Newbie Looking for Work

We had a girl in our class and it seemed the US Express recruiter was trying to sell her extra hard. He claims they have the worlds largest female employment in trucking. Something like 2500 of their trucks.

They are also all automatics and 100% no-touch freight. (Coincidence? I think not lol)

 

I started with Stevens ten years ago. You are in for a rough year, that's all I can say. Their training program is top notch, but orientation resembles boot camp. They drag your butt out of bed at 6am and keep you until 9 or 10 pm. If you make it through the first week, and many didn't, you go out with a trainer, I can't remember how many weeks it was, but it lasted 2-3 months. After you get through that, then they put you out with another rookie and you drive team for another month or so. Then you finally get a solo truck. Like I said, the training there is, or at least was, top notch. I mean, you don't see Stevens Transport trucks with their bumpers held on with duct tape, or the running boards all smashed up like you do at some of these other companies. Listen to what they say, If you get a lousy trainer speak up, they'll give you another.

Now for the down side. The pay once you get solo stinks. I was getting 22 cents a mile, that was back in 1999. Keep track of your miles, because they like to stiff you. Every Friday I spent an hour on the phone yelling at the payroll lady because I only got paid for half of what I ran. I'd get, "well, we never got the paperwork." That's funny, because I fedexed it and it had the same lady I was talking to's signature on it....
Driving solo is awful for them. The pay was awful, and be prepared to spend a lot of time in the back of the truck lumping your own loads. They reimburse you for lumpers, but I ran into quite a few places where there just wasn't any there to hire. I can say it was the worst year of my life. The pay was a little better than a burger flipper. And they were not nice people. But you have to start somewhere. If could go back and do it again, I'd have started with Schneider, but in this economy, your options are probably a lot more limited than mine were.

Just thought I'd let you know what you're in for. Don't let them beat you down, get that year in. After you get that year in, you can get hired just about anywhere. My pay went from 22 cents a mile to 40 the day I left Stevens back in 2000.

 

Had a usx recruiter say 45k first year 100% or more!! Home every other weekend!

 

Bravo Sierra!

 

Myself Jimmy from Canada. I am an IT graduate from SMU and also a Java Developer along with scripting and database languages. I am glad to join your forum. Thank for giving wonderful information about job.


Thanks
Jimmy

 

What would be better, Stevens or Schneider?

 

I would say Schneider. They pay better. They have far more dedicated accounts. In fact, I'm considering going over there myself and I've been driving ten years, because they are running out of the Walmart DC close to my house. There are plenty of reasons to stay. I started out at Stevens. It's a great place to go and put your first year in, like Schneider they have a top notch training program, but once your year is up, the pay is so bad there's no reason to stick around.

 

Bad news is Schneider is hiring only seasoned drivers and their trainers are back out on the road.