USA Truck Driver Newbies, this post is for guys who are wondering what usa like

Just finished orientation at Vandalia today. 2.5 days long and physical is just a normal one with drug screen. Had two guys get sent home, one because he lied about felonies and the other drank everynight was falling asleep in class constantly. Def gotta be honest about everything. Got my truck today and load headed home to get the rest of my stuff. Not happy about the automatic transmission I got but it is a freightliner and it runs good. LoL!

 

Did my orientation in Van Buren, AR. First load was Hazmat to Dallas so my trainer could get stuff from his house since he had just gone through orientation after coming back yet again, this time from Swift. Then I had to stay in a Dallas truck stop from 4pm til 12 pm the next day. That's how my career started at USA. Had a 119 mile deadhead to Paris, TX then 1200 miles to Bedford, PA and back to Cincinatti, OH today. Now we're in Vandalia because our truck is losing a gallon of coolant a day. Fun Fun Fun!! And to those who are trying to decide whether or not to do the Driver Solutions thing, try other avenues. I got into this ######## contract with them because I was in dire need to start working. Talk to your unemployment office, local community colleges that offer CDL training about grants, or save the money on your own to pay for the training. DO NOT GO THROUGH DRIVER SOLUTIONS!!!! If you do go through a company training school, it will likely be a hell of a lot less expensive to pay them back than through Driver Solutions. Just saying guys.

 

Considering all the other things that could have happened, it really doesn't sound like you are having it too bad. Waiting is part of the game in trucking. Waiting for the next load, waiting to get loaded, waiting to get unloaded, waiting for the truck to be repaired. We all complain that we have to wait, but that's just part of the business. Get used to it. Besides, as a student, you get paid the same when you are moving or when you are sitting.
As far as the DS contract, I hate to say it, but they did exactly what they said they were going to do. Get you your CDL and place you in a company. Unfortunately fulfilling their part of the contract. Question is, will you keep your word and fullfill your part?

 

My only problem with having to wait 20 hours the first day was that we were supposed to be to the shipper at noon the next day and my trainer didn't get back to the truck stop until 11:30 and we had a 2 hour drive still. It just seems like it takes forever to do anything and then he gets pissed when something doesn't go his way then takes it out on me. I'm doing what I'm told to the best of my abilities, he just has a short temper. I will fulfill my end of the bargain with Driver Solutions, I'm just going to recommend to other newbies to try to go every other route before working with them. My unemployment office was consolidating with another one so I wouldn't have been able to start at my community college for another 3 months.

 

So you have a short tempered and non proffesional trainer and that's driver solutions fault why?

If you don't feel you can learn from your trainer because of his attitude or personality conflicts then it is your responsibility to let the training dept.know what's going on. Then request a new trainer. This is your cdl and your career here. Take personal responsibility for it. If the trainer is as bad as you say then he does not need to be training. The training dept will never know unless you tell them.

As far as DS goes, they are far from the worst of the private schools. Yes its not cheap. But its shorter than a community college. Its all in what you want and are wanting to do and willing to do. You pay a little each week out of your pay and USA picks up the bulk of the school payment when you complete a year. I think that's fair. You have a stake and so does USA. I made my year and USA paid their part. I'm not looking for a free handout. I take personal responsibility in everything I do. I don't expect others to pay my way such as the tax payers or a company.

So, DS may not be ideal but they helped you get a cdl and usa may not be ideal but the helped get you a cdl and atleast 1 year experience. What more do people want? Makes me wonder how our country got to be the greatest in the world as I watch it fall all around us.

 

Waiting is def part of the game with trucking, I have actually sat in a dock more than once and had a ten hour break in before I was completely unloaded. Patience is one thing trucking has taught me over the years. You can always get a new trainer and report the bad one you have if he is horrible. Nobody is going to know unless people start reporting him or her, I hate trainers that only do it for the team miles.

 

I went through Ds back in 2007 and 6 years later im still here working for USA Truck,actually got a 1200 dollar check back from them at the end of my contract if I remember correctly back in 2008,they don't deceive anyone,its all written in the papers you sign,they just give you enough training to pass your Cdl test,then its up to the trainer and ultimately you to do the rest to be a successful driver,most companies are the same in general,some pay more than others etc etc,but in general there are gonna be things you don't like with the majority of them at some point or another,you just have to find one that works best for you in the end

 

ah waiting,,,, I used to sit in the dirvers seat and get pissed off when I first started, but now I either get out and exercise some or I get in the sleeper and take a nap. I have been places where it took lumpers 6 hours to load a truck. I am sure the guys that have been doing it longer have had to wait longer in the past.

 

12 hours to unload 18 pallets at a grocery. Mixed pallets and had to be sorted, counted, and restacked. Average is around a 4-6hr wait at grocers. I still can't figure out why I have to wait on all that. Sign bol subject to count and let me leave. Shipper sealed the trailer and I delivered with the seal intact. What am I supposed to do if its short?

Then they take 6hrs to unload and tell you that you can't finish your 10hr break abd have to leave. Even though your 14 was up 1hr ago. This after you told them when your 14 was up when you arrived.

 

It ain't much but can you say Detention pay plz?