Any Response Is Welcomed

Hunter, you need to do serious, and I mean serious research into trucking companies before you go to school and hire on with someone. There ARE good companies out there but all have some bad points. My main thing is I want people to be honest with me... tell me the truth and make me a little mad instead of lying to me and making me REALLY mad, because 99 percent of the time I'll figure the lie out very quickly. You know I'm sure this may raise some eyebrows but I enjoyed driving for Werner Enterprises out of Omaha. They always seemed to be honest with me and I did get good miles... even with the paperless logs it's possible. I mean honestly if you get a 1600 mile run and 3 days to deliver it then the paperless log isn't even an issue. I may even rehire with them here shortly. The reason I left them? My last year there I got a dispatcher who was just an absolute jerk and we could not get along at all.

At Werner you have the right to fire your dispatcher if it's not working out but him and my fleet supervisor were really good friends so my supervisor refused to let me fire him saying no I had to give him a chance... this after being on his board for over a year. Well then I found out after I left that the supervisor did this to bunch of other drivers who had the same dispatcher and needless to say, upper management fired both of them. I may seriously consider going back to them.. they are financially stable and they have nice equipment and are equipping the new and newer trucks with APU's. Hunter I'm not saying go to Werner but I figured I'd share my experience with them with you.

 

Truckerdave1970, you need to learn a little about life. 1st off fuel costs more than wages. The company is in business to make a profit, just like you expect to make a wage. Freight prices are set competivley, not arbitrarily. If the company could charge more and keep the business they would. They can't!! No one owes you a living, you have chosen to work for your employer. As you believe your employer can just charge more for freight, why don't you just charge more for your services. Tell your employer how much more you need or you can't drive any more. Let me know how that works out for you.

 

You need to learn something as well.

Trucks do not drive themselves.

Office workers do not suffer from no heat or a/c.

APU's save more money and keep drivers comfortable.

Let them digest that.

 

I did 6 years, 9 months and 1 day myself and believe me, if you did that, trucking ain't gonna seem all that bad.

 

Hunter I'm a 6 year vet myself. Served 89-95 including Desert Storm. I salute you my fellow Army brother.

 

with all due respect, I think you are wrong. As to costs: By the time you factor in healthcare and other benefits paid out to employees and add in the workmen's comp., the employer's portion of taxes and social security, I believe wages are the #1cost. But I could be wrong.
As to freight rates, we all know going thru a broker is a sure way to go broke! Brokers get the most they can out of the shipper and give the least they can to the trucker. The only competition there is to screw both parties out of the most money and keep as much as they can for the broker. If all companies were to STOP HAULING CHEAP FREIGHT, then trucking companies could hold on to their contracts.
As to me charging more for my services, I would if I had the postion of power. But as we all know, drivers are 1st in line to get screwed and last in line to get paid!
As to the 1st line of your post : It seems like you take my comments personally to be so defensive. Would I be wrong in thinking that you are more than just a truck driver, but instead an owner of a trucking company with drivers working for you? Why did my comments affect you so much that you felt the need to insult me?

 

FN,

Very well said. I agree.

I see that we are practically neighbors. I graduated from ATI in VB this past May. Once I retire from the Navy, I plan to start trucking.

R/

Frat

 

Dave if you have been truckin for 15 yrs as you have said why dont you find a smaller company??? I t aint all that bad I work for a guy who has 18 trucks we pull reefers to the west coast, make good money and when we say hello on the phone he knows who we are by name. Which works out good because he has no idea whos in what truck lol.

Does he have turn over yes because its an all team company and teaming is not for everybody, but for those who can do it the reward is big. Between teaming, and produce its just alot more than alot can handle.

Anyway hope it gets better for ya I'm sure it will. Good luck to started this thread too it has started the great debate for sure lol

 

Each person is different in what they will tolerate in a company. Some people can't stand Werner, for example, some people think it's the best company out there.
As stated above, do your homework, take a lot of what you read around here with a grain of salt, find a company that seems to fill your needs, and then realize that you're on the bottom starting out, you'll get the crappy loads, the older truck, the short hauls, etc. Get some time, and miles under your belt, and then, if the company doesn't meet your needs, move on.
Personally, with some experience, I would look for a private carrier. A factory with a few trucks, or a manufacturer with their own fleet. That's what I do, I make a decent living, home every night, OK equipment, etc.

Good luck, and thank you for your military service!

 

Yes, we are practically neighbors. I graduated A.T.I. in September of 07 and went to work the following week for McElroy Truck Lines, Inc. I have been there ever since. They have been good to me and I would recommend them, but I don't think they are hiring at the moment unless you lived in or near Hagerstown, MD and wanted to drive a day cab out of Lowe's Distribution Center daily.

But A.T.I. will certainly help you apply to whomever you want to go with and I wish you the best of luck in your future career