Help choosing starting company

I'd avoid CR England. However, look thru the forum and all the answers are there.

 

Do your research and you can find a company that you can stay with!

 

Watkins Shepard Trucking - Pheonix, AZ $40,000 -$50,000 first year, no big company Micromangeing BS....



American Trucker

 

Longterm, Kingman AZ is going to be a major limiting factor if you plan on calling that 'home" and want to be able to have a "home life". Unless you can get on with someone like CTI there in Kingman.

 

I'm new to trucking.
I picked Schneider and so far....I don't regret a thing.
They have great benefits, OK pay, and have been quick to start reimbursing me for my cdl school and other misc expenses.

 

I am a wannabe so I cannot recommend companies being that I have not worked in any of them
BUT
I have been doing TONS of research... and what I have come up with is:

1) Don't begin BROKE... if you can help it...
2) Try to get any issues out of the way... dentist, health, legal, bankrupcy, ANYTHING that you think will take you out of that truck for the first year or two.
3) Try to get rid of as many bills as you can
4)Know your DMV history... go to DMV and get a 10 year report -- do not go by memory!!!
5) Get a physical and ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT SLEEP APNEA -- if you have medical.
6) BE A DETECTIVE OF LOSE ENDS IN YOUR LIFE B4 YOU APPLY.

THEN... for what I read, the choice of company will largely depend on where they hire and whether they have a terminal relatively near where you want your home time...TO UP TO 2 hour drive +/- within a state.

That should narrow your choices to a choice few.

Then...

There are companies that have their own schools for CDL where if you get hired and pass the phases you got a job and then there are companies that have REIMBURSEMENT SYSTEMS -- similar but not the same... that may narrow it further...

THEN...

There are companies that FORCE PER DIEM ON YOU this is a PET PEEVE of MINE... some people are ok with it... I am NOT OK with MR. BOSS MAN messing with my pay check...
As a matter of fact in my research, I have used the research button and used the words "tolls", "scales", "reimbursements", "lumpers" to figure out companies that have trouble reimbursing drivers...
I don't want to be on the phone with payroll every week over 20 or 25 bucks NOR LOSE THAT MONEY EITHER!!!!

Then...

There are companies that are only teams or flat bead or reef or want you to Lease right away (YIKES!! )

So, in the end, you are probably looking at no more than 7 companies

there is plenty to read... use the search button... go over the u-tube videos for the pre-trip inspections for the different trucks and how to balance a load, chain, hook up, qual coms, try not to be in a hurry..

There are some good threads of people who have done a whole year at companies that should give you a realistic expectation of what is coming... I got the bug last September and was ready to start sending applications in November when I found this forum... and started reading the misery of people who went at it stuck on stupid... it requires a clear mind under pressure making little money at first... and learning how to be safe driving that rig, OH, and backing it UP!!!

be well!

 

how many of these threads can we have in a week...ahhhhhhh!!!!!!

 

thats good advice there and yes BACKING IS A MUST CAN DO peev in trucking if no more than just to make yourself look good thats what swift catches most OPINIONS about