Starting out for rookies

Hey All,

I just graduated and received my CDL on July 7. I have double/triples, tanker, and waiting on the background check for my hazmat endorsement. My hubby already drives OTR for Summitt Trucking out of Indiana. We are looking for a company that will let him train me and us drive as a team.

Any suggestions from anyone would be great. We are thinking of going with Covenant Transport. I have heard alot of bad things about them. But I would just love to go somewhere for the experience and then start somewhere else.

Any thoughts on the above. Thank you all in advance.

 

My husband is in the same boat. He got here in December 07 and it took a while to get his Class D (first apply for green card, receive work permit, get SSN, etc.) He has also run into the same problems of no US work history and not having a US license long enough (even though he has a spotless record in the UK). He managed to get to orientation with Arrow but then was cut on the last day. I didn't know there was a competition for jobs at orientation so that was news to me! Is that the way it is for all company orientations? I thought you at least went through training first and THEN they made the decision to keep you or not based on how well you learned. There were 14 newbies there vying for 4 slots. So now we are scrambling to figure out what to do as we have $6500 worth of CDL school loan to start paying back in October on top of everything else.

 

Hey manmik SNI just called me back & there was no talk of teams at all...
Hope they don't want me to team......

 

That's good, CT is a different area, different and more frieght traffic.

In some areas they are asking people to drive team like Fontana, CA.

Are you getting into their school. I hope it goes good for ya there.

 

From bill.s I have been sitting here reading your commments on floating the gears.I find very interesting as i havent heard of it before.Thanks for the info.

 

They want me to take refresher course. But I am still lookig around to other Co's....Do you know anything on there "Refresher Course" or thier training in general????

Checking into Baylor, Stevens..We'll see whats going on....

Any feedback/opinions on these 3 I would greatly appreciate...

 

Yep, that is what I heard...get started in OTR and after one year their will be companies hiring you !! Be a good hard worker, keep a clean record, maintain your logs, and hang in there !!

Best of luck & may nothing but success smile on you !!

 

I have a friend who's brother went to CR England after his CDL training...heard nothing but good stuff...he is not a lease/owner..old timer's advised him to get to know the business first for a few years first.

Anyways, this guy was with them for 1 yr...left on good terms and went to JB Hunt..left & returned to CR England and has stayed on with them.....

Ole timer last night recommended CR England to get started...and to start in the SPRINGTIME...not the Winter time.......

Also, talked to a guy from CCX/Conway last night and he has been with them for 5 years and he told me to make sure I get my Hazemat (class A ??) to expand my employment opportunity .....

I hope this info will help you out......

I hope this info

 

Only as a suggestion............based on what you said, look at CRST
They do alot of the training husband/wife thing to start out stuff.....

Look before you leap.............and good luck......

 

IF your husband has a year experience Swift will let him train you after a month. He will have to go through their mentor training and he'd be authorized to only train you, then you two can run as a team.