What are the best OTR mega starter companies.

I think I confused them with another fleet (Stevens Transport).

-- L

 

Reefer outfits also have pretty good accessorial pays. That's a reason I stuck with reefer companies for 18 years. Longer runs also. Plus, pulling a reefer trailer, you can also haul dry van loads and hazmat loads.
Say you deliver a load of refrigerated produce, then need your next load and there's no refrigerated load available. The dispatcher/load planner takes care of that and can give you a dry van load or a hazmat load such as paint. You won't haul the really bad hazmat stuff because there are specialized companies that do that.

 

Had a friend that went to KLLM for school/first year and even went back for a dedicated account that got him home 2-3 days a week. Their drivers are always respectful, trucks clean, and they have pretty decent lanes.

Their pay even beats out a decent amount of experience required companies once you get a year or two.

Inverter, fridge, and TV in all of their trucks I believe, so that'll make it easier getting adjusted.

Their dedicated accounts advertise like 65-72cpm, but of course that's partially cause of lower miles. I think OTR was around 60cpm when I asked him.

They run to both coasts fairly regularly if you're looking to do some adventuring

 

Sometime, for example, you're scheduled for the November orientation, then someone drops out of a September slot. May calls you and asked if you can start in September vs. November. This is not uncommon.
If you decide to go with May, let the recruiter know to contact you if an earlier opening becomes available.

 

FFE Transportation (Is owned by KLLM) To the best of my knowledge, KLLM is an excellent outfit to get started with.

• FFE Transportation terminal address:
• 17600 Northeast San Rafael St Portland, OR 97230

FFE is a nationwide LTL provider of temperature-controlled transportation and warehousing services. Learn more about FFE's history, customers, drivers, and solutions.

 

I'd advise anyone to follow my early career path as a company driver. I worked for May Trucking out of the gate. They are a low-pay, high-turnover company but they do have well-maintained, late-model equipment and they will keep you busy. For 90 days. Then you can go to work for JB Hunt. Not gonna lie, working for JB Hunt had down-sides, the most glaring of which is that they are probably THE most safety-oriented company. All their trucks are governed at 65, they use ALL the Detroit Assurance accessories, and they set them for maximum irritability. Overbearing safety managers, time-consuming safety training, non-stop beeps and buzzes while you're driving, inward-facing camera - the safety aspect of working for JB Hunt is a PITA. BUT, JB Hunt pays great. And they have plenty of freight, hell, they have ALL the freight if they want it, they can underbid anyone because they have huge rail discounts. And having worked for JB Hunt for a couple of years (that's when your insurance rate goes down), you'll find you can then get a job with literally any company, It's a solid feature on your resume, tells companies you were able to abide JB Hunt's safety ######## for years and still manage to keep your cool and your job, which makes you eminently hire-able.

 

May Trucking is out of Oregon don't think their rep is as bad as a lot of the big names. You gotta realize though megas are mainly for getting expereince and moving on. Sometimes you just gotta suck it a bit and get that year in safely and you open up a lot more doors.

 

Could also try Decker. Dont' know if they hire out of Oregon but they do hire Western drivers. Would be run out of the Missoula terminal. Not sure what the program is for student drivers but they do hire them. Great equipment and loaded, fridge, micowave, tv, inverters, apu, cb. epicvue tv.

 

May is not a mega-carrier. As I recall they have less than 1000 tractors on the road. They're prominent in the Northwest but if you see them elsewhere it's like seeing a unicorn. I used to have a subconscious thing that if I see a May truck today, it's going to be a good day. Doesn't happen often. But you're right that they're a company for getting experience and moving on. In fact, they won't resent you for it, their entire business structure is built around hiring new drivers for low pay, letting them move on, and hiring more new drivers. The only caveat I'll offer is, if you seriously can't drive worth a ####, they will not put you on the road, they'll figure it out in the one-week training after you show up.

 

Don't know where you drive but I see them all the time down here in the SE. I belive they have a florida terminal. Meant to say they are a training company not necessarily a mega. I know that term mega and training get lumped together a lot.