Recruiters or no?

PI&I Motor Express is Teamsters, but don't know if they use teams. They do hire new cdl grads.

 

Time to move on then.
Old Dominion
Calex Logistics
Quest Global - normally requires 3 mos. experience, but they do waive that for a husband/wife team as long as one of you has over 3 mos experience.

 

Recruiters and we do not get along very well. Their job is to fill seats in that truck. When we talked to several companies, they fell all over themselves at the idea of scoring a H/W team at some point after spouse finished trucking school. And I have to train her.

If you know anything about marriage, one spouse being trained by another in the work place is sometimes a most stressing, difficult and darn near tough to put up with. Because sometimes one does not listen to another.

I was going to say why get rid of the house, then I caught that you cannot stand pittsburgh. If it is equally feeling between both of you, then sell close bank the money and get on the road. You have a entire Nation to pick from and about a year or two you both will know pretty much where the next home will be built on what land where.

Be very careful with money until then. You want to be debt free with a home that is paid for on land that is good. So you two will enjoy your remaining years when the trucking industry gets through with both of you one way or another. And it will find a way.

On the other hand this is a enormous opperutnity. Talk DIRECT to the company drivers, to management. DO NOT whatever you do spend time with recruiters. They will literally be wetting themselves and panting ready to promise you two the moon and the stars and a planet of diamonds to just sign here. Not knowing what you two are really getting into first.

I have been out of the industry too long to know what wages should be for a H/W Team. We were paid .75 to our truck and ran 7000 miles some weeks. Nothing others. We ended up with a 0.29 overall paid to the truck at 210000 miles run in 10 months together when all miles and service days are added up back in 2001.

You two should and ought to ask for a minimum of 1.25 to the truck if not a flat 1.50 to start per mile. Or even better a salary that nets a minimum of 3000 after withholding each week so that miles is irrevelant and you can focus on delivery.

Certain kinds of freighting is way way way better than just potato chips into sysco that will make you sit and wait in south little rock half the day on 65th street with people shooting one another in daylight. You do not want a dollar store account either. Get into something truly good and worthy of both of your time together. For us it's medicines out of Mckessson in Memphis. The payroll took care of itself with the third party trucking contractor that hired us.

Remember this ... you two together as a Husband wife team offers a industry a platter of golden oppertunity. You do not have any idea what companies will throw at both of you in terms of bonus, pay and so on to try and get you two into a truck.

Maybe even turn both of you into trainers on pernament salary. next thing you both know you are grossing 300K annually training those who will accept instruction.

Or become managers or higher up. With enough money put away in 10 years, your social security benefits will be maxed out. You wont even need it and can stay out and run for the hell of it.

Follow me so far?

I sound like I promise the moon. I cannot be more opposite. I warn you two to have your minds carefully going over EVERYTHING before you commit to this industry. Who knows. With the right company and the revenue you two will be employers some day with a dynasty to pass on to your next generation. No more would you like fries with that for anyone.

Just do not allow yourselfs to be homeless. If you hate Pittsburgh, get out of there. Life is too short being stuck somewhere you don't like.

 

Ok you are already operating at a level in life that I consider above my pay grade so to speak.

When you attend your first orientation and survey the 50 or so with you that first morning, it will become apparent many are not capable of putting together 20 dollars. Many will not make it through orientation. A few will exhibit poor grooming or hygene. More of the same you will witness later on.

The next problem I can think of is truck parking on time off at your next place. Can you do it? And not get stuck on your land on gravel or pavement? We had several acres and plopped our rig into it and a once got it good and stuck, but a little bit of money and a hard working tow man got it taken care of without the company any wiser thankfully. (Embarrasing... those OTR tractors are NOT very good on flat level grass....)

I can go on but I think one little thing at a time. Others should be chiming in before too long.