Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Don't pay any attention to the griping. It is requirement of truck drivers.

With all my complaining about wasted time I am still getting more miles than I see mentioned on other company threads.

 

Hey yall. Recent student grad here looking for a home (with wheels). However I'd like to visit the one I pay for with a foundation from time to time. Preferably weekends. I'm flexible so I'm OK with it not being every weekend. But I would like more often than not. So based on what I'm looking at regional runs look to be my area vs OTR. I had a company I was all in for for the last 5 months and when I was ready to graduate they were full. So, I'm on the hunt. Abilene was suggested to me by China above and I'm here to see what I can expect. My application was put in yesterday and I haven't talked to a recruiter yet. I'm 37 with a wife and 2 kids (teenagers yayyyyy). Rider program is big for me. Also I'd like to bring my dog but it may be an issue because she's big. Very big. Most places only allow under 50lb dogs. If they'd allow me to count her as 3 (soon to be 4) that would be great. She's almost a year old English Mastiff. Not being able to have one or 2 of my options I'm willing to sacrifice but I just can't see giving all.

So I wonder these things,

What kind of trucks do they use?
Do they have or allow inverters?
Refrigerators?
APUs?
What's best about Abilene?
What's worst?

I read a couple pages back and really like the comradery and back and forth banter between yall.

Thanks in advance for your help. Sorry if any of the questions are the same constant ones you always hear.

 

I got diverted...again...

Dropped the SHO3 trailer at AMX-R. To grab an MT and drop it at Ruffin. Then grab a load to Brookhaven by 9am tomorrow. Then find a way back to get this transmission serviced.

 

Volvos, KWs, and Freightliners.
They come with inverters and refrigerators.
No APUs sadly.
Best? If you like to run, you will.
Worst? Communications. Abilene is small on administration overhead. Several wear different hats. This sadly means we (the drivers) are the last to know, if we find out at all. But we are a friendly bunch, to say the least. And helpful.

 

The equipment is also very good. No worn out junky tractors or trailers. You will most likely get a tractor no more than 2 years old.

Other perks are 68 mph limiters (many companies are slower) and 45 mins of off duty personal use each day which is a lifesaver for someone like me with no car to run errands and get groceries.

The training program is student dependent. No fixed miles or time with a trainer. Learn quickly and do well and you could be in your own truck in weeks. I got mine in less than a month and I had no prior class A experience before coming here.

 

Wait just a second... We can't have two daddies... We won't know who Flattie C is talking to... LOL

In all seriousness, @Chinatown pointed me to five non mega companies and Abilene was one of them. I might complain now and then but pretty happy I started here for my first year at a starter company... And don't see that changing too quickly either.

Is any company perfect, Nope... And neither is Abilene... And we would all be honest about that... Just read some of our ventings here within this thread.

My summary of Abilene;
Awesome Trucks
Great Freight
Lots of Miles

Feel free to ask anything... Anyone here will be very honest and upfront about anything they have hit here... But most of us are still here... lol

Where are you from?

 

Hey Midwest you ever get that ac problem fixed?

Currently in Sparks,will scroll tonight to Reno and back to door for early morning delivery.After I get unloaded, will head back to the Volvo in Sparks, so hopefully they can fix this ac issue once and for all.

 

Ok MD, your estimated gross in 2016?