys also haul reefer loads; later on, if you want to try different freight & expand your skill sets and thus make yourself more marketable -- you could switch over to their tanker fleet, & get some experience there:

Drive for Prime inc. | Start Your Career as a Truck Driver Today


Try out the above (if you haven't, already)...& see what happens. You will likely have a better experience -- & make more money.

In the meantime -- pick up those CDL endorsements (if you don't already have them): tanker, hazmat...& doubles/triples.

More endorsements = more opportunities = mo' money



-- L

 

Awesome. Thanks. Marten is reefer and has 1400 guarenteed weekly. That's something I'm interested in, if they aren't telling half truths, since I have a family to support. Hear anything about marten?

 

If you work for Western, and your miles are short, you gotta have a conversation with your dispatcher. There's a chance that you'll run into the same issues at other companies because of the freight capacity issues. Me personally, I think the better money at Western is on the flatbed side. I'm not by any means telling you to stay at Western necessarily, but I think it's worth it to talk to your dm and get into the habit of having these conversations. Not only that, the first year is always the roughest year. Most people don't do well their first year in the game. Try to do at least year if you can, because trucking companies aren't really hurrying to hire inexperienced drivers right now.

 

A former coworker drove for Marten for several years; he had nothing negative to say about them.

The big problem you have with Marten is that they want 6 months experience, MINIMUM.

The other carriers listed above will very likely take you now.

I would probably apply with Prime, first.

Why?

The others are basically "one trick ponies"....you will only pull boxes with them.

Meanwhile....over at Prime, you could pull reefer, flatbed, &/or tanker (food grade). So there -- you could do like I did (but elsewhere) -- & pick up more than one freight skill set -- yet without changing employers to do so.

This diversity of experience (& the tenure it will require to get it) will make you more attractive to other fleets, later on.

I have yet to talk to a driver who ran with Prime who regretted it afterwards.

-- L

 

Prime pulls hoppers now also!!! Saw one of them in South Carolina recently

 

Prime tanker would be the best gig in my opinion if you can get on in that division.

 

I talked with prime as well. Told me to call back after 6 month experience