Northridge Express: Clearwater, MN

This is one of the few companies that still does trucking the way it was meant to be. This is also one of the few companies that's still has its head and hind end arranged correctly (well usually, anyway), and actually cares about their drivers.

If you have a couple years of experience, a decent driving record and are willing to pull reefers and do LTL, this is one good place to work in my opinion. This is the one and only company that has ever done me right, and the very few times they have done me wrong they did their best to make it up to me.

Trucks, Real Trucks that can actually do the speed limit in all 50 states, and engines that actually have power to climb hills. The Kenworth T-600 Studio they had me in had a 550 Cat, a 13 speed and 3.36 rears. It averaged about 6.5 MPG with a mix of running all over the country, with idle time above 30%.

So here's a big slap in the face to all the big trucking companies, the EPA and other idiot organizations. So much for trucks needing small engines, slow speed governors and APU's to achieve good fuel mileage. This mentality is and always has been a big load of pure BS.

They never had a problem getting me home when I needed to be home or time off when I wanted it. If they can do it with 50 trucks it boggles my mind why companies with 500 or more trucks can't make it work.

Let me stress that it is reefer and a lot of LTL, so you will make good money but work hard for it. With CSA 2010 coming, they have done their damnest to get away from the old fashioned fly by night cowboy mentality.

I simply left trucking because my body is getting destroyed, and I do not like the direction the industry as a whole is heading... but for those of you who love it and live for this stuff, this is one place where its still at...