Why???

You know why... recruiters.

People see $$$ signs and just jump without thinking. And yes, many of them do think they will be treated like a long lost son.

But, you know as I do. They will have to pay their own dues. And I'm not refering to "just" getting experience. I'm taking about being bent over a fuel tank a couple of times by their company.

As rookies, we knew it all or thought we did. They will have to do the same.

It's dog eat dog out here now days. The younger guys no longer want advise and guidance from the older guys that have been around the block.

Todays world teaches them, We are bitter, jaded, and old school, not to be trusted for our advise. Our experience means nothing. That's why companies are using 6 month experience drivers as trainers. The new breed, doesn't play well with the old breed.

 

Well if you read most of these they even say well all I read is bad about them, but I am going there anyway, wish me luck................

 

My husband has had to take an OTR job. He's been driving local for almost ten years, and was with a company that he was making decent money with. They closed the terminal he was working out of, so he took a job with another local company, and suddenly we've got half the income. So, we started looking at OTR. We put out quite a few apps, then it dawned on me to check the net for trucker forums to find out what drivers say about these companies. Well, most of the apps we put out were with places that didn't have bad raps. We narrowed it down to a couple that he really liked, and thankfully he got hired by one of them. But he probably would have went with a less than desirable company if I hadn't started searching for info about the different places. I agree 100% that people should research these companies before they jump in, talk to drivers they see out on the road that drive for that particular company about them, and if the place has a bad rap don't go. There were a few places we sent apps to that looked great on their web site, all these great perks, but after checking them out on different message boards, and hubby talking with their drivers when he'd see them, we nixed them real fast.

RESEARCH, I can't stress that enough. And if you're going to be silly enough to go with them even after you find nothing good about them, your the one who pays for it if you get screwed. Don't blame us, don't cry about it, cause we tried to warn you.

 

Glad to hear ya'll checked things out first. Many leap and then try to recover.

 

Actually, their families will be paying the price. As seen time and again on this board.

Many of the ones that come here crying, are family members who are close to losing everything. The driver makes it to the forum, after the crash of life as they knew it. And does the same exact thing AGAIN, even after they read this board and the bad reports on the new company they want to go to.

 

I so agree with research....I am a researching freak! I have read so much about all these companies my head began to swim. I think the reason that alot of people say "I read bad things about so and so but I am now going with them so wish me luck" is because there is so much bad stuff about every company. If you really went with everything you read then you would not even get into the trucking industry.

And sometimes people are put into a position where they have to take a chance and go with a company that they don't really want to go with, just so they can get their foot in the door and get some experience. I don't think that is a bad thing as long as you go in with your eyes wide open and have zero expectations. My husband and I are leaving this weekend to go with Werner and we don't have high expectations. All we want is to do our year and then go from there. But we know that we got ourselves into this situation (can't afford to pay for school on our own and our credit sucks) so we realize that we are the ones who have made it hard on ourselves. We are not looking for an easy ride or a handout and I think that this the problem that alot of people have out there.

Sure, I would love to see the companies out there tell the truth and be honest...but the chance of that happening is slim to none. So instead do your research, pick the least of two evils and hope for the best!

It has been said before and I will say it again, everyone has to start somewhere. If all the newbies were not going to Swift, Werner, JBHunt etc then they would be somewhere else and those trucks would be getting beat up! It is going to happen, especially since there are so many CDL Mills out there that don't really teach you how to drive. I look at going with these companies kind of like boot camp for the new trucker!!!

So, here ya go...."wish me luck!" LOL

 

Drifter,

I guess the one thing that really seperates the "old vs new". Is the truck they drive.

I can go into any company, and spot the seasoned drivers that are making money. Spotting the newbies, can be difficult. Namely because they want and demand a new truck like Mr. Smith with 12 years at the company has.

New Truck does not equal Old employee anymore. My truck is a 04, looks like hell on the outside (nasty), could use a good cleaning on the inside, but it wouldn't scare anyone away.

But a noob would complain for days if it was given to them, spotless. And use his first afternoon cleaning it. A seasoned hand would toss the trash, fire it up, and make a dollar that day.

Differant worlds apart.