Which company should i choose??

Another trucking school myth . I see little respect , acceptance or avoidance here . Won't work in the real world of trucking either .

 

If someone really wants to succeed in this industry they will. It won't be as easy as it all looks in the recruiting brochures and websites, you can't fall for the hype.
You will also have be a little thick skinned and take it on the chin from time to time. Here on this site we ave modrators who do a great job, there are no moderators out there, especially at the truck stops or at the shippers/receivers....
The job itself comes with many stresses during the best of times and under good conditions. Right now, it is not the best of times and the conditions are not good, that adds to the stress. There are also a lot of drivers out here not doing well with the added stress which make for some reality tv moments at the truck stops, shippers/receivers and the CB for sure.

I remember when I first came here it seemed like a few if not several seemed pretty grumpy and crouchy. However, if you stick around you see why. There are always a lot of wannabies, newbies and whatevers who come on ask the same questions that have been asked and answered, asked again and answered again, asked, answered and argued, and so on.
Then like me, I really don't like seeing all those desparate and stranded individuals all over the country, it really breaks my heart. So, you think, wow, what if we could prevent them from it. So, you honestly and nicely try to, but, so many don't listen, and it does all get frustrating. Especially when they believe they know more about the industry they are about to get into than the ones who are in it and have been for years.

You also hve to understand, that there are those of us who have a strong deep desire to drive. As bad as things are, driving is in our blood. Like the writer who has to write, the singer who has to sing, or the staving artist who has to create, driving is what we have to do.
So, before the economy took a dive and unemployment soared, those who desired to be truckers were the only ones getting into it, for some they learned it wasn't for them and got out. Now with the economy and all, people who have no real desire or respect for trucking are getting into it, and even when it is not for them, they are sticking it out and besides leaving less driving jobs available for those with a real desire for trucking they are acting act and making trucking more stressful and giving us an even worse reputation. They really are making the already turbulant waters very merky.

I am starting to find it hard to be nice to all those who trucking is beneath them but they are going to do it until they can do what they want, whatever it is that is so much better than trucking. Trucking is better left to the truckers, not those just passing thru, because the just don't care enough.

The funny thing is, I have notice that if you stick around, keep communicating, you will realize that many of the people here are very decent, even if you didn't start off all warm and fuzzy with them. Truckers are like that, they like a good meal and good debate, even if it seems like an argument, that's how we control road rage.

 

This has got to be one of the best threads I've read since being here. It's got entertainment, drama and is still informative. I love it!

 

NEWS FLASH!
Yessirrreee...we are heaar (sp), to entertane!(sp)

 

Lavender Trucker makes some very good points although I don't agree that everyone that really wants to succeed will . Some that want to just don't have what it takes and some good drivers have been rejected by unqualified trainers . Others have been rejected at orientation because their BP was acceptable by FMSCA standards but required medication and some carriers refuse to hire anyone needing annual physicals .
While new members ask questions that are new to them they are the same questions that other newbies have asked hundreds of times and the answers can be found with a simple search .
Hard headed newbies that will only accept answers to their liking are particularly irritating . Some on them come here to get info to convince their wives or family members going to CDL school is a brilliant move and will ignore good advice and wait until they find someone that came out of school and managed to get a half decent job and they will point that out .
Some people will ask "Should I go to this carrier or that one ? " Don't bother telling them to read the posts on those companies in the Report A Bad Company Here forum or post the Safestat reports on the companies showing they have poor safety ratings and will be inspected every time they cross a scale . The choice has been narrowed down to these 2 . It's like a person is determined to commit suicide and asks "Should I hang myself or put a bullet through my head ? "
What I can't understand is why people funded by WIA choose trucking . Kickin Chicken even mentions funding is available for training in several fields . Some careers actually do have good opportunity with good paying jobs and current openings . So why choose an industry where 300 jobs a day are eliminated ?

 

That is a true and honest statement about rookies who have suddenly found that all the sweetened butter and cream they were fed in truck school and orientation aren't the way it really is out here on the golden paved highway of "quick and easy money"

Well excuuuuse me (or us), our culture, here on the road is sarcastic, humorous, and perhaps sometimes ill tempered, but never ill cultured. For your information, I was a trainer/Mentor for Swift for 13 years, I had students on my truck who had PhD's, Masters, multiple Bachelors....and to keep the record straight, I have a Bachelor's in Econ, with minors in Bus Admin, and Econ Development. Now here I sit, behind the wheel of my truck, and you come along 15 years later telling me I am not supposed to be driving a truck....#### counselors, should have told me that years ago.

The military is recession proof? Tell that to the soldiers who lost their lives due to the Congress not allocating sufficient funds for armor on the Humvees, or the shoddy flak jackets, or the threat of defunding intelligence.
The trucking recession proof has been covered even though you disagree.

Glad you didn't include grammar studies...plus when you obtained these degrees, you should have listened when they gave you your diploma...Bachelor in Econ with minors in ...
And to start this part of your oration...the correct verbiage would be; My advice to you guys is, get used to it.
As I said before...not an English major....you need thicker skin to survive on the highways dude!

"senario", is spelled with a "c"...but I am not going to tell you where to put it...the "c" that is!

So you had patience to sit in a class for years for no real reason...hmmm, maybe I was right earlier, just going to college on daddy's dime, cause there wasn't anything else to do...My son is in his 14th year in the US Army, he joined, for the same reason you sat in class...nothing better to do...now the Army is paying for his college!

One more time...verbiage, verbiage, verbiage...No thank you I left my seat at the University I attended, and I left one in the restaurant where I ate earlier, the one in the orientation I attended..need I go on? The word is "sit"...but you are college edumacated...where, Puerto Rico? they have an excellent medical college there, and only one third the price!


Now that I am done having MY FUN...here is some friendly advice;

Last week I was talking to a Prime driver with a pretty new Peterbilt..but he told me his lease (not purchase...lease) payment is $1,000.00 each week. Well my jaw hit the concrete...there is no possible way, for a solo driver to make that kind of payment, plus fuel, plus insurance, plus, plus, plus...and take any money to the bank. Be careful with Prime..hell be careful with any starter outfit...it is highly UNadvisable to get into trucking and succeed when they throw you right into a lease...give yourself some time as a company driver first, get to know the ropes, the culture, the bussinesses, and how everything actually can run smooth...if and when you get with the right company...not one of these mega companies (where you are just a number to them) but a good smaller company, where you actually have a better chance of them utilizing your education after you show them you are a good employee.

One more thing...no offense was ever intended...you opened yourself up to be a target by announcing your "college educated"...I think you would actually be surprised how many "college educated" types there are behind the wheel of the big trucks....and in the future, use your spell and grammar check...although that would take some of my fun out of this forum!

What company to look at? Whoever hollers the loudest first...but no lease, not as a rookie..all these starter companies are basically the same, just a different color!

 

I really don't know what to say. I feel that soe of these newbies have some legitimate questions, they show an interest in learning before they tackle this ride. Then out of nowhere they know more than drivers who have been behind the wheel. Trucking is about having it in the blood, having the desire to succeed and challenge yourself, the dedication to due your best even when the odds are against you, and having luck on your side.

Trucking companies keep hiring people because they have to replace all of the washouts, the bottom feeders (FFE, Prime, Swift, Werner, CRST, etc...) Aren't going to treat their drivers right. Oh sure there are some who will have the right measure of luck to do well with them, others who have a flawless work history, and great work ethic will fail no matter how hard they try, and how much of themselves they give. I have a buddy who is 10x better driver than I am, and he's BARELY making it right now. We're talking averaging maybe 1800 miles on a good week, while my piss poor weeks are about that.

Pay attention to members of these boards like Tarps, Rick, Lavender, and OtherHalf. You may not like what they say, but they are gonna give you an honest answer, that's a hell of a lot more than any driver school or company is going to give you.