I Start With Averitt in January 2012

I am not familiar with Mechanicsburg so I can't help you out there. I also do know if day cabs are auto shift but I do believe they are.

I promised to tell you the good and the BAD, so here goes. This isn't Averitt's fault but the customers. I finished off a beer load from Houston to Jackson, MS and was given a load to dead head 124 miles to West Monroe, LA to pick up a load of paper. The pick up window for this "drop and hook" was 5pm to 11pm. Got here at 5:30 to find out the load was supposed to be ready two days ago but was now listed as a live load. No problem. Will do my break here and gas on it in the morning, right? Well it is now Saturday morning and still NO clue as to when I will get loaded. The butt munch at Security won't even let the drivers use a bathroom. We must walk or drive almost a mile to the Circle K store. This may be the first weekend I don't get home on time. I will need to get home because I have one uniform set left before I am out of clean clothes. The good news is I am being paid detention pay every hour after 7:30pm last night so I am not sitting for free. Sadly there are six other Averitt trucks sitting here with drivers who want to get home as well. Since going solo in February this is the first time something like this has happened so I am dealing with it okay.

I used to live in Monroe years ago so I have friends here who I can visit with while I wait. That will keep me busy and out of trouble I am sure. I cannot believe the customer doesn't have a portable toilet set up in this "staging lot" for drivers. I will contact the customer about that next week and suggest they offer one.

Last night I spent time talking to the other Averitt drivers here. One has 3 years, one has 8 years, the other 5, one guy over 10 and one has 7. I am the newbie. It is very encouraging to meet drivers who have been with a company this long and still enjoy it. Makes me know I have made the right choice.

BTW...if you read this thread and decide to give Averitt a try if you don't mind use my name as a reference. Matt Haase. It will put a few bucks in my pocket. I have heard from no less than 3 drivers who have come on with Averitt just by reading this thread. The extra bucks would be GREAT if you do decide Averitt is for you.

End of commercial. LOL. Will let you know if I ever get loaded here. In the meantime Johnny's Pizza will be getting a call from me while I am here. The "Sweep the Swamp" pizza is to DIE for if you love cajun seafood.

 

Well, another good week is underway. Wednesday night and I have 2000 miles already. I have talked to several Averitt drivers of the last three days and all of them have had positive things to say about miles. I hope freight stays strong.

Camped out at our Cincinnati yard. Ready for some sleep.

 

I love my Fleet Manager. Earlier this week my 13 year old grandson asked if I could possibly get home by Friday evening so we could go to the Relay for Life. I am a cancer survivor and he wants to walk the cancer survivors lap with me. One of the organizers called me and asked me to emcee some of the evening since I worked in radio in the area for 17 years. I let my fleet manager know on Tuesday. He has me a load from Columbia, IN to Ooltewah, TN delivering tomorrow by 11 AM. I will get to sleep tonight at home, deliver in the morning and then enjoy until Monday at home.

From a drivers standpoint what else can you say about how a company treats you. Four nights in my own bed...2500 miles in 4.5 days. Great equipment. Great facilities. Understanding fleet manager. If I didn't love Averitt before I do now.