Started Applying Yesterday

In case you may have missed this, elsewhere: Roehl Transport does BOTH flatbed & dry van....& ALSO has a terminal near the Chicago area:

https://www.roehl.jobs/about-roehl/locations

If you later meet the right girl -- Roehl offers multiple hometime options, too.

Roehl routinely hires/trains new drivers.

-- L

 

As a former driver with Roehl there are a few things I would strongly recommend if you want to move forward in the application process with them:

1. Do not accept anything that you do not want to do, if you want to do dry van or flatbed do not accept anything like a reefer position unless you are 100% open to doing that for at least a year. I lucked out and after 6 months I switched from reefer to flatbed but that is because the specific flatbed division I moved to was in need of people to work on hauling specialized freight at a very low mileage rate. I was more interested in getting the training and experience and then moving to a higher paying division.

2. Roehl training is exceptionally good and on top of that they have a lot of difference driving opportunities that you should explore from day one once you get their app because as soon as you complete training you can switch to a different fleet, division, etc.

3. Know that they are extremely anal when it comes to what they consider to be safety concerns with your driving and that the trucks have driver facing cameras that will monitor you as well as a bunch of other sensory equipment that they put on these trucks that is very obnoxious. I'm sure that most starter companies are using stuff like this nowadays and when I drove for them I learned how to disable everything other than the camera, I am not recommending anyone do this YMMV

 

I did my first two years with Maverick flatbed. They’ve got a terminal up near Chicago too.

 

Does Roehl run West? I'd ask that question.
Roehl does have a terminal in Phoenix and hires Las Vegas drivers. That's regional also. Maybe can transfer there if so desired.

 

Roehl really only goes west regularly with flatbed. When I was doing reefer with them the furthest west I got to go with Texas aside from one trip that they sent me to cover a dedicated account going to and from Salt Lake City (which is a terrific run).

I tell everyone that the best things to do with Roehl is to do flatbed and get into their curtainside division ASAP or for Dry Van their Lowes fleet racks up good miles.

Normal flatbed with them is okay, the pay is at the top of what you'll get with that company, but you will be chaining and tarping everything to the point that many people get burnt out doing it. The big difference with curtainside is you get like 2 or 3 cents less per mile but their is no tarping or chains involved, only straps. Big miles and 48 state travel with flatbed and curtain at Roehl.

 

I forgot to mention that another fleet to potentially consider with Roehl, especially if you are doing flatbed, is their RGN fleet. They have a specialized pay structure and that actually might be the best fleet to operate in with that company in terms of developing lucrative prospects in the future somewhere else. The YouTube channel Bishop Taylor has put out a lot of content talking about that and the company in general. OTR Duncan is another great YouTube channel that talks about the company and flatbed in particular.

 

Based on my experience Schneider will never give you what you want, you will get stuck doing whatever they want you to do and it usually comes by way of bait and switch. CR England is notorious for low pay and iirc they are one of the companies that run a three bunk set up in some of their trainer trucks.

One thing I neglected to mention about Roehl is that they have a program with Love's in which their drivers get 60 free showers per month. I have not worked for that company since May of last year and I still have 166 free showers remaining. When I left the company last year I had 300 saved up.

 

Schneider is known for bait & switch, plus low pay.