Rookie choosing a company

workin your way off the docks aint a bad idea. however if your anything like i was when i was gettin started, it wont do. i jumped on with crosby trucking out of the evansville, in term. was not the best company in the states, but not the worst either. they got me home on friday night and back out sunday afternoon. kinda used them as a stepping stone until i got some experience. they have a terminal out of charlotte, nc. if you dont mind throwin frieght out the back of your truck you might see about'em.

 

I don't know much about the training schedules of most of the carriers. there was no such thing when I started. The reason rookies get blamed for so many of these basic errors is because they ARE rookies.
Companies that put a little more time into training their new drivers usually end up with better quality drivers and less of these errors.
It just appears to me most companies simply run people thru the grist mill. Lot's of bodies, lots of turnover.
I've often wondered how it would be different if there wasn't all this government money around for training drivers.
Virtually every company with more than 100 tractors is looking for drivers.
The real solution to the problem is better pay, benefits and schedules. they they will attract a better quality candidate and have less turnover.
OTR is where most drivers gain their experience.
OTR has the worst home time numbers.
some of us don't care. We're either too old to care or been doing this so long, we're use to it.
Either that we enjoy it.
Best chance for home time jobs is LTL, local beverage companies and line haul operations. But each has it's own pitfalls, so investigate carefully.

 

They say they want 1 year experience on their website. How long ago did you start with them?

 

I worked for Crosby up until last summer. I wouldn't recommend it for a newb. The folks in Mt Sidney will eat you alive, you'll be doing WAY too much NE (Boston, Newark, all NJ stops) and those store runs are BRUTAL in the heat. If you run hard (and illegal), you can rack up some miles and a decent paycheck, but your weekends (maybe Sat morning until Sunday afternoon) will mostly be spent sleeping and trying to get ready for the next run out. Their equipment is questionable, especially those old beatup SuperService trailers. The folks at the Charlotte terminal are great people, but they really dont give a rats behind about your log book..... as long as it looks legal.

Sidney, OH, and Evansville terminals are the best. Evansville maintenance folks are top notch.

 

Watkins and Shepard is in Conover NC they will train you there and if you want to run the east coast they will get you home quite often, call the recruiters at 8005488895 they will not BS you bthe health benefits for my wife 4 children and myself is$ 260:00! A month, it has its same old limitations you will find everywhere but is ok. these recruiters will shoot with steaight with you, here you are like family, go to the Watkins and Shepard threads here and see what I mean.

 

McElroy Trucking will get you home every weekend, and if they can't get you home they'll pay you for it, pretty cool!!

 

Goodluck, once I finish my refresher i'll be gettin in contact with them as well. We'll see if I can get a pre-hire!