First interview

Companies pay for tank washes. They either have an account with the tank wash or the tank wash takes Comchecks or EFS checks or some sort of equivalent or electronic payment. Every company will reimburse the driver for legitimate expenses the company will authorize. It's the company's responsibility to pay for the service their truck needs. NEVER jump to pay for trruck expenses until someone in the company tells you to pay and they will reimburse it. Any sort of payment conversation needs to be done by text message or Qualcom/PeopleNet. There must be a written record until you have seen that the company is faithful and reimburses you if they say they will reimburse.

I may be mis-reading you. It's the internet AND I'm not a people person. But do not have a poverty or victim mindset. THEY need you. They are a business. You don't need to help them out so they will LET YOU WORK THERE. They've got lots more money and credit than you have. They can pay their own way in life. Good companies will show you they want to keep you. Use your newness in the industry to ask questions and don't be afraid to ask uncomfortable questions "because you are new."

 

Tanker companies are often run like mini islands. The terminal manager at each terminal is his own king of the island. the TM gets final say on hiring anyone, I started tanker at Quality Carriers and the pay was different at each terminal and sometimes at each customer. It is often easier to move between terminals versus changing companies. I think this description is common in tanker.

 

There’s a saying. Not sure if I made it up or if I heard it somewhere but I’ve used it for 30 years

10% of the people run 90% of the world
That applies to all situations. Trucking included

Not everyone in this business should be in and not everyone knows how to be in it

The cream always floats to the top.
Sure. Those who can. Will still have bumps but not near as many as this who can’t or shouldn’t

 

Look 'em in the eye, be professional, and laugh at his jokes, just not too much. Don't flirt with the cute receptionist, that's for after you have the job.

 

This is fantastic advice! I started with Schneider and although I almost went on food stamps they got me the incident free tanker miles to qualify for a six figure driving job.

 

How did it go?

 

What I know about TWT or Tidewater is positive. There is a TWT driver on the message board. Maybe @Chinatown remembers his name. I think it's Kevin or Rev Kevin. If you are a company driver, you will not pay for stuff except what you want for you. The company will give you a fuel card to pay for fuel, and probably oil and coolant. QC's fuel card only paid for my fuel. Everything else like coolant, oil, anti-gel, fuses, tires I could use an EFS company check or I could pay and turn in receipts. That's pretty standard in trucking. TWT is big enough they will likely have accounts at almost any truck stop chain and roadside service, etc. To use that service you'll just need to supply driver and truck info. I just know listening to office types at most trucking companies doesn't give a realistic view of the company from a driver's position. I worked at Averitt Express for almost 20 years and there were office people who might not even know what color our trucks were painted unless there was an office calendar in view.

 

Glad to hear it worked out for you. YOU did the work to make that happen. Keeping your record spotless is work.

 

I think RevKev or whatever his screen name is has moved on from Tidewater. He was there a couple of years or more, so it must have been ok.